Sometimes you have to give yourself space and time to change as a person before a story can land where it needs to be. Sometimes you have to meet the right people, too, who will help you place it there. At least, that’s what happened for me. Lambda Literary Fellow Jen St. Jude (she/they) grew up in New Hampshire apple orchards and now lives in Chicago with her wife and dog. She has served as an editor for Chicago Review of Books, Just Femme & Dandy, and Arcturus Magazine. When she’s not reading or writing, you can find her cheering on the Chicago Sky and Red Stars. If Tomorrow Doesn’t Come is her first novel. If Tomorrow Doesn’t Comeis a story about the end of the world, but the gut-punch isn't just in the oncoming meteor that threatens all life on Earth. It's in Avery's past, in the way religious trauma and being closeted have pushed her to the brink, and about the ways that opening up save her life—even if her life may only last a few more days. I've never read a book that so devastatingly portrays what it's like when the things you love punish the things you are. This is a celebration of queerness, in all its attraction, affection and beauty; it's about expanding into yourself, becoming bigger even as the apocalypse looms." There’s a certain relief to stopping, isn’t there? How did it feel to be writing and editing this during the pandemic, which demanded that (many of us) stop, for an unspecified amount of time? I loved everything about this of course: the premise, the characters, the relationships—the family dynamics, the friendships, the romance. Even though I couldn't necessarily relate to everything the main character was going through, every line hit so deep and so personal, I felt it in my bones. It definitely touches on a lot of heavy themes, but I think St. Jude did an amazing job with all of it. The way they wrote the main character's depression and her religious trauma... it's hard to say that it was "wonderful" because that's such a positive word for an otherwise terribly devastating life experience, but their writing skills really are stellar.

St. Jude examines the viciousness of depression and the inexplicable way it has of being exacerbated by everything and nothing... This story is raw, but unflinching, too, until the bitter end." — BooklistIf Tomorrow Doesn't Come is a brilliant story of hope, healing, and resilience from a thoughtful and fearless new voice in YA." - Brandy Colbert

If Tomorrow Doesn't Come is definitely a heartfelt YA that aptly covers thematic grounds of mental health awareness, queerness, religion and most of all, the strength you gain from the love around you. My favourite part would be all the interactions Avery has with her parents, her brother and his family and the friends she makes in the few days. Amidst the chaos of the world ending, it was touching to see them all care for each other and form that close knit group of people she could rely on. Do look at the content warnings before diving into the book! i’ve been thinking about needs vs wants. some books you want & crave. others you need, as though you cannot fathom the idea of the world turning without its existence.

About the Author

This book is about the end of the world, yes; but it’s also about the relationship between Avery and Cass. There’s a lot of unresolved issues that they must face when they meet up again after the asteroid news breaks. The book is structured in a way that we see their friendship/relationship years before they go to separate colleges, and in the days leading up to the asteroid’s impact. Can we say slow burn? It’s kind of like a homecoming! After an isolating few years, I just really wanted to use it as an excuse to see a lot of people. I’ll be doing an event here in Chicago, where I live, on May 10 th at Women & Children First with my dear friend Jas Hammonds, the author of We Deserve Monuments . In New Hampshire, I’ll be in conversation with more friends, Kate Fussner ( The Song of Us ) and Sacha Lamb ( When the Angels Left the Old Country ). I’m also having a private party in New York just because a lot of my close friends live there, and because I wanted to say thank you to my terrific publishing team. I am so grateful for all the people who have supported me in this decade-long dream. I cannot stress enough how emotional this was. There are a lot of lows because not only is Avery trying to deal with her mental health and thinking everyone would be better off if she were gone; she’s also now trying to be there for her family in preparing for the end. Avery and her family decide to prepare a bunker in case they can survive somehow after the asteroid hits. On the other hand, there are some really lovely highs as well. After reconnecting with Cass, Avery spends her possibly last days finding some joy again. Her growth and finding out she has things to live for was a touching journey.