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Sarah Pekkanen

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Sarah Pekkanen

Goodreads Author


Born
in The United States
November 29

Website

Twitter

Genre

Member Since
October 2008

URL


I'm the New York Times bestselling author of the upcoming thriller GONE TONIGHT, which Colleen Hoover hails as, "Riveting, original and powerful" and Harlen Coben raves is "Jaw-dropping... A wild ride." The audiobook of GONE TONIGHT is narrated by actress Kate Mara.

I'm also the coauthor of four bestselling thrillers: THE GOLDEN COUPLE, THE WIFE BETWEEN US, AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, and YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

I've written eight novels that are contemporary fiction, not thrillers: THE EVER AFTER, THE PERFECT NEIGHBORS, THINGS YOU WON'T SAY, CATCHING AIR, THE BEST OF US, THE OPPOSITE OF ME, SKIPPING A BEAT, and THESE GIRLS. My linked free short estories, published by Simon&Schuster exclusively for ereaders, are titled "All is Bright," and "Love, Accident
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Popular Answered Questions

Sarah Pekkanen I don't believe in writer's block! I've learned that if I feel stuck, it means there's something in my manuscript that isn't working and I need to go …moreI don't believe in writer's block! I've learned that if I feel stuck, it means there's something in my manuscript that isn't working and I need to go back and fix it. My subconscious is holding me back.

Of course, inspiration doesn't strike every day. To coax it to emerge, I go for long daily walks with my rescue lab, Bella, Something about physical activity helps jump-start the mental process. And I always remind myself that it's my job to write, and that I'm incredibly lucky to have this job. So there isn't any room for the luxury of writer's block! (less)
Sarah Pekkanen We writers are really good at messing with our own minds. When we sit down to work, we begin with great excitement and confidence. But soon, a pack of…moreWe writers are really good at messing with our own minds. When we sit down to work, we begin with great excitement and confidence. But soon, a pack of mean girls gather in our heads, telling us our story isn't good, our writing is terrible, and that we should just give up. So my my most important piece of advice is to be kind to yourself. Your first draft is just that - a messy document, something that will need lots of rewriting and pruning and shaping.

Once you've given yourself permission to write a terrible first draft, it's time to focus on your writing practice. In terms of the mechanics of getting words on the page, I suggest working in bite-sized chunks. Set a reasonable goal - say, 250 words - and try to squeeze that in multiple times a day. If this technique doesn't work for you, wake up an hour early and write in the quiet space before the rest of the world comes alive (my absolute favorite time to write these days is 5 am - 4 am if I can manage it). Or pick an evening and write on the couch, with music playing and a glass of wine or tea by your side. Test out different environments until you find the one you like best.

I'm also a huge advocate of studying the craft of writing, and luckily, there are so many books and classes devoted to this topic. Some of my favorites are Story Genius, Plot & Structure, Writing the Breakout Novel, Bird by Bird, and On Writing. Listen to writing podcasts, too. Attend workshops. Immerse yourself in the craft of writing, and soon, those mean girls in your head will realize you'll never again listen to them.

Writing is hard. I spent three years working on a novel that wasn't published - but it taught me so much. Those years weren't wasted; they made me a better author, one who was ready, with her next book, to be published. So don't get discouraged.

Good luck! I am rooting for you, always.
(less)
Average rating: 3.84 · 789,299 ratings · 74,199 reviews · 28 distinct worksSimilar authors
The Opposite of Me

3.79 avg rating — 10,852 ratings — published 2010 — 41 editions
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The Perfect Neighbors

3.55 avg rating — 9,747 ratings — published 2016 — 10 editions
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Skipping a Beat

3.74 avg rating — 8,294 ratings — published 2011 — 24 editions
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These Girls

3.65 avg rating — 7,528 ratings — published 2012 — 16 editions
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The Best of Us

3.50 avg rating — 7,659 ratings — published 2013 — 15 editions
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Things You Won't Say

3.52 avg rating — 4,478 ratings — published 2015 — 12 editions
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The Ever After

3.11 avg rating — 4,959 ratings — published 2018 — 10 editions
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Catching Air

3.57 avg rating — 3,855 ratings — published 2014 — 15 editions
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All Is Bright

3.53 avg rating — 1,303 ratings — published 2010 — 4 editions
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Love, Accidentally

3.54 avg rating — 996 ratings — published 2011 — 6 editions
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More books by Sarah Pekkanen…

ARC Giveaway!!

Head over to the page for my new novel, GONE TONIGHT - my publisher is giving away 100 copies! Colleen Hoover raves, "It's riveting, original and powerful." And Harlan Coben calls GONE TONIGHT "Jaw-dropping."
Enjoy and good luck!
xxoo
Sarah Pekkanen
16 likes ·   •  4 comments  •  flag
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Published on November 16, 2022 10:59

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The Ever After
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Sarah’s Recent Updates

Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
"I really enjoyed this story - it begins with the heartstopping news of a dementia diagnosis of 40-something year old Ruth Sterling, and its effects on her grown-up daughter, but swiftly becomes even more compelling with the mystery surrounding Ruth's" Read more of this review »
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
" thank you for the wonderful review!! "
Sarah Pekkanen and 3 other people liked Sam Hughes's review of Gone Tonight:
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
"Holy Moly,
I am so thankful to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, Sarah Pekkanen, and NetGalley for granting me early audiobook access to this psychologically twisted thriller. Gone Tonight is out on August 1, 2023, and I'm so excited to see what m" Read more of this review »
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
"Thank you @Netgalley and @MacmillanAudio for the audio ARC Gone Tonight.

This book had me feeling all emotions. In the beginning I was very confused. I could not figure out who was who but once the author stayed in the present time I was able to figu" Read more of this review »
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
"4.5 stars

This was an excellent slow-burn, literary thriller. Catherine Sterling thinks she has a strong sense of who her mother is. Ruth is stoic, hardworking, and fiercely loyal and protective of her daughter. As Catherine prepares to move away and " Read more of this review »
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
" I just may write a sequel! Thank you!!!! "
Sarah Pekkanen wants to read
The Hike by Lucy Clarke
The Hike
by Lucy Clarke (Goodreads Author)
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Sarah Pekkanen is now following Kat (on hiatus) and Jayme
105191338 11345366
Gone Tonight by Sarah Pekkanen
" Thank you so much!! I'm thrilled you love GT and so grateful you will be spreading the word! ...more "
More of Sarah's books…
Quotes by Sarah Pekkanen  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“You know the definition of a dysfunctional family, don't you? It's any family with more than one member in it.”
Sarah Pekkanen, The Opposite of Me

“Sometimes following the path that looked the safest was what led to the most hurt...”
Sarah Pekkanen, Skipping a Beat

“How do you know if you can really trust someone?" I finally ask.

Noah raises his eyebrows and takes a sip of his drink.

Then he looks into my eyes and the expression in his is so earnest I feel like he's answering from a deeply personal place.

"If you need to ask that question, then you probably already know the answer," he says.”
Sarah Pekkanen, An Anonymous Girl

Polls

March 2022 Poll

We ask that you only vote if you are planning on participating in our discussion should your choice win.

Which selection would you like to read in March?

 
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Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci
 
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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Cover to Cover Ch...: Darcy's 2011 Books 13 404 Jan 01, 2011 06:54PM  
“You know the definition of a dysfunctional family, don't you? It's any family with more than one member in it.”
Sarah Pekkanen, The Opposite of Me

“Sometimes following the path that looked the safest was what led to the most hurt...”
Sarah Pekkanen, Skipping a Beat

“How do you know if you can really trust someone?" I finally ask.

Noah raises his eyebrows and takes a sip of his drink.

Then he looks into my eyes and the expression in his is so earnest I feel like he's answering from a deeply personal place.

"If you need to ask that question, then you probably already know the answer," he says.”
Sarah Pekkanen, An Anonymous Girl

“She loved the way her city always sounded like it was celebrating.”
Sarah Pekkanen, These Girls

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(Est. Feb 14, 2008) More than a reading group of women but a place for honest, respectful, intelligent conversations led by adult women. Discussions a ...more
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For any and all aspiring writers of Chick Lit especially, but not to discount any lovely chicks who just want help in the writing process as they work ...more
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Goes along with our blog (http://chicklitcentral.com), our page on Facebook: (https://www.facebook.com/chicklitcentral) and our Twitter feed (@chickli ...more
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Comments (showing 1-18)    post a comment »
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message 18: by Eric

Eric Birk Thanks for becoming my Goodreads friend.
Eric


Savannah Sarah, thank you for the friendship.
stay naughty,
Savannah
Photobucket


message 16: by Jencey/

Jencey/ Sarah I finally am going to be able to read Opposite of Me. I pick it up at the library tomorrow.


message 15: by Sarah

Sarah Pekkanen Stephanie (StephTheBookworm) wrote: "Hi Sarah! Thanks for the friendship! I have The Opposite of Me sitting on my special bookshelf for my autographed books! I won the contest for signed books from Allison Winn Scotch this summer and ..."

Yay! So nice to "meet" you and hope you enjoy Opposite! Allison is wonderful. Love her books! xo


Stephanie Hi Sarah! Thanks for the friendship! I have The Opposite of Me sitting on my special bookshelf for my autographed books! I won the contest for signed books from Allison Winn Scotch this summer and I am so excited to read your book this year. :D


message 13: by Sarah

Sarah Pekkanen Jency - I'd love to! I've never done this before - do I just go to that link to respond to comments? Feel free to email me at sarah@sarahpekkanen.com to let me know what is best. I'd love to chat with you all and hear your thoughts.
xoxo
S


message 12: by Jencey/

Jencey/ Sarah a bookclub that I am a member of is reading your book in January. We would love to have you visit. The club meets on goodreads.com here is the link: http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...

I hope you have time to visit. Good luck on your next book. :)


message 11: by Sarah

Sarah Pekkanen Jencey wrote: "I entered the goodreads giveaway for your book. Wish me luck. :)

Jencey"
Good luck!


message 10: by Jencey/

Jencey/ I entered the goodreads giveaway for your book. Wish me luck. :)

Jencey


message 9: by Sarah

Sarah Pekkanen Colleen wrote: "Hi there! I just received confirmation from Amazon that your book is on its way to me...I can't wait! Any plans to bring your book tour to Florida? I didn't see any dates anywhere near me. Just..."

Colleen - so sorry this message somehow slipped through! No plans to go to Florida but I really hope to someday... would love to meet you then!


Colleen Turner Hi there! I just received confirmation from Amazon that your book is on its way to me...I can't wait! Any plans to bring your book tour to Florida? I didn't see any dates anywhere near me. Just curious as I would love to meet you and have you sign my book!


message 7: by Sarah

Sarah Pekkanen LINCOLN wrote: "Hi! Congrats on your new book -- I hope it becomes a bestseller!"

Thank you! I really appreciate the good wishes.


message 6: by Sarah

Sarah Pekkanen Kristen wrote: "Thank you for the add! :) Your book looks like it's going to be a definite favorite.. I am a HUGE fan of Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin. I can't wait for it to be released!"

Thanks so much for the kind words, and really nice to meet you!
Sarah



Kristen Thank you for the add! :) Your book looks like it's going to be a definite favorite.. I am a HUGE fan of Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin. I can't wait for it to be released!


message 4: by Sarah

Sarah Pekkanen Thanks, Amy - and right back at you!


message 3: by Amy

Amy Hatvany Love the bio, my friend! I'm so excited to read your book...seriously can't wait. You're going to be a hit, I can just FEEL it!


message 2: by Sarah

Sarah Pekkanen Thanks so much! I really appreciate it



Lincoln Hi! Congrats on your new book -- I hope it becomes a bestseller!


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