What is your research process like and how is it made more difficult in terms of certain topics due to the censorship common during the war years?

Ruta Sepetys Hi Leah,

Great question. The difficulty really does relate to the topic, materials available, and willingness to unearth past trauma. For my first novel, "Between Shades of Gray," many people who had experienced Soviet terror had not spoken of it for fifty years. The story was dormant and people did not want to revisit the pain. For "Salt to the Sea" there was much more on record.

For research I first read all of the nonfiction sources available. I speak with academics and historians. I then travel to the country where the story takes place to research the landscape, the culture, and the people. I generally interview many people/survivors while researching a book. I then weave stories from many people together into one character so that way I'm representing a larger human experience and not just one person.

Thanks for asking!

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