FAQ

I want to write a novel. What's the first thing I should do?

Read. Read. And read. I can't emphasize enough how important reading is to our writing.

As you read you're honing valuable skills such as grammar & punctuation, sentence, paragraph,

& chapter structure, and your attention to details.

Favorite thing to do outside.

Ride my bike.

Pets?

I had an extra-gentle beagle pup, Sandy, when I was in elementary school, and a playful beagle

named Casey when I was in high school.

Born - March 3

Year - Guess, but be nice or I just might write you into my next book. ;)

Where - Waterville, Maine

Is that a big place? Bahhh!!!

Where else have you lived?

Gorham, Portland, Fairfield, & Winslow - all in Maine. I am a world traveler.

Favorite Holiday as a child.

Halloween!

What jobs have you had?

I've been a babysitter, insurance clerk assistant, ice cream scooper, pharmacy clerk, grocery store cashier, waitress, bookkeeper, dental assistant, stay-at-home mom, freelance writer, and an author.

Job you'd like to do.

Being an interior designer would be fun. Think about it: I get to spend someone else's money being creative. How fun!

How many kids do you have?

Too many. Haha! No, just kidding. I have four amazing kids.

Do they think you're cool because you're a writer?

No. I'm Mom to them.

If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Probably Greece or Rome. I love mythology, architecture, and the Arts.

Favorite sport?

Ice Hockey all the way!

Dog or cat person?

Oooh...now that's a hard one. I've always been a dog person until we adopted two precious kittens a few years ago. Now I think I'm both.

What scares you?

Can't tell you. ;)

Five less known things about you.

I'm older sister to my brother Scott. When our dad was in a hurry, he used to get our names confused and call me scary.
I was a major movie buff as a kid. Loved to pick apart stories, adding scenes and changing endings.
Until a few years ago, I was a Monday Night Hottie - a group of ladies, ranging from ages 24 to 60+, who dance and perform onstage. They were my angels of sanity.
Forever and always a Zepp-girl.
Not a reader as a child. But when I caught the literary bug as an adult, I devoured eight 350+ page YA novels in ten weeks all while jugging four young kids. #supermom ... with a tattered cape

Writing FACToids

What made you want to become an Author?

I’m a dreamer by nature. I’ve always loved make believe and how it can apply to real life. Being a movie buff as a tween/teen, I used to deconstruct films scene by scene and then add my preferences or touches. Life moved on, and I married. My love for storytelling gained new breath, when I had my kids. They grew and kept me more than busy. But about four years ago, I decided it was time to do more. Thus – the birth to becoming an author was born.

When did you start writing?

I grew up creating make believe worlds beneath my fort made of bedsheets. I then moved on to storytelling by writing quirky poetry in elementary school (illustrations, too), which morphed much deeper and darker in high school. (My teenage therapy.)

How do you come up with the ideas for your stories?
I walk through life with my eyes wide open, paying attention to details in nature and the world in general. People are the most interesting. Also, living with four children gives me plenty of material, not to mention all their friends hanging out at our house.

What author influenced you the most?

I know this may sound old school, but without a doubt ~ Jane Austen. And not just because of her writing and storytelling ability. It’s her life and determination to share her stories in a time when it wasn’t easy to be a woman ~ and a business woman at that. She truly is a master at character development and story telling.

What type of books give you the most enjoyment?

For YA I’m definitely a love sap, so romances are high on my list. And to satisfy my love for middle grade, I enjoy fantasy and urban with a flare of the 'odd', but both have to have silly humor! I also like it when parents or a guardian are involved in the MGer's life. I love anything paranormal, wacky, or a bit out of the box and unexpected. But all must have passion in element, plot, characters, and all emotions. I enjoy strong characters, even those who are unsure of themselves. Some of my favorite authors are Jane Austen, Stephen King, LJ Smith, Melissa Marr, Dr. Suess, TCornelia Funke, Meg Cabot, and Rick Riordan.

What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

I love that I can work from absolutely anywhere - a coffee shop, home, the park, the library, and even my car! But mostly, I enjoy meeting kids and hearing what they have to say about my stories, life, and their writing/reading journeys.

Awards/Atta-Girl Moment.

New England Book Festival's Children's Novel of 2016, Bronze Medal Winner 2017 Feathered Quill Book Awards, Best Juvenile/YA Fiction, Winner - Purple Dragonfly Book Awards 2017, Honorable Mention Middle Grade Fiction; ebook. Finalist - Literary Classics Book Awards 2017, Middle Grade Fiction

What advice would you give to others that want to become an Author?

Read, study and hone the craft, write every day, and NEVER give up.

What are three pieces of advice you think is important for kids today.

Be true to yourself.
Choose your friends wisely, before the wrong ones choose you.
Make every moment count & be grateful.

What I'd Say. Favorite...

Candy - Sugar Babies

Show - Game of Thrones

Board Game - Clue

Book - Pride and Prejudice (I might have already mentioned that one.)

Music - I love all sorts of music, but my ear tends to lean to alternative rock.

Place to write - my office listening to classical or instrumental music. (Helps me focus.)

Quote - A mistake is never a mistake unless you don't learn from it.

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S.A. Larsen

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