Alyssa asked Ruta Sepetys:

Hi! I'm a huge fan of your work; it's kind of what has sparked my love of history these past few years. I'm taking extra history classes now and reading as much history as I can, and I'm even considering having history as my minor in college. I wanted to thank you so much for helping me find this love, and I also wanted to ask: what sparked your love of history? Did someone help spark your love the way you did for me?

Ruta Sepetys Dear Alyssa,

Thank you for your kind words, I am so grateful my books have helped inspire your passion for history!

I am drawn to hidden history and stories of strength through struggle, so I look for topics that contain those elements. Writing historical fiction is like being a detective. I love discovering secrets and lost heroes. Sometimes history can be perceived as boring. But through characters and story, historical statistics become human and suddenly we care for people we've never met, we can find their country on a map, and then—the history matters. Through historical fiction we can give voice those who will never have a chance to tell their story. That inspires me!

Thanks for asking!

flag