How do you pronounce Ruta Sepetys?

When you talk about our current, multiple award-winning author Ruta Sepetys—and oh you will! —you'll want to pronounce her name correctly: Roota Suh-pettys.

Is Ruta a sepetys ya?

Internationally acclaimed #1 New York Times-bestselling novelist Ruta Sepetys, whose Salt To The Sea was named to the Time's list of 100 Best YA Books ever, will release a new historical thriller in February 2022, Oprah Daily reveals exclusively.

Why did Ruta Sepetys write between shades of gray?

In an interview with ThirstforFiction, Ruta Sepetys said that the reason she intended Between Shades of Gray to be a young adult novel was because she met many survivors in Lithuania who were themselves, teenagers, during the deportations and had a greater will to live than many of their adult counterparts at the time.

Why did Ruta Sepetys write Salt to the Sea?

It was inspired by her father's and grandfather's experiences as Lithuanian refugees. Sepetys' new book, Salt to the Sea, also draws on a family history from that era. It's about the doomed German ship Wilhelm Gustloff, which was sunk by three Russian torpedoes in January 1945.

Where does Ruta Sepetys live?

Ruta lives with her family in the hills of Tennessee.

Ruta Sepetys // Author Introduction

Is between shades of GREY a true story?

Based on the true stories of Baltic citizens, Between Shades of Gray is a detailed, riveting, and thought-provoking story of the terrors that the Baltic people faced during WWII under Stalin. In 1939, the Soviet Union occupied Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and annexed them as part of the USSR.

What does NKVD stand for in Between Shades of Gray?

Ruta Sepetys's stunning debut novel begins on June 14, 1941, as the NKVD (the Soviet secret police) pound on the door of the Vilkas family's home.

Was ashes in the snow a true story?

Ashes in the Snow is based on the 2011 novel Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys, a Lithuanian-American writer who based it on the true story of Irena Spakauskiene, a 13-year-old Lithuanian girl who was deported from Lithuania to Siberia in 1941.

What kind of name is Ruta?

Ruta Origin and Meaning

The name Ruta is girl's name meaning "compassionate friend". The Polish form of Ruth has mostly been lost outside of Poland, but though rare, it can still be heard in Midwestern cities with large Polish populations. With Ruth now on the ascent, Ruta may be worth rediscovering.

What did Ruta Sepetys study?

Ruta attended college to study opera but instead graduated with a degree in International Finance. Prior to publishing her first novel, she spent 20 years in the music industry helping artists and songwriters distill story through song.

Where did between shades of gray take place?

In the book Between the Shades of Gray, Ruta Sepetys gives a very compelling account of the Soviet invasion of the country of Lithuania in 1941.

Is there a Salt to the Sea movie?

Universal Pictures is developing a movie based on Ruta Sepetys' historical novel “Salt to the Sea,” and set up the project with “Transformers” producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura. The studio won the rights in an auction.

What was Ruta Sepetys first book?

Sepetys' debut novel, “Between Shades of Gray,” became an international bestseller — it's been published in 45 countries — and earned more than 50 literary honors worldwide.

When was between shades of gray published?

Between Shades of Gray is the debut novel by Ruta Sepetys, published in 2011. It follows a fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl and her family as they are evicted from their home and relocated to Siberia under the harsh rule of Stalin and the USSR.

What does Emilia's pink hat symbolize?

Emilia Stozek wears a pink hat in Salt to the Sea. For her, her hat is a symbol of regeneration that takes place due to the war.

How did Emilia get pregnant in Salt to the Sea?

It is revealed that Emilia is eight months pregnant from an assault by Russian soldiers; Florian, the restoration artist, is on the run for stealing a piece of art of the Amber Room; and Joana feels responsible for some of the deaths of her family.

Is salt of the sea a true story?

At the center of "Salt To The Sea" is the true story of a doomed German ship, the Wilhelm Gustloff. Late in the war, this one-time cruise ship became part of a massive evacuation of German soldiers and civilians plus refugees from Poland, Lithuania and beyond.