Sarah Dessen is a highly acclaimed American author, best known for her young adult novels. She has been writing for as long as she can remember and has always had a passion for reading. Dessen earned her creative writing degree with highest honors from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a waitress in a Flying Burrito restaurant in her hometown of Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Sarah Dessen has achieved significant success in her writing career, with several of her novels making the New York Times bestseller list. Her work has been recognized by the American Library Association (ALA), which named several of her novels as Best Fiction for Adults. In 1999, her novel "Someone Like You" won the School Library Journal Best Book award. Despite her achievements, Dessen remains humble and down-to-earth, admitting that she still enjoys teaching and sipping on Starbucks mochas.
Sarah Dessen was born in Evanston, Illinois, and grew up in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where her parents were professors at the University of North Carolina. She has one brother who is a musician. Dessen is married to Jay and has a daughter named Sasha Clementine. She is an animal lover and shares her home with dogs, chickens, and lizards. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening and cooking, although she admits that she is still trying to perfect her skills in both areas. Dessen has taught creative writing at the University of North Carolina, where she no doubt inspired many young writers to pursue their dreams.