Events & Appearances with Rob Costello
In Conversation: AN UGLY WORLD FOR BEAUTIFUL BOYS w/ Jennifer Richard Jacobson & Rob Costello
Join Jennifer Richard Jacobson and Rob Costello as they discuss Rob's debut novel, AN UGLY WORLD FOR BEAUTIFUL BOYS. Bring your own questions and join us for a fun & lively conversation!
“An astonishing novel of discovery, heartache, and redemption. Costello writes unapologetically about surviving in a broken world against all odds. Truly unforgettable.”
-Erin Entrada Kelly, two-time Newbery Medalist and National Book Award Finalist
“Rob Costello has crafted an exquisitely haunting, gorgeously-written portrait of survival and resilience with An Ugly World for Beautiful Boys. This story is necessary, especially for anyone who has ever felt alone or misunderstood. All too real, it is at once painful and gritty, yet brimming with hope and the profound power of love and understanding. Toby’s story will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.”
- Amber Smith, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Way I Used to Be and The Way I Am Now
"Gritty, lyrical, and refreshingly honest, Costello's debut novel pulses with realness, as raw and resilient as its oh-so-human protagonist. A triumph.”
-Nora Shalaway Carpenter, award-winning author of Fault Lines and The Edge of Anything
Click here to pre-order your copy here!
When: Wednesday, April 30, 2025 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm ET
Where: Online
Cost: FREE
Click here to reserve your spot!
Summer Camp on Writing 2025
Get away for five days at the Summer Camp in Writing at the Highlights Foundation! This workshop is for fiction and nonfiction storytellers who are looking for inspiration, guidance, mentorship, community, fun, creativity, and…a place to dream!
At the Highlights Foundation, “summer camp” is different than S’mores by the fire and hiking in the woods. (Though we do that, too.)
Our Summer Camp in Writing is a time to find the kind of encouragement for your stories that only a generous mentor can provide. To find inspiration and support. To be with a community that understands the long process of turning dreams into books for children. To work 1:1 and fine-tune your words and pitches while you have some fun.
This is an in-person workshop at our Retreat Center with hands-on sessions, mentorship, and ample time for independent writing, meeting informally with fellow creatives, and resting.
Lodging and meals are included.
Begins with dinner 5:30pm Eastern on Sunday, July 13
Ends with lunch on Thursday, July 17
Pre-retreat Zoom to answer questions about submissions and discuss our summer camp community will be held on Monday, June 9 at 12 noon Eastern (this will be recorded for those who cannot attend live)
24 participants max
Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (August)
This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission.
Overview
In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included
This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens.
Apply on or before June 3 (with final notifications on or before June 10)
Optional online pre-retreat activities (via Zoom): June 24 & August 5 (2 evenings Eastern Time, dates are approximate)
Complete manuscript submissions due by July 1
Feedback letters delivered to writers by August 8
45-minute, 1:1 Private Zoom Consultation prior to the retreat: Scheduled at a mutually convenient time, August 8 – 15
The cost of the full course (including retreat + pre-retreat zooms, feedback letter, 1:1 consultations, lectures, and writing exercises) is $2,799.
The in-person workshop at our Retreat Center includes inspirational sessions and opportunities for time in the company of fellow creatives.
Begins with dinner on 5:30pm Eastern on Sunday, August 17
Ends after lunch on Friday, August 22
We include ample time to relax, retreat, and work on your revisions.
Lodging and meals are included at the retreat.
21 participants max
Apply Now!
The R(ev)ise and Shine Residency 2025
Following on our hugely successful inaugural residency at the Highlights Foundation in 2024, we are delighted to offer a bigger, longer, more exciting and enriching experience for 2025!
The residency is scheduled for five days and four nights, October 15-19th, in Vermont's beautiful Green Mountains during peak foliage season at Potash Hill.
Potash Hill was founded in 2021 on the gorgeous campus of the former Marlboro College. What better place for a residency than a real New England college campus in October? Enjoy crisp nights, sparkling days, and mountainsides stitched in blazing fall colors!
This residency is open to everyone. We welcome all writers to join us, from picture book to adult fiction, brand new visitors to the R(ev)ise and Shine! community and old friends alike. Whether you have published before or are just starting out, we will tailor your experience to meet you where you are in your writing journey.
You will be assigned two mentors who will work closely with you to determine your unique strengths and needs as a writer, as well as what’s working and what isn’t (yet!) in your current draft. Together we will help you design a plan of action for your next revision or for getting out of a stuck place. Come prepared to leap over hurdles that have been getting in your way.
In addition, this year we are delighted to include both an agent AND an editor as our special guests.
REGISTRATION CLOSES ON MAY 1, 2025!
Click here to find out more!
Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (October)
This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission.
Overview
In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included
This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens.
Apply on or before August 6 (with final notifications on or before August 13)
Optional online pre-retreat activities (via Zoom): August 27 & October 15 (2 evenings Eastern Time, dates are approximate)
Complete manuscript submissions due by September 3
Feedback letters delivered to writers by October 17
45-minute, 1:1 Private Zoom Consultation prior to the retreat: Scheduled at a mutually convenient time, October 17 – 24
The cost of the full course (including retreat + pre-retreat zooms, feedback letter, 1:1 consultations, lectures, and writing exercises) is $2,799
The in-person workshop at our Retreat Center includes inspirational sessions and opportunities for time in the company of fellow creatives.
Begins with dinner at 5:30pm Eastern on Sunday, October 26
Ends after lunch on Friday, October 31
We include ample time to relax, retreat, and work on your revisions.
Lodging and meals are included at the retreat.
21 participants max
Apply Now!
How to Get Noticed by Anthologists
Have you ever wondered how contributors to anthologies receive their invitations? How do those writers—particularly those who have yet to publish books or secure agents—get noticed? Are you curious about what anthologies expect of contributors (number of revisions, turnaround, publication timeline, etc)?) Or maybe you simply want to learn more about a small, but thriving corner of children’s publishing? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, please join anthologists and collaborators, Nora Shalaway Carpenter (WCYA ’12), Rob Costello (WCYA ‘12) and Erin Entrada Kelly, for this FREE 60-minute panel. In addition to Q&A, topics include:
What anthologists look for when selecting contributors
How to get those credentials and make them publicly available
How to improve your own short fiction skills, especially if you mainly write novels
First-hand accounts of what different contributor experiences are like
The relationship between the anthology editor and acquiring editor and the dynamic between each editor and each contributor
While you will learn a bit about the process of compiling anthologies, this panel is designed specifically for people who are hoping to be contributors.
Rainbow Retreat 2024: An In-Community Retreat for Storytellers
Experience our in-community Rainbow Retreat that warmly welcomes queer and questioning authors and illustrators who are crafting stories for children and teen audiences. Our goal is to provide a lightly structured retreat for you to explore your creativity and share your stories while fostering connections with a diverse and accepting community. Embrace your authentic self, make progress on your stories, and find ways to amplify fellow creatives.
Join this 3-night/4-day, in-community retreat thoughtfully designed to bring LGBTQIA2S+ creatives together. It is an informally structured retreat where the focus is on your own projects with room to celebrate and cultivate the joys of this community!
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Experience our in-community Rainbow Retreat that warmly welcomes queer and questioning authors and illustrators who are crafting stories for children and teen audiences. Our goal is to provide a lightly structured retreat for you to explore your creativity and share your stories while fostering connections with a diverse and accepting community. Embrace your authentic self, make progress on your stories, and find ways to amplify fellow creatives.
How It’s Structured
This is a lightly scheduled program with optional/informal group activities (like fireside chats, open mic, and publishing Q & A). There will be an abundance of writing, illustrating, and retreat time; please bring your stories.
Your Hosts include: Alex Gino, Rob Costello, Alexandra Villasante, & A.M. WIld
Click here to apply and find out more about the Rainbow Retreat.
Book Talk: We Mostly Come Out at Night w/ Jonathan Lenore Kastin
On Monday October 28 at 6:30 pm I'll be joined by Jonathan Lenore Kastin at the Millicent Library in Fairhaven, MA to talk monsters and We Mostly Come Out at Night! Perfect Halloween programming. I hope to see you there!
Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (October 2024)
This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission.
OVERVIEW:
In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included
This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens.
Apply on or before July 31 (with final notifications on or before August 15)
Optional online pre-retreat activities (via Zoom): August & September (2 evenings, dates/times TBD)
Complete manuscript submissions due by September 7
Feedback letters delivered to writers by October 11
45-minute, 1:1 Private Zoom Consultation prior to the retreat: Scheduled at a mutually convenient time, October 13 – 17
The cost of the full course (including retreat- lodging, meals, lectures, + pre-retreat zooms, feedback letter, 1:1 consultations, and writing exercises) is $2,799.
The in-person workshop at our Retreat Center includes inspirational sessions and opportunities for time in the company of fellow creatives.
Begins with dinner 5:30pm Eastern on Thursday, October 17
Ends with lunch at 11:45am Eastern on Tuesday, October 22
We include ample time to relax, retreat, and work on your revisions.
Lodging and meals are included at the retreat.
16 participants max
Faculty include: Erin Entrada Kelly, Jennifer Jacobson, Ernesto Cisneros, Sarah Aronson, Nora Shalaway Carpenter, Alicia D. Williams, Nicole Valentine, & Rob Costello
In Conversation: WE MOSTLY COME OUT AT NIGHT w/ Alexandra Villasante, Val Howlett, Rob Costello, and Special Guest—Laura Sibson
Join anthology editor Rob Costello, and contributors Val Howlett and Alexandra Villasante in conversation with special guest author Laura Sibson as they discuss the creation of We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures.
Check out the Children’s Book World events page for more details when they become available.
The R(ev)ise and Shine! Residency
A Focus on Revision:
The inaugural R(ev)ise and Shine! Residency, will be held August 31 thru September 3, 2024 at the Highlights Foundation in Milanville, PA.
Take advantage of a full schedule of lectures, targeted writing exercises, one-on-one meetings with mentors, face time with an agent, and other group activities. Our special guests will be the amazing agent and author Eric Smith, and the renowned illustrator and artist, James Ransome. All attendees will have their own private room/cabin, and will enjoy gourmet, chef-prepared meals.
A tentative schedule of events, a comprehensive FAQ, and detailed lecture/workshop descriptions are available on our website.
Whole Novel Workshop: An In-Person Retreat for Novelists (August 2024)
This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission.
OVERVIEW:
In-person 6-Day/5-Night Workshop and Retreat with a Full Novel Critique Included
This intensive, transformative Whole Novel Workshop offers writers the rare opportunity to have the entire draft (up to 80,000 words) of a novel read by faculty, with detailed written feedback and two private consultations provided. Attention in an intimate setting makes this program one that guarantees significant progress in preparation for submission. This Whole Novel Workshop is specifically designed for writers of novels for children and teens.
Apply on or before May 15 (with final notifications on or before May 31)
Optional online pre-retreat activities (via Zoom): June & July (2 evenings, dates/times TBD)
Complete manuscript submissions due by July 1
Feedback letters delivered to writers by August 10
45-minute, 1:1 Private Zoom Consultation prior to the retreat: Scheduled at a mutually convenient time, August 10 – 14
The cost of the full course (including retreat + pre-retreat zooms, feedback letter, 1:1 consultations, lectures, and writing exercises) is $2,799.
The in-person workshop at our Retreat Center includes inspirational sessions and opportunities for time in the company of fellow creatives.
Begins with dinner 5:30pm Eastern on Wednesday, August 14
Ends with lunch at 11:45am Eastern on Monday, August 19
We include ample time to relax, retreat, and work on your revisions.
Lodging and meals are included at the retreat.
16 participants max
Faculty include: Sarah Aronson, Diana Ma, Nancy Werlin, Janae Marks, Rob Costello, I.W. Gregorio, Crystal Allen, Nicole Valentine, & Alicia D. Williams.
Rob Costello on Horror in Children's and Queer YA Lit
I lecture to the students in the Children’s Book Writing and Illustration M.F.A. Program at Hollins University about the horror fiction genre, discussing its major tropes and analyzing the unique and enduring appeal YA horror holds for LGBTQIA2S+ readers and writers.
Readercon 2024
Rob Costello will attend Readercon 33 to participate in the Lethe Press reading and book signing to promote his short story collection The Dancing Bears: Queer Fables for the End Times. A limited number of copies of We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures will also be available for sale/signing.
Details TBA
Night #2: Writing With Pride: A Two -Night Online Mini for Young Adult Horror Writers
A Two-Night Mini Online Course:
Young adult readers love horror novels–they are safe spaces to explore humanity’s fears. For many queer and questioning readers, YA horror is a safe space for much more.
Join young adult authors Anna-Marie McLemore and Rob Costello for this short course for writers looking to create space in their horror and fantastical books for queer and questioning teens.
This program will draw on a rainbow of examples and experiences, and is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions with information, plus time to capture your own ideas and ask questions.
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 (7pm – 8:15pm Eastern)
Thursday, June 13, 2024 (7pm – 8:15pm Eastern)
Webinar-style program with closed captioning available and limited interaction in the chat
Recordings available until July 31, 2024
Night #1: Writing With Pride: A Two -Night Online Mini for Young Adult Horror Writers
A Two-Night Mini Online Course:
Young adult readers love horror novels–they are safe spaces to explore humanity’s fears. For many queer and questioning readers, YA horror is a safe space for much more.
Join young adult authors Anna-Marie McLemore and Rob Costello for this short course for writers looking to create space in their horror and fantastical books for queer and questioning teens.
This program will draw on a rainbow of examples and experiences, and is a great fit if you’re looking for a short course of two, 75-minute sessions with information, plus time to capture your own ideas and ask questions.
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 (7pm – 8:15pm Eastern)
Thursday, June 13, 2024 (7pm – 8:15pm Eastern)
Webinar-style program with closed captioning available and limited interaction in the chat
Recordings available until July 31, 2024
NebulaCon 2024 Online Panel: "Setting as Character: Making Livable, Memorable Worlds"
Join speculative fiction writers Rob Costello, S.L. Huang, R.B. Lemberg, Talulah Sullivan, & Martha Wells as they discuss capturing ideas to build worlds that breathe as much life into your stories as the characters you place in them.
In Conversation: WE MOSTLY COME OUT AT NIGHT w/ Kalynn Bayron, Rob Costello, & Special Guest—Amber Smith
Be not afraid! We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures is a cross-genre YA anthology exploring what it means to be a monster with queer perspectives on classic monster stories and tropes!
Join its creators, local authors Kalynn Bayron & anthology editor Rob Costello, as well as special guest Amber Smith, for a conversation and book signing.
Find out more on the Buffalo Street Books events page.
Book Talk: WE MOSTLY COME OUT AT NIGHT w/ Jonathan Lenore Kastin & Rob Costello
Be not afraid! We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures is a cross-genre YA anthology exploring what it means to be a monster with queer perspectives on classic monster stories and tropes!
Join its creators, local author Jonathan Lenore Kastin & anthology editor Rob Costello, for selected readings from the anthology, followed by a Q&A and book signing.
Register on our events calendar to attend: millicentlibrary.org/events
R(ev)ise & Shine! Presents: WE MOSTLY COME OUT AT NIGHT Online Launch Celebration
Join editor Rob Costello and contributors Shae Carys, H.E. Edgmon, Michael Thomas Ford, Val Howlett, Sarah Maxfield, and Merc Fenn Wolfmoor as they celebrate the launch of We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Takes of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures.
Bring your own questions and join us for a fun & lively conversation!
Tickets are FREE. Reserve your spot here!
Instagram Live w/ the Highlights Foundation: Book Birthday Celebration for WE MOSTLY COME OUT AT NIGHT
Join contributing editor Rob Costello and anthology contributors Jonathan Lenore Kastin and Alexandra Villasante in conversation with Cat Galeano of the Highlights Foundation as they discuss their new YA anthology, We Mostly Come Out at Night: 15 Queer Tales of Monsters, Angels & Other Creatures.
Instagram LIVE at The Highlights Foundation
Spring Writes 2024: Group Reading
Join us for a reading with local writers Rob Costello (excerpt from his story collection “The Dancing Bears”), Carson Lopez (a horror flash fiction story), Candy Moore (a story about her childhood), and Aurora Rey (except from her novel “Good Bones”).
This event is part of the Community Arts Partnership's Spring Writes Literary Festival. Visit SpringWrites.org for all SpringWrites events, artist bios, and registration information.
Writing Queer in an Era of Book Bans
According to PEN America the number of public school book bans across the United States rose by 33 percent in the 2022-23 school year, with nearly 6000 instances of banned books since tracking began in 2021. Upwards of 30% of these bans impact books that feature LGBTQIA+ themes and identities. Yet, despite these rampant bans, the surging sales of LGBTQIA+ titles has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise flagging book market.
In this panel, successful queer young adult authors Rob Costello, Amber Smith, Isabel Sterling and Kalynn Bayron will discuss the impact of the rising climate of censorship and intolerance on their work. They’ll talk about the joys and challenges of writing for a contemporary teen audience, share their own writing journeys, consider the enduring popularity of queer themes among today’s young readers, and celebrate the power and resilience of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Click here to register for this event.
This event is part of the Community Arts Partnership's Spring Writes Literary Festival. Visit SpringWrites.org for all SpringWrites events, artist bios, and registration information.
Rob Costello is available online and in-person for workshops, conferences, festivals, and other events.
To find out more, please fill out the contact form to your right.