Hannah VanGeest
Hannah VanGeest asked Ruta Sepetys:

Hi Ruta! I absolutely love "Between Shades of Gray" because it was what drew me into reading historical fiction. I hope to be an author, and I especially want to write a fictional novel set in one of the World Wars. What is your advice in terms of researching and making sure that the material I use is accurate?

Ruta Sepetys Hello Hannah!

I'm so thrilled that you're going to be an author. My advice for research would be to try to interview people who either experienced the time period or historians who have spent years researching it. Sitting down to speak to someone can sometimes yield more dynamic results than just reading about a piece of history. Once you have received testimonies and information you can then consult a historian or academic about the information you've received to evaluate the accuracy.

Thank you!
Ruta Sepetys
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