Sweepings of the Street follows a young girl whose family moves to London and, due to an accident, winds up in poverty and struggling to survive. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?

My inspiration came from several Romantic poems: “London” by William Blake; “London, 1802” by William Wordsworth; and both poems entitled “The Chimney Sweeper” by Blake. Some of those poems are quoted in Sweepings of the Street. These spurred me to learn about the British Industrial Revolution and the ways in which it upended the lives of many people in the early 1800s. More specifically, Sweepings of the Street is set in 1816, known as the “Year Without a Summer” due to a volcanic eruption that caused intense climate change and crop failures. This, along with the effects of the Industrial Revolution, forces Sarah and her family to move to London. I wanted to explore the changes brought on by these catalysts and Sarah’s struggles adjusting to her new life.

Sarah has to grow up fast and find a way to help her family to the point of disguising herself as a boy. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?

I began writing Sweepings of the Street when I was 14, not much older than 12-year-old Sarah. I published Sweepings at 19, so my writing process spanned a good portion of my childhood, and I was living through some unprecedented historical events of my own. Sweepings is a coming-of-age story that follows several children who are given premature responsibility, such as working to support their families and raising their siblings. That premature responsibility can seriously affect development and mental health, and the characters spend the novel recovering from those effects. 

Sarah also struggles with the dichotomy of wanting to help others, but not having resources to spare, and this sometimes gets her into trouble. That is juxtaposed with Sarah’s friend Jamie, who believes that it’s foolish to prioritize anything other than the direct safety of one’s family. As Sarah and Jamie get to know each other, they disagree about whether trying to help others is worth the risk of failure. 

Your novel covers some important themes such as poverty, child labor, and depression. What is one thing that you hope readers take away from the story?

Sarah and her friend Jamie have close experiences with grief and depression, and although that was always part of Sweepings, there were times in the writing process when the content hit very close to home. So if there’s one thing that I want readers to take away from Sweepings, it’s that your story doesn’t have to be over. Change is terrifying and at times devastating, but it can also bring better things. Moreover, some things you can’t do alone, and that’s okay. There’s no shame in asking for help.

What is the next story that you’re writing and when will it be published?

I have a story in progress whose working title is Just A Reflection. It’s a middle-grade fantasy that follows a girl who learns of the existence of a world hidden behind mirrors and who realizes the importance and the cost of breaking the spell that has trapped hundreds of children in that parallel world. I don’t have a publication date for that yet, since I’m still drafting it, but I’m excited to dive into that next.

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