shannon c.f. rogers
Shannon is a multiracial American writer of Filipinx and European descent.
Her debut novel, I’D RATHER BURN THAN BLOOM, won the Asian/Pacific American Award for Youth Literature in 2024. Shannon’s writing has appeared in Bodega Magazine, Newfound Journal, and on stage with Tricklock Company, Lady Luck Productions, and the UNM Words Afire Festival of New Plays.
She earned her B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of New Mexico and her MFA in Writing For Young People at Antioch University Los Angeles. Having served as an educator, after-school program director, and lost mitten finder at schools in Albuquerque, Chicago, and New York City, she now lives and writes in Brooklyn, NY.
I’D RATHER BURN THAN BLOOM
Winner of the 2024 Asian Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature. In this contemporary YA novel, multiracial Filipinx-American teen Marisol Martin begins to compulsively draw in a mysterious sketchbook after her mother's sudden death in an attempt to untangle their past.
EIGHTEEN ROSES
When chronic loner Lucia Cruz discovers her mom has planned a full-scale Filipino debutante ball behind her back, she's forced to make eighteen "friends" before the big day in this funny and emotional YA novel about family, friendship, and overcoming the fear of getting your picture taken.
contact
I'm represented by Serene Hakim at Ayesha Pande Literary.
For inquiries, please contact her at serene(at)pandeliterary(dot)com
or, drop me a line here.
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Book Deal Announcement: THE OCEANS BETWEEN US (2026)
“Kat Brzozowski at Feiwel and Friends has bought The Oceans Between Us by Shannon C.F. Rogers, author of the APALA Award-winning I'd Rather Burn Than Bloom, about a Filipina American teen, caught between the country she knows and the family she's lost, who uncovers a family secret that threatens everything she thought was true. Publication is scheduled for 2026; Serene Hakim at Ayesha Pande Literary sold world rights.”
EIGHTEEN ROSES featured on TAYSHAS Reading List (2025)
“The goal of the TAYSHAS reading list is to motivate young adults to become lifelong readers and to participate in the community of readers in Texas. Students in grades 9 – 12 are encouraged to read books for pleasure from the list, which includes fiction and nonfiction titles. High school students are sure to find a favorite from this list.”
The American Library Association features EIGHTEEN ROSES in its 2025 Rise: A Feminist Book Project
“Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 has been promoting quality feminist literature for young readers since 2002 as a part of the Feminist Task Force and the Social Responsibilities Round Table.”
LitCit Interviews Shannon C.F. Rogers
On this episode of Antioch MFA Program's LitCit, host Bo Thomas Newman chats with guest Shannon C.F. Rogers, winner of the 2024 APALA Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature and author of the debut YA novel, I'd Rather Burn Than Bloom. In this interview, Shannon discusses her upbringing in Albuquerque, her experience as a playwright, her Filipino-American identity, themes of grief and self-discovery in her cinematic writing, and her publishing journey with her first novel. This episode was produced by Michael Sedillo and mastered by Jasmine Gipson and Bo Thomas Newman.
The Weirdest Thing Podcast Interviews Shannon C.F. Rogers: “ALL THE COYOTES”
This week Scotty and Amelia welcome author/longtime friend Shannon C.F. Rogers onto the pod to discuss her new novel "I'd Rather Burn Than Bloom" (2023, Feiwel & Friends), named one of the "20 Best Books to Read in July" by Kirkus Reviews and one of "The Best New YA Books of July 2023" by Paste Magazine. We also talk about fan fiction,"The Animorphs," grief, growing up in New Mexico, the teenage mind, "Breaking Bad," and more. And Shannon even brought the WEIRD with the story of a terrifying creature from Filipino folklore. This was a fun, wide-ranging conversation, and we hope you enjoy it!
Publishers Weekly Reviews EIGHTEEN ROSES
“Seventeen-year-old half white, half Filipino Lucia Elenemaria Cruz is grateful that her 18th birthday isn’t going to be a traditional debut. It clashes with her casual style, the complexities of planning such a thing make her anxious, and after falling out with her only friend, it’s not like she’d have anyone to invite…Rogers attentively depicts issues surrounding race, gender, parental responsibility, divorce, and self-esteem via Lucia’s numerous relationships, particularly with her mother. Lucia’s stand-up comedy seeds humor throughout this cathartic read.”
Kirkus Reviews EIGHTEEN ROSES
“Rogers’ sophomore novel features rich, deep representation of Filipino experience in the U.S. as well as strong character development, as it follows a loner who finds connections one small, imperfect step at a time. Through her journey of opening up and embracing vulnerability, Lucia, whose father is white, navigates the pressures of complicated family dynamics and community expectations. Beautiful, relatable, and full of emotion.”
Booklist Reviews EIGHTEEN ROSES (starred)
“…Astute readers may notice how Lucia and both of her parents seem to be neurodivergent-coded; she especially has significant sensory challenges with clothing, while her mom is constantly disorganized, and her dad is an incredibly rigid thinker. In this way, Rogers situates Lucia as she tries to merge her Filipino and American heritages and attempts to honor who she is when everyone expects different things from her. This should absolutely not be missed.”
Utopia State of Mind Reviews EIGHTEEN ROSES
“Eighteen Roses is one of those books I loved because the MC just feels a bit too close to home. This book unexpectedly scooped me out. It made me feel things I was not expecting! Keep reading this book review of Eighteen Roses for my full thoughts.”
The Nerd Daily Interviews Shannon C.F. Rogers
“We chat with author Shannon C.F. Rogers about Eighteen Roses, which is a sharply observed YA novel about friendship, family, and self-discovery, amid a backdrop of a Filipino debut.”
I’D RATHER BURN THAN BLOOM one of Paste Magazine’s Best New YA Books of 2023
“The young adult genre is always…let’s just call it eclectic. I mean, where else besides YA can you find fluffy romantic comedies, high-tension thrillers, contemporary explorations of emotion, and something pretty close to body horror, all on the same shelf? Here are our picks for the best YA books hitting shelves this July.”
I’D RATHER BURN THAN BLOOM named One of NYPL’s Best Books of the Year (2023)
“The New York Public Library: Best Books of 2023. The New York Public Library is proud to present our Best Books of 2023. Our annual recommendations for kids, teens, and adults, curated by our expert librarians, encompass fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, poetry, kids’ books in Spanish, and much more. All of these books are in the Library’s catalog and many are available in multiple formats, including e-books, audiobooks, and accessible editions. Happy reading!”
Kirkus Reviews I’D RATHER BURN THAN BLOOM (starred)
“…Her confessional first-person narration often reads like a movie, and it teems with vivid insights about crushes, longings, friend breakups, and complicated family dynamics set against the burning backdrop of the Albuquerque desert. The representation of a Filipino experience in the United States is done with superlative skill, rendering this beautifully written debut a model for how to expertly weave culturally specific cues into a universal story. Heart-wrenching and heart-filled.”
I’D RATHER BURN THAN BLOOM named one of Bank Street College of Education’s Best Books of the Year (2024)
“This edition includes more than 600 titles chosen by the Children’s Book Committee as the best of the best published in 2023. In choosing books for the annual list, reviewers consider literary quality and excellence of presentation as well as the potential emotional impact of the books on young readers.”
Inquirer: This Shannon C.F. Rogers fiction takes Fil-Am teen drama to a whole new level
“Get ready book lovers and prepare to go on an emotional ride that digs into the depths of the Filipino-American experience. Shannon C.F. Rogers has launched her debut YA fiction, “I’d Rather Burn Than Bloom,” a coming-of-age tale of Filipino-American teenager Marisol Martin who embarks on the complexities of self-discovery and grief.”
Publishers Weekly Reviews I’D RATHER BURN THAN BLOOM (starred)
“In this potent debut, Rogers explores themes of grief and moving on from loss through the lens of a biracial teen…Via dual timelines that trace Marisol’s life before her mother’s death and three months after, Rogers crafts a fast-paced narrative through Marisol’s powerful and poignant voice. Insights into family dynamics, changing friendships, and biracial identity make for realistically messy and enjoyable character growth that one can’t help but empathize with.”