Sarah Ockler interviewed by Christine

November 20, 2009 at 6:30 pm (Author Interview) (Sarah Ockler)

Our very first interview subject is Sarah Ockler, the author of Twenty Boy Summer.

Sarah Ockler wrote and illustrated her first book at age six—an adaptation of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. Still recovering from her own adolescence, she now writes books for young adults. Sarah has a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of New York at Buffalo and also studied creative writing through Denver’s Lighthouse Writers Workshop. Visit her on the web at sarahockler.com.

Christine, a senior at Westbrook, recently asked Sarah a few questions about writing.

C: How old were you when you started writing?

SO: I started writing short little poems and stories when I was about 4 or 5 — pretty much as soon as I could read.

C: Why did writing appeal to you?

SO: I loved books and I loved that I could create stories, people, and places with words. It was a way to imagine and escape into entirely different worlds. Writing still appeals to me now, thirty some years later, for the same reasons.

C: I love how the book starts off with Matt and Anna are in love and sneaking around, it makes me wonder how often it happens in life. Has anything like this happened to you?

SO: Yes. But everyone kind of figured it out once we sent out the wedding invitations. It was fun having a secret for a while, though! On a more serious note, I bet this happens a lot in life. So many times people hide their feelings from one another — often even from close friends and loved ones — because we fear judgment. We think others won’t understand or they won’t be supportive, or, as in Anna’s case, that another person might be unintentionally hurt. Secrets like that can be just as painful as they are exciting or light-hearted. I don’t think a relationship could sustain that kind of secrecy for very long! People always suspect, especially when they catch you smooching on the subway. I mean, wait, never mind…

Thanks so much for interviewing me, Christine, and best of luck with the Westbrook Marching Band this year!

Thank you, Sarah, for being our first interviewee!

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1 Comment

Sarah Ockler said,

November 30, 2009 at 12:09 am

Hi Christine! Thanks so much for the fun questions and for including me in this project!

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