Sarah P. Blanchard
Sarah P. Blanchard is a multi-genre writer who is strongly influenced by rural life and the natural world she has lived in, in her native New England as well as in Hawai'i and North Carolina, where she also lived for many years.
In her fiction, Sarah P. Blanchard writes about conflicted people making difficult decisions in impossible situations, sometimes with good outcomes—and sometimes not. Her acclaimed 2023 short story collection, Playing Chess with Bulls, features many such narratives. The title story was a finalist for the 2021 Doris Betts Fiction Prize; she was also a finalist for the 2024 Porch Prize for fiction with her short story, "Witnessing."
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Her first novel, Drawn from Life, is the story of a young woman who must confront a volatile antagonist as she seeks the truth of the tragic accident that branded her a killer. Drawn from Life has earned numerous awards, including an Independent Press Awards silver medal (distinguished favorite) and a Readers' Favorite honorable mention. It was also a finalist for the BookFest and American Fiction Awards, and shortlisted for an unpublished novel award by the Masters' Review.
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Also in 2024, Sarah released river, horse, morning, her first poetry chapbook. Many of these poems have been published previously in journals such as Calyx, Welter, and Sixfold.
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See the BOOKS page for more information.
Praise for Drawn from Life:
"A superb blend of psychological thriller and literary fiction." 5/5 stars —Viga Boland, Readers' Favorite
"An expertly plotted thriller powered by twisty suspense and memorable characters." —BookLife Prize
"A psychological thriller worthy of placement alongside Stephen King, James Patterson, Lee Child, Gillian Flynn..." 5/5 stars—Lorraine Cobcroft, Reedsy Discovery
"Brilliantly written with strong, imperfect characters." —Manhattan Book Review
"A skillfully executed story of suspense with compellingly complex characters….A well-crafted thriller about memories regained." —Kirkus Reviews
Sarah Blanchard’s Playing Chess with Bulls is a surprising and eclectic collection of well-executed literary fiction....Highly recommend.
"Surprising and eclectic" Amazon
Reviews: Playing Chess with Bulls story collection (December 2023)
Had me roped in from the first sentence, and then I couldn't turn pages fast enough. As a poet, love Blanchard's language, as a reader, smitten by the vivid images. — five stars
"Masterful storytelling" Amazon
Order through your local bookstore at Bookshop.org
"The Bus Driver" is a terrific story from start to finish. I saw it, felt it, loved everything about it. The voice is spot on."
Reader at Sixfold
Upcoming Appearances
Did you miss Sarah on Wayne Norman's morning show? (WILI 1400AM and 95.3 FM, Willimantic, CT) Listen to the 11/13/24 podcast here: https://share.transistor.fm/s/19cfcf98
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​​​​​2025
January 27, 7:00 - 9:00 pm - Rose City Poetry, 67 Main St, Norwich CT - poetry reading
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January 30, 7:00 -10:00 pm - Poetorium at Starlite Cafe, Southbridge MA - poetry reading
February 1, 2:00-4:00 pm - Booklovers Gourmet, Webster, MA - poetry reading​
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February 1, 5:00 - 7:00 pm - Wolperdinger Bookshop, Putnam, CT - poetry reading
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February 4, 6:00 - 8:00 pm - Richard Fox Poetry Series at Root & Press, 156 Shrewsbury St, Worcester, MA - poetry reading
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February 15, 2:00-4:00 pm - Booklovers Gourmet, Webster, MA - poetry reading
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February 27, 7:00 -10:00 pm - Poetorium at Starlite Cafe, Southbridge MA - poetry reading
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March 29, 10:00 - 4:00 - Ansonia Book Fair, Ansonia Public Library, Ansonia, CT - book signing, sales
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​April 8, 6:30 - 8:30 pm - Sisters in Crime Authors' Panel, Avon Public Library, Avon, CT - discussion, book signing, sales
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May 3, 11:00 am - 4:00 pm - Thompson Makers Fair, North Grosvenordale, CT - book signing, sales
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June 21-22, 10 am - 4 pm - Putnam Art Festival, Putnam CT - book signing, sales