( CNN ) -- Author Tim Federle believes that everyone has a little bit of Nate Foster in them . Even if you 're not a gay theater nerd with dreams of stardom , Federle thinks everyone has felt like an outsider at some point . He may be onto something with his Nate Foster novels , about the semi-autobiographical teen character who chases Broadway dreams to New York for an open casting call in `` E.T : The Musical . '' Federle 's 2013 debut middle-grade novel , `` Better Nate Than Ever , '' struck a chord with critics and readers and was named one of 2013 's notable children 's books by the New York Times and Publishers Weekly . Its sequel `` Five , Six , Seven , Nate ! '' comes out Tuesday and was listed among the best books of January by Amazon . `` Five , Six , Seven , Nate ! '' picks up where the first book left off . Federle , who was a Broadway dancer and choreographer , takes readers further backstage with Nate as his Broadway dreams begin to come true , but he has to do some growing up along the way . Federle says his aim was to write a novel he would have loved when he was younger and feeling left out . The real message is n't about Nate 's love of Broadway or his sexuality , Federle says , but about embracing whatever makes you unique . Fast facts . Age : 33 . Hometown : Pittsburgh . Other titles : `` Better Nate Than Ever '' and `` Tequila Mockingbird , '' a literary cocktail guide voted the top food and cookbook of 2013 on Goodreads . Fun facts : Federle appeared in the original Broadway casts of `` The Little Mermaid '' and `` Gypsy '' before coaching the child stars of the show `` Billy Elliot . '' For fans of : Broadway musicals and TV shows like `` Glee , '' `` Smash '' and `` Dance Moms . '' Five questions for Tim Federle . CNN : What 's happening with Nate in your new novel ? Federle : `` Five , Six , Seven , Nate ! '' opens on my 13-year-old protagonist packing up a duffel bag and bidding his Midwestern town goodbye , heading off to start rehearsals for his New York City debut in `` E.T . : The Musical . '' The book is an insider look at what happens when a big-budget Broadway show comes together ( and occasionally apart ) , as seen through the eyes of a diehard theater nerd who just happens to also be a chocolate milk aficionado . Think : `` Smash '' with zits . CNN : How was writing the sequel different from your first book ? Federle : I wrote `` Better Nate Than Ever '' in total secret while working on the show `` Billy Elliot . '' Once the book came out and started getting a lot of unexpected attention , I felt like the `` Velveteen Writer '' -- like a bit of a faker who was suddenly turned real . So the biggest difference in writing a sequel is that now there are expectations . But also , and this is the awesome part , now there are fans , too ! CNN : Since `` Better Nate Than Ever , '' has the message changed or evolved in your new book ? Federle : The books are highly autobiographical , and I learned as a dancer that even when you get cast in a dream show , there are still setbacks and surprises ( and critics ) . For Nate , he 's finally part of a tribe of people who truly `` get '' him in `` Five , Six , Seven , Nate ! '' but now he 's dealing with cutthroat child stars and the nervous clamor of a brand-new town . If the message between books has evolved at all , it 's probably : `` Hold on to what makes you unique , but get ready to grow up a little , too . '' CNN : You 've said before kids can be your toughest critics . What have you heard from them ? Federle : I 've received quite a few all-capped emails YELLING AT ME FOR ENDING THE FIRST BOOK ON SUCH A CLIFFHANGER ! ! ! ! ! Also , several kids named Nate have written to say it 's `` cool or whatever '' to have their name in the title of a book . CNN : Nate 's sexuality is important to the story but not the focus of your book . How did you decide to handle that and what kind of reaction have you received ? Federle : You ca n't tell the story of a 13-year-old boy who knows every lyric to `` Phantom of the Opera '' without also referencing how much teasing he gets at school . Believe me , I remember . Middle school readers can handle a lot of truth , especially when it 's broached delicately , so the response to Nate 's subtle maybe-he-is-maybe-he-isn't-gay subplot has been overwhelmingly positive -- with librarians and parents cheering on Nate 's goofy perseverance in spite of how hard it can be just being a kid . I think every adult I know felt like an outsider in middle school , and these books are for anyone who might be going through that now and could use a laugh .
Nate Foster 's ` `` Better Nate Than Ever '' ! '' picks up where ` Five , Six , Seven , Nate left off . Nate Foster 's Broadway dreams are starting to come true , but it 's no cakewalk . The book 's message is to embrace whatever makes you unique , Nate Foster 's says .