Sariah Wilson has never jumped out of an airplane, never climbed Mt. Everest, and is not a former CIA operative. She has, however, been madly, passionately in love with her soulmate and is a fervent believer in happily ever afters—which is why she writes romance.
The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back is her fourth happily ever after novel. She grew up in southern California, graduated from Brigham Young University (go Cougars!) with a semi-useless degree in history, and is the oldest of nine (yes, nine) children. She currently lives with the aforementioned soulmate and their four children in Utah, along with three tiger barb fish, a cat named Tiger, and a recently departed hamster that is buried in the backyard (and has nothing at all to do with tigers).
Tell us a bit about your family.
I’m the oldest of nine kids – five girls, four boys. I’ve been married for 16 years (to the same person, amazingly enough). He’s a computer programmer, and a real-life romantic hero. We have four kids - three boys and a girl – a cat and a couple of fish. We currently live in Utah.
What is your favorite quality about yourself? I don’t give up. I will do what has to be done, no matter how hard it is. I may complain about it, but I will get things done.
What is your least favorite quality about yourself? I am the world’s biggest procrastinator. I wish I was more organized and more on top of things.
What is your favorite color? Green, and I love purple and red as well.
When and why did you begin writing? My oldest son was diagnosed with autism and we didn’t have the money (and insurance wouldn’t cover it) to pay for expensive treatments. I got on my knees and prayed for direction on what I could be doing (since I was a stay-at-home mom) to help finance these treatments. I felt inspired to try my hand at writing. Which was weird, because I had never secretly wanted to be a writer. I’d always done well in my English courses, but hadn’t considered it. We did a fundraiser to help with my son’s expenses, and I wrote a press release. A reporter from the local newspaper came over to interview me and said the release was well done, and asked if I was a writer. I remember thinking, “Okay, I got it. Message received.” So I gave it a try, and the rest, as they say, is history.
What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general? The actual writing. I know for other people it’s like this marvelous release, but for me it feels like work. I love having written a book, and love creating a story out of nothing. But it is hard. One of my favorite quotes about that is from William C. Knott talking about Hemingway: “But it is hard, bitterly hard work. As Hemingway is reported to have said, ‘It is easy to write. Just sit in front of your typewriter and bleed.’ Internally, of course. On the outside all that is visible is cold sweat and a distracted air.” I feel like I sit down in front of my computer and bleed each word out, drop by drop.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp? I never set out to write a message in my novels. I set out to tell an entertaining, romantic story. I’m typically much more focused on the romance than I am on anything else. But that doesn’t mean there are no messages. I would say in “The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back” that the message is to be yourself. Believe in yourself. Amazing things can happen when you stay true to who you really are.
How important do you think villains are in a story? So, so, so important. The antagonist is who helps push and pull our hero/ine into being a better person, into lasting and drastic change. It gives the hero/ine something to struggle and fight against. I think there needs to be opposition in all things – the victory is that much sweeter when there was so much to overcome to get to that payoff.
Who is your favorite author and why? Maeve Binchy. And I have no idea why. I don’t read any other books like hers. She is not a HEA type person, and some of her stories have really sad endings, like “Circle of Friends,” which has a fantastic ending in the movie, not so much in the book. People have asked me before why I like her so much, and I honestly can’t explain it. But I’ve read every book she’s ever written, and have already preordered her final work (she passed away this year).
Have you started another book yet? I have, but like most authors I’m having a hard time narrowing down where I should focus my time/energy. I do want to write a follow-up novella with Mattie and Jake at their prom, and a sequel that’s Ella’s story set four years in the future. However, I’ve had this book of my heart that I’ve wanted to write for a few years now that’s a YA time travel, and I keep coming back to it.
Everyone knows how all those fairy tales go. The princess gets beautiful, nabs her prince, falls instantly in love, lives happily ever after and leaves her evil stepsisters in the dust.
But what happens when you’re the ugly stepsister and your obnoxiously perfect—read pretty, smart, and, worst of all, sickeningly nice—stepsister is dating the charming, tall, devastatingly handsome guy you’ve had a thing for since you were nine years old?
Quirky, artistic and snarky Mattie Lowe does not lead a charmed life. Her mother is constantly belittling her on Skype. Mercedes, the school mean girl, has made it her personal mission to torment Mattie. But worst of all? Her stepsister Ella is the most beautiful, popular girl in school and is dating Mattie’s secret longtime crush, Jake Kingston.
Tired of being left out and done with waiting for her own stupid fairy godmother to show up, Mattie decides to change her life. She’ll start by running for senior class president against wildly popular Jake.
Ella can keep her Prince Annoying. Mattie’s going to rule the school.
And no one, not even a cute and suddenly flirty Jake, is going to stop her.
Purchase
Praise
“My top pick of 2012 YA… This book is just. plain. fun.”
~Jordan McCollum, author of Saints & Spies and I, Spy
“Sariah Wilson's new book, The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back, is hilarious…What follows is a story of fun and romance with some good non-preachy life lessons thrown in. The voice in the main character, Mattie, makes the whole thing. I thought it was definitely a book I'd recommend to anyone with teenagers or who just want to read a good teen romance.”
~Julie Coulter Bellon, author of All Fall Down and All’s Fair
“Sariah [Wilson] has written one of the funniest stories I've read in such a long, long time. I literally couldn't put it down. Yes, my poor Kindle's battery died and I was attached to a short power cord, contorted in a very uncomfortable position while I read to the end…. Sariah Wilson captured the back-biting, insecure, hormone-driven, clique-riddled high school atmosphere so perfectly you'd think she never grew up. I dare you not to laugh as you read this witty and oh, so, romantic story.”
~Debra Erfert of Windows into Writing
“Sariah Wilson writes like the best of/most popular YA teen fiction/teen romance authors - Sarah Dessen, Jennifer Echols, Susanne Collins, Cassandra Clare. She sucks you in and never lets you go. I finished the ~194 novel in one night because I just couldn't go to sleep without knowing the ending! I hope that Sariah comes out with more novels, I know I'll be re-reading this one all the time! She's extremely talented and needs to be talked about. I highly recommend The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back! to anyone (over the age of 12) who wants a YA novel that's a real modern-day fairy tale.”
~Hilary at Novel d’Tales
“This was such an entertaining story! I shouldn't have started reading it so late in the evening, because I didn't want to put it down to go to sleep…This is a book I can see myself reading several times. It's a fast, clean read with great characters, and I highly recommend it.”
~Andrea of Literary Time Out
The book is wonderful. It’s quirky and fun. The story makes you laugh and you fall in love with the characters right from the beginning…This is a well-written book. It is one that will make you smile and sigh as you remember your first love. And it has a moral…be yourself, believe in yourself and maybe, just maybe, your fairytale will come true. Pick up this book.”
~Ana of The Book Hookup
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