Apparently I’m a social media hermit, because I had no idea that #boostmybio existed until today.
Anyway, I’m jumping in and posting my own bio here. If you’re reading this, and new to my website, welcome! We have plenty of aliens, unicorns, and coffee around here. There’s also a fair bit of cosplay involved. But, most importantly, this site (and my life) is all about the writing.
About Me:
I’m a Californian living in London, which is quite literally my dream come true. I’m currently writing from my lovely home in Northfields, with my dog and my new husband (geek cred: we got married on Star Wars Day).
I recently received my Masters Degree in English Language and Linguistics. My dissertation focused on certain elements of cognitive linguistics and their effect on a reader’s appreciation of a piece of literature. Basically, I was sneakily studying how to make my own writing better.
The professors apparently liked it, because I passed the course with Distinction (sorry for the humble brag, but hey, I’m supposed to be selling myself here, right?)
I’m also a copy writer, because I seem to enjoy playing with reader’s brains on all fronts.
About My Writing:
I’ve been writing fiction since I was about nine years old. My first “book” lived inside one of those black and white wide-ruled compositions. I filled it with diary entries about a 14th-century English girl struggling through the Black Death that had ravaged her village. Kind of a strange subject for a kid, but I’ll save that psychoanalysis for a future post.
Adult Sarah writes mainly speculative fiction. I have about seven different manuscripts, all of which are in at least their second draft. I’ve had short stories published in The Writers Tribe Review and Page & Spine.
I’ve been querying agents on and off for a few years, and though I’ve received wonderful feedback, nothing has really stuck.
That’s why I would love to have the guidance of a mentor 😀
About My Current Manuscript:
The Dollhouse* is an 88,000-word adult speculative fiction novel that follows JESS ANGELINA TORRES, a 25-year-old unemployed ex-hacker with an attitude, $10.57 in her account, and a perpetually empty flask.
Days before Jess has to leave her New Orleans apartment, per her eviction notice, she starts hearing a voice in her head.
This voice, who claims to be Jess, but in another universe, is begging for her help. Something is wiping the brain of every human on her planet. The infection spreads through a simple touch. In seconds, the only thing left is the shell of a human who retains basic skills and functions, but no soul. These new beings, with blank eyes and haunting smiles, have been named Dolls. Within hours, the Doll infection has hit almost every continent.
ANGELINA, Jess’s “better half,” is one of the few survivors. Before the Dolls, she was a successful engineer at SolarX, the world’s most profitable tech company. She did yoga. She owned her own house. She drove a Prius. (Jess hates her).
Though life has been good for Angelina, she’s now forced to take shelter with coworkers at SolarX. They believe the source of the infection, and the only person who can reverse it, has escaped to Jess’ universe.
Jess agrees to track down the source. This leads to a road trip with her best friend, LIZ, to the home of a failing reality star in Hollywood Hills. What they don’t know is that they’re being followed, and their goal isn’t as straightforward as it seems.
Following the separate lives and fates of the same woman, The Dollhouse questions the boundaries between fate and choice, nature and nurture, and the relationships we forge along the way.
*Working title. Yes, I’m a huge fan of Joss Whedon and his Dollhouse TV series.
The Dollhouse is a delightful mix of:
Boozy New Orleans and gritty LA
Ethel and Louise-inspired road trips and best girl buddies
“Found families” and family bonds that run deep
Women in STEM fields and kicking butt at it
Ford Mustangs (convertible, of course)
Broadway musicals being sung off-key in aforementioned Mustang
Maybe a little too much cursing, but it’s Jess’ fault
My favourite literature:
Anything by Gail Carriger
The Warcross series by Marie Lu
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series
Anything written by Paul Tremblay
The Giver by Lois Lowry
Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang (spoke to my linguistics-loving soul)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Vox by Christina Dalcher (it made me so angry, and I love her for it)
Other things that make me happy:
Chocolate fudge cake
Creating cosplays
All things Disney
Gaming (my all-time favourite is The Sims)
My lovely little English garden
The Roswell (TV) series. I will write a script starring Jason Behr for $1. Yes, I’m serious. This blog post is a legally binding document.
Anything touched by the golden hands of Joss Whedon
Amelie (she’s my spirit animal)
Florence + the Machine (also my spirit animal)
Little House on the Prairie – I wanted to be a pioneer when I grew up. Also, I haven’t grown up yet, so there’s still hope.
This little guy, otherwise known as The Master of My Life:
My Social Media Links:
And I have a Goodreads account that needs updating
Are you participating in #Pitchwars this year? If so, how are the preparations going? Also, please comment with your #boostmybio link, or information about the manuscript you plan to pitch!
If you’re a #Pitchwars mentor, agent, and/or editor, please please please pick me! thank you for your time, and for helping all of us reach our writerly dreams!
Sarah Long Writes 