117 ratings | 7 reviews | avg rating:4.28

Zoje Stage’s Followers (2,555)

Zoje’s Bookshelves

read (116)
currently-reading (0)
to-read (168)

Zoje’s Friends (307)

Donna Foster

2,040 books | 5,001 friends

Suanne

10,398 books | 309 friends

Marissa

847 books | 17 friends

Cindy Dorminy

253 books | 175 friends

Stephanie

2,527 books | 433 friends

St. Martin's Press

1,749 books | 3,037 friends

Elesha

766 books | 98 friends

Ernie

594 books | 67 friends

More friends…

Zoje Stage

Goodreads Author

Website

https://zojestage.blogspot.com/

Twitter

zooshka

Genre

Suspense, Thriller, Horror

Member Since

September 2017

edit data

Zoje Stage is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of the psychological thrillers Baby Teeth and Getaway, and the psychological horror novels Wonderland and Mothered. Her books have been named "best of the year" by Forbes Magazine, Library Journal, PopSugar, LitReactor, Barnes & Noble, Book Riot, and more. Dear Hanna—the follow-up to her international sensation Baby Teeth—will be available Aug. 2024. She lives in Pittsburgh with her cats. ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Zoje Stage questions, please sign up.

Popular Answered Questions

Baby Teeth was just so good! I wonder where the inspiration/idea for this book came from?

Zoje Stage Thank you so much, Renee! Maybe not surprisingly, it's a bit of a long story. I'll give you the highlights...

Several years ago, while I was still purs…moreThank you so much, Renee! Maybe not surprisingly, it's a bit of a long story. I'll give you the highlights...

Several years ago, while I was still pursuing a career as a filmmaker, I wrote a script that I wanted to direct called "Hands and Knees." It involved a family similar to BABY TEETH's, but the theme was quite different: it was about a woman who was becoming overwhelmed by what she perceived to be the horrors of domesticity. As an intended film, it was geared more toward mood (cool, detached) and a cinematic look.

I had the opportunity to take the script to Independent Film Week in 2012, where I discussed the project with nearly 20 producers. After people read the script I noticed a recurring bit of feedback: people wanted less implied horror and more actual creepy bits, and to know more about what was going on with the little girl. ("Hanna's" character in the script wasn't nearly as developed, nor was the plot involving her battles with her mother.)

I decided later that same year that I wanted to try learning to write novels, and I spent the next few years engaged in that process (I wrote five books before BABY TEETH). The concept of "Hands and Knees" stuck with me, and when I finally felt able to bring my novel-writing skills to the project, I started fleshing out the characters, mindful of the feedback I'd gotten from producers years before.

BABY TEETH as a novel took on a life of its own - wildly different from the screenplay - when I made two key decisions: 1) to give Suzette Crohn's Disease (to increase her vulnerability and give her a weakness that her daughter uses against her); 2) to write the novel in dual POV, making Suzette and Hanna each the protagonist of their own story, and each other's antagonist. With these two developments, the characters and story took on a life of their own, and it became my job to "listen" to what they were trying to tell me. (less)

flag

3 likes · like
Comment

I really enjoyed your novel, Baby Teeth. Absolutely gripping psychological thriller. I am curious if you think you will write a sequel to it some day? I feel like the way it ended left it open as an option, which would be amazing.

Zoje Stage Thank you, Selena! Part of what I wanted to do with the ending is leave readers imagining for themselves what might happen next, or in the next couple…moreThank you, Selena! Part of what I wanted to do with the ending is leave readers imagining for themselves what might happen next, or in the next couple of years. One concern for writing a sequel is it would probably make the "resolution" too definitive - at least for me, and possibly for some readers as well. But many have asked about a sequel, and I certainly appreciate that people want to spend even more time with these characters and see what happens to them! (less)

flag

like
Comment

See all 19 answers from Zoje Stage…

Combine Editions
Zoje Stage’s books

Average rating: 3.54 · 95,874 ratings · 15,375 reviews · 15 distinct works • Similar authors

	Baby Teeth 3.60 avg rating — 74,139 ratings — published 2018 — 42 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mothered 3.31 avg rating — 10,683 ratings — published 2023 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Wonderland 3.11 avg rating — 5,038 ratings — published 2020 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Getaway 3.56 avg rating — 2,878 ratings — published 2021 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dear Hanna 3.69 avg rating — 2,387 ratings — published 2024 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Baby Teeth: The First Ten Chapters 3.82 avg rating — 235 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Girl Who Outgrew the World 3.72 avg rating — 201 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Getaway - Das Unheil: Thriller by Zoje Stage (Goodreads Author), Hans Schuld (translator) 3.75 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Wonderland - Ein Albtraum by Zoje Stage (Goodreads Author), Claudia Rapp (translator) liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	My UnderSlumberBumbleBeast 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Zoje Stage…

Related News

7 Great Books Hitting Shelves This Week

Need another excuse to treat yourself to a new book this week? We've got you covered with the buzziest new releases of the day. To create our...

rss
Zoje’s Recent Updates

Zoje Stage wants to read The Annual Migration of Clouds (The Annual Migration of Clouds #1) by Premee Mohamed (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 25, 2024 10:55AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Annual Migration of Clouds by Premee Mohamed. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Annual Migration of Clouds by Premee Mohamed
Zoje Stage and 1 other person liked Rebecca Hawkins's review of Dear Hanna: "I’ve been obsessed with the book Baby Teeth and have either bought or recommended it to so many people. When I found out that there was a sequel... I screamed I was so excited and we were going to get Hanna’s perspective... I needed to pinch myself be" Read more of this review »
Sep 24, 2024 10:19AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage
Zoje Stage and 3 other people liked Hannah Laura Parker's review of Dear Hanna: "The successor that Baby Teeth deserves. No one does it like Zoje Stage."
Sep 17, 2024 07:59AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage
Zoje Stage and 1 other person liked Kevin Barney's review of Dear Hanna: This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Sep 12, 2024 08:48AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage
Zoje Stage rated a book it was amazing Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Sep 12, 2024 02:38AM · 12 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy
Zoje Stage wants to read Long Division: Stories of Social Decay, Societal Collapse, and Bad Manners by Chuck Palahniuk (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 31, 2024 09:43AM · 2 likes · like
Zoje Stage wants to read Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Aug 21, 2024 01:41PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen
Zoje Stage answered Lisa Mcbroom's question: I loved Baby Teeth and just finished Dear Hanna. Have you read the book Confessions of a Sociopath? I have not - but it's now on my TBR list! Maybe more inspiration for another chapter in Hanna's life...
Aug 20, 2024 05:03AM · 3 likes · like
Zoje Stage rated a book it was amazing Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
To all of you lovely readers who read early copies of DEAR HANNA and rated it here, please consider rating it on Amazon too -- it helps the algorithm & helps authors! From the acknowledgments page: Shortly after Baby Teeth was published and I started ...more
Aug 13, 2024 08:58PM · 63 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage
Zoje Stage entered a giveaway I Dreamed of Falling by Julia Dahl (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 20, 2024 06:22AM · like · see giveaway · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of I Dreamed of Falling by Julia Dahl. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — I Dreamed of Falling by Julia Dahl

More of Zoje's books…

Quotes by Zoje Stage (?)

“It was hard to pour endless love into someone who wouldn't love you back. No one could do it forever”
― Zoje Stage, Baby Teeth

tags: love, unrequited-love

33 likes

“She resented her body's betrayal. She still couldn't express how insecure it made her, how she lived on a precipice. The most basic parts of her could fail, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.”
― Zoje Stage, Baby Teeth

tags: chronic-illness, illness

9 likes

“Sometimes she struggled with resentment watching her family eat a meal that she prepared. People took eating and shitting for granted, like the continuous beating of their hearts, the inevitable protection of their skin. They didn't think about their intestines doing everything wrong, fucking up the basic process of digestion.”
― Zoje Stage, Baby Teeth

tags: crohns-disease, health

7 likes

See all Zoje Stage's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Game Night: Tara's Ultimate Game Night Challenge - 2018	13	11	Dec 24, 2017 07:11AM
The Lost Challenges: March Judge A Book	32	42	Mar 29, 2018 05:05PM
Game Night: March Challenge of the Month: Happy Families	97	115	Apr 01, 2018 03:46PM
2024 Reading Chal...: Elizabeth's 2018 Challenge Log	71	178	Apr 02, 2018 12:39PM
My Vampire Book O...: Ides of March	76	52	Apr 03, 2018 04:26PM
Game Night: Tara✨	22	8	Apr 15, 2018 10:07PM

More…

Zoje Stage’s Followers (2,555)

Zoje’s Bookshelves

Zoje’s Friends (307)

Zoje Stage

Goodreads Author

Learn moreAsk the Author

Popular Answered Questions

Combine EditionsZoje Stage’s books

Related News

rssZoje’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — The Annual Migration of Clouds by Premee Mohamed

See a Problem?

Preview — Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage

See a Problem?

Preview — Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage

See a Problem?

Preview — Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage

See a Problem?

Preview — Migrations by Charlotte McConaghy

See a Problem?

Preview — Sacrificial Animals by Kailee Pedersen

See a Problem?

Preview — Dear Hanna by Zoje Stage

See a Problem?

Preview — I Dreamed of Falling by Julia Dahl

Topics Mentioning This Author

Zoje’s Friend Comments

Learn more
Ask the Author

Combine Editions
Zoje Stage’s books

rss
Zoje’s Recent Updates