On today's episode, we welcome Brandon Hoang, author of the YA novel Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend, from Macmillan Publishing. The book was a finalist for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrator’s Golden Kite Award and was named as one of the Young Adult Library Services Association’s 2024 Best Fiction for Young Adults. Brandon’s work includes the YA novel The Crossbow of Destiny and the upcoming graphic novel Secret of Athria: The Inventor’s Eye, due out next summer. He’s worked in television as a staff writer on the Disney series The Ghost and Molly McGee and Nickelodeon’s Wylde Pak, and as an animation executive with credits including the Nickelodeon shows Spongebob Squarepants and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Brandon was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and is back here in Portland after living and working in Los Angeles for several years.
Writer Loan Le calls Gloria Buenrostro is Not My Girlfriend "An uplifting debut about true friendship and being comfortable with who you are instead of chasing who you want to be."