We chat with author Sarah Dessen about Change of Plans, which follows an unassuming girl who learns to stand on her own while falling in love during a life-changing summer.
Hi, Sarah! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?
I live in my hometown, Chapel Hill NC. My parents were both professors, Shakespeare and Classics respectively. My husband is a lizard breeder (yes, really) and I am fully fluent in Real Housewives. If you ask me to a cookout, I will always bring deviled eggs.
When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?
I have always loved reading. Every weekend as a kid we’d go to the library, where I’d check out as many books as I was allowed. I think writing initially came from not wanting those stories to end. I always wanted to know what happened after the last chapter! It wasn’t until I took a creative writing course in college, though, that I realized writing was what I wanted to do. Better late than never, I guess.
Quick lightning round! Tell us:
- The first book you ever remember reading: Flubber by Judy Blume. So many details of that book are etched into my brain!
- The one that made you want to become an author: Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca. The twist at the end totally blew me away: I never saw it coming. It made me realize how powerful fiction can be.
- The one that you can’t stop thinking about: Right now it’s Severance by Ling Ma. As soon as I finished it I wanted to read it again.
Your latest novel, Change of Plans, is out now! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?
The unexpected can be amazing.
What can readers expect?
It’s a story about a girl who thinks she’s plotted out her entire future, only to find the universe has other ideas. Also: summer romance, family drama, breakfast sandwiches and hummingbirds.
Where did the inspiration for Change of Plans come from?
Back in 2019, when my last book came out, I was certain of the path ahead of me. Then there was a pandemic. I parted ways with my publisher, and the YA market really changed. I found myself starting again after a thirty year career. It was really scary! I think I was kind of writing myself out of it. As an author, that’s all you can do.
Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?
I loved the family dynamic that Finley, my narrator, discovers over the summer. How there are so many stories, but many narrators as well. Our relationships with relatives are so deep and complex. It’s really fun to sink your teeth into as a writer.
Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?
Writing is always hard for me, even after all these books and years. I’ve come to accept that anxiety about what I’m doing and panic it won’t be good enough is part of my process. I really have to take each day, and each page, at a time and not get hung up worrying about what comes next. I’m still working on that!
What’s next for you?
I’ve got another book out in summer 2027, and then a third in summer 2028. Writing and promoting is a special kind of balance. I’m going to be busy for awhile!
Lastly, what books are you looking forward to picking up? Any you’ve read so far this year that you’ve enjoyed?
I just finished Kin by Tayari Jones, which was magnificent. I also really loved Emma Straub’s American Fantasy. And I’m really excited about Kayla Rae Whitaker’s Returns and Exchanges. Her first novel, The Animators, was amazing.
