I took many trips down to New Orleans trying to experience the city as deeply as possible. I'm from Detroit so New Orleans seemed very exotic to me. — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
I took several trips to New Orleans and met with people who had intimate knowledge of the underbelly of the city in the 1950s. The meetings were both fascinating and terrifying. — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
“I didn’t agree with Cokie. It wasn’t just rich folks. Mother was soul broke, too.” — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
“What if this is a horrible mistake?" I croaked. "Oh, it'll be horrible fine, just a bunch of pretentious rich people with shelves of… — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
“There was no ‘Miss Woodley.’ There was Willie. Willie was about life, and she grabbed it by the balls. Y’all know that. She loved… — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
“The fact that Cincinnati thought I resembled him in any way sickened me. It made me want to run and hide. When I was a child in Detroit and terrors chased me, I would run to my hiding spot, a crawl space under the front porch of the boardinghouse we lived in. I’d wedge my small body into the cool… — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share
“Well, I don't know, Lina. But let's just say I've met a lot of dead people.” — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
“War is catastrophe. It breaks families in irretrievable pieces. But those who are gone are not necessarily lost.” — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
I wasn't certain of anything anymore, except that New Orleans was a faithless friend and I wanted to leave her. — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
“Andrius turned. His eyes found mine. "I'll see you," he said. My face didn't wrinkle. I didn't utter a sound. But for the first time in months, I cried. Tears popped from their dry sockets and sailed down my cheeks in one quick stream. I looked away. The NKVD called the bald man's name. "Look at me," whispered Andrius, moving… — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share
“Some wars are about bombing. For the people of the Baltics, this war was about believing. In 1991, after fifty years of brutal occupation, the three Baltic countries regained their independence, peacefully and with dignity. They chose hope over hate and showed the world that even through the darkest night, there is light. Please research it. Tell someone. These three… — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share
“I don't want to see no dead body. Willie ain't in there. She put her walkin' shoes on. She gone to see the Lord.” — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
“They drink like fish and ask the most probing questions." "Welcome to the South." Patrick laughed.” — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
“That’s a good hustle,” I told him. “We both got a little hustle, don’t we?” He pulled on his jacket. “But I like to… — Ruta Sepetys Copy Share Image
