Saturday 20 July 2013

The PINK SOFA Welcomes Sarah England

Sarah England
Sarah England is yet another of the extremely talented fiction writers I have met on social media sites. Her new book: Expected has just been published by the wonderfully named Crooked Cat. The strap line on the cover says: 'Fiery. Feisty. Fun' a description of the heroine Sam Sweet. It could just as aptly be applied to Sarah herself, as you are about to find out. The PINK SOFA, who likes to visualize itself as Fun & Feisty - it doesn't do Fiery due to the flame-retardant upholstery, is very taken with the book, and has stashed its copy behind a cushion to read later when everybody has gone. What you are about to enjoy is not the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Though some of it is. 
Over to you, Sarah ...

 ''My life began when my parents won me at a fairground. They'd wanted a coconut but the gypsy stallholder was all out. I was a strange child, though not as strange as my parents - who came from an inbred hilltop village where everyone had the same surname. To make it easier for the postman each family was allotted a colour - blue or pink etc. And that bit, dead reader, is not made up! Freaky eh?

Sarah's new novel
So hardly surprising that my parents did not so much have my best interests at heart, as to find me a general source of amusement. I first realised this when they took me pony-riding - the pony sneezed and I flew off. Bawling my little eyes out, I looked for sympathy only to find the pair of them helpless with laughter. After that, my dear father would go out of his way to smash me in the face with a shuttlecock during family games of badminton and my dear mother took great hilarity dressing me up in hideous balaclavas for Sunday school. So I grew up quite cross.

Desperate to escape, I ran away to become a nurse and then worked in medical sales, unsurprisingly specializing in mental health, a subject I bring up oh so many times in my work. Then came the disastrous marriage - to one, who, to continue the theme, enjoyed my discomfort so much I questioned his sanity, and once again escaped. By this time I had reached maturity: I was a middle aged woman, bitter and twisted, swigging gin from beneath the roots of a tree. It was then I decided to become a writer.
Sarah's short stories

To date I have had many short stories published in magazines and newspapers, and this year my collection of thrillers 3am and Wide Awake was published by Alfie Dog Fiction. Hot on the heels came Expected - my comedy novel. Thrillers? Horror? Comedy? Yes I agree it's tragic but that's the story of my life so far. I'm odd and it's hardly surprising. I read tarot and have a passion for the supernatural. Many of the stories in 3am are medically or supernaturally inspired - all with bizarre twists. Whereas Sam Sweet in Expected is the perfect role model for hapless dingbats everywhere. Read and be inspired ...

Thank you very much for inviting me onto your PINK SOFA, Carol. It's been lovely lying here pouring out my heartfelt life story and knowing I won't be judged. By the way - what's that white van doing out there? Who are those people with syringes?? Shriek! I couldn't use your bathroom could I? Wouldn't be the first time I've shimmied down a drainpipe - mind you that was before I mysteriously ballooned up to the size of a pregnant heifer ...''

Hahahaha - love it!! If you want to connect with Sarah, and why not - you can contact her via Twitter @sarahengland16  or via her website: http://www.sarahengland.yolasite.com or on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarahenglandauthor
Sarah's books are available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk and well worth reading. 

Right, while the PINK SOFA fends off the men in white coats with a big stick - anybody got any comments or questions?





21 comments:

  1. Funny woman! Or psychotic, I guess it depends where on the sanity spectrum you're coming from!

    Really enjoyed it, thanks Carol. As usual you hit a homer!

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  2. Hilarious!! Never have my knickers been so wet this early on a morning!!...( well, not for a while anyway )....An absolute delight to meet you Sarah...I really look forward to reading your stuff...and am most glad you managed to survive THAT sofa..;)...

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  3. Great blog, Ladies.
    I have to ask, Sarah, what colour were you?

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  4. Thanks very much for all the lovely comments - Richard I was bright pink with ginger hair....

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  5. I'm now going to spend the rest of the day trying to figure out which parts of this are true. Since it's often said that truth is stranger than fiction, I shall suspend all my usual scepticism and believe it all :-) Excellent, ladies! Thank you!

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  6. Writers are supposed to be a little odd ... aren't we?

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  7. Enjoyed it! Pacy, racy and (can only think of lacy, which won't quite do it). True or invented, your writing is definitely entertaining and that's a good thing!

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  8. That made me smile. Great post!

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  9. Val - most of it is sadly true although my parents didn't win me instead of a coconut... ha ha ....no it was instead of a teddy bear. Thank you very much to Bev and Kelly and Lynn for the comments too - I had a lot of fun with this!!

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  10. This started my Saturday with a giggle. What is it about Carol's couch that lures such wonderful eccentrics? And they come bearing BOOKS! Seriously, it's become a habit to jump from Carol's blog to Amazon to a locked room where I can read in peace! Sarah, I wish you much luck...and a super-sized stun gun in case the white van men get too close.

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    1. I try to keep them out, but they get under the radar somehow...

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  11. An interview with a definite difference. Hi Sarah and thanks Carol for introducing us :-)

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  12. Thank you Carrie Ann and Rosalind - I hope you enjoy Expected and have a good laugh.

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  13. Well Carol does tend to attract the rather eccentric type of author, judged from the two sofa occupants I have read to date, but that's hardly surprising really with friends like @LynnGerrard. Anyways, I found this one to be highly amusing, as well as just a tad disturbing upon reflection, and good writing should encourage reflection, so I guess this can be classed as good. I shall read EXPECTED soon :)

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  14. Oh what a terrible life you've had Sarah just as well you can find an escape in writing. Carol,great post as always.

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  15. sounds a bit of a laugh. Also sounds like a female version of the Scottish indie author and blogger, Seumas Gallacher! Would love to get them both in a room at the same time!

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  16. You life story is astonishing. I wasn't sure if it was the opening to a novel when I first began reading.... I like the sound of Sam Sweet and will definitely be reading all about her in Expected.

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  17. Dear Anne, Susan and D.J.......yes it has been tragic and it is amazing I am still sane! Thank you ever so much for your kind comments and I really hope you like Sam Sweet...poor Sam...although she does get a bit of fun with Joel...

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  18. Very different today but another lovely author on THE PINK SOFA, always good to wake up to your blogs on a Saturday. x

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  19. When I started reading I thought it might be an excerpt from a book. Sarah sounds like she has had quite an interesting life. I am sure it has given her a lot to write about. Wishing her much success! :)
    ~Jess

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