Kristin Nilsen - In-Person Event

More about Worldwide Crush

Rory Calhoun is a teen popstar with perfect teeth and messy hair who’s inspiring first crushes all over the globe. Millie Jackson is just one of the millions of fans who love him–but that doesn’t mean her heart doesn’t break for him every single day in this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story.

How many of Rory’s fans collect “data” about him in a special notebook hidden in their underwear drawer? Or have faked a fascination with whale migration for a chance to visit his hometown? Millie may not be Rory’s only fan at Susan B. Anthony Middle School, but she’s convinced she’s the biggest–and the best.

Rory’s new song “Worldwide Crush” is climbing the charts, and his lyrics are clear: he’s looking for love–and he’s looking in the audience. Meaning Millie’s secret fantasies of running in the surf and eating waffles with him may not be crazy after all . . . she could be that girl But first she has to get to his concert–his completely sold-out concert in a city nowhere near her home for which she does not have tickets or a ride. She just has to figure out how.

About the Author

Kristin Nilsen is an erstwhile librarian, a collector of crush stories, and the author of Worldwide Crush (July 2023), a middle grade novel inspired by her own childhood crush on Shaun Cassidy. She co-hosts The Pop Culture Preservation Society, a weekly podcast celebrating the cultural nuggets of the classic Gen X childhood where Kristin serves as the show’s Pro Crushologist. She lives in Minneapolis with her Gen X husband, her Gen Z son, and their rock and roll goldendoodle, Axl Rose Nilsen. This event is a full-circle moment for Kristin as she was also a children’s manager for Anderson’s Bookshop many moons ago. In fact, one could say that Anderson’s Bookshop is where the seed for Worldwide Crush was planted.