Rachel Peterson

Rachel Peterson graduated from Miami University of Ohio with a degree in English and creative writing. Born and raised in Ohio, she started her career in advertising before spending nearly a decade in New York City as a marketing executive for technology companies. An avid traveler, Peterson now splits her time between Manhattan and the Midwest, where she lives with her husband, Ken; their dog, Olive; and horse, Hope.

Her new novel is Killing Sadie.

My Q&A with the author:

How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?

Now this is a juicy question! The title of Killing Sadie is, at first glance, a pretty obvious summary of the novel. But just like our unreliable teenage narrators and the twisty lies they tell to the police and themselves, nothing is quite as straightforward as it seems. The title is designed to pull readers in immediately with what happened. But the truly unexpected and shocking question that matters most as readers dive into the world of Sadie Cooper is … why.

What's in a name?

The names I choose for our cast of characters in Killing Sadie are a mix of random, pulled-from-a-hat names, plus a handful that carry a deeper meaning either for the character or for me. For example, Liz is a wild child from Ohio by way of Alabama, who goes by this casual nickname that fits with the identity she built for herself, unlocking a few rungs on the social ladder via her bestie Sadie. But her full name is Elizabeth Amelia Stratton, which is much more formal, almost Victorian. It creates an interesting juxtaposition between how she’s seen and who she really is, or how she sees herself – this is such a vivid callback to the teenage experience! Meanwhile, the name for one of my personal favorite characters, detective Sloane Budd, was chosen as a nod to the nickname of one of my family members now gone who loved a great mystery and had such an unforgettable personality.

How surprised would your teenage reader self be by your new novel?

Honestly, my teenage self would be entirely unsurprised, and incredibly excited to get her hands on the limited edition copy! Killing Sadie reflects so many of the emotions, experiences and even stereotypes that came along with my teenage years growing up in a small Midwestern town (minus the murder, of course!). When working on building my characters for Killing Sadie, I leaned on my old high school journals – which somehow still exist – to remind myself of what it really felt like existing in the world I was building. I think in many ways this novel was written by and for the teenage girl I used to be: A bold, curious theater kid figuring things out with her friends!

Do you find it harder to write beginnings or endings? Which do you change more?

Beginnings tend to be much easier, and I strangely love that first blank page feeling! Mainly because once I have a story mapped out, there is always a single line or a burst of dialogue that pops into my head that just screams to me. I tend to write at a very frenetic pace, so while I know how the story is going to start and end, how we get to the dramatic conclusion is always more of a blank slate adventure. Endings are a little bit trickier for me because there are so many little details, especially in a thriller, that need to fall perfectly into place. Luckily, my brilliant editor has such an incredible eye for detail, which has led to some interesting discussions: Wait, did that character really shower three times in a single day?

Do you see much of yourself in your characters? Do they have any connection to your personality, or are they a world apart?

Wow, this is the kind of question I’ve always been dying to ask my favorite authors! There are multiple unreliable narrators in Killing Sadie – her bestie Liz, her boyfriend Ben, her twin Jayne, and even Sadie herself – and each one of them is so unique. I think it’s impossible not to inject a little bit of ourselves into the characters we create, and although no character is a carbon copy of my teenage self, there are definitely bits of my personality and interests scattered around and dialed up!

For example, Sadie and I share many of the same favorite 80s and 90s movies, and Jayne and Evan are equestrians like I am. Liz definitely picked up some (or all) of my more intense and emotional teenage angst. I think readers’ allegiances will change throughout the book, based on the scene and their energy. Some days, we are totally Jayne. Others, totally Sadie.

What non-literary inspirations have influenced your writing?

Oh gosh, the list is long! It always starts with music for me – a majority of my writing includes multiple POVs, and I create a separate playlist for each of my characters. In terms of Killing Sadie, I can’t hear a top ten pop track without thinking of Sadie, or 90s alt rock without thinking of Jayne, or rock country without thinking of Ben. As an equestrian, I spend a ton of time at the barn training and riding horses, which is more about tuning into anything but writing, but I know that time away from the laptop is so rejuvenating and translates to better pages.

I’m also a major film and Broadway fan, and the glamour, drama and theatricality of Old Hollywood is always a fun place to go for inspiration. After all, everything about teenage life when you’re living it feels so worthy of the big screen …

Visit Rachel Peterson's website.

My Book, The Movie: Killing Sadie.

Writers Read: Rachel Peterson.

--Marshal Zeringue