Author Spotlight – Sarah Klaiber

Author Spotlight

Welcome to another edition of Author Spotlight, featuring Sarah Klaiber.

Writing was Sarah’s first love. Her creations started at a very young age with poetry and short stories. As time went on, her passion evolved into songwriting. Sarah enjoyed composing so much that she made plans to pursue it as a career after high school. She was offered a recording contract, but there was a different path in her future.

Creativity took a back seat as Sarah worked towards being the best wife and mother she could be. The music scene made a brief re appearance, but the experience was disappointing to say the least. After that, the pen stood still for quite some time.

From a very young age, Sarah also fought the silent battle of depression. It worsened in time and began to rob her and her family of the happy memories they deserved. Finally, she had enough. That was the day she began her journey to fight instead of give in. The result has been better days.

Sarah taught herself that, among other changes, taking time to find appreciation provides a better outlook and bring light to some darkness. The concept began with “Treasures,” the resurrection of her passion for writing. Today, she is proud to be the voice of someone who gets it, someone who still struggles but not ashamed to admit imperfections while trying to help others.

Her children’s book, Treasures, was born as a result of a personal journey towards natural mental wellness. It has since evolved into a mission to share the connection between appreciation and happiness. Treasures are not always in the form of gold and gems. Treasures are not always buried or difficult to find. Treasures are sometimes felt and not seen. Treasures are around us every day.

Let’s take a look at her new children’s book, Treasures.

Klaiber’s new book teaches kids and adults how good it feels to love and appreciate the treasures all around us.

There are millions of children’s books available today, and thousands of books on the value of positive thinking.  Award winning author Sarah Klaiber has managed to take a completely unique approach to both genres with this new release.

Nearly all of these kinds of books extol the virtues of positive thinking. Nothing new there. However, to find the reason WHY we should be positive, we must look beyond our perceptions of everyday events. This goes beyond positive thinking to the realization that every happening – good, bad, ugly, sad – offers us the opportunity to find a hidden treasure. What is a treasure? A treasure is anything that has value. And every one of those treasures holds massive power. How do we do that? There are three simple steps – Stop. Look. Appreciate.

“I wrote this book to remind kids and adults to appreciate the small things, the things around them that mean more than they realize,” Klaiber stated. “If more children grow up with this message, the world could someday be a happier place. The same result could come from more adults being reminded of it as well.”

A child’s mental health is all important. Our children face issues we have never faced. The mental health issue is particularly challenging, as today’s kids must interact in a world in which social media (and the resulting cyberbullying) take center stage. This does not only affect children. Adults face many of the same issues. Thankfully, Sarah did not stop with publishing a book. She also created a blog where she presents all kinds of ideas in regards to learning how to stop, look and appreciate.

When asked about the mission of her blog, Sarah stated “It is important to think positively more often than most of us do. The opportunity is always with us, not just when the book is open. My blog gives this message value. It gives the opportunity to connect, comfort and allow gentle reminders into our unprioritized minds.”

Treasures has received high praise from readers and reviewers. The book received a five star review from Readers Favorite. In that review, Barbara Fanson stated, “Treasures will remind children that they have a lot more valuable items in their life than they realize.” Red City Review said, “The lesson offered is a crucial one, and parents will be sure to support the message that the book is trying to make.” Another Amazon reviewer said, “Perfect book for keeping little ones grounded in this high tech, materialistic world.” Great word choices tell what children (and everyone) value most. Excellent for grandparents’ (and parents’) snuggle time . . .”

Treasures is available on Amazon or by private purchase.

Sarah is available for author visits and can be reached using the information below or through her website. You can also connect with her through Facebook.

Contact information: sarah@treasuresaroundus.com

(716) 628-4770

Author Confessions Round 31

Here it is, the final author’s confession post. Rather than pitching Center Stage, I’ll give a brief synopsis, which I DETEST writing, by the way.

Anyway, here it is.  Center Stage, book 4 in the Scrubs series.

New York City—a thriving metropolis full of dreams. The bright lights of Times Square, the billboard posters promoting the latest musicals, and the theatre marquees up and down Broadway attract millions of theatre lovers every year. Lauren Hanson was no exception.

Prior to moving to New York, Lauren made every effort to make her dream of performing on Broadway a reality. She enrolled in dance classes, took voice lessons, and participated in various acting workshops. Now in her first year at the Juilliard School, she seeks to improve her craft and work her way into the professional world of musical theatre. A Broadway performer named Roger Zellers steers her in the right direction. His assistance becomes tainted, however, when a blast from his past tries to sabotage Lauren’s career. Harassment, lies, and openly violent threats make Lauren question Roger’s intentions.

While Lauren pursues the glamor of the Great White Way, Lauren’s twin sister tries to establish herself as a reputable choreographer. Having connections with Roger comes in handy when he asks her for a special favor. Through Roger, she meets other professionals, gains a new following, and finds potential love. But will her fairytale come true, or will her plans crumble to pieces in the hustle and bustle of New York City?

Author Confessions Round 30

I’ve claimed one hashtag already, strictly for marketing purposes. It’s #scrubsbookseries.

For a more personal hashtag, I guess I’d choose #RandomActsOfWeirdness. On the outside, I appear to be a pretty mellow and down to earth person. I’m quiet and reserved most of the time. But when I’m in the comfort of my own home surrounded by family, my inner weirdness comes out. My quirkiness shines through and my inner child lets loose. I spend all day in a professional environment, where I deal with deadlines and paperwork, attend long meetings, and attempt to educate a large group of eleven year-olds. I’m forced to be serious and act like a grownup five days a week. When I’m not at work, I need to unwind. That’s when my random acts of weirdness are released to the world.

Author Confessions Round 29

 I’m not sure I know the answer to this question. I don’t admire any particular person, so to speak. Rather, I admire those who don’t give up on their dreams, are willing to work hard to make them happen, and remain humble in the process. People who push through adversity, people who go up against the odds, people who persevere even if things are hard are the ones I admire most, because they don’t let anything stop them. They take the lemons life throws at them and make lemonade.

Author Confessions Round 28

 Jonathan Carroll once said, “I find you write with one person in mind. Usually for me that one person is my wife, because she’s my most severe critic and understands best what I’m trying to do.” I guess the one person I write for is my mother-in-law, who has encouraged me from day one. She’s a huge Danielle Steele and Nora Roberts fan and keeps telling me I’m going to be the next Nora Roberts. I just laugh at her and think she’s crazy. But she believes in me. So when I write, I think about her.

Author Confessions Round 27

 Usually, I write from the comfort of my own home. I’m comfortable there and every resource I could possible need is within my grasp. I have access to tea, a recliner, my laptop, internet for research, an external hard drive, snacks, and itunes. Should I need inspiration, there’s a nature trail nearby where I can walk and get some fresh air. I generate ideas in my head no matter where I go, which is why I always carry a notebook and pen around. If inspiration strikes, I write down the idea, later transferring it over to an appropriate scene.  Home is where my heart is, and home is my writing spot.

Author Confessions Round 26

Because of my job, I write at night, usually between 8 and 10:00 P.M. My weekends are also dedicated to writing, Friday and Saturday nights in particular.  Those are the nights I’m up ’til 2:00 A.M. The house is quiet during that time and it’s easier for me to stay focused because I don’t have the kids, the TV, or my pets bothering me and constantly demanding my attention. I accomplish more and tend to be more creative during the wee hours of the morning.

Author Confessions Round 25

I have two inspirational quotes I like. One is writing related. One is not. The first is from my favorite poem by Robert Frost, The Road Less Traveled.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

My life has been full of less traveled roads. Each road I’ve taken, although full of rocks and potholes, has been well worth the journey.

The second quote is from Pulitzer Prize winner, Junot Diaz. I kind of live by this quote, simply because it defines who I am as a writer. Even if book sales aren’t going well, writing goals aren’t panning out, I receive a crappy review, or I’m just flat out having a sucky day, this quote inspires me to remember why I write, and I push forward.

Author Confessions Round 24

 I don’t share many things about my personal life with the writing community. It is extremely difficult for me to expose myself, especially to people I don’t know, and it makes me uncomfortable. I’m pretty secretive about my life, and there are details about me that even my closest friends don’t know. I don’t dwell on previous events, don’t talk much about my past, and try to stay focused on what’s happening in my life right now. My current goals drive me, and although I tend to take on life in the moment, I look forward to where my future might lead me.

Author Confessions Round 23

I have not killed enemies in any of my books…yet.  It’s only a matter of time before I do though. I have killed off fiends and family members of my MC, which was difficult to do, but needed to be done to help the character grow.

I’m going to tackle completely different genres once the Scrubs series is complete. Crime fiction and fantasy lead themselves well to killing enemies. I’m sure a few good guys will go down in the process too.