Jayne at the fabulous Australian Bookshelf site invited me to write a guest blog as part of Aussie August month. There’s also a copy of Beneath the Shadows up for grabs, and all you have to do is leave a comment. Offer ends 31 August. Click here to visit the page, or go to http://australianbookshelf.wordpress.com/col-md-2
Posts
Finally, after six long weeks of work, I have finished the structural edit of Beneath the Shadows. It’s lovely to put my head up again, as I’ve literally been working morning, noon and night, around my toddler’s waking hours, to get everything done. I am already thinking of things that need changing or tweaking, but I will get another chance to do that when the copy-editing begins. I have a little bit of a love-hate relationship with this side of the editing process, which is ironic since I’ve been a book editor for the last ten years. But editing someone else’s work is fun. Editing my own novels seems to be much more gruelling, since I find myself continually re-examining every aspect of plot, characters and writing, and coming up with more and more problems or weaknesses that need fixing. However, I thrive on the challenge, and so far I’ve had two great editors who have really pushed me to make my books stronger.
So, while I’ve been taking a break, I’ve been dabbling with my bookshelf on goodreads.com. I now have an author profile, which I’m still working on, and you’ll find my latest book reviews on there as well as on this website. You’ll notice they all tend to be rather positive, but I often don’t finish books I’m not enjoying, and as a result I don’t feel entirely qualified to comment on them! I’m currently reading and loving Water for Elephants, so you can expect another positive review soon!
Lately, quite a few aspiring authors have asked me for advice on what to do when you feel your novel is ready to go out into the world. So, while I have some downtime, I’ll shortly put up a blog or two with some general advice and information. Good luck to you all. Book publishing is a tough world, but it’s a very exciting and fulfilling one too, and I love being part of it.col-md-2
Pages
I am sometimes lucky enough to be allowed to write on other people’s sites or blogs. You can check out some of my previous posts by following the links below:
On Writing (10 August 2011) on The Australian Bookshelf
Writer on Tour (14 April 2011) on Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
The literary/commercial fiction divide (14 Feb 2011) on Natasha Lester’s blog http://whilethekidsaresleeping.wordpress.com/
A shifting landscape, a perfect backdrop (13 Feb 2011) on www.lisaheidke.com
Inspiration (9 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog
Mothering and writing for a living (8 Feb 2011) on http://anjwritesabout.com/
Endings: Beginnings in disguise (4 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog
Stories within stories (3 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog
Losing the plot (2 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog
The North Yorkshire moors, the perfect setting (1 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog
At long last, meet Grace (31 Jan 2011) on The Random Blog
On writing and editing (31 Jan 2011) on http://www.ahthepossibilities.com/
Sara Foster is grateful for… (31 Jan 2011) on http://anitaheissblog.blogspot.com/
Breathing Life into Landscapes (4 Nov 2010) on www.fleurmcdonald.com
On pursuing publication (9 April 2010) on The Random Blog
Finding the time to write (8 April 2010) on The Random Blog
Friends and family readers (7 April 2010) on The Random Blog
Your editor is on your side (6 April 2010) on The Random Blog
When characters get minds of their own (5 April 2010) on The Random Blogcol-md-2
The absorbing plot of “Beneath the Shadows” shows that a quiet, non-violent mystery can pack a lot of punch.
Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Foster’s captivating story is steeped in secrets locked in attics and hidden in cellars, good sisters, bad sisters, a ghost, a couple of brooding handsome men and almost as many characters with mother issues as a Sophocles play.
Carole Barrowman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Foster’s second page-turning tale of suspense set on the snow-covered moors has something for everyone: mystery, romance, paranormal activity and mortal danger.
Kirkus Reviews
This is an intricately woven tale inspired by classic stories such as Wuthering Heights and Rebecca. The suspense and unexpected twists will leave you guessing all the way through.
The West Australian
Beneath the Shadows draws together an intriguing mystery, an atmospheric and gloomy setting that steals over you as you read it and an interesting and varied cast of supporting characters to create a psychological thriller that will definitely leave you wanting more from this author!
1girl2manybooks – to read the full review, click here
This is the second Sara Foster book that I have read (it is also her second release – so I now have a bit of a wait to get my Sara Foster fix again), and once again I was mesmerised by Sara’s writing, and completely pulled in by the story.
The Hungry Bookshelf – to read the full review, click here
Sara Foster overtly appropriates the tone, atmosphere and themes of classics from Wuthering Heights to Rebecca, delivering a modern gothic that has the charm and suspense of Susan Hill’s ghost stories.
The Saturday Age, 5 February 2011
…a mystery-suspense novel so thrilling it forces you to burn the midnight oil,
Flourish magazine, 11 February 2011. See full review and interview here.
Beneath the Shadows is full of intrigue and wonderfully dark descriptions of ghosts that haunt the moors.
Good Reading magazine, February 2011. For an online summary, click here.
…merges classicism and contemporary to winning effect.
a book a day till i can stay, #190 – see full review here.
This is an inricately woven tale inspired by classic stories such as Wuthering Heights and Rebecca. The suspense and unexpected twists will leave you guessing all the way through.
Chicklit Club, February 2011. See full review here.
Beneath the Shadows is a tense, suspenseful story of loss, secrets and ghostly presences.
The West Australian, 22 February 2011. See full review here.
When Adam inherits a lonely cottage, he and Grace and their baby move in. Then Adam vanishes. No trace, no clues… A year later, Grace still seeks answers but knows she must move on. The locals are reluctant to offer help, but it comes from an unexpected quarter. As winter snows start to cut them off from the world, Grace finds the answers lie in unsuspected places. Heart stopping moments are ahead for her… and us.
Woman’s Day, 28 February 2011
A year after her husband’s disappearance, Grace returns to their home looking for closure. Set in England’s desolate moors, this page-turner has just the right amount of mystery.
In Style Magazine, March 2011
With spooky clocks, snowstorms, cursed chairs, family secrets, ominous portents, greasy letters written on glass, taciturn locals and a few ghosts, there’s something here for everyone who enjoys a good shiver up the spine. The moors, bleak, beautiful and unforgiving, provide the perfect backdrop.
M/C reviews, April 2011 – to read the full review, click here
If you love a novel with a twist, then Perth writer Sara Foster’s latest novel Beneath the Shadows is the perfect port in a winter storm.
ishoperth, July 2011
…a stunning thriller.
Western Advocate, July 2011
Beneath the Shadows is a great read by a talented Australian author. (5/5 stars)
The Australian Bookshelf – to read the full review, click here
For author interviews and general media, click herecol-md-2
Beneath the Shadows
How do you begin to move on, if the past won’t let you go?
When Grace’s husband, Adam, inherits a cottage on the isolated North Yorkshire moors, they leave London behind to try a new life. However, a week later, Adam vanishes, leaving their baby daughter on the doorstep.
The following year, Grace returns to the tiny village of Roseby. She is desperate for answers, but it seems the slumbering village is unwilling to give up its secrets. As Grace learns more about the locals and the area’s superstitions and folklore, strange dreams begin to trouble her. Are the villagers hiding something, or is she becoming increasingly paranoid? Only as snowfall threatens to cut them off from the rest of the world does Grace begin to understand how close the threat lies, and that she and her daughter may be in terrible danger if she cannot get them away in time.
Australian ebook available at: Amazon.com.au; Apple; Kobo
Available as an ebook outside Australia on Amazon.
Add the book to your GoodReads library:
Also available as an audiobook:
Published worldwide by Blackstone Audio
Beneath the Shadows Book Club Questions (downloadable PDF)
Reviews
The absorbing plot of “Beneath the Shadows” shows that a quiet, non-violent mystery can pack a lot of punch.
Oline Cogdill, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Foster’s captivating story is steeped in secrets locked in attics and hidden in cellars, good sisters, bad sisters, a ghost, a couple of brooding handsome men and almost as many characters with mother issues as a Sophocles play.
Carole Barrowman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Foster’s second page-turning tale of suspense set on the snow-covered moors has something for everyone: mystery, romance, paranormal activity and mortal danger.
Kirkus Reviews
This is an intricately woven tale inspired by classic stories such as Wuthering Heights and Rebecca. The suspense and unexpected twists will leave you guessing all the way through.
The West Australian
Beneath the Shadows draws together an intriguing mystery, an atmospheric and gloomy setting that steals over you as you read it and an interesting and varied cast of supporting characters to create a psychological thriller that will definitely leave you wanting more from this author!
1girl2manybooks – to read the full review, click here
This is the second Sara Foster book that I have read (it is also her second release – so I now have a bit of a wait to get my Sara Foster fix again), and once again I was mesmerised by Sara’s writing, and completely pulled in by the story.
The Hungry Bookshelf – to read the full review, click here
Sara Foster overtly appropriates the tone, atmosphere and themes of classics from Wuthering Heights to Rebecca, delivering a modern gothic that has the charm and suspense of Susan Hill’s ghost stories.
The Saturday Age, 5 February 2011
…a mystery-suspense novel so thrilling it forces you to burn the midnight oil
Flourish magazine, 11 February 2011. See full review and interview here.
Beneath the Shadows is full of intrigue and wonderfully dark descriptions of ghosts that haunt the moors.
Good Reading magazine, February 2011. For an online summary, click here.
…merges classicism and contemporary to winning effect.
a book a day till i can stay, #190 – see full review here.
This is an inricately woven tale inspired by classic stories such as Wuthering Heights and Rebecca. The suspense and unexpected twists will leave you guessing all the way through.
Chicklit Club, February 2011. See full reviewhere.
Beneath the Shadows is a tense, suspenseful story of loss, secrets and ghostly presences.
The West Australian, 22 February 2011. See full review here.
When Adam inherits a lonely cottage, he and Grace and their baby move in. Then Adam vanishes. No trace, no clues… A year later, Grace still seeks answers but knows she must move on. The locals are reluctant to offer help, but it comes from an unexpected quarter. As winter snows start to cut them off from the world, Grace finds the answers lie in unsuspected places. Heart stopping moments are ahead for her… and us.
Woman’s Day, 28 February 2011
A year after her husband’s disappearance, Grace returns to their home looking for closure. Set in England’s desolate moors, this page-turner has just the right amount of mystery.
In Style Magazine, March 2011
With spooky clocks, snowstorms, cursed chairs, family secrets, ominous portents, greasy letters written on glass, taciturn locals and a few ghosts, there’s something here for everyone who enjoys a good shiver up the spine. The moors, bleak, beautiful and unforgiving, provide the perfect backdrop.
M/C reviews, April 2011 – to read the full review, click here
If you love a novel with a twist, then Perth writer Sara Foster’s latest novel Beneath the Shadows is the perfect port in a winter storm.
ishoperth, July 2011
…a stunning thriller.
Western Advocate, July 2011
Beneath the Shadows is a great read by a talented Australian author. (5/5 stars)
The Australian Bookshelf – to read the full review, click here
For author interviews and general media, click here
MEDIA
To see reviews of All That is Lost Between Us, click here. To see reviews of Shallow Breath, click here. To see reviews of Beneath the Shadows, click here. To see reviews of Come Back to Me, click here. The Wonders of Research, Write Note Reviews, Jan 2016 What Lies Beneath: Interview with Sara Foster, Rowena Holloway, Jan 2016 The Psychology of Georgia, Book Muster Down Under, Jan 2016 AusRom Today’s Must Read list 2016, Jan 2016 ‘Teen’s Secret Anguish: The West Australian, Jan 2016 ‘Deep Connections’: Interview with An Adventure in Reading, Mar 2013 Interview with The Musings of Monique, Mar 2013 Interview with The Australian Bookshelf, Feb 2013 Interview with The Reading Room, Feb 2013 Interview with 1Girl2ManyBooks, Feb 2013 Q&A with Book Muster Down Under, Feb 2013 Interview with Book’d Out, Dec 2012 Jenn J McLeod’s Author Harvest ‘bales up’ Sara Foster, Dec 2012 Interview with Write Note Reviews, May 2012 Interview with The Examiner (WA), 2 May 2012 (and on Skinny Cap with Two Sugars) Interview with Auslit’s Authors Compare site, October 2011 (on setting) Interview with thereadingroom.com, October 2011 Interview with Monica Kade at Career Confessions, May 2011 Sydney Writers’ Centre podcast (Beneath the Shadows), April 2011 Recommendation on www.shesaid.com.au, April 2011 Interview with Colosoul (Independent Youth Magazine), April 2011 Interview with femail.com.au, April 2011 Interview with The Australian Literature Review, 16 February 2011 Interview with Claire Williams at Flourish online magazine, 11 February 2011 ‘Online extras add to thriller’s mystery’, North Coast Times, 1st February 2011 Sara Foster answers Booktopia’s Ten Terrifying Questions Sydney Writers’ Centre podcast (Come Back to Me), March 2010 Interview with www.chicklitclub.com, February 2010 ‘Sara turns over a new page in Perth’, North Coast Times, 2 February 2010 (www.inmycommunity.com.au) ‘Perth helps to bring out the creativity in author’, West Australian, 2 February 2010 I am sometimes lucky enough to be invited to write on other people’s sites or blogs. You can check out my guest posts by following the links below: New Year, New Beginnings (14 January 2013) on Fiona Palmer’s website Researching Shallow Breath (29 November 2012) on Nicole Alexander’s website On Writing (10 August 2011) on The Australian Bookshelf Writer on Tour (14 April 2011) on Adventures of an Intrepid Reader The literary/commercial fiction divide (14 Feb 2011) on Natasha Lester’s blog http://whilethekidsaresleeping.wordpress.com/ A shifting landscape, a perfect backdrop (13 Feb 2011) on www.lisaheidke.com Inspiration (9 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog Mothering and writing for a living (8 Feb 2011) on http://anjwritesabout.com/ Endings: Beginnings in disguise (4 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog Stories within stories (3 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog Losing the plot (2 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog The North Yorkshire moors, the perfect setting (1 Feb 2011) on The Random Blog At long last, meet Grace (31 Jan 2011) on The Random Blog On writing and editing (31 Jan 2011) on http://www.ahthepossibilities.com/ Sara Foster is grateful for… (31 Jan 2011) on http://anitaheissblog.blogspot.com/ Breathing Life into Landscapes (4 Nov 2010) on www.fleurmcdonald.com On pursuing publication (9 April 2010) on The Random Blog Finding the time to write (8 April 2010) on The Random Blog Friends and family readers (7 April 2010) on The Random Blog Your editor is on your side (6 April 2010) on The Random Blog When characters get minds of their own (5 April 2010) on The Random BlogLinks to author interviews and general articles:
(www.inmycommunity.com.au)Links to my blogs elsewhere:
‘As a writer, an exceedingly good book to me, is when I don’t notice how it’s written, but find myself completely wrapped up in the story. Come Back to Me by Sara Foster was one of those books. I couldn’t put it down and lacked sleep for a few days.’ Michelle Dennis Evans
‘Set in both London and Perth, this is a moving story about impossible choices, about love, and about keeping a promise you made years ago, even if it risks everything you have now. I read this in one day and was left thinking about it for days afterwards. Keep a tissue close.’ July 2011 book of the month, www.ourbookclub.com.au
‘Come Back to Me is a complex story of relationships and how ones long ago finished can reappear at any moment and change the path you’re on. Despite the intricacies and twists in the storyline, it’s a quick and engrossing read – I powered through it in an afternoon. So very readable – will keep you wondering and guessing (and in my case, praying that two certain people end up together) until the very last page.’ 8/10, 1girl2manybooks – to read the full review, click here
‘…this is a book that is big on secrets, everyone seems to be keeping secrets from everyone else, and it is a book that everybody’s stories seems to somehow intertwine with others, it is a story of love and loss, how being strong and taking charge can make us a better person, and how others perceive decisions that have been made even though they were too young, or not involved enough to know the reasons behind those decisions. 4.5/5.’ The Hungry Bookshelf – to read the full review, click here
‘Suspenseful, heartrending and transcontinental, Come Back to Me’s dynamic scenes extend from debauchery at an office party to a shocking outback crime. A complex psychological tale, Sara Foster’s debut novel…throws us headfirst into marital distress. Set in a middle-class world of city lawyers and designers, Come Back to Me is essentially a story of consequences…With its easy prose and short chapters, this is a novel suited to air travel. Yet it is sophisticated in two ways: it carefully considers the ramifications of split-second decisions on human relationships, and it highlights the importance of a strong question to a narrative…Each character, trapped in this undercurrent of longing, makes the story somewhat earnest. But there is a balance in carefully placed moments of the everyday, like those in the relationship between Chloe and her wayward cousin. As a result, we, the avid readers, are continually reminded of the particular strength of the characters. It is a gentle strength, but a relatable one: the strength that comes from the simple, gallant act of moving forward.’ Kirsten Law, Australian Book Review, March 2010
‘This taut psychological drama will keep you enthralled as the mystery and tragedy of ten years ago gradually unravels.’ Northern Daily Leader, 20 February 2010
‘Come Back to Me is a wonderful debut novel. The stories of the four main characters are interwoven, with the reader taken on a journey through their past lives and the present, with revelations continuing right till the end… There is nothing not to like about this story – intriguing characters, plot twists, action and beautiful writing combine to produce a satisfying package.’ Sally Murphy, www.aussiereviews.com
‘The novel is both a stunning thriller and complex love story. It is an entertaining read.’ Border Mail, 27 February 2010
‘A new voice on the Australian fiction scene, Foster has taken an incident that she read about years ago when travelling and uses it to tell a haunting tale about relationships and the history that binds them.’ The Examiner [Launceston], 20 February 2010
‘…a dark psychological guessing game that will surprise you all the way till the end.’ ‘Read of the Week’, NW, 22 February 2010
‘Alex is happily married when he unexpectedly comes face to face with the girl he once loved. He has to decide if he should revisit the past, and risk everything with the wife he adores. This clever novel is deftly pulled together with secrets revealed right through to the last page.’ New Idea, 13 February 2010
‘Come Back to Me is a book for anyone who likes to be surprised by multiple twists and turns. Brilliant.’ http://www.thereadingstack.blogspot.com/
‘This is a very promising debut, with a storyline teeming with slowly revealed secrets and unexpected turns.’ http://www.chicklitclub.com
‘There’s no leisurely introduction to this story. Chloe and her husband Alex go to dine with her colleague Mark and his new date, Julia. But when Alex is introduced to Julia, it is soon apparent that something is very wrong. Julia vanishes, Alex is silent, Mark is furious, and Chloe struggles with her own secret as well as wondering about Alex’s past. Alex decides the only way for closure is to take Julia back to Perth where something dreadful happened. But in doing so, will he lose all he has? Can Julia face the past – and finally tell the truth? It’s a book to read in one sitting – you’ll be enthralled by the disquieting possibilities.’ Woman’s Day, 1 February 2010
‘What-ifs are the heart and soul of any good relationship story: what if we had stayed together, what if I had married someone different, what if I wasn’t having a baby? Here, Foster ties together all those life-crisis questions with the mysterious arrival of a missing ex-girlfriend. Although this will almost exclusively appeal to women, it is far from light and fluffy… [Rated 4/5 stars]’ The West Australian, Tuesday, 26 January 2010
‘A gripping read. Rewarding to the very end.’ Nicole Alexander, author of The Bark Cutters
For author interviews and general media, click herecol-md-2
