Sarah grew up in an outback Queensland pub surrounded by siblings (she has seven) and an ever-changing cast of colourful pub characters. It was an extraordinary childhood that gave her a love of people and their stories, as well as the ability to pour a perfect beer.
She studied journalism at university and in a writing career that now spans more than two decades she has been a tabloid journalist, magazine editor, communications consultant, content writer, and a creative entrepreneur.
Sarah loves earl grey tea, books that make her cry, and music that makes her sing (even though she can’t).
She lives in Brisbane with her husband and four children (because eight seemed like too much hard work).
Q&A with Sarah
Why do you love writing?
Connection. When I read a piece of writing that really makes me think or that elicits strong emotion in me I know the writer who crafted those words has done something special. I want to craft words that do the same.
What have you learned about writing?
That a writer never stops improving. And that craft takes time. When I wrote my first (pretty awful) manuscript 11 years ago I thought I’d produced a publishable book. No prizes for guessing I hadn’t. It was a first draft and ultimately, something that wasn’t strong enough to persist with. But it set me on a journey of doing in order to learn. These days, in every facet of my writing life (whether it is creative or corporate), I write to re-rewrite and refine.
How did the idea for your novel New Year’s Eve come to you?
My youngest child was born on 31 December. The labour was induced and the obstetrician gave us the option of booking it in for either 31 December or 1 January. I remember my husband suggesting we choose the latter because New Year’s Eve would be an awful birthday to be saddled with, and that struck me as odd — who doesn’t want a birthday that everyone celebrates? This idea of how being born on a celebratory day in the calendar year, like New Year’s Eve or Christmas, might colour a person’s life stayed with me.
Would you like readers to contact you?
Yes. Readers can contact me via Hawkeye, my website, Instagram, or Facebook.
