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Sarah Dessen Quotes

Powerful Sarah Dessen for Daily Growth

About Sarah Dessen

Sarah Dessen is an acclaimed American novelist known for her compelling young adult fiction that focuses on themes of self-discovery, family dynamics, and personal growth. Born on June 7, 1970, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, she grew up in a family where literature was highly valued. This early exposure to books fostered her love for storytelling and eventually led her to become one of the most celebrated voices in contemporary young adult literature. Dessen attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with a degree in English in 1993. During her college years, she began writing short stories and quickly discovered her passion for crafting captivating narratives centered around adolescence. After college, she spent several years working as a novelty bookshop manager before turning her attention full-time to her writing career. In 1996, Dessen published her first novel, "That Summer," which received critical acclaim and set the stage for her successful career as an author. Over the next two decades, she has written numerous bestselling novels, including "Keeping the Moon," "This Lullaby," and "Saint Anything." These works have resonated with readers due to their relatable characters, rich storylines, and insightful explorations of the complexities of teenage life. Dessen's writing is deeply influenced by her experiences growing up in North Carolina and her personal connections to the places and people she writes about. Her novels often depict small coastal towns reminiscent of the one where she spent her summers as a child, and many of her characters share qualities with the individuals who populated her life during that time. Today, Sarah Dessen continues to be a beloved figure in young adult literature, inspiring readers with her engaging stories about self-discovery, friendship, and love. Her contributions to the genre have solidified her status as one of its most prominent authors and ensured her work will continue to captivate audiences for years to come.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"The thing about falling in love while you're moving is that when you get there, you can hardly remember not being there."

This quote by Sarah Dessen highlights how impactful and transformative love can be in one's life. When we fall in love during a transitional period - like moving to a new place - the intensity of emotions associated with love can make it difficult to recall our lives before that love entered. Essentially, love leaves such a profound imprint on us that it seems as if it has always been a part of our journey.

"I like to believe that in every person's life, there's a moment where they realize who they are, and who they want to be."

This quote suggests that at some point in everyone's life, there comes a pivotal moment of self-discovery, a time when an individual gains clarity about their true identity, their values, their goals, and the person they aspire to become. It underscores the importance of personal growth and self-realization as essential components of one's journey through life.

"The tricky thing about love... is that it almost never goes away. It just changes."

This quote suggests that while romantic feelings may evolve over time, the essence or impact of past loves often persists. Love might transform into different forms such as friendship, respect, or memories, but it seldom completely vanishes. The feeling may change in intensity or direction, but its influence on our lives can endure. This is a poignant reminder that love leaves an indelible mark and can serve as a source of inspiration or wisdom throughout one's life.

"You don't get to choose if you fall in love. You can only choose whether or not to catch yourself when you hit the ground."

This quote implies that love is an uncontrollable emotion, it happens spontaneously, much like falling. We cannot prevent ourselves from falling in love with someone, but we do have the power to decide how we react after experiencing this intense feeling. In other words, we choose whether to embrace and pursue the relationship or walk away once we've fallen (hit the ground). It highlights the powerful yet unpredictable nature of love, suggesting that it is not a choice, but our reaction to it certainly is.

"There are some things you can't control, but what matters most is how you handle the ones you can."

This quote by Sarah Dessen emphasizes the importance of focusing on controllable aspects in life rather than dwelling on uncontrollable circumstances. It highlights resilience, adaptability, and personal growth as crucial traits in navigating life's challenges. By handling what we can control effectively, we gain a sense of agency over our lives, fostering inner strength and peace amidst the uncertainties that inevitably arise.

I'm famously secretive about my work. Nobody reads my books till they're finished.

- Sarah Dessen

Work, Books, Till, Secretive

I was so thrilled that I was having a girl, because I just am so girly myself, but I think the teenage years are going to be very interesting.

- Sarah Dessen

Think, I Think, Very, Girly

I was born in 1970 in Illinois, but all the life I remember I've spent in Chapel Hill, N.C.

- Sarah Dessen

Born, I Remember, I Was Born, Chapel Hill

You're not supposed to have it all figured out in high school. If you knew it all, and it was the best, it's all downhill from there.

- Sarah Dessen

Best, Knew, Figured, Downhill

I really just love to read, period, whether it be books or magazines or the back of the cereal box. It's the one thing I can always count on to calm me down, take me away and inspire me, all at once.

- Sarah Dessen

Love, Back, Away, Cereal

In high school, I was lucky enough to have a big group of girlfriends that have really inspired a lot of the stories in my books. I'm still close with my friends from that time, so it's never very hard to put myself back into that place, that voice.

- Sarah Dessen

Voice, Lucky, Big, Girlfriends

I'm always hopeful. I feel like I'm at the prom sitting against the wall waiting for someone to ask me to dance.

- Sarah Dessen

Waiting, Always, Like, Sitting

I've changed in my sympathies since I've become a mother myself. In high school I went through a period where I was close with my mom and had to break with her in order to find myself and come back. Since that was my experience, that's often what happens in my books.

- Sarah Dessen

Mom, Through, Back, Changed

I always wished I could move around and switch schools. It was hard to have these radical transformations. You'd think, 'I will be a totally different person tomorrow,' but it never worked.

- Sarah Dessen

Think, Always, Move, Switch

On the whole, I think I spent a lot of high school just trying to stay under the radar: I don't think I was all that memorable.

- Sarah Dessen

Think, I Think, Spent, Radar

I think part of the problem sometimes is that there's so much happening in my books, to whittle it down into a single script is hard.

- Sarah Dessen

Think, I Think, Part, Whittle

I just started to put texting and phones in my books. I want my books to be read 20 years from now; I don't want them to be dated.

- Sarah Dessen

Want, Texting, Read, Dated

I think my mother characters have changed a lot since Sasha was born, just because I understand what a hard job it is now, and I'm coming at it from another angle - like you just love and care about this person so much, and just want to protect them from everything.

- Sarah Dessen

Love, I Think, Hard Job, Angle

I've never envied the person who had to put my books together in one script.

- Sarah Dessen

Never, Person, Books, Envied

When I was a teen, I was never really into the captain of the football team or the student body president. The guys I liked were quirky and different: They listened to music I'd never heard of, never had lunch or gas money, and could always make you laugh.

- Sarah Dessen

Lunch, Student, Had, Quirky

I'm really happy to have the chance to talk about the editing process. It's something that I think doesn't get the weight it deserves, especially with the rise of self-publishing.

- Sarah Dessen

Process, Think, I Think, Rise

I don't live in New York or California. I'm in the grocery store, at the park with my kids, and I'm a normal person. I'm feeding my chickens and agonizing about my next book!

- Sarah Dessen

New, Normal, Next, Park

Maybe other writers have perfect first drafts, but I am not one of them. I always try to get the book as tight as I can, but you reach a point as the author where you have lost all perspective.

- Sarah Dessen

Perfect, Other, Maybe, Drafts

I love YA, and it's been a really good fit for me. But at some point, I would like to try something else: a collection of short stories, or writing about something other than high school. A lot has happened to me since I was eighteen.

- Sarah Dessen

Love, Some, Been, Ya

I write thank-you notes the minute I throw the wrapping paper away.

- Sarah Dessen

Away, Paper, Notes, Wrapping

My books are so tame!

- Sarah Dessen

Books, Tame

I love writing about the summer between high school and college. It's the last gasp of really being a teen.

- Sarah Dessen

Love, College, Last, Summer

Teenagers are a great audience and they are fearless about asking what they want to know.

- Sarah Dessen

Fearless, Asking, Audience, Teenagers

I've been writing, in one way or another, for as long as I can remember.

- Sarah Dessen

Writing, Remember, Been, One Way

I can't sit and twiddle my thumbs. I have to start writing even if it's miserable some days.

- Sarah Dessen

Start, Some, Even, Miserable

I'm all about shrimpburgers, reading, and going to the beach.

- Sarah Dessen

Reading, Going, About, Beach

Each time, I think I'm never going to write another book. It never gets easier.

- Sarah Dessen

Think, Going, I Think, Each Time

I was always a big reader, mostly because my parents were.

- Sarah Dessen

Big, Always, Mostly, Reader

If I had to pick, I'd say my favorite book is 'A Prayer For Owen Meany', by John Irving.

- Sarah Dessen

Book, Say, Had, Prayer

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