Randi Smith is the author of the new young adult novel Ada Holloway's Had Enough. She also has written the book It Came from the Sky. She lives in Kentucky.
Q: What inspired you to write Ada Holloway’s Had Enough, and how did you create your character Ada?
A: This story started out as an assignment in my classes as a publishing major at Belmont University. This was back in 2023 when there was a lot of news about book banning efforts and the court cases against them.
For the first time in my life, I was made aware that book banning was happening in the US—in my own state and town—and I had no idea. That oversight stuck with me. When I had to write a story for one of my editing classes, I chose a topic I already couldn’t escape—book banning and how it affects communities.
Ada herself is based a lot on how I was as a teenager: opinionated but shy, thoughtful yet timid. Ada’s arc throughout the story mirrors how many teens grow up struggling to figure out who they are and then express that change to their loved ones.
Her character arc mirrors how I felt writing her because I was the lost college kid about to enter the real world with no idea of how it would end up, just like Ada struggles to define her life after high school.
Q: The Foreword Review of the book says, “Moving between action scenes, dialogue, and Ada’s instances of introspection, the novel ably balances concerns related to Ada’s inner turmoil with the issues facing her city.” What do you think of that description?
A: I honestly can’t read that review without smiling. I paid special care to showing Ada’s growth from a passive bystander to an active participant in her own life—and often struggled to write said protagonist passively on the first go.
And while this book is, at the end of the day, made to entertain, I also hope it inspires legitimate concerns and empathetic conversation about continuing book banning and censorship attempts in the US.
I hope Ada and I inspire honest conversations between teens and the trusted adults in their lives, whether parent, teacher, or librarian. Reading this review, I think that just might happen.
Q: Did you know how the novel would end before you started writing it, or did you make many changes along the way?
A: Yes and no! As a short story, the novel only went to the midpoint of the finished project. I would’ve kept it that way if my professor-turned-agent hadn’t insisted there was more to Ada’s story. She was right, of course. The rest of the novel was crafted not long after.
I use Story Beats to outline my ideas, and while I desperately need the structure to write, my outlines are never set in stone. Ada’s cousin, Molly, was spontaneously written into existence when I began the first draft. Beckett Forsythe’s character arc happened in a similar fashion.
So even though I try to limit my changes to small decisions, you can see that they often have important consequences on the novel as a whole.
Q: What do you hope readers take away from the story?
A: I want readers to walk away from Ada Holloway feeling empowered—not just about book bans but also about how to start tough conversations respectfully and honestly. Ada makes lots of mistakes before she figures things out, and as Ada grows from them, I hope readers do, too.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: Everything and nothing! I’m currently on a second draft of a fantasy YA manuscript, and I’m making progress on an adult rom-com that’s proving fun and challenging.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Anyone looking for more information about me or Ada Holloway can find out more on my socials—I’m on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Substack at RandiSmithWrites—or at RandiSmithWrites.com.
For any educators or librarians out there, I’m working on some great book banning handouts and discussion guides for classroom and event use. They’re completely free and available on my website!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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