Sarah's Friend Comments

Thanks for the kind words. I hope everyone who's responded in the positive is being truthful. I knew I'd done okay when the most honest writer in my critique group (and she says it like it is)told me the book was good. She'd heard it chapter by revised chapter over and over again and to be objective seemed impossible, but she was.

I loved 11/22/63 and confess it is the first King book I have read. Since I tend to read everything an author has written I know I have a long list ahead of me to complete. Good luck on the job front! Keep in touch.

I hope your book takes off. Then I can say, "Yeah, I know Sarah Bates. I went to school with her AND we're FB friends." People will be jealous. It will be awesome.

I think your book could take off. There are some startlingly well written parts in it. I'm reading 11/22/63 and while King's writing is consistently good all throughout, I haven't had any "Wow, this sentence/paragraph is amazing" moments, like I sometimes had while reading your book.

Things are going alright on my side of SD. My daughter is almost a year old, so I'm looking into full-time employment. Positions are opening up in the county library, so I might get promoted; meanwhile, I've applied to be a police dispatcher, which, if I passed the last hiring process hurdle, I'll be taking a lie detector test for in a couple of weeks. I'm a little excited about it.

I hope your knee surgery goes well and you recover quickly. Nice catching up with you!

I spend most of each day marketing the novel; arranging book signings, speaking opportunities, attending book signings. Big event coming up in November. I will travel to Arlington, VA to attend a reunion of retired Tomb guards for whom I will do three signing events, and during the same weekend, hold two events for active duty Guard soldiers. When they invited me I swear I elevated! Also trying for finish a trilogy of short fiction based in Italy which I started last year. I have one completed, another in final editing and a third at rough draft.
I am trying to get as much done as possible because on July 23 I have knee repair surgery which means I will be in a drug fog for several days afterwards. The rehab will take me right up to my first day back at Palomar. Busy summer, huh? And, you and the babies and your husband? How's your summer coming along??

And how are you doing, Ms. Sarah?