Q&A: Penny Zang, Author of ‘Doll Parts’

We chat with author Penny Zang about Doll Parts, which is a dual timeline suspense following one woman as she begins to uncover the truth of the death of her estranged best friend and the Sylvia Plath adoring sad girls they attended college with decades ago, all while holding a secret that will slowly unravel her new, suburban dream life.

Hi, Penny! Can you tell our readers a bit about yourself?

Hello! I’m an author and English professor who would be happy if it was Halloween all year long. I am married with my son is in middle school. I may or may not have too many cats.

When did you first discover your love for writing and stories?

I knew I wanted to be a writer in the second grade. My teacher handed me a blank composition book and I just started writing. Reading and writing were always my first loves.

Quick lightning round! Tell us:

• The first book you ever remember reading: The Rose in My Garden by Arnold Lobel
• The one that made you want to become an author: Fear Street (the whole series) by R.L. Stine
• The one that you can’t stop thinking about: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien

Your debut novel, Doll Parts, is out August 26^th! If you could only describe it in five words, what would they be?

Friendship, grief, campus, secrets, grunge

What can readers expect?

Readers can expect a dark and twisty dual timeline narrative that explores friendship loss and how our past selves can come back to haunt us. It follows Sadie as she begins to uncover the truth of her estranged best friend, Nikki’s death. Secrets from their past at an all-women’s college, including a story about the Sylvia Plath adoring sad girls on campus, start to unravel her life as a new mom.

Where did the inspiration for Doll Parts come from?

I began to write this story after the death of one of my best friends, when I couldn’t sleep without dreaming of ghosts. At the time, I also started researching Sylvia Plath and became a little obsessed with her literary reputation and why so many people romanticize her death more than her life. So, I started to write as a way to process my grief but soon found that the real story was about so much more.

Were there any moments or characters you really enjoyed writing or exploring?

Half of the novel takes place in the 90s and I had so much fun listening to my old grunge CDs and remembering the fashion from that time. There is even a playlist in the back of the book because the music is such a big part of the mood of the story.

Did you face any challenges whilst writing? How did you overcome them?

My biggest challenge is always time. I work full-time teaching English and my son has a busy swim team schedule which requires lots of driving, and lots of watching swim meets. I realized early on, when he was a baby, that if I was ever going to find time to write, I would have to make time. This means waking up very early (5 A.M most mornings) and writing after work, at swim practice. There is no perfect writing situation and it never looks glamorous but I get it done.

This is your debut novel! What was the road to becoming a published author like for you?

It has been such an exciting experience publishing my first novel, but the road has been bumpy, for sure. Like many writers, I have one failed novel that never got published and many, many rejections. It makes this process so much more worthwhile, though, after all the rejection along the way.

What’s next for you?

I am getting ready to start editing my second novel which is tentatively scheduled for the fall of 2026. I can’t wait to share more information about it soon!

Lastly, what books have you enjoyed reading this year? Are there any you’re looking forward to picking up?

My reading has been slow this year but I’ve been reading lots of other debut novels. A few that I recently loved: The Serial Killer Support Group by Saratoga Schaefer, Tell Them You Lied by Laura Leffler, and Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang. On my nightstand waiting for me are We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry, Somewhere Past the End by Alexandria Faulkenbury, and The Housewarming by Kristin Offiler.

Will you be picking up Doll Parts? Tell us in the comments below!