This week, we’re sitting down with debut author Joanne Yi to talk about her unforgettable young adult novel, All the Tomorrows After. A story of grief, love, and family, Joanne’s book follows Winter Moon—a Korean American teen navigating loss and identity in the wake of her grandmother’s illness.
We’ll explore how the story took shape through Joanne’s personal journey with grief, the role of motherhood, and how food, music, and memory become a language of love and healing. Joanne also opens up about her writing process, the emotional vulnerability of publishing a debut novel, and what readers can expect from her next book.
Episode Highlights:
The inspiration behind All the Tomorrows After and how it grew from personal loss.
Writing grief through the lens of a teenager — and why “grief doesn’t begin with death.”
The significance of mother figures: Halmoni, Sunny, and Helena.
Using food and music as emotional anchors in storytelling.
How Winter’s “prickly” nature reflects real teenage isolation and resilience.
A look at Joanne’s next project and her favorite recent reads.
About the Author: Joanne Yi is a Korean American writer and poet. Her debut novel, All the Tomorrows After, is a Now in Books Book Club Pick and a deeply intimate exploration of family, grief, and belonging. Find her on Instagram @writingjojo or visit joanneyi.com.
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