Sara Barefield

by Marian D. Schwartz

Overview

"Sara isn't a quitter. She does what is necessary to survive, and the reader goes on this incredible journey with her…You'll cheer her on as she tells you her compelling story." The Midwest Book Review

 

A single mother fights poverty. She believes she can win.

 

Sara has worked her entire life to overcome the name Barefield. To be a Barefield in the rural Virginia county where she grew up means that you are the poorest of the poor, that you are shiftless and untrustworthy, lazy and stupid. Sara has succeeded in proving that she is none of those things. At the age of forty she has a nice apartment and a good job as a school secretary.

 

When she discovers that she's pregnant, Sara is thrilled. She wants this baby more than she has ever wanted anything. But the father of her baby and the only man Sara has ever loved dies before she tells him that she's pregnant.

 

Sara has five hundred dollars in savings and no means of support after the baby is born. She knows she will have to go on welfare, but she escaped poverty once and is sure she can do it again.

 

But the poverty Sara plunges into after she gives birth is beyond anything she had expected. Facing eviction and the possibility of living on the street, Sara must find a way out of the trap she finds herself in.

 

"Ms. Schwartz is a powerhouse writer. She has painstakingly crafted a beautiful, thoughtful tale with unimaginable depth… This book is a jewel, one that will stay with the reader long after the final page."  InD'tale Magazine

 

"Wow! What an amazing and powerful story. Hard to put down! I highly recommend this to anyone looking for their next read." Tara

 

 

Fans of Jodi Picoult's books will enjoy Sara Barefield.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940153403564
Publisher:	Gristmill Publishing, L.L.C.
Publication date:	07/19/2016
Sold by:	Draft2Digital
Format:	eBook
File size:	603 KB

About the Author

I was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. Reading was my escape from the legendary Buffalo winters and probably contributed to my becoming a writer.

I began writing poetry while I was in graduate school, some of which was published in small literary magazines. The first sentence in REALITIES—My children are gambling— was the first line of a poem that grew into a novel. It was gratifying to see REALITIES published, not only in the United States but in England and Sweden, where it was a selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club.

The idea for a novel can come from anywhere. THE LAST SEASON, THE STORY OF A MARRIAGE started with an image of three middle-aged adults sitting at a dinner table, a married couple and an unmarried man. When the husband asked the man what his intentions were, the fellow replied, "I intend to marry your wife." The image was a gift, and I had to run with it.

Fiction can take you places and introduce you to subjects you might want to know more about. I wrote THE WRITERS' CONFERENCE to open the world of publishing to readers and aspiring writers, a world most people will never see.

In HARRY DANCED DIVINELY, I returned to the 1950s. To my surprise, the stories, which are all fictional, didn't have the "Leave It to Beaver" innocence that I believed growing up in a house like the homes I created on Giffort Street.

Years ago, I climbed the Great Wall of China. When I reached the top, I saw men standing with their shoulders back and their chests held high to have their pictures taken next to a red rectangular sign that had Chinese writing on it. I didn't have a clue as to what the writing said. Later in the day I asked my Chinese guide about the sign. He laughed. "It says "You are a man when you have climbed the Great Wall of China.'"

I think fiction should be as surprising as that sign.

Editorial Reviews

Sara isn't a quitter. She does what is necessary to survive, and the reader goes on this incredible journey with her, accompanying a decent, determined woman as she wends her way through the underside of American life, fighting to achieve her dreams. You'll cheer her on as she tells you her compelling story. THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

Often tragic but always insightful, "Sara Barefield" tackles themes of racism, classism and abject poverty. This well-honed, character driven story offers an uncompromising look at poverty and the feelings of helplessness and shame that are sometimes a by-product of being on public assistance. Ms. Schwartz is a powerhouse writer. She has painstakingly crafted a beautiful, thoughtful tale with unimaginable depth... readers will rejoice in Sara's amazing ability to overcome adversity, and ultimately triumph. The realistic portrayal of difficult choices combined with the many instances of hope and redemption make this a worthwhile tale. This book is a jewel, one that will stay with the reader long after the final page. InD'tale Magazine

“First and foremost, get a box of tissues because you are going to cry and get angry and be dumbfounded all at the same time. When you are done you will want to tell everyone about this book! I highly recommend it.” Andrea L. Stoekel

From the Publisher