Amanda Stern

Amanda Stern is a New York-based author, producer, and mental health advocate whose work spans literary fiction, memoir, children's literature, and cultural programming. A fourth-generation native New Yorker, Stern is the author of 13 books, including the memoir "Little Panic" (Grand Central Publishing), a Barnes & Noble Discover Pick, and the novel "The Long Haul" (Soft Skull Press).

Before turning to writing full time, Stern worked in film for Good Machine, Hal Hartley, Ang Lee, and Terry Gilliam. She later co-hosted the Lorne Michaels comedy series "This is Not a Test" alongside Marc Maron at Catch a Rising Star, before becoming an on-air host for Lorne Michaels' Burly Bear Network.

Stern's memoir "Little Panic" explores growing up with an undiagnosed panic disorder in Etan Patz-era Greenwich Village. The story follows her experiences with anxiety up to age 25, when a therapist finally provided a diagnosis. The memoir documents the transformation of New York City and offers a personal and comedic account of living with anxiety. The book has received praise from prominent voices in contemporary literature, including National Book Award winner Andrew Solomon, who described it as a canny, insightful, novelistic memoir that traces the impact of anxiety on Stern's life and explores themes such as love, social pressure, and the tension between childhood expectations and adult realities. People Magazine called it brave, fiercely funny, and a brilliant read that offers hope for those burdened by anxiety.

Stern has also written 11 books for children under the names A.J. Stern (the "Frankly, Frannie" series) and Fiona Rosenbloom ("You're So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah"), which Adam Sandler adapted into a Netflix movie. The film, a coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by Sammi Cohen and produced by Sandler, was based on Stern's young adult novel and starred Sandler alongside his wife and daughters. The film earned a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 80 critics.

Stern founded The Happy Ending Music and Reading Series, which was recognized by local critics as one of the best authors' series in New York City. She produced the live series, which ran at Joe's Pub and Symphony Space and featured more than 700 artists. In recognition of her cultural contributions, Stern was profiled in the New York issue of The New York Times Magazine as one of ten New Bohemians, helping to keep downtown New York alive. She has also been a NYFA Fiction Fellow and held residencies at MacDowell Colony and Yaddo.

Stern was appointed to the Advisory Council of Bring Change to Mind, an organization focused on encouraging dialogue about mental health and raising awareness, understanding, and empathy. She hosts, moderates, and curates for various programs, including the National Book Awards 5 Under 35, BBC, Soundcheck, MacDowell Colony, and the Brooklyn Public Library Gala with Paul Auster. Stern writes the psychology and mental health newsletter "How to Live," contributing to the ongoing conversation around anxiety, identity, and the human experience.