Greetings, all...
This is a work-in-progress. Feel free to respond on the DISCUSSION page, or send me an email at Sara@SaraRath.com
5 July 2010
Time to update this, I think. You can't accuse me of being verbose! I'm currently finishing up the final details for the beautiful new biography of Henry Hamilton Bennett, reviewing the Index and writing checks for my expenses. I'm also working hard on the Star Lake sequel (the title changes daily), which has my imagination percolating with new ideas every day (and night). Summer plans include a lengthy stay at our family's northwoods cottage so I can soak up more of the atmosphere and be rejuvinated by the calls of the loons and the howls of the wolves. My deadline for this novel is spring, 2011, and the publication date will be about a year after that.
24 February 2008. February has always seemed like the longest month of the year to me; it's right up there with November for dreariness. This year it's the drifted frosting on the cake of winter; the snow-capped peak of despair. We have already had a total of 100 inches of snow here in Spring Green and there's more in the current forecast. Just came in from replenishing the woodpile outside the back door and tried to figure out how many calories that utilized (110) -- still working off my chocolate indulgence. But Night Sisters is in the copy-editing stage and artists at UW-Press are contemplating the cover design. Meanwhile, I'm reworking Solitarie the biography of Achsa Sprague, which I feel a deep need to revise and complete before summer when I want to begin my next northwoods novel -- in which Ginger will be cast, of course.
Summer. Rather soothing to contemplate right now. I will be teaching "Writing Personal Fiction" at The Clearing for a week, beginning June 22nd. You needn't be an experienced writer to enroll in the class, but a lively imagination is a must, and an ability to lie, steal, eavesdrop, and rearrange the facts.
I recently had a short story accepted for publication in The Chautauqua Literary Magazine - "Naked Ladies" - and it's to be published in spring or summer 2008, I think.
More, later...
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7 November 2007 Home from another fun week at The Clearing, and back to work at my desk. The title of my second novel has been changed from Trespass to Night Sisters, which is more appropriate, I think, and hints at dark secrets revealed therein. I did three complete rewrites of the manuscript this summer (not the relaxing summer I'd envisioned) but I felt it just got better and better. Truthfully, I enjoy revisions more than first drafts. But I ate a lot of chocolate and am now paying the price for that with daily treadmill workouts. I even bought a new treadmill to increase my incentive, altho there was nothing wrong with the old one except the dust it had gathered.
I'm hoping to use this space to talk about other things besides writing, so check in occasionally and see what's on my mind. Or if you have a question, let me know and I'll do my best to address it.
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May 26, 2007. Okay, I said I finished Trespass in April, but the truth is it still had a lot of black holes. Now, almost June, the missing scenes have all been written and I'm ready to send the manuscript to my editor, Raphael, for his initial critique. I'm breathing a sigh of relief because the first draft is always a bitch and involves lots of chocolate and salty-crunchy snacks to feed my imagination.
Now I want to turn again to my biography of Achsa Sprague, the 19th century Spiritual Medium from Vermont, and find a publisher for her story. Nothing I've ever written has been as satisfying or pleasing to me as the revelation and recording of her life.
Another book I'm working on right now - with Jill Dean, close friend and a former editor of mine - is a redesigned and reprinted version of Pioneer Photographer,the biography of 19th century landscape photographer Henry Hamilton Bennett. It's a delightful project and dear to our hearts.
April, 2007. I finished the rough draft of my next novel last week and I've decided to change the title from Trespass to something else, but that's currently under discussion. I may end up witn Trespass after all. This title-stuff is really very hard! But I'm really pleased with the story itself and eager to begin my revision because, for me, that's the most fun writing task. Book Clubs report that they're enjoying their discussions of Star Lake.
I'm also beginning to receive questions re: my class in "Writing Personal Fiction," scheduled for The Clearing in late October. Classes are deliberately kept small up there, so if you're interested, sign up now. If you need more info or check out the website for The Clearing: www.TheClearing.org.
February, 2007. Work on my new novel, Trespass, is moving right along. I plan to have the manuscript ready for my publisher this fall and the book will be out in autumn, 2008. Watch for it!
Okay, it's THE YEAR OF THE PIG and my publisher has just decided to let "The Complete Pig" go out of print. BUT we have obtained a number of copies and they can be purchased for a reasonable price, personally autographed and mailed to you if you write to me at
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I also came upon an unexpected cache of my most recent book of poems, Dancing With a Cowboy. That will be distributed by UW-Press in the near future.
Star Lake continues to be the choice of many book clubs, and discussions are lively. I'm always happy to speak with book clubs via speakerphone, so let me know (see email address above) if you'd like me to "attend" your book club via this format. It's fun.
Thanksgiving, 2006 -- The adventure continues, and I am deeply thankful! I am still receiving invitations to speak at midwest libraries and bookstores about Star Lake, and pleased to learn of the number of book groups now discussing the novel. In October I taught a writing workshop at The Clearing; weather was gorgeous and the autumn landscape was stunning (see photo). Meanwhile, I'm working on Trespass, already scheduled for fall 2008 release from University of Wisconsin Press.
July, 2006: Getting ready to leave on northwoods book tour that will include Star Lake. What fun!
May, 2006: We're celebrating the inclusion of the jacket cover for Star Lake Saloon and Housekeeping Cottages in the annual Book Jacket Show organized by the American Association of University Presses. Judging took place at the AAUP Office in New York, NY on January 12-13. Thirty-four honorees were chosen from 345 entries. Thanks to Ann Winestock, our Designer/Art Director at University of Wisconsin Press, and Carla Aspelmier, the Production Coordinator.
In May, 2006, the audiobook of Star Lake will be issued by Wisconsin Public Radio and distributed by University of Wisconsin Press. This is the abridged version, as read by Jim Fleming on WPR's popular program, "Chapter a Day."
