Sarah Glenn Marsh | Author Interview | Pride Month

I’m continuing to spotlight LGBTQ+ books and today I’m sharing The Girls Are Never Gone by Sarah Glenn Marsh. This is a September 2021 release and despite this not being my usual genre, I’m really excited for it. I’m also excited to be able to share my interview that I did with Sarah Glenn Marsh! Sarah is one of the absolute sweetest authors and I’m so grateful I’ve been able to meet her and get to know her!

INTERVIEW

Thank you for allowing me to interview you! Can you start off by introducing yourself?

Thanks for having me, Felicia! Always a joy. I’m Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of several books for kids and teens including the Reign of the Fallen series and Fear the Drowning Deep series in YA, and picture books like Ninita’s Big World and A Campfire Tail for younger readers. I’m also a ceramic artist and active in dog rescue–I stay busy!

How would you describe The Girls Are Never Gone in one sentence?

Haunting of Bly Manor vibes–spooky and queer, for those who like their ghosts a little on the murderous side!

Can you introduce us to the main character(s) of The Girls Are Never Gone?

But of course! 🙂

First up is Dare, our stubborn and determined main character; she’s a high school senior and a supernatural skeptic who ran a popular ghost-hunting YouTube channel, and has now turned her attention to podcasting–she’s hoping to be the first to break the story of what really happened one summer when a girl mysteriously drowned on a beautiful calm day.

Next is smart and stylish Quinn, who just finished her freshman year at Savannah’s College of Art and Design; her mom is a successful designer who just purchased the Arrington Estate, site of the mysterious drowning Dare hopes to investigate, and Quinn has been experiencing some strange things ever since they moved into the house to start the remodel.

Last but not least is Holly, a sweet and outgoing local girl who just finished high school and has no idea what’s next for her. She grew up on stories about the Arrington Estate, which has had a bad reputation since long before that poor girl’s drowning, and jumped at the chance to volunteer with the local historical society to help turn the fading home into a museum.

What representation will readers find in The Girls Are Never Gone?

You’ll find queer rep in both the main character (bi) and love interest (lesbian), as well as a few minor characters; the main character also shares my disease, type I diabetes, and uses durable medical equipment on-page; I’ve never seen a type one diabetic character outside of The Babysitter’s Club and a handful of other mentions, so I was especially proud and excited to bring this rep to my favorite genre: horror.

Do you know from the beginning how your books will end or do you let your characters decide their journey?

I do plan out my books ahead of time, so I know the ending, but that’s not to say I don’t let my characters take me on some interesting detours along the way! 🙂 There’s nothing I love more than when a character really surprises me, and I certainly take that into account as I go.

Do you have a favorite scene, moment, or quote from the book?

This is tough because a lot of my favorite moments are spoilers, so I’ll say a favorite side character instead if that’s okay! Waffles is Dare’s diabetic alert dog who comes along for this ghostly adventure, and just like Scooby Doo, he knows when it’s time to run away or time to grab a sandwich! 

What are three books you would recommend if someone enjoyed The Girls Are Never Gone?

I love this question! Try A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay, Kill Creek by Scott Thomas, and This is Not A Ghost Story by Andrea Portes.

What’s next for you? Anything you can share?

Certainly! I’ve got a picture book about the amazing life of Mary Anning, called Dragon Bones, coming out with Roaring Brook in November! I’ve also got some sweet animal-themed picture books coming up with Viking next year and beyond, as well as a fun middle grade project I’m not sure I can go into detail about yet! 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Synopsis:

The Conjuring meets Sadie when seventeen-year-old podcaster Dare takes an internship in a haunted house and finds herself in a life-or-death struggle against an evil spirit.

Dare Chase doesn’t believe in ghosts.

Privately, she’s a supernatural skeptic. But publicly, she’s keeping her doubts to herself—because she’s the voice of Attachments, her brand-new paranormal investigation podcast, and she needs her ghost-loving listeners to tune in.

That’s what brings her to Arrington Estate. Thirty years ago, teenager Atheleen Bell drowned in Arrington’s lake, and legend says her spirit haunts the estate. Dare’s more interested in the suspicious circumstances surrounding her death—circumstances that she believes point to a living culprit, not the supernatural. Still, she’s vowed to keep an open mind as she investigates, even if she’s pretty sure what she’ll find.

But Arrington is full of surprises. Good ones like Quinn, the cute daughter of the house’s new owner. And baffling ones like the threatening messages left scrawled in paint on Quinn’s walls, the ghastly face that appears behind Dare’s own in the mirror, and the unnatural current that nearly drowns their friend Holly in the lake. As Dare is drawn deeper into the mysteries of Arrington, she’ll have to rethink the boundaries of what is possible. Because if something is lurking in the lake…it might not be willing to let her go.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR