Friday, February 24, 2017

Sheryl Scarborough

Sheryl Scarborough is an award-winning writer for children’s television. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, lives in Washington state, and has always had an obsession with forensics. When she was twelve, her home was the target of a Peeping Tom. Scarborough diligently photographed his footprints and collected the candy wrappers he left behind. Unfortunately, he was never caught. But the desire to use evidence to solve a great mystery was sparked inside Scarborough all the same.

Scarborough's new book, To Catch a Killer, is her debut novel.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Her reply:
When I’m drafting a book I can’t read a lot. One reason is because of time constraints and exhaustion and the other is because I’m a bit of a mimic and I tend to glom onto a voice I especially like. Once I’m done with a draft, the book-diet is over and I become a glutton for all the books.

I recently finished the sequel to To Catch a Killer and I’m in search of something new to submit to my editor, so I’ve recently read (back-to-back) Seriously Wicked, by Tina Connolly about the challenges of trying to manage high school while being raised by a seriously wicked witch. Flying by Carrie Jones, which is basically Buffy meets Men in Black. And, Anna Dressed in Blood, by Kendare Blake, which is a destiny story with a ghostly twist.

All three of these books were acquired and edited by my editor at Tor Teen and while they are all completely different, I was surprised to find a common thread of identity and belonging in each book. This same thread exists in To Catch a Killer, as well. Reading these books all together has (hopefully) given me some insight into my editor’s taste and will help me refine what to pitch to her next.
Visit Sheryl Scarborough's website.

My Book, The Movie: To Catch a Killer.

The Page 69 Test: To Catch a Killer.

--Marshal Zeringue