Today, as part of our week-long feature on The Lost,we bring you part 1 of our exclusive Q&A with author Sarah Beth Durst. (Part 2 coming tomorrow). Thanks, Sarah, for stopping by to chat with us!
Tell us a bit about how the idea for THE LOST was originally born.
It was born at a stoplight. I was sitting there, blinker on, waiting for the light to turn green, and I started thinking what would happen if I drove straight and didn’t stop. What would happen if someone was really truly lost, in every sense of the word?
We don’t always give much thought to just how many things we lose – but THE LOST really highlights all of them. More than just the missing socks from our dryer, and lost luggage, but old toys, and clothes, and food, and art, and houses, and children … it’s almost overwhelming when you really start thinking about it. How did you sort of plan out all the missing items that would show up in Lost?
That was the most fun part of writing THE LOST. You see, it’s not just that there are a lot of missing socks in Lost; it’s that only lost things are in Lost. You have to scavenge for what you need amidst the piles of umbrellas, cell phones, and sunglasses. It’s easy to find a half-eaten sandwich, much harder to find a whole one. Nearly impossible to find ice cream.
As to how I planned it out… I made a list. I love lists. I always make lists. 
And for this, it made perfect sense. I made a list of everything I could think of that could possibly be lost, and then I referred back to it as I wrote, plucking out the more interesting, most relevant, and coolest things for various scenes.
What are some things you’ve lost that you think you might find in the town of Lost?
Earrings. I’m constantly losing my favorite earrings. (Just one, of course.)
So, Peter. Is it bad that I was swooning over Peter, while I read in bed next to my husband? Please tell us about writing Peter, and can we expect to learn more about him and his past in THE MISSING?
Yes, there will be more about Peter in THE MISSING and especially in THE FOUND. 🙂
Sigh. Okay, we wait for more Peter. But the wait for the rest of our Q&A with Sarah isn’t long – part 2 comes tomorrow!
Novel Novice 