Sarah Darer Littman, writer, mother, and unpaid chauffeur, is a living example of the cliche, "Life Begins at 40." After spending much of her adult life doing things she didn't really plan to, including such diverse occupations as financial analyst and farmer's wife, she at long last found her true calling as a writer. She indulges her adult voice as a columnist for the Hearst Newspapers in southern CT, and the political website CTNewsJunkie.com. Sarah lives in CT with her family and a fluffy white writing assistant named Benny.
Sarah is one of The Contemps a group of YA authors dedicated to Keepin it Real. Take our challenge for a chance to great swag!
She is also a proud member of AS IF! (Authors supporting Intellectual Freedom) AS IF! champions those who stand against censorship, especially of books for and about teens. Check out our website: http://asifnews.blogspot.com.
Click here for some resources on censorship and intellectual freedom.
DOING A BOOK REPORT ON SARAH? Look here for answers to FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (taken from letters from readers).
If your question is not answered below, email Sarah at: sarahdarerlittman at gmail.com.
WRITING QUESTIONS
Q: Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
A: I seem to remember wanting to be an airline stewardess when I was really little, which is pretty funny considering I really don't enjoy flying all that much. I also wanted to be an actress, which might be why I enjoy reading stories aloud to my kids, because I get to use lots of different voices. I knew I wanted to be a writer when I was in high school, but for various reasons I ended up being a) financial analyst and b) a farmer's wife before I finally got up the courage to do what I really wanted to do all along.
Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A: I wish I knew! Seriously, I never know what will spark an idea. Sometimes ideas come from my own life. Sometimes I read something in the paper or online or I hear a story on the radio that makes me start thinking. Ideas come from all sorts of places, and you never know when they will hit you. The important thing is to be open to them, and to write them down when you think of them, because otherwise it’s easy to forget, especially when you get to my age.
Q: Are you main characters based on you?
A: There's a bit of me in some of my characters, but what happens to them didn't necessarily happen to me. That's why my books are called novels rather than memoirs.
Q: Do you have any tips for becoming a better writer?
A: Check out the Writing Tips Section under the "For Writers" tab on this website.
Q: Do you have a favorite book that you've written?
A: I think it’s sort of like asking which is your favorite child. I spend so much time and love on each of my books I get very attached to them.
Q: Why does it say G-d in CONFESSIONS OF A CLOSET CATHOLIC and LIFE, AFTER instead of spelling out the whole name?
A: Observant Jews don't spell out the name of G-d on paper in case the paper is disrespected or destroyed.
Q: Do you have a favorite book by another author?
A: I can't possibly answer that because I love so many books. Plus, I have a lot of friends who are authors and I don't want to get anyone upset! I will, however, admit to a huge fangirl crush on Markus Zusak. I saw him when we were both crossing the street in opposite directions once in New York City and I almost got hit by a car because I was like "OMG! OMG! It's Markus Zusak!!" Yes, I know, I'm so lame..I finally got to meet him when he came and spoke at Greenwich Library this year, and believe me, it was worth the wait.
Q: If they made a movie of CONFESSIONS OF A CLOSET CATHOLIC, who would you cast as Jussy?
If I had a time machine, maybe a young Melissa Gilbert. But as for a current actress, Abigail Breslin.
PERSONAL STUFF:
Q: Where and when were you born?
A: I was born in New York City in the same year President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. No, I won't tell you what year that was. Look it up!
Q: Do you have any kids?
A: Yes, I have a son who is a freshman in college and a daughter who is a sophomore in high school. This is why I need to color my hair more often . As I tell my friends, one of my kids thinks I'm an idiot and the other thinks I'm a complete embarrassment. I'll leave it to you to figure out which is which.
Q: Do you have brothers and sisters?
A: I have an older brother and a younger sister. And yes, that makes me the Tormented Middle Child, just like Jussy in CONFESSIONS OF A CLOSET CATHOLIC. I also have three nephews and three nieces whom I adore to bits.
Q: Were you brought up Jewish or Catholic?
A: I grew up in a more reform Jewish household. CONFESSIONS OF A CLOSET CATHOLIC was written as an answer to my teenage self on a question that really puzzled me growing up: “How do you be Jewish without being ‘too Jewish’?” That was a message that I picked up on from my family, and I found it incredibly confusing. I also was fascinated by the rituals of Catholicism; I had many Catholic friends growing up.
Q: What's your favorite food?
A: Dark chocolate, of course! The higher octane the better. (I love Lindt Excellence 85%)
Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: Well, I love to READ - that goes without saying! But I also love playing tennis and swimming, building sandcastles, cooking (my daughter and I enjoy watching the Food Network), messing around in my garden, going to hear live music and dancing - except I have to do that when my kids aren't around, otherwise I embarrass them. I also started taking bass guitar lessons in February 2010. I was at a Led Zeppelin cover band concert, and I decided that I want to be the John Paul Jones of my nursing home. I've learned to play such great tunes as Message in a Bottle by the Police and Stir it Up by Bob Marley. Haven't got good enough to play any Zeppelin yet, but give me a while.
Me, at Greenwich library, finally getting to meet the lovely and talented (and at that point extremely jet lagged, poor chap) Markus Zusak.
