Telepathic Pop Star: Sarah Crowne’s ‘Tune In

In this episode of the Connecticut Book Festivals Podcast, host Jed Doherty sits down with Sarah Crowne to talk about her new YA thriller, Tune In. The novel follows Nikki Scott, a telepathic pop star who’s investigating her mother’s mysterious death. As Nikki uncovers her powers, she also discovers a shadowy organization that’s weaponizing her voice—blending high-stakes conspiracy with a glittering pop music world. Think Stephen King’s Carrie meets a modern pop icon, with a sci-fi twist. Sarah shares how her lifelong love of pop music—from Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Madonna, and Janet Jackson to Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, and Britney Spears—inspired the book’s Easter eggs and atmosphere. She and Jed dive into where story ideas come from, touching on Rod Serling and the notion that ideas are “in the air,” waiting for the right creative antenna. They explore Sarah’s approach to writing YA thrillers and mysteries, why she loves challenging young readers to think critically, and how she crafts surprise endings that fool even the sharpest armchair detectives. Sarah also talks about her other work, including her earlier novel All These Threads of Time (a time-traveling serial killer story), her nonfiction series Rebel Writers about visiting historic authors’ homes, and her Substack, The Busy Lady, where she writes about creativity, writing, and life as a lawyer, mom, and author. Listeners will come away inspired by Sarah’s journey—from telling stories into her mom’s tape recorder to creating twisty, genre-bending fiction for readers of all ages.