Jisoo asked Ruta Sepetys:

I absolutely enjoyed Salt to the Sea, and have also previously read Between Shades of Grey, which I also loved. Regarding Salt to the Sea, I loved the characters and their back stories (and how you revealed them), and was wondering what inspired you to create these characters with the background you gave them? Also, what motivates you to write in general?

Ruta Sepetys Hi Jisoo, thank you for reading my books! When I am researching for novels, I try to interview as many people as I can who lived through the time period I am writing about, or to interview historians who have spent years researching the time period and events. I then weave stories together into one character so that I can represent a larger people group and not compromise any one person's story, so their backgrounds are woven together from the stories I heard or read from survivors of the time. In general, I have always wanted to be a writer, but I am drawn to hidden history and I am determined to tell the stories of those who are unable to tell their own. Thank you for asking!

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