Award-winning author Sarah Epstein discusses her new book, Deep Water, and the importance of respecting your readers.

When did you start writing?

I’ve always been a big reader and have been creative my whole life. As a young child I used to write and illustrate my own picture books on scrap paper, and in my teenage years this progressed to angsty poetry and short stories, along with painting, drawing, crafting and mixed media.

I ended up pushing my writing aspirations aside to pursue graphic design at university because I knew it would give me more employment opportunities, and it wasn’t until decades later, after I gave birth to my first child, that I decided to try my hand at writing again. Having children brought me into a new phase of life and a different headspace, so I used my kids’ nap times to learn how to write.

How/why did you choose to write YA fiction?

Back in high school I wrote a creepy short story with a teenage protagonist, and my English teacher gave me full marks for it with a comment about wanting to read more because she was dying to know what happened next.

When I decided to try writing my first novel-length story, I thought this was as good a starting point as any. I found my 16-year-old voice came through very naturally and I could easily tap into those same emotions, frustrations and challenges I felt as a teen. Then, as I started reading YA more widely, I found the taut plots, character arcs and themes of self-discovery really appealing, and very suited to the types of stories I wanted to tell.

Your award-winning first novel, Small Spaces, came out in 2018. Did its success have any impact on your writing process for Deep Water?

I started Deep Water over 13 years ago and early drafts were completed long before the idea for Small Spaces was even a glimmer in my eye.

However, I did do an extensive rewrite of Deep Water after Small Spaces was published, when I was able to sit down and look at the story with fresh eyes and the writing skills I’d improved along the way. I could see a way to fix some of the problems I hadn’t been able to before, and the positive feedback I was receiving on Small Spaces was a huge encouragement to finish the rewrite once and for all.

Both of your books engage with darker themes – why is that?

I’ve always had a tendency to lean towards darker content, and I think it’s because I grew up reading my mum’s Stephen King and Dean Koontz books. She loved swapping horror novels with her friends, and it really modelled reading to me because she always had a book in her hand (and still does). I was a kid of the 80s so we watched a lot of horror movies as well, and I’ve always been intrigued by what-ifs – what if this happened to me? What if I had to make that decision? What if I had to escape that threat, situation or personal struggle?

These sorts of questions can lead your imagination into some dark but fascinating places.

What prompted you to choose a rural setting for both books?

I love small-town mysteries in books, TV shows and movies, and I particularly enjoy Australian small-town stories with secrets and complicated family dynamics at the core. The natural Australian landscape is a character in itself – sometimes hostile, other times haunting – which is familiar even to a city dweller. As a writer, my imagination plays with the unsettling undercurrents in small towns, the way their inhabitants all think they know each other.

What led you to tell this story from three different points of view?

In my early drafts of Deep Water, I had it all set in the present from Chloe’s perspective, but as the story and characters grew in my head, I realised I needed readers to understand the circumstances of the Weaver family and where they fit into the town of The Shallows, otherwise it felt like only half a story.

Showing Mason’s perspective leading up to the night Henry disappeared, alongside Chloe’s perspective three months after the fact, meant I could explore the Weaver family’s dynamics beforehand alongside the fallout for everyone afterwards.

It also meant I could create a ticking clock device to increase the tension up to the night Henry disappeared and reveal the circumstances of that night in a more creative way without it just being a big info dump.

Mason and Tom are both trying to avoid repeating their parents’ mistakes. What do you hope readers will take away from this?

Tom’s desire to break the cycle drives his need to over-achieve and do the right thing by his grandparents, whereas Mason’s fear of his genetic predisposition for violence causes him to be self-destructive. Through these characters I was keen to explore how the trajectory of our lives can drastically change with a couple of wrong turns or for reasons out of our control. Mistakes show we’re human — it’s what we do next that reveals who we truly are.

Mason and Henry suffer abuse at the hands of their mother, Ivy, who is an alcoholic. How did you achieve writing about this topic in a realistic yet sensitive way?

I wanted readers to understand who Ivy is and some of her history, and how her frustration about where her life has ended up fluctuates between hopelessness and highly destructive behaviour. Ivy’s also been a victim of domestic violence herself, and I was interested in exploring how this affects the relationship she has with her sons and how her resentment at her situation translates.

Is there anything you would like to impart to educators?

Since Small Spaces was published, I’ve been thanked by teen readers for not talking down to them or simplifying the plot. They enjoyed the questions and suspicions, the challenge of the mystery, and trying to figure out what was going on. It confirms what we already know: teens are astute and critical readers who are seeking books to engage and entertain them. The best part is, teen readers can’t wait to share the book with their friends and discuss it afterwards in great detail. Page-turning thrillers and mysteries are the perfect genre to encourage teens to read and engage with other readers.

Mistakes show we’re human — it’s what we do next that reveals who we truly are.

What are you writing now?

I’m currently working on another YA psychological thriller, as well as a couple of contemporary YA coming-of-age novels. I’m also exploring some middle grade and adult fiction ideas. It’s good to have the different projects to jump between, as it keeps me inspired and motivated.