Well my name is Sara Barnard and I have been writing for publication since my husband's last deployment to Afghanistan in 2009-2010. During that time, I relied on my BA in history and wrote my debut novel -- A Heart on Hold.
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| Top 3 Finalist for the 2012 Best of American Historical Fiction RONE award Bestseller |
I began this book in Texas, wrote on it through our PCS to Fort Carson, Colorado, and finally finished it when we arrived at our last duty station in Fort Sill, OK. Now, he is out of the military we live back in Odessa, Texas with our four beautiful, smart, silly children ... with our slew of rescue animals. As we navigated the Army lifestyle, we adopted two dogs from the pound in Italy, one from a high-kill shelter in Texas, then another adopted us this Christmas here in Odessa. Our cat, Belle, we adopted from a military family who was tired of her in Colorado and Tom, a stray Oklahoma tomcat, adopted us at Fort Sill.
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| Contender for the 2013 Best of American Historical Fiction RONE award |
As we were acquiring all of our animals and babies, A Heart on Hold turned into book 1 of An Everlasting Heart series from 5 Prince Publishing. Since then, A Heart Broken and A Heart at Home(books 2 and 3) have been published and book 4, A Heart Forever Wild, will release April 2.
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| Reader's Choice Medalist |
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| Bestseller Contender for Best of 2013 Inspirational Fiction RONE award |
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| Reader's Choice Medalist |
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| Reader's Choice Medalist |
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| Bestseller #1 Nature Book for Kids Reader's Choice Medalist |
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| #1 Wolf Book for Kids Bestseller Reader's Choice Medalist |
Back before I was a wife and a mommy and an author, I volunteered my summers with the Park Service and Forest Service through the Student Conservation Association. In doing this, I was privileged enough to live in some of the most beautiful places in the country ... I cut trail through northern New Mexico; counted bats, tracked mountain lions, and relocated rattlesnakes in Carlsbad, New Mexico; and learned to fly small planes in Eagle River, Alaska. A wonderful way to combine a love of the outdoors with parenthood, at least for me, is to write about it. So I began writing a nonfiction series of books for children, designed to get them out from in front of the TV and discovering nature. So, after I partnered with Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center for the photos and my ABC's of America's Plants books were born. (My love of wolves inspired my Big Bad Wolf book.)
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| Bestseller #1 Plant and Flower Book for Kids Reader's Choice Medalist |
Some of my forthcoming works include:
Rebekah's Dress (Rebekah's Saga, #2) from 5 Prince Publishing
The Calling (Christian Western) from Prairie Rose Publications, April 1
Desperado from 5 Prince Publishing
The ABC's of Arkansas Plants
The ABC's of Really Cool Dinosaurs
I am working toward my Masters of Arts in Medieval European History and am 12 hours in. I also work as an editor for 5 Prince Publishing. It's nice to meet you!! Leave a comment for a chance to win an autographed copy of my bestselling Amish romance, Rebekah's Quilt!
Sara, I'm so glad to learn more about you. Military wives have their own burdens for the sake of our country. Not only do I thank your husband for his service, but I thank you as well.
ReplyDeleteI really like the type of books you write. What age level are The ABC's of Plants and Dinosaurs suitable for?
Good to see your a rescue pet owner.
I am so happy to have you on board. I look forward to learning even more about you as time goes by. I wish you the very best.
Thank you Sarah, it's great to be here! :-) Yes, it was an interesting few years and I think we STILL have unpacked boxes waiting in closets and the garage! Thank you for you gratitude <3 Hugs!
DeleteThe ABC's series are for elementary aged children. My babies are third grade and below, and they've been a big hit in their classrooms ... especially when they try to say the Latin names of the plants!!
Yes, our rescue pets are very important to us. There is so much cruelty in the world directed at those who can't tell anyone of the injustices done to them ... if I had the financial resources and the land, I'd rescue full time. If you check out my website, you can read about Francie, the kitten we rescued after she and her sister were flung from a truck on the highway in front of us (when we were on our way home from Disneyland, by the way... sigh.)
www.sarabarnardbooks.com
OK, Sara, I need to know where in the heck you get your energy from? You have obviously found the secret to cramming in an extra 10 hours per day, somehow, because otherwise, how could you do anything else but raise your precious babies?
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are a "rescue" person--I believe we can all make a difference in that area, no matter how small or large. You have a huge heart!
I'm really in awe of all these fabulous books you've written in so many different genres! Give us a bit of an idea about your story, THE CALLING. Can you whet our appetites a little bit? (Oh, I know you can, because it's going to be an excellent read!)
Cheryl
Well, I began writing The Calling back in Oklahoma when the kids and I were listening to quite a lot of Marty Robbins in the mornings. This books is based on his song that always stirred my soul, The Master's Call. The book fleshes out the struggles of the young Christian-turned-outlaw, and of course, gives him a love interest.
DeleteIt's funny how The Calling came to be placed with PRP. Cheryl and I were chatting when she put out a call for submissions for PRP's Spotted Pony imprint for middle-grade readers. I was interesting in submitting my young reader western chapter book, Indian Emily. While chatting, it came to light that I had one more western written, The Calling. Since PRP has a line just for Christian Westerns Written by Women, I sent it to her and the rest is history :-)
Here is the blurb for The Calling ... coming April 1.
Esau Fitzpatrick is bad at being good and even worse at being bad. While he waits for his sweetheart, Ella Allen, inside the little white church in Paisley Settlement, Texas, Esau has no idea that the events about to transpire will forever shape his life on this earth, and beyond. Upon hearing tale that Ella and her parents are late to services due to a stuck wagon, Esau fingers the golden wedding band in his pocket and decides to brave the brewing storm in order to help the woman he loves – and whom he plans to propose that very day. Before he can exit the church, the building storm erupts and lightning strikes, setting the church aflame. Ella and her parents pull Esau from the fire, but not before his parents succumb to the blazing inferno.
Angry at God and distrustful of His plan, Esau flees Paisley Settlement and all he holds dear only to fall in with the first group of people he meets -- notorious Covington-Jones gang. To them, stickup’s, bank robberies, and parlor houses aren’t sins, they’re a way of life. As he journeys down the path that leads only to destruction, Esau is forced to relive the hellish fire in his nightmares for nights on end, driving him deeper and deeper into darkness, however at the most unlikely times, Esau chooses to do what is right in wrong situation. Finding respite in a remote Catholic church, Esau is presented with numerous lessons that could help get his life back on track, if only he would listen. Instead, he chooses to return to the Covington-Jones gang again and again, but not before reaching out to help and subsequently befriend one of the most disparaged people of the Old West, the child of a prostitute.
Meanwhile, Ella is left clinging to the golden ring that should have been her engagement band and the prayer that Esau will find his way back to a godly path – and to her. However Ella learns that it is always hard to wait, even when it’s God’s own will, especially with her parents and society pressuring her to move on to a more appropriate partner. With Esau gone and her world falling to pieces, Ella must lean on God in a way she’s never had to before as she follows her heart against everyone’s wishes.
When Esau’s tumultuous way of life comes to a head during an epic cattle rustle, he is forced to choose between eternal hellfire and the rocky path of the Lord, without knowing if Ella will still be there waiting for him or not. God reaches out to Esau, again in the form of lightening, but will it be too late – or just in time?
Now, listen to Marty Robbins' The Master's Call. If your spine tingles, drop me a line!
Wow! The Calling sounds amazing!!!! Excited to get my hands on it!
DeleteThanks Rochelle! :-) <3
DeleteHi Sara,
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful to get to know you. All of your work sounds wonderful! I applaud all that you do, especially as a military wife and with little ones underfoot. You must manage your time very well!
I love wolves as well. My parents raised two wolf-hybrids, one of whom I used in my book with PRP. They're incredible creatures. However, I'm not sure treating them as house pets is the right way to go, despite knowing how much my parents loved them. They're different than dogs.
All the best to you!
Thank you Kristy! Hubby separated from the service in October after 9 years ... now navigating the waters as a veteran Army family is just as challenging. Thank you!
DeleteLots of coffee is my trick to time management LOL
My wolf book is written in honor of my wolf hybrid, Cocoa, who we adopted from the high-kill shelter in our city -- thinking she was just a neat looking husky. Were we ever wrong. She was so special, and gentle with kids. But when that switch turned in her, she was a different dog. Hers is a sad story, and she passed in a dog fight with my mother's dog, also a rescue, while she was dog sitting for me one day (which was not unusual, they had been friends before.)
I understand about the hybrid ... they're beautiful, lovely, and perfect ... but oh so different than dogs. <3
Hi Sara! It was good to read about you, and welcome to PRP. ☺
ReplyDeleteThank you Jacquie!
DeleteHello Sara. What a busy lady! I too was an Army wife for a while, although here in UK. Unfortunately, although my husband got to go to Canada twice, it was for less than six months at a time so I was never allowed to go. I was just stuck at home! i was glad when his service ended. My your house sounds packed to bursting! It's so nice to hear of someone who has a big enough heart to rescue animals that other people have given up on. Thanks, from them. Ilook forward to reading your work.
ReplyDeleteHi Gillian! Thank you for the comment fellow Army spouse! Yes, those shorter deployments were no fun ... we weren't allowed to go either. I too am glad its over. What part of the UK are you from? I have an uncle from Leeds :-) I hope you enjoy my books, I certainly look forward to hearing your thoughts on them! <3 Hugs from Texas!
DeleteHello Sara. (my daughter's name too!) I live in Lancashire, Leeds is in Yorkshire, the next county up country, and Leeds is around an hour, maybe two from me. Not doing much reading right now, got two projects for PRP on the go as well as another for my London publisher, Hale, and about three others to be finalized! So spending all day in front of the 'typewriter' right now, but I will get round to yours ASAP now.
ReplyDeleteMost of all enjoy quality chatting and meeting some great fellow Christians. Christian chat
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