Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Aaron Starmer (YOU ARE NOW OLD ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS)!
Meet the Author: Aaron Starmer
Aaron Starmer is the author of more than a dozen novels for young readers, including Night Swimming, A Million Views, Spontaneous, The Only Ones, and the Locker 37 series. He lives in Vermont with his wife and two children.
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About the Book: YOU ARE NOW OLD ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS
There’s always more to the story.
In the latest middle grade speculative novel from Spontaneous author Aaron Starmer, Roman follows the twisted threads of bizarre family legends and magical secrets to write his own chapter in his peculiar family narrative.
“A triumph of imaginative storytelling…”—Booklist, starred review
The Toe Beast looms large in the Barnes family lore—a tale concocted by twelve-year-old Roman’s grandpa to explain his missing toe. But Roman has never actually heard the full story, and after his grandpa dies suddenly, it seems like he never will.
That is, until Roman is tasked with clearing out his grandpa’s house, and stumbles upon some strange things. An old mason jar full of formaldehyde, a mysterious handwritten book about a girl and a pack of dogs, a rusty metal bucket with peculiar abilities. And they all tie back to extraordinary secrets from the distant past.
By unraveling even more unbelievable stories that have been hidden from him, Roman is forced to rethink how he fits into his family’s history. Now it’s up to him to see his own story through to the end. Because the Toe Beast was only the beginning . . .
~Author Chat~
YABC: What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
There were a few story ideas that had been rattling around in my head for a few years, including one I had already written parts of, and they all felt connected for some reason. At a certain point, I realized that they all could be woven into a longer story about some deep, dark family secrets. So I used that concept as a jumping off point, and I started writing about Roman Barnes, a 12-year-old boy who starts to uncover some exceedingly strange stories about his family when he’s helping clean out his recently deceased grandfather’s home.
YABC: Is your main character like you?
In some ways all of my characters are, but Roman is closer than others. He’s definitely like me in that he’s the youngest in a group of cousins (I have thirteen first cousins on my Mom’s side alone — all older!). Plus an insatiable curiosity is something I share with Roman. But I’d also say that Roman is much braver than I am. He’s more willing to take chances than I was at his age. Or at this age, for that matter! And that’s what ultimately drives the story, a curious kid who won’t let anything get in the way of his curiosity.
YABC: How do you know when a book is finished?
When I decide that I’m never going to read it again! That’s not really a joke. Because once I’ve gotten to the point that I’ve gone over a book dozens of times and all I’m doing is changing random words here and there, I know it’s time to move on and not ever look at it again because I’ll just want to tinker with it.
YABC: When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
From as early as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be some kind of writer. I think when I was in elementary school, I wanted to be like my hero at the time, Weird Al, and write parody songs. Then in middle school I wanted to write movies because that’s what really excited me. By high school, I my sights on being a novelist, because that seemed to be the toughest thing to write, but I just didn’t have the discipline to write an entire book. I got there eventually, but tried all different styles of writing in the meantime.
YABC: How do you keep your ‘voice’ true to the age category you are writing within?
I’m not entirely sure. Mainly, I try to write in a way that would’ve excited me when I was a younger reader. Often that means depicting my characters as being slightly more capable and wise than they would normally be, but it also means they’ll be emotional and curious and brave, which, as I said, leads to exciting stories.
YABC: What type of scene do you love to write the most?
I adore writing dialogue scenes when characters are confessing or revealing something that’s been hidden under the surface for the whole story. It doesn’t have to be a fight necessarily. Simply a moment when everything is laid bare and the world of the characters changes. Those explosions of words and emotions are what excite me as a reader as well.
YABC: What word do you have trouble overusing?
I just have a problem using words that are just too natural to say but just aren’t always needed, such as the word “just.”
YABC: What’s your least favorite word or expression and why?
Stick-to-itiveness, which, ironically, is a characteristic that Roman has in the book. I’d actually be fine with the term if some writer had simply come up with it on their own and used it once in their writing. But it’s been around for as long as I can remember, and feels so ingrained in corporate culture and self-help speak that it automatically makes me shudder a bit when I hear it.
YABC: What is your favorite holiday or tradition and why?
Thanksgiving. Because I like my family. And I like food.
YABC: What’s up next for you?
A young adult novel called The Swans is coming in 2027. It’s a dark and funny thriller about a teenager trying to make his mark in the world and maybe fall in love. Keep an eye out for it.
Title: YOU ARE NOW OLD ENOUGH TO HEAR THIS
Author: Aaron Starmer
Release Date: March 24, 2026
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction
Age Range: 10 and up
