Interview with Florence Wetzel, Author of Sara My Sara

What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Sara My Sara: A Memoir of Friendship and Loss?

In 2019, my best friend Sara was diagnosed with the aggressive brain cancer glioblastoma, and she passed away seventeen months later. After her death, I was too shattered to even think about writing about this experience. However, two years later, the book started to take form, and I decided to structure it into three parts: “With Sara,” “Sara Disappears,” and “Without Sara.” Writing helped me navigate and make sense of my grief, and when I read over the first draft, I was surprised to find many moments of joy within the pages. The memoir serves as a love letter not only to Sara but also to my mother, who plays a significant role in the story. There are also quite a few beloved dogs who show up over the course of the book! The theme of the memoir is certainly heavy, but ultimately it’s a hopeful story about the resilience of the human spirit.

What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?

Right now it’s psychological thrillers. I have written one myself (The Woman Who Went Overboard), which was a fun experience, but I like to write across genres. I never quite know what’s coming out next.

What books are on your TBR pile right now?

Blackmail In Bloomsbury by Anna Sayburn Lane, The Man She Married by Alison James, and The End of the Affair by Graham Greene.

What scene in your book was your favorite to write?

I enjoyed writing the scene where I grapple with my elderly mother’s refusal to stop driving her cherished Mini Cooper, a black-and-yellow car that she christened “The Bumblebee.” My mother could barely see due to her macular degeneration, and I actually had to resort to hiding her car keys. It was fun to write the scene and be reminded of my mother’s sassy spirit.

Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)

Like so many other writers, coffee is essential. Making that first cup of coffee and setting it on my bedside table is how my writing begins. I literally can’t write without a cup of coffee by my side. Which leads me to my second quirky habit, which is that I write sitting in bed. Being at a desk feels too much like work!

Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?

Do the next right thing.

If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?

I’d like them to remember that love is stronger than death. Also, that in the midst of even the most trying experiences, there are always gifts.