Author Sarah Ickes was born and raised in the Keystone State, Pennsylvania. The social media and website manager also owns a small business, https://www.sarahickesart.com/, and designs her own book covers. Sarah started writing in elementary school, where a few of her works were published in national collections. Her first novel, The Serpent’s Star, came out in 2021. When Sarah isn’t writing, she enjoys putting Lego kits and puzzles together, as well as cooking, and spoiling her dog.
Which genres do you cover?
Sarah Ickes: Currently, I have the following genres and series published: The Murial Robertson Mysteries (Historical Fiction, set in America during the late 1880s), The Cybil Lawson Mysteries (Contemporary Cozy/Light-Hearted Traditional Mystery), and The Vectra Tillerman Adventures (Action/Adventure/Greek Mythology/Steampunk with a contemporary setting). My Twisted Short Tales series (books with a collection of short stories) will be coming out later this year.
Which is the latest book you had published, and what is about?
Sarah Ickes: My latest book came out in October of last year, and is the first installment in my Cybil Lawson Mysteries, entitled The Ghost of Christmas Pastel. Now, while I do say that it’s a cozy mystery, some might call it a light-hearted traditional because of the added twists and turns woven into the plot. It centers on a young woman working hard at the local arts and crafts store in a town called Robbyr’s Cove; a place founded by a gang of jewel thieves and their families near the turn of the century. But the old lores of long-lost gems isn’t the only thing being whispered about by the townsfolk this year. Despite everything seemingly going wrong at the beginning of the holiday season, Cybil is determined to have a great Christmas until disaster strikes when the church’s choir director is found dead in the middle of the road. Evidence suggests that a sleigh and rogue reindeer are at fault, but with all joking aside, the number of suspects is longer than Santa’s Nice List when she begins investigating to prove her hands are clean of the crime. Things take a turn for the worst when another body is sprinkled into the mix of robbery, stalking, threats, judgmental home bakers and a plethora of clues. As the case drags on, Cybil’s best friend finds herself caught in the cross-hairs and it all might just came down to a miss-gifted present that holds the answer.
At which book events can readers find you?
Sarah Ickes: While I am in the works of applying to some book events for the year, I can tell you that I will be doing an Author Takeover Event with a Facebook group called the Cozy Mystery Party on the evening of May 30th. For complete details, please visit their Facebook page. As this is accessible to anyone from all over the country, it’s a great way to engage and meet people that are both inside and outside my home state.
Which book event connecting you with readers is your favorite and why?
Sarah Ickes: It is not its own event, per se, but Author Speed-Dating is an interactive way that some of the larger conventions use to help readers and authors engage in a fast-paced style. One of the bookshops, where I have participated in events before, calls it Author Round-About, but it works on the same principal idea. Just like in speed-dating, a person is in charge of the timer, and when the clock runs out, they simply press the buzzer to keep all the authors moving to the next table. It’s a fun way to briefly introduce your works to potential readers, and I find it rewarding in the sense that I can tailor my approach according to how the people react at the different tables.
Do(es) your book(s) have any specific messages to your readers and, if so, which are they?
Sarah Ickes: Each of my books carry a few thoughtful messages that my characters either allude to in their thoughts, speak out loud to others, or express in the way they act. While I try to keep the preachiness on the lower side, not wanting to overshadow the overall plot lines of my stories, I like to include historical references, strength by overcoming adversity, and finding confidence in oneself through helping others.
Which writer(s) keep(s) inspiring you and why?
Sarah Ickes: When people ask me this question, I have two authors in mind. First is Natalie Babbit with her young reader books whose messages run so much deeper than the mere surface of her words. And second is Rick Riordon with his wonderful Percy Jackson series, which encouraged my love of reading. Both of them helped me to develop the story elements I strive to include in my writings, as well as the pace at which my stories run. I also enjoyed reading Erin Hunter as a kid and, most recently, The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Moss – a story which reminds me very much of Natalie Babbit in their approach.
Do you have any specific writing habits?
Sarah Ickes: I tend to write more at night while listening to music. That being said, I kind of write whenever and wherever I have a little spare time.
What are you currently working on?
Sarah Ickes: It feels like a never-ending list at times … but the next installment in my Cybil Lawson Mysteries, In Plein Air Sight, is set to come out this spring. I also have Murial Robertson #2.5, The Nation’s Grief, and Vectra Tillerman Adventures #2, The Fall of Time, and the first in my Twisted Short Tales, A Year 4 Twisted Short Tales, slated for this year. In the background, I’m also working on a women’s fiction series, a standalone mystery, and another fantasy series.
Which book are you currently reading simply for entertainment?
Sarah Ickes: I’ve been diving into the Sherlock Bones Mysteries by Tim Collins. They are so much fun and remind me a lot of the popular movie Zootopia.
What advice would you give any aspiring author?
Sarah Ickes: It’s okay to mess up a few times. What matters is getting back up and learning from your mistakes for the next round. This lesson is one of which I have to keep reminding myself when I strive for perfection and miss the mark. And be careful at how high you value others critiques. Life is more of a mental game than anyone tells you in school, and it is easy to let the wrong voices get to you.
You can find Sarah Ickes’ books at many large retail chains, as well as at https://bookshop.org/search?keywords=Sarah+Ickes, https://www.mysterybooksonline.com/, and at her own website, https://www.sarahickesart.com/.
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