Charlotte Lillie Balogh, a Massachusetts native and former Division 1 rower at Syracuse University, has released her second young adult novel, *Capsized*, a story that intertwines her passion for Boston and the sport of rowing. The novel, set against the backdrop of the renowned Head of the Charles Regatta, follows a teenage girl named Jo who moves to Boston to live with her single father and gradually falls in love with both the city and rowing.

Balogh, 31, drew on her personal experience growing up in the Boston area and her family’s rowing legacy. Her father, Adam Balogh, is a decorated Boston rower who has won gold at the Head of the Charles and currently coaches boys crew at Noble and Greenough School. Jo’s father, George, is inspired by Adam, and many of his mannerisms and the nickname “Teenager” in the novel reflect Balogh’s own family relationships.

The story begins 46 days before the Head of the Charles and culminates at the event itself. It explores themes of family, community, and self-discovery without relying on typical young adult tropes like romance or mystery. In discussing the book’s development, Balogh noted that when she initially pitched the story, editors often expressed that young adult books needed to feature a dead body or romance to succeed; *Capsized* includes neither.

The novel features a character named Seb, a para-athlete, inspired by Balogh’s real-life experience rowing in a mixed-inclusion double with para-athlete partner Andy Wigren. Balogh began crafting the story after moving to Los Angeles and originally conceived it as a TV pilot in 2017. An encounter with a book editor encouraged her to develop it into a novel, and she began writing it in earnest in 2018 while coaching rowing at RowLA.

*Capsized* has attracted the attention of Hulu, which is developing the book into a television series. Balogh is attached as the screenwriter, with Charlie Craig, known for *Pretty Little Liars*, set to executive produce.

Balogh’s connection to Boston remains strong. She wrote much of the novel during the pandemic as a form of wish fulfillment and often finds herself deeply nostalgic for the city after relocating to Los Angeles. She is scheduled to participate in events at the Boston Book Festival and the Head of the Charles Regatta later this month.

Looking ahead, Balogh is working on a third novel, tentatively titled *Heartbreak Hill*, which she describes as set in Boston and centered around sports. Like *Capsized*, the new project began as a TV pilot and she is currently adapting it into an adult book.