Sarah McCoy: Each New Book Surprises Me
In this interview, author Sarah McCoy discusses how a life-changing pen pal relationship led her to write her new novel, Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?.
Sarah McCoy is the New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely? and seven other books. Her work has been featured in Newsweek, Lit Hub, Huffington Post, Real Simple, Writer Unboxed, and other publications. She hosted the NPR WSNC Radio program “Bookmarked with Sarah McCoy” and is the founder of The McCoy Grant. Sarah taught English writing at Old Dominion University and at the University of Texas at El Paso. She lives with her husband Doc B, dog Gilly, and cat Tutu in North Carolina. Follow her on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.
In this interview, Sarah discusses how a life-changing pen pal relationship led her to write her new novel, Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?, her advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Sarah McCoy
Literary agent: Mollie Glick at CAA
Book title: Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?
Publisher: William Morrow/Harper Collins
Release date: September 2, 2025
Genre/category: Literary/Historical Fiction
Previous titles: Mustique Island, Marilla of Green Gables, The Mapmaker’s Children, The Baker’s Daughter, The Time It Snowed in Puerto Rico
Elevator pitch: Based on a true story: a beautiful young movie star of Hollywood’s Golden Age gives up her bright career to become a cloistered nun.
What prompted you to write this book?
I was sitting at home one hot summer night in 2016 watching the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) channel. They showed the 1960 film Where the Boys Are, which at the time, I had never seen. I was rapt and impressed with the progressive feminist themes. Moreover, I couldn’t take my eyes off the lead actress, Dolores Hart. We always assume people from the past are so different from our modern ways. But I felt, I don’t know, a kind of kismet kinship.
After the showing, the TCM host returned with trivia about the film, including that soon after making the movie, the 21-year-old starlet Dolores Hart left Hollywood to join a Benedictine abbey in New England where she remains to this day. I was shocked and couldn’t stop thinking about her. Why had she left at the height of her stardom? She was so young! What drew her to become a cloistered nun?
I believe that fate calls us to action by niggling us with unanswered questions. So, I wrote Mother Dolores a fan letter. I wasn’t trying to pry into her private life. I respect her choice of anonymity. I simply wrote that I couldn’t get her off my mind and her films continue to be deeply impactful to generations of men and women. Truthfully, I didn’t think I’d hear anything. To my great surprise, she wrote me! Slowly, over the course of a decade, we developed a deeply meaningful and life-altering pen pal relationship that ultimately led to my going to the abbey and writing Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely?
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I started corresponding with Mother Dolores in 2016. I didn’t think of her story as a book until I read the memoir of Olivia Hussey, the actress who portrayed Juliet in 1968’s Romeo & Juliet. Simultaneously in 2018, I moved from Chicago to North Carolina and became immersed in the lore of Ava Gardner, who grew up in Grabtown, NC. I saw so many parallels between these young, independent actresses. Lori Lovely began to take shape in my imagination, but it wasn’t until 2022 that I sat down to write her story. In 2023, I visited Mother Dolores at her abbey. I needed to be with her in person to ask for her blessing on the book. By 2024, a draft was in production and it publishes on September 2, 2025.
As the story has grown, so have I. It’s been a true journey of heart, needless to say.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Each new book surprises me! I don’t dare think that since I’ve published eight times before, I know this dance. Inevitably, a twist gets thrown in and the whole process is different.
For my last book, it was COVID, which pretty much shut down everything. Even my publishing building (Harper Collins) closed its doors. I was advised not to do a book tour. The world was crazy. It’s totally different now, of course. I’ve seen a major shift in the number of social media book influencers. They’re the new kings and queens leading the reading armies. The literary kingdom they’re building is extraordinary! It makes me excited to get out there and meet readers again.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I’m not Catholic, so delving into the monastic practices was a major learning curve and full of surprises. I had no idea there were so many powerful female mystics, saints, and storytellers. It was mind-blowing in the best possible way. Also, I think I came at it from a unique perspective from people who grew up in Catholicism or are looking to convert. I walked in with neither intent. I was simply a seeker of spiritual understanding. I had no baggage or expectations. I wanted to know these women—to know Mother Dolores. My earnest intent was to honor their life choices.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers come away believing in destiny and a positive expectation that their lives, all of our lives, have a deeper calling. It’s not an easy journey, but the discoveries we make along the way are the legacy we pass on to future generations. That’s what Lori Lovely taught me, at least.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Don't be tethered to the old platitude of writing what you know. I’ve written my best work from a place of not knowing but being insatiably curious. It’s not just about the story you’re writing; it’s also about the story you’re living while you’re writing. Ask questions, probe for answers, and embrace the unknown.
