Sara Barnes – författare

‘The cold water has given me the key to unlock myself within a place I didn’t know existed: the community of cold-water swimmers right around the world. What binds us all together is the cold and how it makes us feel: brave enough to tackle even the toughest of life’s issues.’Having been a keen runner and cyclist all her life, in 2017 Sara Barnes was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis and found herself facing major surgery and a future of limited mobility. Rather than obsessing about what she could no longer do, she decided to focus on what she could do and took to the water of the tarns, river pools and lakes in her home county of Cumbria. A new appreciation of being in nature and love of cold-water swimming and immersion was born.In The Cold Fix, Sara takes the reader on an enthralling journey, from her first tentative steps into the water, to meeting other swimmers from around the world who share her passion and who can help her answer the question: what is it about cold water that proves irresistible to an increasing number of people?

An uplifting novel on friendship, the menopause and the healing power of nature! She was the only human being down at the lake. Elbows, in need of a slather of moisturiser, pointed at the clouds; breasts, lifted to pre-children perkiness; baby belly stretched and flattened. She stretched her arms out wide as she started to walk barefoot into the lake. Peering down into the clear water, she pulled down her goggles. It was time to plunge forwards, succumbing to the embrace of the water. It was as if she were flying. For friends Stevie, Holly and Angela, the last few years haven't been kind. With marriage breakdowns and sacrifices, their only moments of peace come when they are outside in the wild waters of the Lake District.Now it's time for these three women to love themselves, just as they love the cold, and take charge of their own happiness in this uplifting and meditative novel of friendship and the healing power of nature. Readers are loving The Winter of Our Lives: ‘A beautiful story that I highly recommend to any middle-aged female outdoor swimmers out there. It would make a thoughtful and incredible gift for any nature lover or someone going through a similar journey.''I laughed, cried and related to each character like they were my closest friends.'‘…an intensely personal story about four older individuals who find acceptance, connection and the desire to live through physical exercise in the wilds of nature.''This novel was a perfect find for me. All my life I had been an avid hiker and outdoor adorer until my MS diagnosis and progression altered my future in a desolating way.'

Learn to make embroidery a way to treasure your life as you create three personal projects supported by the guidance, stories, and advice of 14 modern crafters. “Crafters who feel restricted by the rigid instructions of other how-to manuals will relish this invitation to let their creativity run wild.” --Publishers Weekly Modern society has put a premium on producing, and sometimes that hustle culture (Instagram likes! Etsy sales!) can drain some joy from crafting. This book helps embroidery fans abandon that notion and, instead, realize that life is about treasuring what's important. • Interviews with 14 creative stitchers—from business owners to accomplished artists—make readers feel embraced by community. • Each artist shares photos of their creations, encouraging readers to incorporate empowering concepts into their stitching. • Three step-by-step projects, personalized to the reader's own preferences, teach how to: 1. Use your threads to treasure and display your life’s meaningful special objects. For instance, a special token of a favorite moment like a seashell, an event ticket, or a trinket from childhood. 2. Use your threads to treasure your worn and well-loved things, like your favorite garment, with mending and adornment (while also treasuring our environment). 3. Use your threads to treasure your small everyday moments—sit still, breathe deeply, and enjoy the making process—by creating a daily practice.