Ali Novak began writing "My Life with the Walter Boys" as a 15-year-old student at Menomonee Falls High School. But did she ever think her debut novel would turn into a top Netflix 10-episode series?

For the past 45 years, I have written almost every day. I make my living as a fulltime freelance writer, which I‘ve wanted to do since seventh grade, when I wrote my first very short book titled "The ...