On this episode of West Michigan Weekend, host Phil Tower sits down with <a href="https://www.saramaurerwrites.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><b>Sara Maurer</b></a> to explore her powerful debut novel, <i><b>A Good Animal.</b></i><br /><br />Set in the rural landscape of Michigan’s Eastern Upper Peninsula, <i><b>A Good Animal</b></i> is a deeply emotional story of first love, identity, and the life-altering weight of a single decision. The novel follows Everett, a young man determined to stay and rebuild his family’s sheep farm, and Mary, a newcomer driven by ambition and a desire to leave—capturing the universal tension between staying rooted and chasing something more.<br /><br />In this conversation, author Sara Maurer reflects on her own connection to Sault Ste. Marie, the inspiration behind her characters, and the often-overlooked beauty and complexity of rural life. She also opens up about the pressure many young people feel to leave small towns—and what it means to return.<br /><br />Sara Maurer’s terrific debut novel,  <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250383563/agoodanimal/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><b><i>A</i><i> Good Animal</i>…is published by St. Martin’s Press</b></a>… and available wherever books are sold.<br /><br /><br />Sarah's book tour is underway across Michigan. <b>See her <a href="https://www.saramaurerwrites.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">schedule on her website.</a></b><br /><br /><b>Listen now on the <a href="https://www.iheart.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iHeartRadio app</a> or wherever you get your podcasts.</b><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Phil Tower