This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The February installment of Utah Lit, The Tribune's new monthly book club, will consider the young-adult novels "What We Lost" and "Roomies" by Salt Lake City-based writer Sara Zarr.

Zarr, who was raised in San Francisco, was a National Book Award finalist for her 2007 novel "Story of a Girl," her first published novel. "What We Lost" was published in 2009 (the book's original title was "Once Was Lost") and won a Utah Book Award. "Roomies," co-written with Tara Altebrando, was released in December.

"What We Lost" is the story of Samara Taylor, a pastor's kid whose family seems to be falling apart during the same season when a young girl in her small town goes missing. The novel won the Utah Book Award and was named to various national and local "best book for young adult" lists.

In "Roomies," Elizabeth and Lauren launch an email friendship across the country when they learn they will be college roommates. The novel focuses on the endings and beginnings young adults face as they learn how to leave behind their high-school lives. It was named a Winter Indie Next pick, and Amazon's best YA book of December.

The Tribune will publish an interview with Zarr in the Arts section on Sunday, Feb. 23, and post a video interview before the Friday, Feb. 28, online Trib Talk at 12:15 p.m., hosted by Jennifer Napier-Pearce.

Join the discussion by sending questions and comments to the hashtag #TribTalk on Twitter and Google+, on the Utah Lit Facebook page or in the comment section below this story.

Facebook.com/ellen.weist; Twitter: @tribartslive —

Lighting up for Utah Lit

Got a suggestion for an upcoming edition of the Utah Lit monthly online book club? Send a note to ellenf@sltrib.com or jnpearce@sltrib.com. Please write "UtahLit" in the subject line.