Meet Sarah Everest

We recently connected with Sarah Everest and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

From an early age, writing stories has been at the core of my being. When I sit down in front of a blank page, the words pour out of me, even if all I have to go on is a single image or character. The desire to write is always with me, but life is full of distractions that often make it difficult to find the time to unleash this creative aspect of my soul.
In order to keep my creativity alive during times when my writing time is limited, I have collected snippets of stories, scenes, and characters that hang out in the background of my days, waiting for their turn to be written. I have traveled the world, drinking in the variety of nature, food, and humanity that will later fill my stories with more depth and variety when I have the time to sit down and share the stories percolating in my brain.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

Story is the backdrop on which my life is structured, travel is the lifeblood that courses through me, and my faith in Jesus is what keeps me balanced in an ever changing world.
Being a creative person in a world where bank accounts are valued far more than art can be a struggle, but I have been blessed to find ways to travel and experience the world on a very tight budget, and it is these experiences that have helped to shape my stories and given more depth to the worlds I create.
I spent roughly three years working at a childcare home in Hong Kong, caring for infants and toddlers awaiting their forever families. My years there deepened my compassion for those in need and provided me with so many amazing cultural and travel experiences.
I later went on to teach English in the Czech Republic, further fueling my love for travel and all things historical and European.
With each adventure I’ve been on, I’ve layered more experiences that wend their way into my stories. My Darkening Dragons trilogy highlights this journey around the globe. The first book (The Darkening Dragons) is set in the backwoods of Northern California where I grew up, the second book (Peak Dragon Uprising) takes place in Hong Kong, featuring snippets of local dragon lore intermingled with my own creations, and the final book (Bohemian Dragon Awakening – releasing 8/13/2024) takes place in the Czech Republic and features real castles and highlights classical European dragon legends.
Finding ways to incorporate my real-life adventures into my fictional work, as well as intermingling faith elements through allegory and themes, gives my writing a unique spin and depth that is unlike any other. Having such a wealth of intercultural experience also adds to my skills as an editor, helping other authors develop their stories and writing so they can reach the right readers.
Whatever I’m working on, my goal is always the same. To share stories that will inspire readers to learn more about the beautiful world we live in, to see how much better we can all be by caring for one another and working together, and providing hope that there is still good to be found and that Light will conquer the darkness in the end.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I’m one of those unusual individuals known as an introverted extrovert. That means I’m quiet, but I build energy from being around other people and thrive on social interactions. Basically, that means I’m a good listener. I believe this is one of the skills that benefits me most as both an author and an editor. I’m always listening to what people have to say, and the more I listen, the more I learn about the ways people think and what drives their behaviors. There can be no better way to develop realistic characters than studying real people.
While there have been many times in my writing journey when I have been frustrated by the aspects of marketing authors are now forced to carry, but my love of the written word is what propels me forward. Even if I were never to publish another book, I would never stop writing because it is a gift God tied to my soul from the beginning. I would encourage everyone who has a passion for an art or career to do it for love, rather than for financial gain. Any time passion is replaced by dollar signs, it loses something. While I might be able to make more money if I chose to write in line with the popular market, I would lose both my passion and soul in the process, and it’s not worth that.
In the end, the thing that pushes me forward and keeps me going the most is my faith. Without the hope I have in Christ, everything I do in this world would be fruitless. I can recommend nothing more than finding people who share your faith and passions, and then learning how to support and encourage one another.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

A couple of years ago, I saw a story on Instagram mentioning a new group of Mommy Writers that was just starting. As a mother of a 2 1/2 year old, living in a country where I have few friends and struggle to speak the language at the time, I decided to give it a try. My writing had mostly been pushed to a corner at the time, but I was desperate for connections and encouragement in both being a mom and a writer. Clicking that link was one of the best things I have ever done. Not only did I find a group of mothers reaching for their dreams despite the obstacles of time constraints, I also found women who share my faith and have been able to join me in so many aspects of my life. I’m even currently in the process of writing a book with several of them. Nothing has spurred on my writing career or provided me with the opportunity to expand my editing services, more than connecting with this group.
Being a writer or a creator in general, can often feel very lonely and isolating. I would encourage anyone who is feeling discouraged or disconnected to keep looking for their people. Finding the right group to champion you through the hard times is truly life giving.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @transientdrifter

Image Credits

All photos are my own.