06/08/2024
Here’s a little bit about me, as my ‘other’ persona - writer of (mainly) women’s fiction, Sarah Catherine Knights
I’m a British novelist and live in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. I’ve lived here since 1985, with my husband, Peter and three children and various dogs. The reason we moved here was because Peter was in the Royal Air Force and we were posted to RAF Lyneham. We were then posted to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus at the beginning of the nineties, which was to prove a catalyst for my writing.
I’ve had various careers during my life – secondary school English teacher, financial advisor, portrait and wedding photographer and teacher of English as a foreign language to business people. It took me sixty years to realise I should have been a writer all along, but having started, I now can’t stop.
I did an MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa University in 2012 and I’ve now self-published eight books. One of them is a children’s book, based on my current Labrador, Mabel’s, obsession with balls. It’s called ‘Marvellous Mabel and her Amazing Ball’ – but my main genre is Women’s Fiction. I love writing about families and relationships, secrets and tensions; about female friendships and emotions … and women’s resilience. The ‘Aphrodite Trilogy’ is set in Cyprus, as is ‘The Life Series’. My standalone novel, ‘Love is a State of Mind’, is set closer to home, in Bath, but it also nips over to Australia.
I’ve just released my memoir, ‘Love, Honour and Annoy’ - a humorous reflection on my very long marriage. I’m now working on a new novel, with the working title, ‘Cyprus Sunset’ and a book of short stories.
My three children have flown the nest, of course, but often come home for chaotic weekends of dog walks, laughter and noisy meals around the large kitchen table. The whole family have been very supportive and patient with my late career change as a novelist, always willing to help with the plot or reading a new draft.
I love reading and always have a book on the go: Clare Chambers, Ann Tyler, Kristin Hannah, Elif Shafak, Matt Haig, Jeanine Cummins, Meg Mason and David Nicholls are just a few of the authors I’ve read in the last few months. I’ve just started ‘Demon Copperhead’ by Barbara Kingsolver.
I love modern music and listen to Coldplay, Sam Smith, Billie Eilish, Tom Walker, George Michael and Ed Sheeran, just to name a few! On the active side, I love walking, swimming (in the sea if possible, but I do lengths in the pool to keep fit) and going to the gym; I spend hours ambling through the surrounding fields with Mabel and as I walk, I think about my next writing project. I’ve always had dogs and can’t imagine life without one.
