1. Most of your fans have a firm favourite ‘Dessen boy’ (mine’s Wes!). Is there one you’re particularly fond of?
Well, it’s sort of required that I love them all, otherwise my narrators wouldn’t ever fall for them in the first place. That said, I will always have a soft spot for Dexter from THIS LULLABY. He was just so fun to write.
2. I come out of your novels feeling like I’ve known your heroines forever. Do you write detailed histories or fact sheets for them before you start writing?
By the time I begin a book, I usually have lots of little scraps of paper with details for my narrator, as well as a rough idea of what will happen, which I call my “skeleton.” But I often get to know the girls as I write, the same way I hope the readers will as they get into the story.
3. Why did you choose to invent the towns of Lakeview and Colby for your books rather than setting them in an existing place?
The first time I tried to write a novel, I was in college, taking a creative writing workshop. I set my book in Chapel Hill as well, and then was totally frustrated by everyone correcting tiny details in it. “It takes longer to get from the hospital to the mall than that!” or “You can’t park there on Sundays!” It made me nuts, so I decided to create my own world, where I could be in control of everything. Nobody knows where the mall is but me!
Quick-fire round!
4. Would you ever tour the UK? (We’d love to have you!)
YES! I’d hoped to come this fall, but now I’m not sure. I haven’t been to the UK since I was a teenager and I know I have so many great readers there. I’d love it.
5. Current obsession?
I’m really late to this, but I’ve just recently gotten into Downton Abbey. I’m on the third season and trying to avoid spoilers (mostly unsuccessfully) because everyone else has already seen it. But when the new shows start, I’ll be ready!
6. Favourite YA heroine?
It’s so hard to pick just one! But I grew up reading a lot of Judy Blume, so I’d say maybe Deenie from her book of the same name. I must have read it fifty times when I was a teenager. I remember it, and her, better than books I read just weeks ago.
I’d like to give a massive thank you to Jayde from Penguin for asking me to take part and to Sarah for taking the time to answer my questions.
If like me you’re mourning having finished The Moon and More and are already dreading the painful wait for Sarah’s next novel, make sure you join in with the Twitter chat starring Sarah and Cathy Cassidy on Saturday 30th June at 6pm BST.
Make sure to use the hashtag #PenguinChats and direct your tweets to @sarahdessen, @cathycassidyxx and @PenguinUKBooks.
While you anxiously wait to get your questions answered, be sure to watch Sarah talk about The Moon and More below and read an extract here.
See you in the chat!
Sophie
You interviewed Sarah Dessen! That's fantastic :)
ReplyDelete..I loved the bit about the writing group. 'You can't park there on Sundays' made me laugh out loud. I'm so glad that Colby and Lakeview exist, even if it's only within a book's pages.
Great interview, I know how happy and proud you are of getting these questions!
ReplyDeleteIt so great that you got to interview Sarah Dessen! That really is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to read The Moon and More now.
Seriously, why haven't I read any of her books?! All I hear is amazing things about them. So awesome you got to interview an author you love! If Sarah came to the UK, I would totally come to the signing and read all her books! Great interview :)
ReplyDeleteHi, just a moment back I was searching for the information on the same topic and now I am here. So much information, really well executed blog. This is really informative and I will for sure refer my friends the same. Thanks
ReplyDeleteCity Tours