I got this message today (3rd Jan) from Elanor
hi!
I emailed you before Christmas, saying that I loved the forbidden room and that the trap was on my Christmas list. Well, I did get it and I am really enjoying it, and I expect that it will get lots better as I have only read the first chapter! I hope that you keep on writing because I love your books! I don't know why your earlier books didn't get published!
Eleanor
PS: Your dog, Roxie, is so adorable!!! My cousins have just got a puppy and she too is called Roxy, but with a "y"!
Hi Eleanor! Thanks for the email - I hope you like The Trap. My old books probably weren't good enough to be published - I think like anything, my writing gets better with practise. I've got two finished books now with the publishers and I'm waiting to hear from them if and when they're going to get published. I really hope they do. I can't wait to see them in print and to see what people who liked my other books think of them.
Roxie is lovely - she's really good natured and fun-loving and affectionate. I think everyone should have a dog just like her - Cavvies are the best!
Rubii emailed me a few times in December and sent me the start of the book she's writing, and I thought it would be a good idea to make a new page and put Rubii's writing (and anyone else's that send it in) onto it. I was sick with 'flu, and then busy being Christmassy, so I'm only just getting around to it now. But here it is:
Your Writing
Tahli Evans emailed me on the 1st Jan
Hey, I just finished reading The Trap and it was incredible! I was wondering if there was going to be a sequel?
Hi Tahli. I'm glad you liked The Trap. So far I have only written stand alone books and don't have plans for any sequels. I do have two more finished books with the publishers which will hopefully be out before too long though. If I could come up with a good idea for a series I would try that because series sell well. I did have one idea - for a series about teenagers with hybrid human animal DNA which gave them special powers, but my publishers said it had been done before (yeah, but.... everythings been done before, hasn't it?)
This message came in from Nicky Sebastian on 18th December:
Well done for getting your book the trap mentioned in the best books for kids in the Independant on Sunday.I went off to buy it for my grandson,went to at least 20 book shops,Norwich,London,Isle of wight {pre Xmas family visit} no one had it .eventually,happy days found it in Wimbledon and it'd now on route to Norwich.Should have looked in N Ireland,I live on Rathlin Island!Tell your publisher off from me! Happy Christmas
Thanks Nicky - I'm impressed with your dedication to try so many bookshops. I passed your email on to my publishers - haven't had any reply from them though!
The winner of the November draw was Jade Danielle Arnott - Congratulations Jade! If you entered this time and didn't win, you can always enter again for the next draw.
Jasmine sent this message a few hours after I announced the winner of the November draw:
Hi
I'm a bit annoyed I didn't win the prize draw, because I REALLY WANT A COPY but I suppose not everyone could win so I'm entering the next PRIZE DRAW.
I've just read The Knife of Never Letting Go and it is pure violent, but surprisingly I like it!! My book club is not going too well at the moment as our numbers are dropping but I'm still going!
Just read the Narnia books; pure genius!!
Got 12 books on my xmas list so hopefully i will have something to read! But I cant wait until then... any book suggestions??
Jasmine x
Sorry Jasmine! I haven't read The Knife of never letting go, but I think my son might like it if it's violent - he judges books on the gore level! I just read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, which I liked, but then I'm a huge Neil Gaiman fan. I like the Philip Reeve books in the Mortal Engines series too - I've been reading them to my son and we're two books in. At the moment I'm reading Lollipop Shoes by Joanne Harris - it's an adult book, the sequel to Chocolat which I loved (and I loved the movie that had Johnny Depp in it!). I've only just started it, but I'm loving it so far. There's another book that I read ages ago called Inkheart that they've made a movie of - it was good too.
This message from Tanja came in on 24th November
Sorry One more question! ; )
Where do you get such interesting ideas for your stories? I try to write some stories but after I read through them they just sounds kinda lame : ( By the way, what about visiting some schools in N. Ireland? ; )
Tanja
xxxxx
(i have to stop typing now my hand really hurts ; )
Hi Tanja!
(Did you injure your hand, or have you just been typing so much that you had to stop?)
I find it really difficult to come up with good ideas for the plots for my books - sometimes it takes months between finishing one book and finding an idea that I'm happy enough with to start another. Sometimes I'll take something out of a book I've read - not to write the same story, but maybe some wee part of it, and put it into my own story. Or sometimes news stories are really freaky, and it's so amazing that something like that could actually happen that it almost seems like something out of a book, and that can give me inspiration. Quite often though, when I'm reading through something I've written, I think it's pretty lame, even the things that have been published - it's hard to be objective about your own work - maybe your stories are better than you think?
You asked about school visits in Northern Ireland - do you live in Northern Ireland Tanja? We could be neighbours! I have done quite a lot of school visits here, if you want me to come to your school, you would have to ask either an English teacher or a librarian to contact me to organise it, and then I would be happy to.
These messages came in from Tanja and Briony on 23rd November
Hey Sarah
I have read both of your fantastic books everytime i read one of them it just takes me inside the story, i can read your book none stop its just so interesting anyway thank you and i hope you will write more books soon. ; )
Tanja
I am such a BIG fan of Sarah Wray i have read both books i luuuurrrved them and i am only 11 years old PLEASE KEEP WRITING MORE BOOKS!!!!!!
I have never been such a big fan of an author before I really want to meet you one day!!! but I do understand you are a very busy woman.
Lots and lots of hugs Brionyxxx
Hi Tanja and Briony,
Sometimes it's difficult when I don't make very much money out of my books, and the publishers are very slow to publish what I send them, but I still really love writing, and I don't want to give up and it's so encouraging for me to get messages like yours - thanks!
I love going on school visits and other events where I can meet people who've read my books, but because I live in Northern Ireland it's hard for me to travel around mainland UK or anywhere else since I don't really have enough money to pay for air fares or hotels and stuff. If a school wanted to book me, they could try contacting my publisher, Faber and Faber and they might pay my travel over (if we're lucky!)
I got a new message from Ruby on 20th November
Heyaii Sarah,,,
It's me again if you remember me! lol ii hope you are ok and that your writing is going well??? ii haven't spoke to you in a while so i thought i would get in touch!
ii have started to wriite my own book! It's about a girl called Sky and her mum and dad make her move to New York and she hates it she gets bullied and things then when she can take it no longer she finds a friend in exactly the same position as her and they decide to make the journey home! ...
Maybe i could send you the first few pages and see what you think?? iif yu have time of course ii know you have 3?? kids... (( i think )) ..x
Are you working on another book? i hope soo
Bad news my sister has nicked her book (( The Forbidden Room)) back off me : ( ! But I still have my competition winning book TRAP i have just re-read it....a book is always a bit better the second tym round i think u pick up on details that you never saw b4!!
anyways iv gotta go im writing and exam so need to get on ...xh3h3 x : )
Hi Rubii,
(Are you meaning to do double 'i's everywhere or is there something wrong with your keyboard??)
It's really nice to hear from you again - your idea for the book you're writing sounds brill! I can see that being a really good book. If you send me the first few pages I'll read it. I am working on a new book, although I also have a finished book that I sent to the publishers in April and they still haven't started work on publishing it yet! The new book is almost finished as well - I'm really enjoying writing the exciting end bit at the moment.
Tomorrow I'm the guest speaker at a Save The Children prize giving lunch for a writing competition they did, so I'm feeling a bit nervous about that.
Good luck with your exams. (Is it okay if I put this message on the website)
Sarah
lol... sorii ii just do teh ii <<
okay ii wiill mail them to you soon!
the exams were k !
and thanx i think it cud b a good book lol!
dont b nervous you wiill be fine! : )
anyways i gtg ... but yur corse its okai if you put this on the webby : P
write bakk
love xxx roo xxx
p.s... tell me some details bout your New books :) :) :) quite excited ! x
My guest speaker thing went okay, and a teacher at it asked me to come and speak at her school, so it can't have been too bad! The book that is at the publishers is a murder mystery - the main character is an Irish girl who finds herself in a kind of prison in a foreign country (Iceland) and all she can remember is an image of blood spattering onto snow. A psychiatrist helps her to remember things from her life, and it's like a jigsaw fitting together the pieces to find out what happened and whose blood it was. I'm pretty pleased with it - I hope they hurry up and publish!!
The one I'm writing at the moment is partly set in Formby in Merseyside where I grew up, and partly set in the African rainforest. It's kind of a scary thriller, but I don't want to say too much and give away the plot!
I got this email from Jasmine on 17th November
I must seem a bit obsessive with my replies now, but I simply MUST talk to you!! I have read Anne of Green Gables and many other classics, they're generally my favourite type of book. I've actually read all the classics my school library owns and basically all of the ones from the public library. Neither have A little princess but I've asked for it for Christmas. I've just read the book 'Kiss' by Jacqueline Wilson. It is so emotional it made me cry! My mum came into my room while I was crying and it was REALLY embarrassing! But like nearly every book, it has a happy ending so I was smiling! Got to go! But I hope we can have a 'chat' again soon! Jasmine x
Hi Jasmine, it's always nice to hear from you. I was looking at A Little Princess on Amazon, and the list of books that people who bought A little Princess also bought has some really good books in it - you should look at that for inspiration. I haven't read Kiss by Jacqueline Wilson, but I do like books that make me cry. When I read Private Peaceful, by Michael Morpurgo I cried so loudly that my husband came running in from the bathroom where he was shaving to see what was wrong with me! Have you read Airman by Eoin Colfer? It's a new book, but feels like a classic. It's maybe more of a boy book than a girl book, but I liked it.
This message came from Brittany T. on 15th November
I just finished reading your first book, The Forbidden Room in one sitting! It was so intriguing that I couldn't put it down! I loved the characters, the mysterious element to it and the truth and sadness to the story. I felt like I was actually Jenny, experiencing these thing in her life with her. It was a great read and I am now reading The Trap. Keep up the awesome writing! I loved it. :)
Wow, thanks Brittany! I really enjoyed writing The Forbidden Room, although I cried when I wrote the sad bits! I based Jenny on a real girl who I saw in a TV programme, because she was very inspiring, and I really tried hard to make her character more than just a girl in a wheelchair. I have a finished book with my publishers, which I am very pleased with, although they haven't said when (or if) they are going to publish it yet, and I am working on another book which is about three quarters written. It's very encouraging for me when people like you tell me to keep on writing - I love writing and never want to stop but I do get discouraged when my publisher drags it's heels - so thank you for cheering me up!
Polly Huscroft wrote this on 4th November
Hi, I love The Forbidden Room! It's so exiting! Though I won't let my mum read it! xxx
Hi Polly, Thanks! I'm glad you like The Forbidden Room. When I'm writing books I still worry about what my mum will think of them when she reads them, and I'm 39 years old!
I got an email on 27th October from new writer Neal James whose first book has just been published. I know how difficult it is to reach that milestone, so congratulations Neal, and I'm happy to give your book a quick plug here. It's called A TICKET TO TEWKESBURY and is a political thriller with a bit of murder mystery and romance thrown in.
Here's a link to Neal's book on Amazon:
A ticket to Tewkesbury, Amazon link
Natalie Lorimer contacted me on 20th October:
Thanks for reading this email cause I'm sure you get loads cause LOADS of people love your books! (Me included)
I've read both of your books and they are genius. I read The Forbidden Room a few months ago and I was hooked! I loved it from start to finish and have also recommended it to my English teacher and all of my friends. I also love The Trap too. I read it in the car on my way to St Annes & we passed lots of woods and I was scared that someone would jump out of them with a chain saw or something!
Please publish this on your page if you can cause I write to lots of my favourite authors but I never get a reply, but I guess that's understandable as you guys are busy people.
So once again thanks for reading and I hope you are well,
From Natalie
I'm very well thank you, Natalie! I'm getting ready to do a school visit tomorrow so I'm a little nervous but also excited. I'm so glad you like my books. I have finished a third book, but my publishers are waiting for more copies of The Trap to sell before they'll publish the new one, so thank you for telling your teacher and your friends about me - the more people who buy The Forbidden Room or The Trap, the more likely (or quickly) the next book will get published. It's a little scary because I don't ever want to stop writing and I hope the publishers don't stop publishing me. Getting emails like yours, Natalie make it all worthwhile and makes me all the more determined to keep going. Thank you!
This message came in from Jade Arnott on 18th October:
I am entering the free draw competition, preferably for the book The Trap. I am 14 years old and I found The Forbidden Room in my library at school, the front cover and description caught my eye and I had to take it out.
My parents are recently fostering so I found a funny irony in reading the book.
I just wanted to thank you for writing a fantastic book, I couldn't ever, ever find a book that interested me so much that I got stuck into it but your book just changed my opinion and has given me a higher love for reading.
I'm not too sure if The Trap is in my library but a signed book would be amazing! : D
Thankyou!
Jade
x
Thanks Jade! I'm so glad you liked The Forbidden Room. I really like the cover of it too - it's eye-catching. I had nothing to do with designing it, that's thanks to the people at Faber (thanks people at Faber!). I cut out a little bit of your email (sorry!) because it gave away some things from the book that people wouldn't know if they hadn't read it. I've entered you into the free draw, which will take place at the end of November. Good luck!
It really makes me happy to get emails from people who've enjoyed reading one of my books. This message from Jasmine on 10th October made me smile a lot.
Hi, I'd like to say I'm your number one fan! The Forbidden Room is my second favourite all time book (after The Secret Garden which is a true classic)! I asked for The Trap for my birthday on Monday and I've already read it! Gosh it was freaky! I literally couldn't go up the stairs on my own without thinking someone wasn't lurking around the corner! But it was so good. I absolutely loved it!
I'd also like to tell you that I now attend my school book club and when I have a chance to recommend a book I'm going to choose The Forbidden Room!
Please keep writing fabulous stories, I'll probably buy them as soon as they come out.
Thank you so much Jasmine! I love The Secret Garden too - I loved it when I was younger, and I loved reading it aloud to my daughter recently. I also love The Little Princess - have you read that as well? I don't realise how scary my books are when I'm writing them, until people read them and tell me they were terrified! Still, it's fun to be a bit scared sometimes (I hope). I go to a book group too - we're all middle aged women, but we have lots of fun and spend more time laughing than talking seriously about the books. They wanted to discuss The Forbidden Room but I was too embarrassed, so I wouldn't let them!
Here's Jasmines reply:
Thank you for replying to my message! I'm glad that it made you smile! I'm taking your advice and I'm going to look for The Little Princess in my library soon. I would also like to say that I love The Railway Children (do you?) and I love this book I was reading for my book club called The Garbage King by Elizabeth Laird. I know that you probably wouldn't read it but I'd like to recommend it to other users of the site. I forgot to say I would like to enter the free draw because even though I own both books I would treasure a signed copy forever!!! Thank you again for your reply to my previous message, Jasmine xxxxxxxxxx
Hi Jasmine! I do love The Railway Children - it's another one that I read as a child and then read to my own daughter. I haven't heard of the Garbage King, but I'll keep an eye out for it now. I've entered you into the next draw that will take place at the end of November. Good luck! By the way, have you read the Anne of Green Gables books? - I really liked them. Another set of books I would recommend are the Mennyms books by Sylvia Waugh - I think they're brill too.
The winner of the September draw was Michael Wilson.
Congratulations! I'm waiting for Michael to contact me with his postal details so I can send him his prize.
Michael Wilson sent me three messages on 29th September:
I really like your book (The Forbidden Room). It was a really captivating story. My family and I give it ten out of ten. I would like to be entered for the free draw if that is possible. Keep on writing more books. I will be looking forward to your next one!!!
Can you come and visit my school? It is Uffculme High School. I would really like to meet you.
I REALLY LOVE YOUR BOOKS!!! I am looking forward to buying The Forbidden Room for Christmas so that I can read it again and again. What made you be a writer in the first place??
Thanks Michael! I've entered you into the draw which takes place TOMORROW! - Good luck! I have a finished book with the publishers, who are deciding whether or not to publish it, and they told me they'd give me an answer by the end of September, which is tomorrow and I haven't heard yet!! EEK!! I think it's a good book so I really hope they decide to publish it. I'm writing a new book as well - I love writing and will keep going as long as I can get things published.
I looked up Uffculme High School on google and found that it's in Devon - cool. I love doing school visits but so far I've only done them in Ireland, unless I'm over in England for something else and then I'll try to fit in some school visits while I'm there. If a few school in an area wanted me to come and were willing to pay my air fare from Belfast between them, then I would happily come.
I became a writer because I'm a total bookworm and have always loved reading. When I had children I stopped work when they were babies to be at home with them but I got kind of bored so I started writing then and found I loved it so much that I never went back to work but I just spend all my free time writing now.
This message came in on 22nd September:
My name is Nathan Barr I am 10 and am reading The Forbidden Room at the minute in school. My school is Glenwood P.S. on the Shankill. I'm really enjoying The Forbidden Room and can't wait to find out what happens next so I might get my mum to buy me it so I can read it at home too.
Hi Nathan! I'm glad you like The Forbidden Room - Thank you! The Shankill is just down the road from where I live in Belfast, so if your teacher wanted I could come into you school one day and meet your class. Maybe when you've finished reading the book, you could all think of some questions and I'll come in and try to answer them. I could sign any copies of The Forbidden Room or my other book The Trap that you have, or I could bring some with me in case anyone wanted to buy their own copy. Your teacher could email me if she (or he) wanted to arrange that.
Here's an interesting question from Monica Matassa:
I love your books and they have been a total inspiration for me as I now want to be a writer! I completely devoured "The Trap" and read it in a couple of hours non stop ha! Have you got any tips on how I can make my stories longer as mine usually are only 2 pages long even though I try to be as descriptive as possible?! Please answer, love Monica.
I'm glad you like my books, Monica - loving reading was what made me want to be a writer too. It definitely takes practice to be able to pace your writing for a long story or novel. Teenage novels should have about 60 000 words, and adult novels should have at least 80 000. The first books I wrote only had about 30 000 words, which I thought was loads. I think because it takes so long to write the words, you forget that it doesn't take the reader very long to read them. If you want to write a novel length story, I think it's a good idea to plan it out first - what's the main plot? what other things are going on at the same time that make it more interesting? What are the characters like - what scenes could you have to show what kind of people they are? Where is it set etc, and then write each scene like it's a story in its own right, but when lots of scenes come together it makes a book. Sometimes I think it helps to think of the story like it's a movie, and think about what scenes there might be in the movie that would be fun to watch, or that help you to get to know the characters or that give clues about the main plot. I hope that helps! Although, maybe writing short stories is your skill - you should try sending them off to magazines or short story competitions - you never know what might happen...!
I've been ill this week with tonsillitis and haven't had any energy to update my website, but today I'm feeling a little better, and this email came from Eleanor:
I love your book, The Forbidden Room. I got it as a present for Christmas one year, and have read it two or three times over. The Trap is definitely on my Christmas list this year! I can't wait to read it! Will you be writing anymore books?
Thanks Eleanor! I'll add your name into the hat for the free draw at the end of September, so you might even get The Trap sooner than Christmas! You asked will I be writing any more books - well, I have one finished book with the publishers, and another that I'm about a quarter of the way through writing. I hope that I will keep on writing books all my life - as long as people keep buying them! Because people have less money at the moment (with the dreaded credit crunch) not as many books are being bought, which makes publishers a little wary of publishing new stuff, but hopefully things will improve and my new books will hit the shelves soon.
The winner of the June free draw was Ruby Leather. Ruby received a signed copy of The Trap, and this is what she wrote about it:
I have finished reading the trap it is awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i agrreee with the sarah who commented on you there has to be a sequal ... cos i luv it !?!?!!?!? i think star sounds quite annoying and matt sounds HOTT lol .....i gotta question ?!?!?! ...
was it easier writing from a girls point of view (forbidden room) rather than a boys (trap) ????
Thanks ruby! I'm glad you liked The Trap and that's a good question about the boy girl thing. It's funny, my sister's thirteen year old son has read both books, and he said to his mum that Aunty Sarah is much better at knowing how a teenage boy thinks that how a teenage girl does, and when she told me I thought, how does he know how a teenage girl thinks!
It was quite fun writing as a boy, but I was tempted to poke fun of boys a bit and I had to discipline myself to be nice to my character.
The next book that I've finished writing but isn't published yet has a girl as the main character, and the one I've started writing now has different bits from the point of view of different characters, so I get to be a boy and a girl!
(PS Ruby, I tried to reply to your email personally but the email bounced back to me - sorry.)
I got these two messages from Caitlin on 22nd August:
hiya im caitlin im 11 and i love the trap im reading it now and i cant put it down :) its amazing i like drew the counciler the best lol
i go to smithills high school in bolton and i saw ur book in waterstones and ive been a big fan ever since lol :)
i really want to write as good as you you are fantastic such an imagination :)!
Thank you so much for the messages, Caitlin. I'm glad you like The Trap - my sister just read it and said it made her too scared to go outside in the dark!
I read loads of books and I like watching movies as well which helps with my imagination, and it took me years to write something good enough to get published. If you want to write my advice is to read loads and to practice writing loads. Good luck!
I'm so excited! I got my first message from someone who's read The Trap. This message arrived from Margaret on 11th August.
I've just finished reading "The Trap". I thought it was incredible, I could not put it down until I was done. Thank you for writing such a great book, I'm really glad I read it. Now I'm going to read "The Forbidden Room" which sounds great too. I like the way you right and I hope that one day I'll be half as good a writer as you, and if I do then I would have really accomplished something in life.
Wow! Thank you Margaret. It's quite nerve wracking waiting to hear what people think of my new book, and I'm so relieved that the first review I've had is so positive. I really hope I do get to read one of your books one day, Margaret.
This message came on 5th August from Tom:
I couldn't put it down, it is the best book I have ever read and I was sad to finish it. Really want there to be a sequel book.
Thanks Tom! There isn't a sequel to The Forbidden Room, although I have an idea where a character or two from The Forbidden Room might make a guest appearance in a different book. My second book The Trap is out now though!
I was having a bit of a ratty day on 4th August, and then this message from Jess W arrived and really cheered me up!
I cannot describe how much I enjoyed reading "Forbidden Room"! It's the best book I've ever come across. Before I'd even finished reading it I was looking for you and your books online but to my disappointment there was nothing. But a few months ago me and my Mum came across this site that said your new book "The Trap" was coming out soon. I was so excited. My 12th birthday is coming up and you wouldn't guess what is at the top of my list!
Love Jess
Thanks Jess! I got a review on Amazon the other day from someone who obviously hated my book, and they said it read like 'a sack of potatoes falling down the stairs' so it's especially nice to get a message from someone like you who liked it. I hope you like The Trap as well, and happy birthday!
I got this message from Jessica on 30th July
Last night I stayed up finishing The Forbidden Room. I really enjoyed it, it had me turning the page, going 'no' in several places. Because of my own health, I was intrigued how you portrayed life of a disabled girl. I think you pulled it off really well! I enjoyed it, it all made sense, and I could relate to a lot of the feelings and emotions.
Then we get to the end. Initially I was like, nope! Didn't like that!' (the problem with being a writer, I keep thinking 'I'd do x, y, z differently :D) But then I sat and thought 'why would Sarah end it that way? Why not have John and Helen sent to prison?' I suppose the responsibility was too much for Jenny. She's giving Stephen a chance to find out the truth, other foster kids to learn the truth so they can decide what to do for themselves.
So, although the ending wasn't what I expected, or initially wanted, I think I have a vague understanding why it happened that was. It beats the usual 'happily ever after' ending, which normally doesn't happen in real life.
I look forward to reading your next book!
This is the reply that I sent to Jessica:
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for you email. It's interesting what you say about the ending of The Forbidden Room. I've been surprised by how many people really didn't like the slightly ambiguous ending - although people don't necessarily agree about how I should have ended it. Slightly more than half wanted the Hollands to get their comeuppance, but a sizeable minority wanted Jenny to stay with them and let them keep taking her blood, or to do what she did for the good of Stephen. I think that even though things usually don't resolve neatly in real life, people like books to. Personally I like books that make you think and wonder what would happen next, or want to discuss them with other people, which is what I hoped The Forbidden Room would do, but nonetheless, I've taken the feedback I've got from The Forbidden Room, and tried to give my other books more definite endings (not necessarily happy endings, although I know people like happy endings as well.)
Sarah Wray
P.S. I know what you mean about reading books as a writer, I'm always thinking I would have done this or that differently, or alternatively being so impressed with how someone did something that I despair of ever being that good!
I got this message from Ruby Leather on 12th July
Hiya Sarah
I'm just writing to say hi....x so hiya! I'm 13 and live in the lake district a couple of weeks ago I was rooting around for a good read when in my sisters room I noticed a book (The Forbidden Room) as soon as I turned the first page I was captured I think it was brilliant and captivating...I have always wanted to be an author I love writing and when I read your book it inspired me I've read it 3 times now lol :) and I ♥ it ! but anyway I wanted my own copy cos I cant reli nik my sisters =P so I read you page on wn a signed copy is said to send an email adn use the term free draw I don't know what that is but... FREE DRAW "laugh" anyway wb luv ur kwl fan...
roobi roo
P.S. I can't wait until ur next book camp hope it gonna be sound =D x
Thanks Roobi roo!
The free draw has been a little delayed this month, because I was waiting until I got some copies of my new book The Trap (it does say Camp Hope on the cover, but the title is actually The Trap!) I've got two copies so far, and my son and daughter claimed them. My son has just finished reading one (and he loved it - phew!) so I can offer that as a prize now (only slightly dog-eared!). I'll make the draw today, and contact the lucky winner by email. Fingers crossed!
I got this message from Sarah on 4th June 2008:
Hi Sarah, my name is also Sarah as you've probably already guessed. I just decided to search for a few more books of the same sort of genre from The Forbidden Room, which I have recently read. I just wanted to tell you that I absolutely loved your books. There are not many books that I WANT to read, with this particular one I couldn't put it down! I never used to read a lot and I was going on holiday and saw this book in a shop which my younger sister picked out for me. When I started reading this book it kind of got me more into reading and now I'm taking higher English (15 years old) and I have to do a Personal Study and I'm glad to put this book forward as my choice. I loved it, you got me into reading and hopefully a good English grade. Thanks a lot. Please e-mail me back. Sarah.
Wow! This email really made me happy - I've been a total bookworm for as long as I remember, and to think that something that I wrote inspired you to get interested in reading and studying English is just fantastic. I wish you all the best in your studies, Sarah - who knows, maybe one day I'll be reading your books!
I got this message from Rachel:
I love Jasper :D
I'm not sure how it relates to The Forbidden Room, but, hey, I'm all for expressions of true love. Let's hear it for Rachel and Jasper!
Rachel added:
I loved the book too
Thanks Rachel!
*Spoiler alert*
This question was sent in by Danielle.
What made u write about Jenny having a car accident and being an orphan and she gets adopted by the Hollands and the Hollands never grow?
The idea for The Forbidden Room came to me when I was watching a news story about a couple whose little boy was dying of a genetic disease. The couple wanted to have a second baby so they could use its blood to make stem cells to treat their dying child. I wondered how far parents would go to save their children from dying if they could. So I thought of the Hollands, who had already lost two daughters, and would do anything to save their only remaining child. I wanted the story to be a mystery, told from the point of view of Jenny, who didn't know what was going on. When I was thinking about Jenny - who she was and why she was in a foster home, I thought of the accident that killed her mother, and thought that it would be fitting if the accident also made her disabled - because she felt guilty about the accident, and felt that she should be punished, and also her disability added to making Jenny an interesting person. As to the last bit of your questions, about the Hollands not growing, I think that was about Helen Holland being so upset about her two daughters dying, and the thought of losing her son, that she didn't want to lose him in any way even by him growing up and leaving home. Also I heard about a scientist who predicted that stem cell therapy could make people live much much longer lives, and I thought that raised a lot of questions about whether living forever would be a good thing or not.
I got a message from Sophie, that I liked so much I printed it out to show my whole family. I tried replying to Sophie's email personally, but unfortunately the email bounced back (Sophie, if you're reading this, maybe the email address you gave me wasn't right?).
Hi Sarah Wray,
I recently read your book, The Forbidden Room, and I have to say that I thought it was AMAZING!! After looking on your website I know the names of your other books and I am going to try to find those in the library. You are an inspiration to young storytellers everywhere, and I think that you should be REALLY proud of yourself for producing this amazing book!! I read it all in an hour!! I got so gripped by it!! I really felt like I was Jenny and I understood what she was going through. I have both my legs but the way you had written it, anyone reading it could tell what Jenny was feeling and why. Thanks so much for writing that book!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I think you should do a sequel to it. Thanks Sarah and Goodbye. xxx :)
PS Please reply! I would love to hear from you!!
Wow! see what I mean - what a great message. I have always loved reading, and I think it's amazing that people read things that I've written now - It gives me a real buzz to hear from someone who's read my book and liked it.
My second book, The Trap, is not out until 7th August, so your library won't have it yet, but hopefully it will after that. I just sent a new manuscript off to my publishers a few days ago, so I'll let you know if they want to publish it.
I don't have any plans for a sequel to The Forbidden Room at the moment, but quite a few people have said they wish I would, so you never know, maybe one day.
This question was sent in by A. Khan:
What was the hardest part in writing The Forbidden Room ?
Usually the hardest part of writing for me is coming up with a good idea for a book - with a storyline and characters and setting that all come together to make something special - it can take me weeks or even months to settle on an idea that I think is good enough to write. I was lucky with The Forbidden Room, because the idea came to me very quickly all at once when I was watching the news one day. Because I was very excited by the idea, the actual writing came quite easily - although I do get upset and cry when I write emotional scenes! Also, when I decided that the character Jenny was going to be disabled, I felt a great responsibility to write her in a way that didn't offend or annoy people who really do live with disability. That was quite hard, although I was inspired by a girl who I saw in a TV documentary who like Jenny had both her legs amputated above the knee, but who didn't let that stop her from doing all the things in life she wanted to do, and being a person who you would want to get to know for herself regardless of her disability.
If you would like to see your question answered on this page, just write it into the form on the contact me page.