Marissa chats with Stephan Lee about his new contemporary YA - K-POP REVOLUTION - as well as the difficult decision to leave your (second) dream job in order to pursue your ultimate dream of becoming a writer; some strategies for giving your ensemble cast of characters great chemistry while making them feel like authentic people; how injecting some sadness into your story can help develop emotional attachment between readers and minor characters; writing song lyrics by replicating real-life musical styles and tapping into your characters' inner emotions; plus a candid discussion on how public criticism can hurt - whether you're a K-Pop idol or a debut author! - and some thoughts on protecting ourselves emotionally from other people's opinions. Books discussed in this episode can be purchased from your local independent bookstore or buy them online from the Happy Writer bookshop.org store (that benefits indie bookstores) at https://bookshop.org/shop/marissameyer Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/