A Bay area high school senior is working on her third novel, and she’s hosting a contest to inspire others to start writing books too. 

Sarah Frank, 17, started writing when she was in elementary school.

Spectrum Bay News 9 first profiled the author two years ago, after she received an award for her first published book, One Chance. The historical fiction thriller focuses on the adventures of an orphan, who wants to find her parents. The sequel to the book was published late last year.

Now, since the pandemic, Frank has delved into the creative world once more. She’s finishing her third book in the series, and Frank created a contest to give young writers a chance to name a character in that novel. 

“There are so many competitions for athletics, and not enough for artsy things like writing,” Frank said.

This summer, she is asking third through seventh graders to develop a storyline that connects the first and second books in her series. Frank said she can’t wait to read each and every submission.

“I want them to know that writing is important and writing matters, and I want them to be able to share their writing and feel like it’s being seen,” Frank said. 

The contest lasts until the end of August.

Frank said she hopes it – and her work – inspires creative minds everywhere.

To find out more about the contest, click here.