Sarah J. Maas, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series (Queen of Shadows, Book 4, released September 2015), as well as the A Court of Thorns and Roses series (released May 2015) recently visited ISKL as part of her Asian tour to promote her books and to connect with her international fan base. Her visit was sponsored by Penguin Random House Books, and ISKL was fortunate to be the only school chosen to host her during the Malaysian leg of her tour.

Sarah’s presentations to ISKL’s High School and Middle School students inspired them with details of her perseverance and about how writing served as her personal sanctuary during trying high school years. Student volunteers conducted both of Sarah’s presentations from beginning to end. Urvasi de Biasi from the High School, along with Sarah Jones and Atticus Cain from the Middle School, introduced Sarah and fielded questions from the audience.

Eighth grader Brandon Tran felt her presentation was truly inspiring. He appreciated how Sarah, “talked about really important things like being yourself and not letting others label you,” and that, “She told us about her life in high school and told us about her whole story of getting to where she is now.” Fellow eighth-grader Sabina d’Souza concurred. “I really liked the way she explained her artistic process and her journey as a writer. I also liked how she encouraged us to be our own person and how she talked about herself as a person as well.”

Sarah’s visit concluded with a book signing and with Sarah awarding a set of her books to a student at each grade level who came dressed in the best fantasy costume.