A New Englander at heart, Sarah P. Blanchard also lived for several years in Hawai’i and North Carolina, where Drawn from Life is set. Rural life and the natural world have strongly influenced her writing, as have the works of writers Barbara Kingsolver, Charles Frazier, and Ron Rash. Sarah holds a B.A. in English literature and an M.B.A. in marketing. Before turning her attention to writing fiction, she worked for many years in communications and marketing. She taught English and communications for five years at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, and also taught fiction writing in the College for Seniors Program, part of the Osher Lifelong Institute at the University of North Carolina-Asheville. In her writing, Sarah P. Blanchard is drawn toward flawed, compassionate characters who believe they must battle their demons alone, and complex antagonists who think they have nothing to lose. Many of her short stories, poems, and essays have been published in magazines and literary journals, and she was a finalist for the 2021 Doris Betts Fiction Prize. Her non-fiction pieces have appeared in Yankee, Causeway Lit, Hana Hou, and HI Luxury. Her short story collection, Playing Chess with Bulls, was published in December 2023.