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Above The Fold - February 1, 2010
Accomplished Author, Pastry Chef,
And Jill-Of-All-Trades
Pastry chef, author, and proud mother and grandmother, Sabine Goldman was born and raised in Germany and has been in the United States since 1983. After a long career as an optician and an ongoing career as a pastry chef, Sabine has found another passion in writing and hopes to bring many hours of suspense to readers of all ages.
To learn more about Sabine, visit her website at:
To learn more about Sabine, visit her website at:
BOOK VIDEO TRAILER:
A Leap Of Faith
(Sabine Goldman)
A Leap Of Faith
(Sabine Goldman)
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Sabine Goldman (A Leap Of Faith)
Apex Reviews: Thanks for joining us for this interview, Sabine. We're looking forward to learning more about your book.
How did you come up with the idea for crafting a tale about an elusive Pixie community?
Sabine Goldman: I had been taking a creative writing class and we were given 20 words from which we were supposed to chose 5 to turn into a story. I ran with that and turned it in, my instructor told me that there was no need for me to continue with the class, to turn the story into a chapter book. Since I had been dealing with some very intense personal stuff I took the whole thing a step further and turned the book into something with a lesson. I wanted to let the reader know that it doesn't matter what someone looks like - it's about accepting each other. I also wanted to get the point across that if you believe in your dreams you can make anything happen, and that no matter what someone does you can find it within yourself to forgive, it does make you feel better in the long run. It wasn't until later that I noticed that I didn't really give any detailed physical descriptions of the characters. I didn't want to, young women and girls in today's world are pressured too much as it is to fit a certain image. I just wanted to be able for the reader to put herself into the place of any of the characters no matter what she looks like.
AR: Are any of the characters in the book based on real-life people you know?
SG: The names yes, my daughter Sam provided the name of Faith's friend, Jen and Jules are my oldest daughter and grand daughter, Rob is my ex-husband, Ryan was someone I worked with at Borders, Maliek is modeled after Duff Goldman (my cake decorating idol) and Mariskina, she isn't named after any one but she is my grandma through and through. In the sequel there will be a lot of new characters, two of them were actually created by a little 8 year old girl named Sarah Christian. Last but not least I see a lot of myself in Faith and Sam, curiosity always getting Faith in trouble and Sam holding on to her believes no matter what.
AR: When Faith is discovered by the human children, they commonly refer to her as a Fairy, even though she's really a Pixie. What's the difference between the two?
SG: I think there is a very distinct difference between the two. Fairies (and I'm sure Tinkerbell would disagree) are loners. They actually kinda look down on Pixies. Fairies are not born like humans and Pixies they come from inside a very special flower blossom which takes 7 years to develop. They age very slowly and barely change physically throughout their lives. Pixies on the other hand are very similar to humans. For the first 17 years they age at the same rate as a human but after the lightning ceremony their aging process slows down tremendously, they also receive all of their powers at that point.
AR: Why is Faith so drawn to the human world?
SG: There is something different about Faith right from the beginning. None of the Pixies have red hair so Faith thinks she being punished by nature, even more so when the freckles start popping up. She quickly learn that she is just very deeply in tune with nature and something draws her to the humans. Even though she has always had this intense draw to them it becomes stronger when she discovers Sam. They just seem like carbon copies of each other, just different sizes. Faith know deep down inside that humans and Pixies can co-exist and even help each other. She believes that as much as Sam believes that they exist.
AR: What's the main message that you'd like readers to take away from the story?
SG: I look at young people and see what they do to each other, cliques, groups that no outsider seems to be allowed in. The values seem to almost be non-existent, and girls have such damaged views of themselves. If your not skinny and wear the latest fashions you just don't fit in. That's not true. I would like the reader to be able to identify with any of the characters. There are no detailed physical descriptions. More so I would like the reader to realize that no matter what your dreams are, if you truly with all your heart believe it can and will happen. Also that what is inside of a person or creature, for that matter, is much more important than what is on the outside.
AR: Is there a sequel in the works?
SG: Yes, there is and I am very excited about it. It will be a bit longer than the first one. It will be revealed that Sam and Ryan are actually not the first humans to interact with Pixies and the attack on Tutle turns out not to have been an accident. I don't want to give away any more than that.
AR: Your daughter, Samantha, actually helped you with the illustrations in the book. What was that experience like?
SG: It was a lot of fun and a very valuable lesson for Sam. I had found an illustrator and she didn't follow through on deadlines, so I asked Sam if she would do it. She is so talented and a fantastic artist. She reluctantly did the pictures and of course she is exited now that her work is in a book. Since the release she has actually been offered to do the artwork for a graphic novel. It has given her a huge boost of self esteem and she has started to see what her potential is.
AR: Please share more with us about your publisher, Eloquent Books.
SG: I like Eloquent, they are really the way to go for a first time author. I would recommend them to anyone who would like a shot at being a published author. They are really there for their clients and hold your hand along the road to publication and after. It's very helpful.
AR: In addition to being an author, you also have experience as a pastry chef. Please share more with our readers about your endeavors in that field.
SG: I graduated from Scottsdale Culinary Institute in 2003. I have always loved cooking and at the pushing of friends and family I decided to go. I loved it. I worked as a Pastry and Personal Chef for 3 years and that went through a personal set back which left me unable and unwilling to continue. After 8 months of counseling I picked myself up and started again. During that time I began the creative writing class and realized that even though I can bring a lot of joy with one of my cakes I can do more with writing. I still make custom cakes, I love doing wedding cakes. It is unreal how much most places charge and I like being able to make a one of a kind custom cake for a couple with a limited budget. Why shouldn't they have the cake of their dreams?
AR: We also noticed that you were raised in Germany. Please tell us more about that experience.
SG: Yes, I was born and raised in Germany and came to the states March 16th, 1981, with my then husband and my oldest daughter, Jennifer. It was hard being so far away from family and friends, my English was good but still needed work and things were certainly different. I would have to say going from a small town to the City was the hardest, and it took me a while to adapt to the go-go attitude. I still go visit of course and I still love it. Now that I am older I appreciate the small town attitude a lot more. It was quit a bit different to grow up there, education is different, and lifestyles are as well. I am actually going back for Christmas this year and I am really looking forward to it. It will be the first time I get to spend Christmas alone with my parents in 30 years.
AR: What's next for you?
SG: I am working on the sequel to "A Leap of Faith". I am also working on two other books, novels actually. One "Aliese'a" is a fiction book, the story takes place in Ireland. I love Ireland and couldn't have thought of a better place for the story. The other book "In The Wake of My Life" is semi-fiction. A lot of what happens throughout the book is based on true events of my life.
AR: Do you have a website where our readers can learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
SG: Actually there are several spots where I post almost daily updates and news. They are:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mesa-AZ/Sabine-Goldman/134567694113
http://aleapoffaithbook.blogspot.com
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/ALeapOfFaith.html
I don't post updates at the last one since it is the website for the book, but the other two pretty much daily. I do hope to have a website up very soon.
AR: How can they contact you directly?
SG: If anyone would like to contact me they are welcome to do so at sabine.goldman@yahoo.com or leave a comment on the blogspot site for the book. I promise I will get back to everyone.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
SG: I think we live in a world that is becoming more and more careless about what we say and do to each other. Sarcasm is on the rise and most people think it is funny and it certainly can be in moderation. I often think about how much we pulled together as a nation right after 9/11 and how quickly we let go of that "togetherness" again. There is so much negativity in the world and if we all just realize that we are basically the same on the inside life would be better. Why shouldn't the beauty queens in high school be friends with those less physically attractive? So many young people have conflicts at home with parents who have no or little time for them. Would it really be that hard to become a part of your children's life? To support their hopes and dreams no matter how "out there" they may seem? It's not about designer labels, the smallest waist, biggest chest and clearest skin, it's about how we relate and communicate with each other. If we can realize how much richer our life can be accepting different cultures instead of trying to change them we would all be a lot happier. That is my dream and I hope it will come true.
AR: Thanks again, Sabine, and best of continued success to you in your endeavors!
Apex Reviews: Thanks for joining us for this interview, Sabine. We're looking forward to learning more about your book.
How did you come up with the idea for crafting a tale about an elusive Pixie community?
Sabine Goldman: I had been taking a creative writing class and we were given 20 words from which we were supposed to chose 5 to turn into a story. I ran with that and turned it in, my instructor told me that there was no need for me to continue with the class, to turn the story into a chapter book. Since I had been dealing with some very intense personal stuff I took the whole thing a step further and turned the book into something with a lesson. I wanted to let the reader know that it doesn't matter what someone looks like - it's about accepting each other. I also wanted to get the point across that if you believe in your dreams you can make anything happen, and that no matter what someone does you can find it within yourself to forgive, it does make you feel better in the long run. It wasn't until later that I noticed that I didn't really give any detailed physical descriptions of the characters. I didn't want to, young women and girls in today's world are pressured too much as it is to fit a certain image. I just wanted to be able for the reader to put herself into the place of any of the characters no matter what she looks like.
AR: Are any of the characters in the book based on real-life people you know?
SG: The names yes, my daughter Sam provided the name of Faith's friend, Jen and Jules are my oldest daughter and grand daughter, Rob is my ex-husband, Ryan was someone I worked with at Borders, Maliek is modeled after Duff Goldman (my cake decorating idol) and Mariskina, she isn't named after any one but she is my grandma through and through. In the sequel there will be a lot of new characters, two of them were actually created by a little 8 year old girl named Sarah Christian. Last but not least I see a lot of myself in Faith and Sam, curiosity always getting Faith in trouble and Sam holding on to her believes no matter what.
AR: When Faith is discovered by the human children, they commonly refer to her as a Fairy, even though she's really a Pixie. What's the difference between the two?
SG: I think there is a very distinct difference between the two. Fairies (and I'm sure Tinkerbell would disagree) are loners. They actually kinda look down on Pixies. Fairies are not born like humans and Pixies they come from inside a very special flower blossom which takes 7 years to develop. They age very slowly and barely change physically throughout their lives. Pixies on the other hand are very similar to humans. For the first 17 years they age at the same rate as a human but after the lightning ceremony their aging process slows down tremendously, they also receive all of their powers at that point.
AR: Why is Faith so drawn to the human world?
SG: There is something different about Faith right from the beginning. None of the Pixies have red hair so Faith thinks she being punished by nature, even more so when the freckles start popping up. She quickly learn that she is just very deeply in tune with nature and something draws her to the humans. Even though she has always had this intense draw to them it becomes stronger when she discovers Sam. They just seem like carbon copies of each other, just different sizes. Faith know deep down inside that humans and Pixies can co-exist and even help each other. She believes that as much as Sam believes that they exist.
AR: What's the main message that you'd like readers to take away from the story?
SG: I look at young people and see what they do to each other, cliques, groups that no outsider seems to be allowed in. The values seem to almost be non-existent, and girls have such damaged views of themselves. If your not skinny and wear the latest fashions you just don't fit in. That's not true. I would like the reader to be able to identify with any of the characters. There are no detailed physical descriptions. More so I would like the reader to realize that no matter what your dreams are, if you truly with all your heart believe it can and will happen. Also that what is inside of a person or creature, for that matter, is much more important than what is on the outside.
AR: Is there a sequel in the works?
SG: Yes, there is and I am very excited about it. It will be a bit longer than the first one. It will be revealed that Sam and Ryan are actually not the first humans to interact with Pixies and the attack on Tutle turns out not to have been an accident. I don't want to give away any more than that.
AR: Your daughter, Samantha, actually helped you with the illustrations in the book. What was that experience like?
SG: It was a lot of fun and a very valuable lesson for Sam. I had found an illustrator and she didn't follow through on deadlines, so I asked Sam if she would do it. She is so talented and a fantastic artist. She reluctantly did the pictures and of course she is exited now that her work is in a book. Since the release she has actually been offered to do the artwork for a graphic novel. It has given her a huge boost of self esteem and she has started to see what her potential is.
AR: Please share more with us about your publisher, Eloquent Books.
SG: I like Eloquent, they are really the way to go for a first time author. I would recommend them to anyone who would like a shot at being a published author. They are really there for their clients and hold your hand along the road to publication and after. It's very helpful.
AR: In addition to being an author, you also have experience as a pastry chef. Please share more with our readers about your endeavors in that field.
SG: I graduated from Scottsdale Culinary Institute in 2003. I have always loved cooking and at the pushing of friends and family I decided to go. I loved it. I worked as a Pastry and Personal Chef for 3 years and that went through a personal set back which left me unable and unwilling to continue. After 8 months of counseling I picked myself up and started again. During that time I began the creative writing class and realized that even though I can bring a lot of joy with one of my cakes I can do more with writing. I still make custom cakes, I love doing wedding cakes. It is unreal how much most places charge and I like being able to make a one of a kind custom cake for a couple with a limited budget. Why shouldn't they have the cake of their dreams?
AR: We also noticed that you were raised in Germany. Please tell us more about that experience.
SG: Yes, I was born and raised in Germany and came to the states March 16th, 1981, with my then husband and my oldest daughter, Jennifer. It was hard being so far away from family and friends, my English was good but still needed work and things were certainly different. I would have to say going from a small town to the City was the hardest, and it took me a while to adapt to the go-go attitude. I still go visit of course and I still love it. Now that I am older I appreciate the small town attitude a lot more. It was quit a bit different to grow up there, education is different, and lifestyles are as well. I am actually going back for Christmas this year and I am really looking forward to it. It will be the first time I get to spend Christmas alone with my parents in 30 years.
AR: What's next for you?
SG: I am working on the sequel to "A Leap of Faith". I am also working on two other books, novels actually. One "Aliese'a" is a fiction book, the story takes place in Ireland. I love Ireland and couldn't have thought of a better place for the story. The other book "In The Wake of My Life" is semi-fiction. A lot of what happens throughout the book is based on true events of my life.
AR: Do you have a website where our readers can learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
SG: Actually there are several spots where I post almost daily updates and news. They are:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mesa-AZ/Sabine-Goldman/134567694113
http://aleapoffaithbook.blogspot.com
http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/ALeapOfFaith.html
I don't post updates at the last one since it is the website for the book, but the other two pretty much daily. I do hope to have a website up very soon.
AR: How can they contact you directly?
SG: If anyone would like to contact me they are welcome to do so at sabine.goldman@yahoo.com or leave a comment on the blogspot site for the book. I promise I will get back to everyone.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
SG: I think we live in a world that is becoming more and more careless about what we say and do to each other. Sarcasm is on the rise and most people think it is funny and it certainly can be in moderation. I often think about how much we pulled together as a nation right after 9/11 and how quickly we let go of that "togetherness" again. There is so much negativity in the world and if we all just realize that we are basically the same on the inside life would be better. Why shouldn't the beauty queens in high school be friends with those less physically attractive? So many young people have conflicts at home with parents who have no or little time for them. Would it really be that hard to become a part of your children's life? To support their hopes and dreams no matter how "out there" they may seem? It's not about designer labels, the smallest waist, biggest chest and clearest skin, it's about how we relate and communicate with each other. If we can realize how much richer our life can be accepting different cultures instead of trying to change them we would all be a lot happier. That is my dream and I hope it will come true.
AR: Thanks again, Sabine, and best of continued success to you in your endeavors!