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Sarah Singleton
Photograph by Martin Phelps |
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This site is the personal home page for Sarah Singleton.
For Simon and Schuster Childrens Books, Sarah has written Dark Storm, The Stranger, The Island, The Poison Garden, The Amethyst Child, Sacrifice, Heretic and Century, which won the Booktrust Teenage Prize in 2005. Heretic has been published in the US under the title Out of the Shadows and in French translation as Le conte des hérétiques. Century has been published in French translation as Les fantômes de Century, in Portuguese as O Solar Assombrado and in German as Das Haus der kalten Herzen. For adults, she is the author of the Dark Fantasy novel The Crow Maiden.
Sarah is also on Facebook. For School Author Visits & Bookings see the To Make a Booking page. Montacute House, Tuesday 10 August 2010: Imagined Lives |
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Dark Storm |
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Ellie is staying with her maternal grandparents for the summer, while her recently bereaved dad takes off on holiday with his new girlfriend. Upset by his apparent callousness, missing her mother, and jealous for her dad's attention, she begins to spiral into depression. Her grandparents suggest she joins a local theatre group, to meet people her own age and get away from the dark thoughts that threaten to engulf her. But then she gets roped into a seance at the theatre, and is the only one who actually sees a real ghost. Now a spirit is contacting her from beyond the grave - and as the dead boy's story unfolds, Ellie finds herself falling in love with him. But if she solves his mystery and helps release his soul, will he be lost to her forever? Dark Storm is published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.
Available now at amazon.co.uk |
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"Beautiful." (5 stars)
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The Stranger |
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Charlotte is heading to a tiger sanctuary to do some voluntary work as part of her travels. But a fellow traveller working at the sanctuary starts to make her feel uncomfortable and she decides to ask Otto to visit her, pretending to be her boyfriend. When things start going wrong at the sanctuary, Charlotte fears a vendetta against her could be to blame. As tigers come under attack from poachers, the local authorities threaten to replace the sanctuary's management. Mark the journalist reappears, ostensibly covering the poaching crisis, but also delving into the background of the traveller who is making Charlotte's life a misery. But by now Otto and Charlotte's 'fake' relationship seems to be developing into something a little more serious...and how will Mark, and Otto's ex, Jen, feel about that? The Stranger is published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.
Available now at amazon.co.uk |
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"There's real tension in the thriller side of things, a dollop of otherworldliness in Jen's visions, and a genuinely touching portrait of an overwhelming but slightly bumbling adolescent love affair."
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The Island |
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Otto, Jen and Charlotte have planned the trip of a lifetime to India for their gap year, before going their separate ways to university. For Charlotte, it's an opportunity to get involved in an environmental project and finally feel like she's doing something worthwhile; for Otto, it's the perfect opportunity to take some real photos to help his career as a photo-journalist; for Jen, it's the realisation of a lifelong dream. But when Otto discovers the body of a girl on the beach, things take a sinister turn as he finds himself a prime suspect in her murder. Together Otto, Charlotte and Jen start to unravel the mystery behind the girl's death. Can they discover the truth and clear Otto's name and even if they do will they be able to handle what they find as their dreams of paradise crumble around them... The Island is published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.
Available now at amazon.co.uk |
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"a compelling and intense whodunnit"
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The Poison Garden |
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It is the 1850's, and a young boy, Thomas, leaves his family to be apprenticed to a pharmacist, at the behest of his dead grandmother. He also inherits a magical box from her, which provides him entry into a mysterious garden. But while visiting it, he sees a ghostly vision of his grandmother, who tells him she was poisoned, and warns him that he must find the person responsible, and save her precious garden. For she was one of five members of an arcane guild, each of whom cultivated an individual garden, mastering the art of poison, perfume and medicine. The guild members jostle for power as, one by one, they are murdered. Can Thomas solve the mystery, before he in turn is threatened? The Poison Garden is published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.
Available now at amazon.co.uk |
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"Singleton's Gothic imagination works wonderfully in a story that is set in the late 19th century, but which is timeless."
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Out of the Shadows |
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US Edition of Heretic Out of the Shadows is published by Clarion Books.
Available now at amazon.com |
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The Amethyst Child |
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It's the summer holidays and Amber is bored. So when she meets non-conformist Dowdie, she is bowled over. Dowdie lives in a commune known as the Community, and gradually, Amber finds herself drawn into it. She discovers that Dowdie is an Amethyst child - a child with special talents unrecognised by normal society - and that her father, James, the leader of the commune, believes Amber is one too. Amber also meets Johnny, a gorgeous loner who shares her interest in photography. But Johnny is very dismissive of the Community, a place Amber now holds dear. Torn between Johnny and her friend Dowdie, Amber finds herself being drawn into a world of dark and dangerous secrets. The Amethyst Child is published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.
Available now at amazon.co.uk |
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"Sometimes demanding but in the bext possible way, this excellent novel is thoughtful and gripping."
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Sacrifice |
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At the time of the Crusades, in the desert of North Africa, a band of knights received a lily from an angel to help them defeat their enemies in a holy war. But over the centuries, the lily's mysterious powers have warped and darkened, leaving madness and death in its wake. Now it is 1890 and Miranda, in Victorian London, is obliged to live with her cold grandparents when her mother is committed to an asylum. French Jacinth lives alone in a tower in a Bohemian forest, where she develops her magical talents, and Jack, who lives in Ireland, discovers a mysterious old man in an abandoned house. The three young people are connected, and only by combining forces can they turn around the curse that has befallen their families for generations. Each is linked to a descendant of the crusader knights - and each has a duty to unravel the mystery of the lily, which gave the knights such amazing powers. But another family is determined to retain the lily's power and influence - whatever the cost. The adventure takes them on a journey across Europe and North Africa as they try to find out the truth about the lily and bring about an end to the curse. Sacrifice is published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.
Available now at amazon.co.uk |
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Hear Sarah talk about the book at: meet the author
"Her best book yet. A beautifully crafted story, rich in visual imagery and gothic atmosphere." |
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Heretic |
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When Elizabeth finds a green-tinged creature in the woods she's amazed to discover that it's actually a girl of her own age. Isabella has spent the last 300 years in the faery world, hiding from persecutors who accused her of being the daughter of a witch. Elizabeth has her own persecutors to face. A catholic priest is hiding in her home - an act of treason in 1586 - and the net is closing in. As they become friends, Elizabeth and Isabella must find a way to protect the family from being torn apart. Heretic is published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.
Available now at amazon.co.uk |
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Some reviews for Heretic: |
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Century |
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Century is the name of a huge Georgian mansion, home to the Italian Verga family. The grand house sits amid magnificent gardens and parklands, overlooking a huge lake. But Century's heyday is passed. All but two of the servants have disappeared, and widower Trajan leads a secluded life with his two daughters, trapped in a strange dark winter world that never seems to change. One day Mercy, the elder daughter, sees the ghost of a drowned woman under the ice in a pond and meets the mysterious Claudius, who claims to be a member of the Verga family. He offers Mercy a chance to find out the truth about their family and the secrets of the past. But can Mercy trust Claudius, who has his own dark secrets? Can she uncover the truth or will she destroy the house and her family in the process? Century is published by Simon & Schuster Childrens Books.
Available now at amazon.co.uk
*** Hardback edition ***
Available now at amazon.co.uk |
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See report from the book launch at holdthefrontpage.co.uk
NEWS: Century is shortlisted for the Booktrust Teenage Prize. See BBC report.
NEWS: Century has won the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2005. See report in The Independent.
NEWS: Century is shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award. See booktrust report. |
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The Crow Maiden |
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"A brilliant novel, powerful, sensuous, earthy, and often quite luminously magical. The story makes sense, the characters are well drawn and sympathetic (including their faults) and the pacing is about right because readers will wish to revel - descriptions have a wonderful richness and precision of language and there are many brilliant scenes." The Crow Maiden is published by Wildside Press (2001)
Order at your local bookshop, or buy from online sellers such as amazon. |
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Short-listed for the 2003 William L. Crawford Award, given to the best first fantasy novel, presented by the IAFA (International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts). |
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