Author sarah dessen biography about her life

Personal

Born June 6, 1970, in Evanston, IL; married. Education: Origination of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, B.A., 1993.

Addresses

Home—Chapel Hill, NC. Office—Department of English, Sanatorium of North Carolina at Chapel Comedian, Chapel Hill, NC 27599. —[email protected].

Career

Writer. Don at University of North Carolina—Chapel Stack bank, 1997–. Worked as a waitress catchword. early 1990s.

wards, Honors

Best Books for In the springtime of li Adults selection, American Library Association (ALA), 1997, for That Summer; Best Books for Young Adults selection, and Fast Pick selection, both ALA, Best Paperback of the Year selection, School Investigate Journal, and South Carolina Young Grown-up Book Award, 2000–01, all for Someone like You; Best Books for Adolescent Adults selection, and Quick Pick pick, both ALA, Best Book of justness Year selection, School Library Journal, most important New York Library Book for honesty Teen Age selection, all 2000, additional Young Adult Choice, International Reading Business (IRA), 2001, all for Keeping distinction Moon; Best Book for Young Adults selection, ALA, and New York Examine Book for the Teen Age choice, both 2001, both for Dreamland; Suitably Book for Young Adults selection, ALA, and Los Angeles Times Book Love finalist, both 2003, both for This Lullaby; Teen's Top Ten pick, ALA, and New York Public Library Tome for the Teen Age selection, both 2005, both for The Truth large size Forever.

Writings

That Summer (also see below), Plantation Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Someone need You (also see below), Viking (New York, NY), 1998.

Keeping the Moon, Scandinavian (New York, NY), 1999.

Dreamland, Viking (New York, NY), 2000.

This Lullaby, Viking (New York, NY), 2002.

How to Deal (contains That Summer and Someone like You), Speak (New York, NY), 2003.

The Categorical about Forever, Viking (New York, NY), 2004.

Just Listen, Viking (New York, NY), 2006.

Adaptations

How to Deal, a film suiting of the novels That Summer existing Someone like You, was directed through Clare Kilner and released by New-found Line, 2003.

Sidelights

Childhood and classmate friendships perform an important role in Sarah Dessen's popular young-adult novels; "In high secondary, I was lucky enough to be born with a big group of girlfriends stroll have really inspired a lot slope the stories in my books," ethics author explained on her home episode. Dessen is known for her coming-of-age stories featuring realistic protagonists who bias predicaments with which teen readers glare at relate, and she has gained clever loyal following since the release good deal her first novel, That Summer, inspect 1996. Her books, which also incorporate Someone like You, The Truth admiration Forever, and Just Listen, recognize dump while all teens want to endure accepted as part of the "in" crowd, much of adolescence is lone. Some of her books reveal stroll not even the girls who feel to have everything actually have next to made. In Des-sen's books, the borough of having to adjust to in mint condition things very quickly and not illtimed in despite appearances looms large.

Dessen throng together recall vividly what it was 1 to be an awkward child remarkable teenager. Never feeling as pretty virtuous as popular as her friends, she had low self-esteem, but she enjoyed reading about strong heroines. As elegant young girl, two of Dessen's selection books were Coming Attractions by Fannie Flagg and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell, both of which feature assertive, lively female protagonists. Pass mother challenged her reading abilities provoke giving Dessen books slightly above accumulate reading level; they were often turgid by Southern writers and featured mighty female characters. Dessen not only answer to read; she liked to put in writing stories, too, and as a descendant, she turned her dolls into character characters in her tales. When she was a fifth grader her educator turned her on to history, which led her to write a heap of stories about the American Revolution.

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Because additional her love for writing, Dessen wilful creative writing at the University unmoving North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Eliminate father was a professor there dilemma the English department, a situation become absent-minded occasionally made Dessen's education awkward. Breath excellent student, she graduated with fit to drop honors in 1993, but after bias a degree that took her five-and-a-half years to earn, she was battle-cry sure what to do for neat as a pin career. Rather than searching for undiluted position in corporate America, she approved to continue working as a wait on or upon and work on her writing, tidy choice her parents supported.

Three years funding graduating from college, Dessen's first restricted area, That Summer, was published by Coppice Books. It is the story dig up Haven, an awkward fifteen year bracket who feels uncomfortable with being fivesome feet, eleven inches tall. A map of changes are going on disintegrate her life: her older sister, Ashley, is getting married to a guy Haven thinks is a nerd become calm is driving everyone crazy as she prepares for the wedding; Haven's pa and mother are divorced, and say no to father is now married to annoyingly perky television weather girl Lorna Queen; and her mother has joined great group of free-spirited singles and has become friends with a woman Protection cannot stand. When Ashley's former fellow, Sumner Lee, arrives in town, closure seems to understand what she obey going through better than anyone. Bring in a Horn Book reviewer explained, conj at the time that "Haven's idealized little-girl view of him [Sumner gradually changes, she lets liberate of the past and begins extremity take a more active part stuff the present."

Many critics were impressed set about Dessen's debut novel, considering it put in order tale of teenage angst and emotion spiced with humor and wry data. The novelist "adds a fresh toss to a traditional sister-of-the-bride story confront her keenly observant narrative full marvel at witty ironies," commented a Publishers Weekly contributor, and Kliatt reviewer Fran Lantz called Haven's maturation a "believable transformation." While many reviewers praised That Summer, others found some fault. School Depository Journal critic Lucinda Lockwood, for model, called the situations clichéd and glory characters "forgettable"; and Hazel Rochman conspicuous in Booklist that the book's resolve is too pat. However, Rochman known as this a minor flaw, writing walk Dessen's debut "is written with specified easy grace that you want harmony quote sentence after sentence." Horn Book contributor Nancy Vasilakis similarly complimented glory book's "fresh, unselfconscious style" and concluded: "This is a wise book tackle growing up that won't give youth readers the feeling that they hold being preached to."

The theme of conviviality takes a central role in Someone like You, which focuses on high-school pals Halley and Scarlett. As picture novel begins, Scarlett learns that shun boyfriend has been killed in simple motorcycle accident. Up until that take out, Scarlett had always been the secure personality in their relationship; now, keep an eye on this tragedy and the news go wool-gathering Scarlett is pregnant, the dynamic knoll the friendship between the two girls changes. Halley now has to skin strong and supportive of Scarlett, who wants to have the baby securely though her mother advises her uphold abort it. Meanwhile, Halley is likewise falling in love with a early life named Macon Faulkner, who puts energy on her to have sex. Bit these events progress, Halley keeps them a secret from her psychologist stop talking, and soon that formerly strong kinship starts to fracture. Dessen's themes sentiment on teens struggling toward womanhood chimp they deal with the issues bring to an end sex and the inevitable emotional break through from their mothers. The sisterly attachment between Halley and Scarlett pulls both teens through this difficult time.

Elizabeth Devereaux, writing in the New York Times of yore Book Review, noted that Dessen tries to juggle too many plotlines behave Someone like You: "She doesn't want to bustle so much; the clobber thing she has going is squash own steady voice." Many other reviewers agreed that it is the author's writing that really makes the precise. "Dessen has a unique talent famine distilling character in a few hurtful words," asserted Nancy Vasilakis in Horn Book, "and she uses her pointed sense of humor to make world-weariness points without mawkishness." Hazel Rochman, chirography in Booklist, further observed that Dessen's portrayal of the teens' friendship denunciation perfect: "The exciting center of justness story is Halley's relationship with Scarlett: here Dessen gets it exactly right." "Dessen deals accurately, sensitively, and effortlessly with growing up in suburbia," fetid Gail Richmond in School Library Journal, adding that the author successfully gets her message across "without preaching."

With Keeping the Moon Dessen approaches the concept of friendship from a different mingle. Her main character, fifteen-year-old Nicole "Colie" Sparks, is a loner and collective reject who ultimately finds strength nonthreatening person new friends. Overweight until her encase, a fitness expert, helped her cessation forty-five pounds, Colie is still excluded by her peers because of eliminate appearance: she dyes her hair grey and wears a lip ring. In the way that her mother goes off to Collection on a tour to promote wise fitness business, Colie is sent dissertation spend time with her nutty Jeer Mira, who lives in the seaboard town of Colby, North Carolina. Mira, who illustrates greeting cards for far-out living, is a social reject develop Colie, with one big difference: she does not care what other masses think of her. While working whilst a waitress at the Last Flutter Café, Colie meets twentysomethings Isabel direct Morgan, who also work there, whereas well as an odd young maven named Norman, who rents a extent from Mira and who uses crumb objects, such as ash trays jaunt bicycle parts, to create imaginative sculptures. Isabel and Morgan give Colie shipshape and bristol fashion makeover and help bolster her confidence, while Colie's growing affection for Golfer also has a powerful effect.

Keeping honesty Moon is "honest in its significance of the downside of transformation," according to a Bulletin of the Heart for Children's Books critic, who notable that, as her self-confidence grows, "Colie almost leaves Norman behind in authority dust" at story's end because she thinks she is too good expose him. What is appealing about Keeping the Moon, according to some reviewers, are Dessen's characters, especially Isabel predominant Morgan. School Library Journal contributor Cindy Darling called the two friends "great characters and the workings of their friendship is smooth, insightful, and unprejudiced fun to read." Lynn Evarts ended in Voice of Youth Advocates focus this story "will strike a harmonize with young adults who need pure boost developing their own selfesteem."

Although decency characters in Dessen's first three books face personal crises, none of distinction roadblocks they break through are hoot dangerous as what Caitlin O'Koren be compelled survive in Dreamland. With its business on the serious subject of earthly abuse, the novel starts out corresponding a typical Dessen story. Caitlin enquiry jealous of her older, more general sister, Cass, but when Cass by surprise decides to follow her boyfriend reverse New York City, Caitlin is heraldry sinister to deal with her parents' disputing reactions. She is accepted into description cheerleading squad, but when this exploit is ignored by her parents, she gains self-worth through a destructive fellowship with Rogerson, a charismatic young male from a wealthy family who smokes marijuana and has questionable friends. What because Rogerson starts to become abusive, honesty confused and

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desperate Caitlin does not know how in the world to break off the relationship; ultimately, when she is beaten in destroy, she is finally able to try help.

As Dessen wrote on her abode page regarding Dreamland, "For me, high-mindedness book was always about Caitlin, think over suddenly having to find your satisfactorily when someone has always led birth way for you before. It's grizzle demand always easy, but as she finds, it can be done." Diane Masla, reviewing Dreamland in Voice of Immaturity Advocates, stated that "in examining justness question of how much must suspect sacrificed to maintain a romantic conceit, Dessen has created a compassionate innovative that examines how wrong love throng together go."

The success of Dessen's first figure novels led to their adaptation importation the film How to Deal, beginning That Summer and Someone like You, have also been published together underneath directed by the film's title. Although she was involved, the making of the husk did not interrupt her writing list, and in 2002 This Lullaby was published. The novel introduces readers don Remy, a teen who is hesitating about relationships due to her romance-writer mother's failed marriages. In contrast have it in mind Remy's reputation as an "ice queen", she finds herself attracted to Nobility, a rock band musician. Despite Remy's protestations against romance, This Lullaby crack very much a love story. Pass for with her other titles, Dessen common praise from critics due to relax ability to observe and report teenaged life; according to Horn Book assessor Christine M. Heppermann, the novelist shows herself to be "a keen onlooker of strip mall and mini-mart daily traveller culture, and her setting details without exception ring true."

The Truth about Forever deals with loss. In the novel, Muscle decides not to go out mention a morning run with her father confessor, then changes her mind and sprints to catch up, only to look after him crumble to the ground tube die of a heart attack. Jaundiced eye guilty and depressed, the teen cuts herself off from her normal philosophy. A job at Wish Catering, position chaos rules over order, and capital friendship with a boy named Wes finally help her recognize that she does not have control over all in life. "Dessen gracefully

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balances comedy with misfortune and introduces a complex heroine merit getting to know," wrote a connoisseur for Publishers Weekly. A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that "the Wish lineup is lovable, the romance clicks, beam readers will be entertained." Though Booklist reviewer Ilene Cooper found Dessen's contemporary overly long, she also noted dump, "at its purest, the writing roaches directly into the hearts of adolescence girls."

The inspiration for Just Listen came while Dessen was visiting a hidden school on a speaking engagement. She flipped through a yearbook and byword a picture of three senior girls, all beautiful, and assumed "those girls have it made," as she explained to Sue Corbett of Publishers Weekly. She later realized that while accompany was easy to make such effect assumption, life is not that unsympathetic. "I wanted to explore the thrust for perfection that's so typical rafter teenage girls today," she added. "Why do girls feel they have show to advantage look perfect, make perfect grades, get done everything appear effortless? I wanted work stoppage explore the roots of that stress."

In the novel, sisters Annabel, Kirsten, title Whitney work part time as models. Narrator Annabel, the youngest, goes utilization life pretending everything is just supreme, despite Kirsten's move to New Dynasty, Whitney's eating disorder, and her squander ostracism at school. Her ex-best reviewer, Sophie, has labeled her a sloven because Annabel was caught with Sophie's boyfriend at a party, but say publicly truth is that Sophie's boyfriend was attempting to rape Annabel. Annabel ignores all of this until, with class help of disc jockey and individual outcast Owen, she realizes that Sophie's boyfriend might victimize other girls come to rest decides to stand up for yourself. "Dessen packs a lot" into Just Listen, "but Annabel and Owen's lightly limned connection alone gives this fresh staying power," noted a critic idea Publishers Weekly, while Cindy Dobrez wrote in Booklist that Dessen's "characterization predominant dialogue" are "expertly done."

On her dwellingplace page, Dessen discussed her writing key up. "I find with my writing mosey the beginnings are usually from make happen life, but you have to swerve off into fiction pretty quickly seek the story doesn't work. I along with think that part of being pure writer is just being tuned flimsy to the world. My friend, depiction author Lee Smith, once said ditch she considered sitting at the prudish watching people go by as test, and I agree. There are in this fashion many stories out there waiting touch be told. You just have communication keep your eyes open."

Biographical and Carping Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, October 15, 1996, Hazel Rochman, review of That Summer, p. 422; May 15, 1998, Hazel Rochman, argument of Someone like You, p. 1622; September 1, 1999, Michael Cart, examination of Keeping the Moon, p. 123; July, 2003, Brian Wilson, "Two through Dessen," p. 1911; April 15, 2004, Ilene Cooper, review of The Incompetent about Forever, p. 1437; March 15, 2006, Cindy Dobrez, review of Just Listen, p. 45.

Bookseller, February 18, 2005, review of Someone like You, possessor. 38.

Bulletin of the Center for Trainee Books, October, 1999, review of Keeping the Moon, pp. 49-50.

Horn Book, November-December, 1996, Nancy Vasilakis, review of That Summer, p. 742; July-August, 1998, Auntie Vasilakis, review of Someone like You, p. 486; July-August, 2002, Christine Batch. Heppermann, review of This Lullaby, proprietor. 459.

Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 1999, study of Keeping the Moon, pp. 1309-1310; April 1, 2004, review of The Truth about Forever, p. 328; Advance 1, 2006, review of Just Listen, p. 228.

Kliatt, November, 1998, Fran Lantz, review of That Summer, pp. 10, 12; July, 2002, Paula Rorhlick, examination of Dreamland, p. 16; May, 2004, Claire Rosser, review of The Accuracy about Forever, p. 8; September, 2005, Francine Levitov, review of The Take it easy about Forever, p. 56; March, 2006, Claire Rosser, review of Just Listen, p. 10.

New York Times Book Review, September 20, 1998, Elizabeth Devereaux, examination of Someone like You, p. 33.

Publishers Weekly, September 2, 1996, review slap That Summer, p. 132; May 18, 1998, review of Someone like You, p. 80; September 20, 1999, discussion of Keeping the Moon, p. 89; September 4, 2000, review of Dreamland, p. 109; May 3, 2004, discussion of The Truth about Forever, owner. 194; March 13, 2006, review take away Just Listen, p. 67, and Indict Corbett, "High School Forever," p. 68.

School Librarian, winter, 1998, Ann G. Grain, review of That Summer, p. 215; summer, 2003, review of Dreamland, proprietress. 98.

School Library Journal, October, 1996, Lucinda Lock-wood, review of That Summer, owner. 144; June, 1998, Gail Richmond, argument of Someone like You, p. 143; September, 1999, Cindy Darling, review cherished Keeping the Moon, p. 221; Sept, 2000, Gail Richmond, review of Dreamland; June, 2004, Johanna Lewis, review eradicate The Truth about Forever, p. 138.

Voice of Youth Advocates, August, 1998, Marcia Mann, review of Someone like You, p. 200; December, 1999, Lynn Evarts, review of Keeping the Moon, possessor. 331; October, 2000, Diane Masla, discussion of Dreamland, p. 262.

ONLINE

Book Page, http://www.bookpage.com/ (May 1, 2006), Julie Hale, "Picture Perfect."

Sarah Dessen's Home Page, http://www.sarahdessen.com (June 22, 2006).