Quick-y Interview: Sara Zarr

Sara Zarr is the author Story of a Girl ans Sweethearts. Which I both adored. Story of a Girl was a 2007 National Book Award Finalist. To read my review of Sweethearts: click HERE. Sara Zarr was even in the Class of 2k7. So, please welcome the fabulous Sara Zarr with a Quick-y Interview!

1) How did you come up with the plots for your books, Story Of A Girl and Sweethearts?

Story of a Girl started with this character – Deanna – who I'd written about as a side character in another (unpublished) book. The development of the plot of Story of a Girl was all about Deanna and exploring who she was, and what had happened in her life to make her both tough and vulnerable. Sweethearts also started with characters – who happened to be me and my childhood friend, Mark. I started to ask a bunch of "what if" questions about our friendship…what if we'd been friends in high school, what if we'd been through something together that tied us together for life…and developed the story around that.

2) What do you generally write about, what we'll probably always see, in your books?

Family relationships, outsiders, the struggle to find identity and acceptance---from self and from others.

3) Three must have books if you were stranded on a deserted island?

I'm terrible at these kinds of questions. I can never choose! Okay, how about something by David Sedaris to make me laugh, The Secret Garden to make me cry, and the Book of Psalms to comfort me.

4) Are you currently working on another book? Can you tell us what it's about?

Yes, I am! The main character, Sam, is the daughter of a pastor and lives in a small town. When a young girl in the congregation goes missing, it's the sort of landmark event that brings everything in Sam's life to a point of either falling apart or coming together. It doesn't have a title yet, but it should be out either next fall, or the following spring.

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Thanks for stopping by Sara!!! Your new book sounds awesome. I can't wait to read it. Be sure to keep you eyes out for her new book this next fall or the following spring.

~Kelsey