Book deal for spare-time writer
A Belfast mother of three who volunteers at her local parent and toddler group and writes in her spare time has won a book deal in a competition to find the "new JK Rowling". Sarah Wray was picked from 3,500 hopefuls who entered The Wow Factor, a new writing competition launched by Waterstone's and the publisher Faber. Her entry, The Forbidden Room, is the disturbing tale of a teenage girl, Jenny, who is left orphaned and disabled after a car accident, and is fostered by a family who lost their elder two children to a genetic disease. Gradually, she discovers that the family is not quite what it seems, until finally she finds herself facing a life-or-death dilemma. Wray studied genetics at the University of Belfast; and the central plotline, which tackles the ethics of curing sick children with controversial new techniques, draws on her scientific knowledge.
The judges for the competition included Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield of ITV's This Morning. "Sarah is a great story teller, and The Forbidden Room is a terrific read from beginning to end with its unlikely mix of orphans, disability, teenage love, pottery and illegal gene therapy!" they said of the winning story. "It's a slow-burn thriller that manages to be sensitive to the subjects it deals with while also being thought-provoking."
Wray, 36, has worked in a medical research lab, taught science, childminded and done a stint on a supermarket checkout. She began writing seriously six years ago. With little success until now, she says that becoming a published writer is the fulfillment of a lifetime ambition. "When I'm not writing, a lot of the time I'm thinking about my book and wishing I was writing," she said. "I want to write for children, because many of my favourite books are children's books, and I think that children and young people think about and feel things deeply, sometimes more so than adults who are a bit tired and jaded."
The Forbidden Room will be published by Faber in September 2006 and will be supported by a high-profile campaign in Waterstone's bookshops. The other 12 finalists on the shortlist, which included a 16-year-old Derbyshire schoolgirl, a 52-year-old teacher from Ealing and a 45-year-old journalist from Somerset, will all receive detailed feedback on their manuscripts.
Michelle Pauli
source - guardian.co.uk
Is Belfast mum next JK Rowling?
A Belfast mother-of-three could become the next JK Rowling after securing her first book deal. Sarah Wray fended off competition from 3,500 would-be writers to land a publishing contract for a children's book. The Finaghy woman scooped top prize in the WOW Factor writing competition launched by Waterstone's and Faber and Faber.
Her manuscript, The Forbidden Room, will be published next September and promoted in stores throughout UK and Ireland. The book centres on a teenage girl, Jenny, who is left orphaned and disabled after a car accident and lives in a care home until she is fostered. But she soon realises her foster family is hiding a secret and when she discovers diaries written by a previous foster child, she is about to unlock the shocking truth.
Sarah began writing seriously six years ago and already has six books under her belt. However, this is the first one to be published. It was her daughter who spotted a poster about the competition in Waterstone's, Belfast, and encouraged her mum to enter. Sarah said: "I was shocked and stunned when I got the call to tell me I'd won. I'd been counting down the days to the deadline. "I'm so excited about winning, being a published author is a dream come true for me, the fulfilment of a life-time's ambition, but I really hope that this is just the start of a long career as a writer. "My family are extremely proud of my success, although my children are most excited about the trip to Alton Towers I'm planning with the prize money!"
The judging panel that selected Sarah Wray as the winner from the 13 regional finalists included ITV's This Morning presenters Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield, New York Times List best-selling author GP Taylor and author Anna Dale. Phillip Schofield said: "Sarah is a great story teller and The Forbidden Room is a terrific read from beginning to end with its unlikely mix of orphans, disability, teenage love, pottery and illegal gene therapy."
Sarah moved to Belfast from Merseyside in 1988 to study genetics and since graduating has worked in a medical research laboratory, as a science teacher, childminder and on a supermarket checkout. Now she runs a parent and toddler group but spends her spare time writing. She said: "When I'm not writing, a lot of the time I'm thinking about my book and wishing I was writing. "I want to write for children, because many of my favourite books are children's books, and I think that children and young people think about and feel things deeply, sometimes more so than adults who are a bit tired and jaded with life."
The Forbidden Room competed with many manuscripts to win the top prize, including those submitted by a 16-year-old Derbyshire schoolgirl, a 45-year-old IT consultant from Bournemouth, an unemployed graduate from Leeds and a 52-year-old teacher from Ealing. Angela McGrath of Waterstone's in Belfast, where Sarah handed in her manuscript, said they were thrilled she had won. "We loved her manuscript and are immensely proud that she not only won her regional heat but then went on to win the whole competition as well," she said. "This is a fantastic achievement and we can't wait until next September to begin sharing her book with our customers."
source -BBC
She may be the new JK Rowling and she's from Belfast
A Belfast mother-of-three has been plucked from thousands of would-be JK Rowlings to be the next big thing in the lucrative world of children's fiction. Sarah Wray (36), is set to become a major name after outdoing 3,500 budding writers to win a life-changing book deal in a competition backed by leading lights in the publishing industry. The manager of a toddlers group is to have her manuscript The Forbidden Room published by Faber and Faber in September 2006 after winning the WOW Factor new talent search. The launch will be supported by a high profile promotional campaign which includes a prime position for her book at the front of every branch of Waterstone's in the UK and Ireland.
The former supermarket check-out worker said she was "shocked and stunned" when an influential judging panel tipped her as the name of the future in children's literature. "I'd been counting down the days to the deadline. I'm so excited about winning, being a published author is a dream come true for me, the fulfilment of a life-time's ambition, but I really hope that this is just the start of a long career as a writer," she said. "My family are extremely proud of my success, although my children are most excited about the trip to Alton Towers I'm planning with the prize money." Sarah only began writing seriously, every day, six years ago and has written six books to date, none of them published until now. She said she had her daughter to thank for spotting a poster about the competition in Waterstone's on Fountain Street in Belfast and encouraging her to enter.
After passing the Northern Ireland heat she was chosen from 13 regional finalists from a panel including ITV's 'This Morning' presenters Fern Britton and Phillip Schofield. Best-selling author GP Taylor and Waterstone's bookseller and successful children's author Anna Dale were also among the judges. "Sarah is a great story teller and The Forbidden Room is a terrific read from beginning to end with its unlikely mix of orphans, disability, teenage love, pottery and illegal gene therapy," said Phillip Schofield. "It is a slow burn thriller that manages to be sensitive to the subjects it deals with whilst also being thought provoking."
Originally from Merseyside, Sarah moved to Belfast in 1988 to study Genetics at Queen's University, and has lived in the city since. She runs a local parent and toddler group and spends any spare time she has writing. "When I'm not writing, a lot of the time I'm thinking about my book and wishing I was writing," she said. "I want to write for children, because many of my favourite books are children's books, and I think that children and young people think about and feel things deeply, sometimes more so than adults who are a bit tired and jaded with life."
Brian Hutton
source - Belfast Telegraph
