SALT LAKE CITY — As the oldest of five girls in her family, Utah author Sara B. Larson knew she wanted to write about the bond between sisters, but she wasn’t sure how to do it.
“I would do anything for my sisters and they would do anything for me,” Larson said during a recent interview. “I wanted to show that love and that bond between sisters and how powerful that can be.”
Pinterest finally gave her the idea that turned into her new book. While looking through her Pinterest inspiration board, Larson found a picture of two sisters, one with glowing blue eyes and one with normal eyes, and these two sisters became the main characters in “Sisters of Shadow and Light” (Tor Teen, 368 pages, ages 12 and up).
In the book, sisters Zuhra and Inara have grown up inside an abandoned citadel with their mother. They’ve been protected and imprisoned by a magical hedge surrounding their home since the day 15 years ago when Inara was born and their father disappeared. Their father was a magical being called a Paladin, and while Zuhra shows no signs of magic, Inara has the telltale glowing blue eyes. Inara’s magic is so powerful that it consumes her, robbing her of her lucidity — except on the rare occasions she figures out how to use it. Then one day, the hedge lets a young man into the citadel and everything changes.
The sequel to “Sisters of Shadow and Light” is expected to release in fall 2020. Between these and her popular “Defy” trilogy, Larson has become pretty prolific. She’s also the mother of four children from ages 2 to 14, with a husband who is often out of town for work. She said she often squeezes her writing in during nap times, road trips and after workouts.
She already had children when she began submitting her books to literary agents 10 years ago. After four years of querying, getting one agent, leaving that agent and querying again, she finally got a book deal for “Defy,” and her childhood dream of becoming an author came true.
Larson said she’d been writing her whole life, and it was fantasy stories that gave her the courage to face her life’s challenges growing up.
“That’s the great thing about fantasy is we can deal with real life things, but in a way that feels safer,” she said. “These characters are dealing with something you’ll never deal with because it’s so extreme, but it can still give you the courage to deal with your own demons in your real life.”
The responses Larson gets from readers shows her that these books have made a difference. In her “Defy” series, for example, the main character is scarred, and Larson has had readers with scars say the series helped them realize they are beautiful.
Larson also enjoys writing young adult fantasy because it lets her explore the powerful firsts that come with that time of life.
“You’re deciding and figuring out who you really are and what you want in life,” Larson said. “It’s so intense and exciting and everything is larger than life because it’s when you’re deciding the course of your life.”
Beyond the bond Larson shares with her sisters, “Sisters of Shadow and Light” also incorporates the anxiety she often struggles with.
“Its something I wanted to explore, and show characters dealing with it and learning how to overcome it, or how to manage it, and keep doing what they have to do and showing courage in the face of that,” Larson said.
For her, the book’s main theme was love, and not just the love between sisters.
“I wanted to show all the ways that love can affect you for good or for bad,” she explained. “It can empower and strengthen you. It can break you down and turn you into someone you didn’t used to be. It can be exciting; it can be devastating.”
In the end, Larson said, having that one person who is yours makes all the difference.
“Whether it’s your sister or your best friend or your mom or your soulmate,” she said. “If you can have that person who is your best friend and share that love and bond with, that’s all you really need to help you get through the challenges in your life — someone who truly loves you and is always there for you, whether you’re dealing with magical sentient hedges or finals in college.”
If you go …
What: Sara B. Larson book signing
When: Tuesday, Nov. 5, 7 p.m.
Where: Noah’s Event Venue, 322 W. 11000 South, South Jordan
Web: kingsenglish.com
Note: Places in the signing line are reserved for those who purchase a copy of the featured book from The King’s English. Preorder by Nov. 4 to receive six custom cards.