Sarah

Sarah asked Ruta Sepetys:

Hi Ruta! I've read Between Shades of Gray and Out of the Easy and I am so impatient for Salt to the Sea to come out in my country!!! I adore the unique characters you create and admire your writing style which always leaves me wanting more. I've read how you were inspired to write Between shades of Gray and I was wondering how Out of the Easy popped into your head?

Ruta Sepetys Hi Sarah!

Thanks for reading both "Between Shades of Gray" and "Out of the Easy!" I hope you enjoy "Salt to the Sea" just as much. In terms of the inspiration, "Out of the Easy" has parallels to my mother's personal history. I wanted to explore feminism in historical context through a girl in postwar America—a beautiful and talented girl who dreams of being the author of her own destiny. :)

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Izzy Faith

Izzy Faith asked Ruta Sepetys:

Hi, I recently I read your book Between Shades of Grey. Amazing, by the way. I blogged about it. Two of my Great-Grandfathers were WWII veterans, so I've always been interested in that time period. Did your love of history come from your desire to write or did your desire to write come from your love of history?

Kester Nucum

Kester Nucum asked Ruta Sepetys:

This question contains spoilers… (view spoiler)

A Goodreads user

A Goodreads user asked Ruta Sepetys:

Hi Ruta! I love your writing! Anyways, I wanted to ask, having recently finished "Salt to the Sea," did you make Joana one of your main characters because many people wondered about her in "Between Shades of Gray"? Or, did some other fact make that decision for you? I really loved getting answers to questions I had while reading "Between Shades of Gray," but why did YOU choose to include Joana? Thanks!

All answers from Ruta Sepetys…

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