Worldwide Crush

Written by Kristin Nilsen

Narrated by Kristin Nilsen

• Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist in Humor
• National Indie Excellence Award Finalist in Teen Fiction
• Eric Hoffer Award Finalist in Children's Literature

 Rory Calhoun is a teen popstar with perfect teeth and messy hair who’s inspiring first crushes all over the globe. Millie Jackson is just one of the millions of fans who love him—but that doesn't mean her heart doesn't break for him every single day in this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story.

How many of Rory’s fans collect “data” about him in a special notebook hidden in their underwear drawer? Or have faked a fascination with whale migration for a chance to visit his hometown? Millie may not be Rory’s only fan at Susan B. Anthony Middle School, but she's convinced she's the biggest—and the best.

 Rory’s new song “Worldwide Crush” is climbing the charts, and his lyrics are clear:  he’s looking for love—and he’s looking in the audience. Meaning Millie’s secret fantasies of running in the surf and eating waffles with him may not be crazy after all . . . she could be that girl! But first she has to get to his concert—his completely sold-out concert in a city nowhere near her home for which she does not have tickets or a ride. She just has to figure out how.

“With Worldwide Crush, Kristin Nilsen establishes herself as a vibrant new voice in coming-of-age fiction. This funny, big-hearted novel explores family, friendship, and the intoxicating power of first crushes with sometimes cringeworthy accuracy. Readers still in the throes of tweendom will be as charmed by Millie’s emotional journey as those who attended middle school long ago. A winning pick for all generations!”

―Megan McCafferty, New York Times best-selling author of Best Frenemies Forever and the Jessica Darling series 

• Language: English
• Publisher: SparkPress
• Release date: Jul 11, 2024
• ISBN: 9798218456351

Kristin Nilsen

Kristin Nilsen is a bookseller, a youth services librarian, and the author of Worldwide Crush, a finalist in the Humor/Comedy category of the 2024 Next Generation Indie Book Awards. She is also a self-proclaimed “pro crushologist” and cohost of the popular Pop Culture Preservation Society podcast, celebrating the cultural nuggets of the Gen X childhood (and often sharing stories of awkward, preteen heartthrobs of yore). Kristin lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her Gen X husband, her Gen Z son, and their rock-and-roll goldendoodle, Axl Rose Nilsen.

Reviews for Worldwide Crush

[Kevin Williams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Good book. Really enjoyed the story. Really funny too. Amazing this is a indie book too. Listen/read this whenever you can.