writer, observer, reader, procrastinator. My debut novel, See What I Have Done, published by Hachette (ANZ), Tinder Press (UK), Grove Atlantic (US), Piper Verlag (German), Editions Payot & Rivages (French), Hollands Diep (Dutch), Edizioni Piemme (Italian), GW Foksal (Polish), Palto Publishing (Turkish), MunhakDongne (Korean)
Represented by:
Pippa Masson, Curtis Brown Australia
Dan Lazar, Writer’s House (US)
Gordon Wise, Curtis Brown (UK)
SEE WHAT I HAVE DONE (Awards and Some Praise)
WINNER OF THE ABIA LITERARY FICTION OF THE YEAR 2018
WINNER OF THE MUD LITERARY AWARD 2018
Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2018
Shortlisted for the Indie Book Award for Debut Fiction 2018
Shortlisted for the Strand Critics Awards for Best First Novel
Longlisted for the ABIA Matt Richell Award for New Writers 2018
Longlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award 2019
For the originality of its voice and the power of its language and imagery, See What I Have Done deserves to be considered a Gothic classic - THE SATURDAY PAPER
See What I Have Done is a meticulously researched and boldly imagined book that crackles with tension throughout. Schmidt's portrayal of Lizzie is haunting and complex, a deeply psychological portrait that forces the reader to question their preconceptions about what women are capable of - for better and worse. Both disturbing and gripping, it is an outstanding debut novel about love, death and the lifelong repercussions of unresolved grief. - The Observer
Schmidt is a consummate storyteller whose account of the Borden murders is utterly compelling. - Australian Book Review
Schmidt's writing is rich and confident, painting a vivid portrait of a household with something rotten at its core. It's a strong debut that promises much from an original and compelling new voice in Australian literature. - The Guardian
There are books about murder and there are books about imploding families; this is the rare novel that seamlessly weaves the two together, asking as many questions as it answers. - Kirkus Reviews
[An] unforgettable debut ... Equally compelling as a whodunit, 'whydunit,' and historical novel. - Publishers Weekly
Heralds the arrival of a major new talent ... Nail-biting horror mixes with a quiet, unforgettable power to create a novel readers will stay up all night finishing. - Booklist
This novel is like a crazy murdery fever dream, swirling around the day of the murders. Schmidt has written not just a tale of a crime, but a novel of the senses. There is hardly a sentence that goes by without mention of some sensation, whether it’s a smell or a sound or a taste, and it is this complete saturation of the senses that enables the novel to soak into your brain and envelope you in creepy uncomfortableness. It’s a fabulous, unsettling book. —Book Riot
Eerie and compelling, Sarah Schmidt breathes such life into the terrible, twisted tale of Lizzie Borden and her family, she makes it impossible to look away. —Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train
I love that cover! I have just read a proof copy of See What I Have Done, left for me by the Tinder Press rep, (I manage an indie bookshop in Brackley, England) I thoroughly enjoyed it and polished it off in just over a day. One for the book groups!
(I do like the pigeon cover too but the pear clinches it for me).
Good luck with the book. Chris
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Hi Chrissie. Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving me a message. I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the book: it’s definitely a relief to know that after all those years of writing it, people are reading and engaging with those characters.
I love both covers and think they capture very different (yet the same – if that makes sense?) qualities of the book. My OZ publisher said that he thought the pigeon was representative of Lizzie, whereas the pear had an Emma quality.
cheers SS
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Thanks Sarah. Here’s to a great success for your book.
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I am so excited for this book. I am not in the excellent position as Chrissie is to get advanced copies, but I will be there at launch date.
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Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy the book when it’s released 🙂
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But Erina, you may very well get an advanced copy…I know someone who can help you there 😉 x
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Sarah, hi, I live in Ireland and have my order in for a copy of your book, which I’m really looking forward to, and found out about through a website that said it was for readers who enjoyed Burial Rites by Hannah Kent (amazing story). My problem is I would really like to get a signed copy, but this is difficult for me, living in a rural area. Do you know if there is any way to get a signed copy, or can I arrange to post my book to you, to have signed/returned, please? Thank you. Colin Hart
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Hi Colin, thanks for getting in touch. Seeing as though I live all the way over in Australia it might be easier if we try to arrange this through the UK publisher (Tinder Press). I’m sure something can be arranged. There’s also a chance that I’ll sign a bunch of copies for a bookstore and you could nab one that way. But I reckon we try the publisher route! Thanks for stopping by
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