Sarah Fredricks's Blog, page 2

Good News…….. and more good news!

The first bit of good news is that Sarah Fredricks is back! 2013 will go down in history as a pretty c*** year for Sarah as she has spent most of it being operated on and treated for breast cancer. She’s getting her strength back and in the New Year she expects to be firing on all cylinders and will start Book 3 in the Duval-Adams series. That’s two bits of good news in one paragraph! Let’s just hope 2014 is indeed a great year for her and she doesn’t get thrown any more curve balls.

The next bit of good news celebrates the end of all the yuck treatment and feeling better: Matt and Zander’s stories are being offered on the Kindle at a greatly reduced price for a 7 day period starting December 4th. If you’re in the States you can grab these stories for $0.99. UK customers can grab them for 99p. Select the right link for you below and go store these up for a great Xmas read!

UK version of Sleeping with a Traitor

USA site for Sleeping with a Traitor

USA link for Heat in the Kitchen

UK link for Heat in the Kitchen

And finally…. this is the post that keeps on giving. If you haven’t yet read Sarah’s debut novel – The Millionaire Falls Hard, then no matter where you are in the world, you’ll be able to download this for FREE for a period of 5 days starting Friday December 6th.

UK – The Millionaire Falls Hard

US – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Germany – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Spain – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Italy – The Millionaire Falls Hard

France – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Japan – The Millionaire Falls Hard

India – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Canada – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Brazil – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Mexico – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Australia – The Millionaire Falls Hard

Feel free to share this news with your friends and happy reading. Sarah would be thrilled if you would leave a review (good or bad!) on your local Amazon site for any of the novels that you read.

Talk at Dunblane Library

‘That was a terrific evening!’

Just one of the comments from Sarah’s talk at Dunblane Library.

She regaled the audience with some tales from her childhood which lead one of the audience to comment ‘I never realised you were such a daydreamer!’

Sarah tried to portray that whilst she’d had an imagination as a child and had always enjoyed writing stories, doing it for a living hadn’t been anything she’d entertained until much later in life when a career change reignited her creativity.

She also gave the audience an insight into what it’s like to be a self-published author who has to do all her own marketing. As someone who has run her own training business for 13 years, she very quickly realised that as an author she was still running a small business. Only now she’s marketing books rather than any other product or service!

The audience asked her a wide variety of different questions which Sarah enjoyed taking the time to answer.

Following a short break, Sarah read them her short story that has recently won her a competition. This was very well received with an impromptu ‘I could listen to you all night’.

Sarah’s final act of the night was to sign her books.

Whilst the audience had clearly enjoyed the evening, one of the highlights for Sarah was when a young woman came up to her telling her of her own dream to write and that Sarah’s talk now made her more determined to realise it.

 

Les Miserables – Sarah Fredricks’ thoughts

Warning - If you have never, ever seen or read the story of Les Miserables, then this article contains spoilers!

I first fell in love with the music. I can’t remember where I first heard the songs, but I bought the complete recording of the whole show. When the song book came out, I was at the local music shop to buy it. For a long time all I did was sing along with the CD and wish I lived closer to London. There was a time when I knew this original recording off by heart.

Eventually, I got to see the West End production. By the time I saw it the likes of Michael Ball and Colm Wilkinson had moved on, but that was fine. In every performance I have seen over the years, outstanding actors have played the lead parts. But that first time was special. I sat on the edge of my seat for most of the first half. I was so immersed in the show I’d forgotten to settle back and make myself comfortable!

I bought the 10 year anniversary DVD and watched it over and over again. I got lucky and sang a couple of the songs on stage. I would have given my right arm to have taken part in the West End workshops they ran for a few years letting ordinary folk take part in a special production of the show. Money and timing were never right.

Have you guessed by now that this is my all time favourite show? (I’m a huge fan of musical theatre – as a teenager I would love to have made it my career.)

For years, they talked about turning Les Mis into a film. For years, nothing happened. And then, in early 2012 I heard the rumours that they’d cast the show. Then I heard they’d started filming it.

2012 was a year of anticipation for me. I couldn’t wait for the film to be released.

I watched and listened to many interviews from cast and crew, my excitement building. In the UK we had to wait until January 11th 2013, but I made sure I had my ticket booked for the opening night.

I’d seen the trailers and like many people, was concerned that it wouldn’t live up to the beloved stage version. So I attended the cinema on opening night with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty.

My fears were unfounded. No, some of the singing isn’t theatre quality but the way it has been filmed draws the observer in to the raw emotion. Even if you sat in row A of the Stalls, I don’t think you would get the same emotional pull as you do with the film. The night I went to see it, the cinema was full and silent – in a way I’ve never heard silence before when watching a film. Everyone seemed as caught up in it as I was.

This is a story of love on so many levels. First we see the love a mother has for her child and the sacrifices she is prepared to make to give that child a life. After a determination never to go back to jail, we see in Valjean a love of God as he is given a chance at a decent life. He shows further determination to love Cosette as his own and redeem his sins in not protecting her mother. In Eponine we witness unrequited love for Marius as she lets the audience see into her heart. We witness her selfless love as she helps Marius and then gives her life at the barricades, and yet she seems so innocently happy as she dies in Marius’ arms. There is a purity in the love between Marius and Cosette, a hope of love everlasting. A freedom for Cosette that she has never known. And yet mixed up with this love, Cosette experiences heartbreak as her papa leaves without a word.

And then, we witness the ultimate love – that a parent seeks to protect their child’s memories by withholding the truth of his past. Not only that, in an unselfish act he saves the life of the man she loves to give her a future that he realises is not his to keep. I sense in Valjean a feeling that he doesn’t deserve to be loved for who he is now – Javert’s hatred has left its mark.

With the stage show I rejoiced in the beauty and strength of the music and singing. With the film I fell in love with the strength of the emotion that tugged at my heart.

This film is a must see, not once, but again and again. The day it comes out on DVD, I will be amongst the first to buy it. The nominations this film has received are well deserved. The awards it has won to-date are well-deserved. I would be very happy if any of my stories captured the heart in half the way that Les Miserables has – but maybe that’s the power of the visual and not the written word. I shall keep on trying though.

This article reflects my opinion on the film and I respect that it may not be the same as yours.

Les Miserables - Sarah Fredricks’ thoughts

Warning - If you have never, ever seen or read the story of Les Miserables, then this article contains spoilers!

I first fell in love with the music. I can’t remember where I first heard the songs, but I bought the complete recording of the whole show. When the song book came out, I was at the local music shop to buy it. For a long time all I did was sing along with the CD and wish I lived closer to London. There was a time when I knew this original recording off by heart.

Eventually, I got to see the West End production. By the time I saw it the likes of Michael Ball and Colm Wilkinson had moved on, but that was fine. In every performance I have seen over the years, outstanding actors have played the lead parts. But that first time was special. I sat on the edge of my seat for most of the first half. I was so immersed in the show I’d forgotten to settle back and make myself comfortable!

I bought the 10 year anniversary DVD and watched it over and over again. I got lucky and sang a couple of the songs on stage. I would have given my right arm to have taken part in the West End workshops they ran for a few years letting ordinary folk take part in a special production of the show. Money and timing were never right.

Have you guessed by now that this is my all time favourite show? (I’m a huge fan of musical theatre - as a teenager I would love to have made it my career.)

For years, they talked about turning Les Mis into a film. For years, nothing happened. And then, in early 2012 I heard the rumours that they’d cast the show. Then I heard they’d started filming it.

2012 was a year of anticipation for me. I couldn’t wait for the film to be released.

I watched and listened to many interviews from cast and crew, my excitement building. In the UK we had to wait until January 11th 2013, but I made sure I had my ticket booked for the opening night.

I’d seen the trailers and like many people, was concerned that it wouldn’t live up to the beloved stage version. So I attended the cinema on opening night with a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty.

My fears were unfounded. No, some of the singing isn’t theatre quality but the way it has been filmed draws the observer in to the raw emotion. Even if you sat in row A of the Stalls, I don’t think you would get the same emotional pull as you do with the film. The night I went to see it, the cinema was full and silent - in a way I’ve never heard silence before when watching a film. Everyone seemed as caught up in it as I was.

This is a story of love on so many levels. First we see the love a mother has for her child and the sacrifices she is prepared to make to give that child a life. After a determination never to go back to jail, we see in Valjean a love of God as he is given a chance at a decent life. He shows further determination to love Cosette as his own and redeem his sins in not protecting her mother. In Eponine we witness unrequited love for Marius as she lets the audience see into her heart. We witness her selfless love as she helps Marius and then gives her life at the barricades, and yet she seems so innocently happy as she dies in Marius’ arms. There is a purity in the love between Marius and Cosette, a hope of love everlasting. A freedom for Cosette that she has never known. And yet mixed up with this love, Cosette experiences heartbreak as her papa leaves without a word.

And then, we witness the ultimate love - that a parent seeks to protect their child’s memories by withholding the truth of his past. Not only that, in an unselfish act he saves the life of the man she loves to give her a future that he realises is not his to keep. I sense in Valjean a feeling that he doesn’t deserve to be loved for who he is now - Javert’s hatred has left its mark.

With the stage show I rejoiced in the beauty and strength of the music and singing. With the film I fell in love with the strength of the emotion that tugged at my heart.

This film is a must see, not once, but again and again. The day it comes out on DVD, I will be amongst the first to buy it. The nominations this film has received are well deserved. The awards it has won to-date are well-deserved. I would be very happy if any of my stories captured the heart in half the way that Les Miserables has - but maybe that’s the power of the visual and not the written word. I shall keep on trying though.

This article reflects my opinion on the film and I respect that it may not be the same as yours.

Two FREE Romance titles available on Amazon Kindle

The Millionaire Falls Hard and Heat in the Kitchen are both available FREE until midnight EST Xmas eve. Why not grab your copy of both before Santa arrives. Both stories are getting great reviews. They both feature strong characters, good story lines, lots of hot lovin’ and HEA’s. Heat in the Kitchen is book 1 in the Duval-Adams family. There’s another 3 to go but Book 2 (Sleeping with a Traitor) has also just been released. No matter where you live in the world you can grab yourself a copy of these novels. The links take you to Amazon.com. When you get to the Amazon page, just change ‘.com’ to the extension of your usual Kindle store, and hey presto! you’ll be taken to the page where you can download it as quickly as Amazon says you can. Happy reading and I would love to know what you think of them. Post a comment or drop me a line.

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Latest novel in Duval-Adams series is now available!

Sleeping with a Traitor - Zander’s story is now available on Amazon Kindle.

It is available from all Amazon Kindle stores. If you don’t purchase from .com, just change that part to your usual extension, the rest of the link is the same.

Hope you enjoy Zander’s story. If you haven’t read Matt’s yet (Book 1), you can download it for FREE this weekend.

I would love to hear what you think of their stories. I love writing them, I hope you enjoy reading them.

Sarah

Sarah Fredricks’ latest novel – cover

I’ve been so entrenched with the Duval-Adams family, all other forms of communication have been neglected. I must get better at all this next year!

The second novel in the Duval-Adams series is close to being published – just an edit and proof read to go. The week before Christmas is busy, but I’m really hoping to have the time to publish. I promised those of you that loved the first one that Zander’s story would be ready by Christmas and I don’t want to let you down.

I’ve finished the cover. It’s very different to the cover for Matt’s story but it will make complete sense when you read the book! The title does give a bit of a clue too.

I’ll post an extract very soon.

Sarah Fredricks’ latest novel - cover

I’ve been so entrenched with the Duval-Adams family, all other forms of communication have been neglected. I must get better at all this next year!

The second novel in the Duval-Adams series is close to being published - just an edit and proof read to go. The week before Christmas is busy, but I’m really hoping to have the time to publish. I promised those of you that loved the first one that Zander’s story would be ready by Christmas and I don’t want to let you down.

I’ve finished the cover. It’s very different to the cover for Matt’s story but it will make complete sense when you read the book! The title does give a bit of a clue too.

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I’ll post an extract very soon.

What can we learn from the Chinese Bamboo Tree?

If you Google the ‘Chinese bamboo tree growth cycle’, you will find many articles using this as an analogy for personal development etc. I was prompted to look it up after a webinar I listened to last week.

When a seed is planted it doesn’t look like much is happening. In fact, it can look like nothing is happening for four years! If we had the patience, we would plant a seed and water it faithfully and nurture it and give it the time it needs to grow. If we didn’t appreciate what was happening underneath the surface we may well give up at any point in this four year period, throw it out and chalk it up to experience - we may also tell ourselves that we just weren’t meant to grow anything.

Well, for those people who have staying power, understanding and belief, the fifth year would reward them - BIG time! During the first four years the plant has been developing an extensive network of roots to support its explosive growth in year five. In that fifth year it will grow 80 - 90 feet, growing about 3 feet a day!!! Wow! Now that is a major reward for four years of hard work and patience.

And here’s the remarkable lesson authors can learn from it:

When we publish a book, we need to spend time promoting it, working out the channels that work and feeding them on a regular basis. How many of us give up after 6 months, or a year, 2, 3 or 4 years and decide that nothing will work, our book won’t sell?

Well, if we believe in the analogy, all the persistent groundwork will pay off but it will take a long time for that to happen. We must plan our promotion, do all the things we said we’d do and monitor the success of each one. We can’t say ‘Facebook’ doesn’t work for me, or ‘what’s the point in keeping the website up to date, no-one is on it’.

Persistence is the key. If something isn’t working, change it. But KEEP GOING!

It’s like most things in life - you get out of it what you put into it! So nurture your book and allow it time to grow!

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So here’s to successful books a few years from now!

Paperback now available for The Millionaire Falls Hard

If you don’t have a Kindle/Kindle App, you can now read The Millionaire Falls Hard in paperback format. It’s available from Amazon sites. This link takes you to the UK site, just change the ‘.co.uk’ to the extension of your usual Amazon store.