My own experiences inspire me. The good, the bad and the
humiliating! Despite my best intentions to keep it impersonal, I always start
with my own agenda. Eventually, I get sick of writing about myself and my
imagination takes over. The process goes like this. First, take an event,
usually something deeply personal, and use it for a story idea. Once I have an
idea, my imagination spews it into a story.
The Undiscovered Novelist is about a naive writer
trying to break into the publishing industry. As a writer, I could definitely
relate to it. I was totally clueless about how the business worked when I set
out to find a publisher for my first manuscript.
Once I figured it out, I thought it would be a great setting. And the best part
was I could give it a different ending. It left plenty of room for my
imagination.
Then I created my heroine.
At first, she was just like me—an ordinary stay-at-home mom. But
that became old rather fast. Who was my heroine? Well, she was definitely a
mom. Motherhood is a major theme in my story. So I had the beginnings of my
heroine, but she still needed some backstory and a personality. I had such fun
imagining a young, stylish, former New Yorker who loves books and literature.
Jordyn is a delicious character. Ambitious and hard-headed, she’s the girl I
wish I had been when I was twenty-seven.
I am also inspired by the places I write about. New York was
my inspiration for The Undiscovered Novelist. With many publishers based in New
York, it only seemed appropriate to use it for a backdrop. I live in Tampa. Can
you get any different? I’m used to quiet beaches. Not city streets or crowded
subways. I fell in love with New York while writing this story.
About Sarah:
Sarah Bridgeton never thought she would become a novelist.
She has always loved books, but in college she majored in Economics. After
college, she held a variety of jobs in the insurance and health care
industries. She left the workforce to be a stay-at-home mom when her daughter
was born. When her daughter started preschool, she decided to write a novel.
She currently resides in Tampa with her husband, daughter,
and two cats. When she’s not reading, writing, or taking care of her family, she
likes to exercise.
Thanks for featuring Sarah and the book!
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