Sarah Dessen is an American novelist who resides in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Born in Illinois, she graduated from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Her first book, That Summer, was published in 1996. Since then, she has published more than a dozen other novels and novellas, establishing herself as a prominent voice in contemporary literature. In 2017, Dessen was honored with the Margaret Edwards Award for her significant contribution to literature for young adults. Two of her books were adapted into the 2003 film How to Deal.