10 Questions with Sarah Dale
1. Who has been your biggest influence as a writer?
I’d have to say both my folks, and my kid. I grew up watching my dad write a new sermon every week. I was always fascinated by his creative process. My mom was the go-to for editing, which gave me that balance between the writing process and the editing process, and my daughter Ellie is my main inspiration. When she finished her first novel, I had no more excuses. If she could do it, so could I! We have a wonderful process of running plot arc processes by one another; we get a lot accomplished on long car trips.
2. Tell us more about your novel We Could Be Heroes?
It’s a story about taking all your experiences and gifts and screw ups and brokenness and making it all count, about making choices and leaps of faith, about the history and the future of our lives and our place in the universe. It’s about magic and love and family, chaos, jealousy, destruction and disorder.
It’s also about dogs. Lots and lots of dogs.
3. Do you outline prior to writing your story, or do you work out the plot as you write?
Not exactly. I make notes on approximately 47 different types of scratch paper and on my phone, and then scramble to find them when I get to actually write that part. I generally do try to have the main character arcs figured out before I get … halfway … done.
4. How has working in the library system affected you as a writer and editor?
I think the most important effect was my understanding that there was a market for books written for teens, but read by their parents as well. I noticed particularly a strong mother-daughter desire to read the same books. That really got me thinking about Heroes, and the main characters – mother and daughter Kate and Liv, and what about their relationship that would appeal both to mothers and daughters.
The other thing I’ve gained from being in libraries, is a strong faith in readers. There are folks out there who will, by hook or by crook, read. And read ravenously. The idea that there are plenty of folks out there dying to pick up a story and dive in, gives me an enormous amount of motivation to provide good and interesting stories.
5. What made you start writing?
I’ve always written. It’s more or less autonomic. It’s a part of my thinking process.
6. Out of all of the jobs you have held, what it the most unusual?
In-home sales of replacement windows.
7. What is your best quality as a writer?
I’d say breadth. I’ve read, studied, traveled, worked, lived and done a lot of stuff. All that stuff is fair game for stories.
8. Which person do you most admire?
I’m cheating here, in a blatantly honest way. I tend not to admire specific people so much as particular traits in various people. Traits like; grace under pressure, intelligence, curiosity, strength, positivity, creativeness and humor.
9. What is your favorite British period drama?
I’m a huge fan of Downton Abbey, and of course Sherlock, but also Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (which isn’t British, but Australian – based on the novels by Kerry Greenwood).
10. If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
Emma Watson
Robin Williams
Douglas Adams
President Obama
Dolly Parton
I’d have to say both my folks, and my kid. I grew up watching my dad write a new sermon every week. I was always fascinated by his creative process. My mom was the go-to for editing, which gave me that balance between the writing process and the editing process, and my daughter Ellie is my main inspiration. When she finished her first novel, I had no more excuses. If she could do it, so could I! We have a wonderful process of running plot arc processes by one another; we get a lot accomplished on long car trips.
2. Tell us more about your novel We Could Be Heroes?
It’s a story about taking all your experiences and gifts and screw ups and brokenness and making it all count, about making choices and leaps of faith, about the history and the future of our lives and our place in the universe. It’s about magic and love and family, chaos, jealousy, destruction and disorder.
It’s also about dogs. Lots and lots of dogs.
3. Do you outline prior to writing your story, or do you work out the plot as you write?
Not exactly. I make notes on approximately 47 different types of scratch paper and on my phone, and then scramble to find them when I get to actually write that part. I generally do try to have the main character arcs figured out before I get … halfway … done.
4. How has working in the library system affected you as a writer and editor?
I think the most important effect was my understanding that there was a market for books written for teens, but read by their parents as well. I noticed particularly a strong mother-daughter desire to read the same books. That really got me thinking about Heroes, and the main characters – mother and daughter Kate and Liv, and what about their relationship that would appeal both to mothers and daughters.
The other thing I’ve gained from being in libraries, is a strong faith in readers. There are folks out there who will, by hook or by crook, read. And read ravenously. The idea that there are plenty of folks out there dying to pick up a story and dive in, gives me an enormous amount of motivation to provide good and interesting stories.
5. What made you start writing?
I’ve always written. It’s more or less autonomic. It’s a part of my thinking process.
6. Out of all of the jobs you have held, what it the most unusual?
In-home sales of replacement windows.
7. What is your best quality as a writer?
I’d say breadth. I’ve read, studied, traveled, worked, lived and done a lot of stuff. All that stuff is fair game for stories.
8. Which person do you most admire?
I’m cheating here, in a blatantly honest way. I tend not to admire specific people so much as particular traits in various people. Traits like; grace under pressure, intelligence, curiosity, strength, positivity, creativeness and humor.
9. What is your favorite British period drama?
I’m a huge fan of Downton Abbey, and of course Sherlock, but also Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (which isn’t British, but Australian – based on the novels by Kerry Greenwood).
10. If you could invite five people to a dinner party (alive or dead, real or fictional) who would you invite?
Emma Watson
Robin Williams
Douglas Adams
President Obama
Dolly Parton
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