Squeetus exclusive: Sara Zarr

Today I'm proud to host fellow Utah writer Sara Zarr! Sara's writing career got off with a bang when her first novel, Story of a Girl, was a finalist for the National Book Award. She followed that with the award-winning Sweethearts. Her latest is Once Was Lost. Sara and I will be "interviewing each other" (yeah, we're a little unsure how that works too) this Saturday, Oct. 24, from 4:30-5:30 at the main branch of the Salt Lake City library. It's part of the Utah Humanities Book Festival. As she's busy with the new book, I'm keeping her interview short and sweet.

SH: Sam's story parallels the abduction of a girl from her congregation. Without revealing any spoilers (of course) I'm curious about the ending. Had you always intended that ending?

SZ: I went back and forth on the ending for awhile. I had to think a lot about what this character needed, and also think a lot about my idea of "realistic" since I always write realistic fiction. Some stuff happened in real life that helped me know for sure how I would end the book.

SH: There is very little religion in novels, especially YA novels it seems, unless the religious leaders are evil. I love your straight approach. As a Christian and the daughter of a pastor, religion is a central part of Sam's life and you deal with her fears and hopes and doubts honestly. Do you find in general that people are uncomfortable with this topic or have been welcoming?

SZ: Since I almost completely avoid reading reviews on Amazon, GoodReads, Shelfari, and most blogs, I really have no idea what kind of conversation may be going on about that. I like to stay out of it unless asked. I'm sure it makes some people uncomfortable, and I get that. There are plenty of other books (most of them) that never make the merest mention, so the uncomfortable people will still have stories to read. I wanted to write a book for everyone else---something that hadn't yet been done (as far as I knew/know) about a character with a sincere faith, that was not a religious/Christian marketplace book and also not a total loss of faith/cult book. I didn't want to write a testimony or anything with answers---just one teen character's first dark night of the soul. As a reader, I enjoy reading about people like me and I also enjoy reading about people different than me. I hope this book finds an audience on both sides of that equation.

SH: If you were to, say, have me over for dinner, what would you cook for me? What sort of entertainment would you provide? And are you free next weekend?

SZ: I would make you a casserole, Shannon, because when I think of you I think of home and hearth and pie. I'd get my husband to play piano for you while I flambed the Baked Alaska. Sadly, I'm not free for...a while.

OH! Taunted me with casserole and Baked Alaska and live music, but in the end--DENIED. It's official, Sara Zarr is ruthless! Fortunately, she's also an extremely fine writer. We're gonna rock the festival on Saturday.

Comments

[Je Reve]

Ah! I'm on 3 minutes after Shannon posted! Its like being in the same room... virtually.

I loved Story of a Girl, which I read about 2 weeks ago. So poignant. It made me wonder if we should defy emotional events in our lives to be who we want, or to rise above the sorrow in spite (or TO spite) it. I can't wait to read the other 2 books. Thank you, awesome writer ladies!

[Shannon M.]

What a great interview. Makes me want to read the book. Here's hoping you'll let us know how the "interviewing each other" thing goes for those of us who *sighs* cannot make it.

And darn-it--now I want casserole and Baked Alaska for dinner! Sadly those are beyond my culinary skills. :(

[Andrea H.]

Oh, how great! I just picked up a copy of Sweethearts from my library yesterday, not knowing much about the book or about Sara Zarr. But the cover looked so good I could eat it, so I figured that was a good sign. I'm excited to read this one as well as the other two titles.

[Christen]

Cool, another awesome writer to read up on! She sounds great. :)

[Meredith]

This sounds great. I actually did a research project about religion in teen fiction a couple of years ago, and I agree, there's not much out there that is both mainstream and positive. I'm excited to read this!

[Emilie]

I've been longing for more books about sincere Christian characters that aren't written in the constraints of the Christian book market ever since I read "Actor and the Housewife." Thanks for helping me find another!

[Shannon Morris]

I love it so much when brilliant authors get together and chat, what fun! I loved Sara's The Way He Lived and have the rest of her books on my very long, I'll never get it all done, books to read list. Hope so much to see you Saturday!!!! Loving, loving, loving Forest Born, by the way. Read the whole first half yesterday in every spare minute. Love that that wicked little snit is back!!!!

[Meredith B.]

Totally off topic-- I posted a link to the Voice of America interview audio file in the comments on Shannon's last blog entry, and it reminded me that the National Book Festival videos are online now, too! So all of us can virtually attend a Shannon Hale presentation! Yay! Here's the link to a page that has both Shannon's presentation and the Exquisite Corpse Adventure presentation:

http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/2009/authors/Hale.html

[Katie-wa]

I think the books with "Christian" characters are going to make a come-back. I'm writing one with a religious female protagonist, and the book isn't centered on any church. Just her trust in God and his loving hand. I'm sick of all the paranormal YA. It makes me groan just looking at it. There's WAY too much and it's all the same. So I'm writing my own. ^_^

[Meredith B.]

I like it all-- books about people of faith, books about paranormal stuff, books about people of faith who find themselves tangled up in paranormal stuff (I mean, lets face it, the Christian faith has angels and demons. How much more paranormal can you get?) and books about all other kinds of stuff. As long as it has a good plot and good character development, I'm usually in. But you're absolutely right in that if the books you want to read don't exist, then sit down and write them! That's what J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis decided to do-- really, it's documented! And we all know how well that turned out! I can't wait to read your book once it gets published, Katie.

[Shannon Morris]

Just gotta say that the discussion with Sara Zarr was so much fun!!! Authors and writers are such a different breed and it's awesome!!! Hope your primary program went well, they always do, glad you found your phone, and I deleted your number, but feel free to call me anytime!!!

[Rachel]

Shannon, I picked up Forest Born from the library yesterday and read it in one loooong sitting. I LOVED it! It's right up there with Goose Girl. Thank you for sharing such an awesome story with us. I thrilled to the strong women working together theme. I have three little girls and can't wait to read this with them someday!
p.s. Can you write more about Rhinna, please? ;)

[Rose]

I just read Once Was Lost, and thought it did a fantastic job of portraying real faith/struggle. It felt very authentic and believable--something I rarely feel in more explicitly "Christian" fiction, strangely.

[Brooke]

Hum . . . Shannon, you might want to post a link to your previous interview with Robin Brande (Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature) as a counterpoint with the new Zarr novel. Excellent, stuff -- keep it up!

[Rebecca]

Dear Ms. Hale,
in your blog post, Sara Zarr mentions GoodReads, a site that I'm a member on. Everyone on GoodReads would love it if you joined!