Sarah Bevan Fischer

Biography

I wrote my first story aged eight and have never really stopped since. A busy career, mostly in the fashion industry, filled my days. I have written articles, regular features and a blog for many years but every attempt to write a novel never made it beyond the first couple of chapters.
Finally an opportunity to follow my dream came when I lost my job and simultaneously got a buyer for our house in the UK. We planned to downsize and remove to Spain. Almost as light relief from the organisation and packing I started to write the first chapters. Unlike on previous occasions the words flew off the keyboard and the first book of The Friendship Diaries, Palmerstone, was born. I continued writing furiously once settled in Spain.
I loved writing the Friendship Diaries and I had high hopes that readers would love the characters as much as I had loved writing them. Caitlin, Rebecca, Suzanne and Penny have been my imaginary friends for a long time. I always had the intention of continuing the stories with the younger characters to the fore. The warm and supportive feedback that I have received from many of you has inspired me to crack on with the next series of stories - Beyond Friendship.
My sincere thanks go to all of you who have followed my stories. Particularly thanks to those of you who have taken the time and effort to give your very valuable feedback. Writing can be a lonely business, a word of praise or a constructive criticism are always welcome.
I completed the planned four books of Beyond Friendship and published in October last year. Then I took to reading for a change of emphasis. Amongst the books that I picked up was Jane Austen's fabulous P&P, an all time beloved of mine along with many other JA fans. So I curled up and re-read my all time favourite novel savouring the acute observation and sly wit and, of course, the classic romance between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Once I had completed reading the novel I was at a loose end. I got to wondering what the Bennet family would be like if they were around today...
The result of my musing formed my next project. A Universal Truth, written in two parts (Emerald and The Master of Pemblane), transposes the Bennett's into the 21st Century. I changed the names of the characters to suit the modern setting and had a little fun with the plot. The story is anchored in the past by a parallel love story that haunts the modern characters.
A Universal Truth is not an attempt to emulate JA's wonderful work, rather to recognise its ongoing extraordinary popularity 200 years after it was penned. I hope not to seriously offend any stalwart Austenites, if I have I apologise wholeheartedly. (And I had absolutely no idea how many JA tributes and sequels have been written until I embarked on the second half of this project. Naive or what?!).
What next? It is difficult to decide because I have several half formed ideas. My decision has been made for me by requests from my lovely readers for another in the Friendship and Beyond stable - therefore the adventures of Hattie, Charlie, Chantal, and Poppy; plus the old guard from the first series will hit the shelves by the end of May 2014 with a bit of luck and a following wind!
Thanks to my readers once more for all of your feedback, appreciative or otherwise! I love to hear from you.

Smashwords Interview

Please tell us a little about yourself.
Sarah Bevan Fischer is the author of thirty New York Times bestsellers, all of which have jumped onto the Times bestseller list in the number one to five spot. Bevan Fischer now has over thirty million copies of her books in print worldwide, and her work has been translated into twenty languages. NOT! Ha ha! She also makes up stories for a living and, hey we all have to dream...
Actually I have written all my life but until fairly recently I have been a hostage of my day job; BUT not any more. I've been writing non-stop to make up for lost time. The result so far a series of eight novels, with some others on the way. An entirely new venture next and possibly some more in the Palmerstone stable after (I'm currently suffering from withdrawal symptoms as I'm denied my daily hang out with my imaginary best friends). I'm not a best selling author yet but my first book "Palmerstone" has made it onto the Top 100 publications in the Family Saga genre of Amazon.com :-0
What are you working on next?
My books are in the romance/saga/contemporary genre. I have actually written 8 books. The first series of four books: Friendship Diaries follows the lives of four women who meet at school and form a lasting bond. The story follows the women's lives, loves and loses; at the heart of the narrative is, unsurprisingly, the women's friendship. The Beyond Friendship series features the lives of the second generation of characters; I have just completed the final book in this series which is due out on 14th November! (PLEASE put the date in your diary!) Owing to the withdrawal symptoms I admit that I am contemplating a couple more books in the Palmerstone stable!! For the time being I am writing the outline for a completely new story. Based loosely on a classic novel (see if you can guess) and my imaginings of how the story would pan out in the 21st Century. I plan to start writing in earnest on November 1st having rather unwisely entered for the NaNoWriMo Challenge (write 50,000 words in the month of November) eek! ;-0 Follow my progress here on Smashwords or at nanowrimo.org
Read more of this interview.

Books

A Universal Truth - Compendium Edition
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 125,490. Language: English. Published: March 21, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Romance » Contemporary, Fiction » Romance » Paranormal » General
The Bennet sisters are very different, products of a marriage in terminal decay. Emerald is loosely based on the famous and much loved classic precursor Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. AUT echoes the 200-year-old novel but is widely different and is how I imagine the story may pan out in the 21st century. The story follows the love of Emy and Matt with haunting echoes of their predecessors...
The Master of Pemblane (Book 2 - A Universal Truth)
Series: A Universal Truth, Book 2. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 58,110. Language: English. Published: March 17, 2014 . Categories: Fiction » Literature » Plays & Screenplays
In the second part of A Universal Truth (Based on marvelous Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice) it is five years later. Emy has forged a successful career in New York and Matt has reestablished the Pemblane estate on an even footing. Both have faced their demons and moved on. Each of them dream of the other and are drawn towards each other with a magnetic force that cannot be denied...
Emerald
Series: A Universal Truth, Book 1. Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 70,720. Language: English. Published: November 1, 2013 . Categories: Fiction » Romance » Contemporary, Fiction » Women's fiction » Chick lit
NaNoWriMo 2013 book. Last updated 2013-11-30 12:32:41
Goal reached!
The story follows the lives of the five daughters of the Bennet family. The sisters are wildly different, products of a marriage in terminal decay. Emerald - A Universal Truth is loosely based on a famous classic precursor and is how I imagine the story may pan out in the 21st century. And yes it is Pride and Prejudice. Emerald is the first of two in A Universal Truth. Sequel is coming SOON!

Smashwords book reviews by Sarah Bevan Fischer

  • Georgiana Darcy's Diary: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice continued on March 10, 2013

    I have to admit that I approached this read with extreme caution! In fact each time I saw the title I though ho hum to myself, being more than a bit of a Jane Austin fan. My curiosity got the best of me however and I downloaded, only to leave the same to sit on my iPad for a couple of weeks. Once I started it I was hooked. Not JA for sure but a really entertaining and interesting read - not exactly how I imagined Georgiana would pan out but loved her character and was pleased to visit a happy and expectant Elizabeth and Mr Darcy. A brave choice of subject matter and a triumph. I just realise I've shot myself in the foot as my novel has been playing tag with this one. With this review Ms Anna Elliot has gone one step ahead (The author sounds like a Austen character!). Well done!