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MEET SARA LOUISE KRAS
by Bonnie O'Brian

What did you most like to do when you were a child?

Sara Louise Kras

I was a real tomboy. I loved to play outside. I played a lot with my two brothers. We played football and baseball with other neighborhood kids. When I was eight years old, I broke my arm playing football. I was wearing my brother’s favorite jersey at the time. He was very upset when it had to be cut off me to put a cast on my arm. I also used to go to the ocean a lot in Washington state and Texas. I still love the ocean.

If you didn’t write as a child, then when did you start writing and what inspired you to start?

I began writing in my 20s. It started after I quit playing bass guitar. I began playing bass guitar in high school. My brothers and I formed a family band. When I went to college, I continued playing bass guitar in a dance band. The band broke up and I didn’t pursue continuing to play bass. I knew I needed a creative outlet, so I started to write poetry. Eventually, I realized I wanted to write books for children.

Was your first book accepted immediately? or did you experience a number of rejections?

My first book was definitely not accepted. I think I wrote about 20-30 different stories and mailed them out. I was collecting a box of over 150 rejections, but I eventually got rid of it. I know some authors like to keep these letters to show how far they’ve come. I didn’t feel that way. I found the letters depressing because I still get rejections on some of my book ideas.

Do you focus on fiction or nonfiction? Which do you prefer? Do you find one easier than the other?

I took to nonfiction like a duck to water. My first nonfiction assignment from a class I took at UCLA was published. I love writing nonfiction, but I also enjoy writing fiction. I’m attempting to get more books published in fiction.

 What kinds of things inspire you to write?

Traveling, animals, different cultures

Where do you get your ideas?

I’ve always found this to be a strange question. The world is full of ideas. All you have to do is look around. You don’t even need to go anywhere exciting. Your backyard could be a wonderful source for ideas.

Do you enjoy researching or do you prefer working totally from your imagination?

I love to do research. Even my fiction books are based on true things. The saying goes “fact is stranger than fiction”. I found this to be very true. Some of the things you read there is no way anyone could have made them up!

Do you work on more than one book at a time?

Yes. I always have several projects going at once or else I’d get bored.

What are you working on now? When do you expect to start submitting it to publishers?

I’m working on an animal series with Capstone Press. I’m also working on a fiction book about being stuck on an iceberg in the arctic. Polar bears and helicopters are also involved. I will be going to Churchill, Canada this November to see the polar bears first hand. While there, I’ve also arranged interviews with a helicopter pilot for my more detailed questions.