Sara Watterson’s young adult novel, The Dreamer, was recently named as a Christy Award finalist for 2023. I thought I’d ask her a little about her books, her process, and her reaction to finding novel was in the running!
DJS: What did you find the most challenging about writing and publishing This Dreamer?
SW: Time! There were many challenges, but finding the time to focus was number one. I spent a long and slow six years planning, writing, and editing This Dreamer. Back then, my three kids kept me busy, and they still do. They’re in middle and high school now, and they love being involved in just about everything, which means I’m involved in just about everything. In some ways, life is easier now that they’re teens and tweens, but in other ways, it’s harder. Time (and adolescent emotions) are still a struggle.
DJS: I can certainly relate to that. It seems time management is one of the big issues for authors in every season of life.
Novel writing takes a huge amount of commitment.
Encouragement and inspiration can help an author along the way. Where did you find the encouragement and inspiration required to undertake novel writing?
SW: I fell in love with fantasy books in college, and I’ve known since then that if I ever wrote one, it would be a fantasy novel. When I finally set out to do it, it was through prayer, my husband, and my writing partner that I found the much-needed motivation to keep going and finish that first draft!
DJS : Having your novel, The Dreamer, selected as a Christy Award Finalist must have been exciting! What was your initial reaction when you heard the news?
SW: I was shocked! I still am! It’s surreal to see my book cover displayed alongside those of more established authors on the Christy Award website. The organization emailed me to let me know while my family and I were out of town. I had determined to unplug for the weekend, so I didn’t discover the news until Sunday when others congratulated me. I was so confused and thought they must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m truly honored to be a finalist!
DJS: That must’ve been something! What a wonderful surprise! I’m so excited for you.
This Dreamer is the first in a planned series. Can you tell us how many books there will be by the series end?
SW: The Chronicles of the Marked is set to be a duology, so there will be one more book. But I have notes for a possible prequel and a few companion pieces. We’ll see!
DJS: Making finalist is a great accomplishment. It might be a sign to keep the series going! Congratulations, Sara. Thanks so much for taking time to talk with us about writing.
Sara Watterson is a fiction writer, author of uplifting and clean young adult science fiction and fantasy. She also teaches digital art to high school students while managing her growing website, bookseriesrecaps.com. When not writing, teaching, or enjoying her kids’ many activities, Sara likes reading on the back porch, drinking coffee, and hanging out with her super-cute hubby. Sara lives in central Oklahoma with her husband and three children.
About Sara’s novel, The Dreamer
Evie grows restless observing mortals from afar. When a friend offers to smuggle her by portal into the human world, she jumps at the opportunity. Secretly, though, she also hopes to observe Adan, the human Dreamer. But trouble awaits after her captivating adventure and delayed return. Not only did she take an unsanctioned trip to the ground, but now the boy, the Dreamer, is missing, and her director believes she is to blame.
Donning a human body, Evie must return to the human world and find Adan before her way home is sealed. All while wrestling unfamiliar human emotions and a growing suspicion she’s caught in a larger plan already at play.
Donna Jo Stone is an award-winning author of young adult contemporary and adult historical fiction. She writes about tough issues but always ends her stories on a note of hope. Her novels are about common struggles and finding the faith to carry on through those battles. She blogs at donnajostone.com.
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