Q&A with Sara Flannery Murphy

From my Q&A with Sara Flannery Murphy, author of The Wonder State: A Novel:

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

The Wonder State invites readers into Arkansas, even if they don’t realize it! This was the state’s first official nickname, chosen back in the 1920s. The nickname changed within twenty years because it didn’t draw enough new economic growth to the state, becoming the Land of Opportunity and then the Natural State. The moment I stumbled across this original nickname, I knew I had to resurrect it as my title, and I’m thankful my publishing team agreed.

I hope the title introduces readers to the enduring theme of the book, which is the sense of wonder that my characters experience naturally as teenagers and need to reconnect with as adults. And the interplay of “state” as both a state of mind and a geographic territory appeals to...[read on]

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Q&A with Sara Flannery Murphy.

--Marshal Zeringue