Sara Zarr was born in Cleveland, grew up in San Francisco and Pacifica, CA, and now lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and various small pets. After a short and unrewarding career in the commercial printing industry, Sara wrote her first young adult nove - a sad family drama about a girl and her guitar. Though the book got her an agent, editors described it in their rejections as "too depressing," "too quiet," and other variations of "not good."

Sara's love of young adult literature and competitive nature kept her writing. Nine years, three completed novels, and one agent change later, Story of a Girl sold to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in 2005. Another family drama, this one set in Pacifica, Story of a Girl has received advanced praise from acclaimed authors such as Chris Crutcher, John Green, and Mary Pearson. She is currently working on her second young adult novel for Little, Brown.

In her spare time, Sara enjoys indulging in time-wasting habits such as playing online poker, reading blogs, and watching reality TV.