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The Circle Of Friends, Book II - L. Diane Wolfe
The Circle Of Friends,
Book II: Sarah
L. Diane Wolfe
ISBN: 9780981621012
Dancing Lemur Press, LLC
Reviewed By Linda Waterson
Official Apex Reviews
Rating: 
Sarah has many positive
traits in her favor; unfortunately, she’s among the last to acknowledge them…
A promising student at Georgia Tech University,
Sarah has struggled under the weight of lofty expectations for most of her
young life. As a result of her father’s significant business achievements, her
family enjoys prominent social status and renown – which, naturally, leads
Sarah to be held to a higher standard of success than most. In addition,
Sarah’s “Plain Jane” appearance places her in direct contrast with her more
physically appealing peers – so, of course, attracting the attention of her
male counterparts remains a considerable challenge.
In light of these factors,
Sarah can’t help feeling skeptical when her friendship with Matt, a handsome
football player with serious NFL potential, blossoms into a burgeoning romance.
Despite the fact that Matt displays a genuine interest in her, Sarah struggles
to reconcile her deep affection for him with the perception that she comes
nowhere close to being the kind of girl he’d normally go for. Ultimately, she
must figure out a way to shake her lingering insecurities; if not, she runs the
risk of losing the best thing she’s ever had…
In Book II of the
five-part The Circle Of Friends series, author L. Diane Wolfe presents a
realistic tale of the complex world of teenage angst. The issues with which
both Sarah and Matt contend are drawn straight from the pages of the book of
everyday life, and their interactions with their families, their colleagues,
and each other would make for compelling viewing on their own reality series.
As such, Wolfe ensures that readers – particularly those of the modern MTV
generation – will be vicariously engaged in Sarah and Matt’s transition from
adolescence to adulthood. However trivial their problems may seem to others,
the young lovers nonetheless struggle with daunting internal and external
forces as they seek to define themselves and establish their individual and
collective identities. To her credit, Wolfe doesn’t sugarcoat the process in
overly sanguine fashion, but rather places the roadblocks on the road to
maturity on full, uninhibited display. In so doing, she infuses her tale with sage
insight and sound credibility.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: L. Diane Wolfe (The Circle Of Friends, Book II: Sarah)
Apex Reviews: Thanks for joining us for this interview, Diane. We're looking very much forward to learning more about your book.
Given the differences in their backgrounds and personal experiences, what is it that attracts Sarah and Matt to each other?
L. Diane Wolfe: It has been my observation
that those who are friends first tend to have the strongest marriages. While
Matt and Sarah’s social circles were different, they shared many interests,
from horror movies to NASCAR to computer games. This gave them a basis for
their relationship beyond just physical attraction. They also share a common
spirit in their sense of humor and thirst for adventure. Both seek acceptance
without being judged, and they find that in one another.
AR: Why is it so difficult for Sarah to believe that Matt would be interested in a girl like her?
AR: Why is it so difficult for Sarah to believe that Matt would be interested in a girl like her?
LDW: Sarah grew up a tomboy,
and her father disapproved of personal tastes and hobbies. Her father’s
rejection led to a string of poor romantic choices in Sarah’s life. She had
grown used to rejection. Aware that Matt tended to date girls with more
feminine qualities, she believed he’d have no interest in a tomboy.
AR: With all that he has going for him - specifically an abundance of temptation from other females - how is Matt able to remain true in his devotion to Sarah?
AR: With all that he has going for him - specifically an abundance of temptation from other females - how is Matt able to remain true in his devotion to Sarah?
LDW: Hurt by his mother’s
abandonment of her family, Matt had purposefully distanced himself from others.
Drawing upon his Sanguine personality, he used a happy-go-lucky attitude as his
shield. Unwilling to become close to the opposite sex, he simply made his
girlfriend selections based on appearance and willingness to remain casual.
Without a real connection other than physical, it does not bother Matt when his
relationships don’t work out…
However, he connects with
Sarah the very first night. After the incident with his mother, Matt secretly
craves acceptance and devotion from a woman. Upon finding this in Sarah, he
clings to her as if she were his only hope. Over the course of time, Matt
realizes she is the woman he has been seeking…
AR: Sarah and Matt's story comprises Book II of your five-part Circle Of Friends series. Please share more with our readers about the overall series itself.
LDW: The Circle of Friends follows a group of young people from high school through college and beyond. Meant to inspire as well as entertain, these books have been described as “encouragement personified”. This series feature morally grounded, positive tales and the stories intertwine as the characters learn that with belief and encouragement, they can achieve anything. Book I follows Lori, a shy swimmer with Olympic dreams. Book III, due out early fall, portrays the struggles of a young man as he attempts to escape his abusive past. Book IV is about Mike and his challenges with letting go of guilt, and Book V follows a dominating young basketball coach who must learn to accept others. All of the books provide hope to the reader.
AR: What kinds of reactions have readers - particularly young ones - had to the books in the series thus far?
LDW: Very positive! The younger teens appear captivated by the positive message, in part because they are not yet jaded by the negativity of the world. Most appreciate the moral standards as well. There seems to be an ever-widening rift between the salacious content of secular YA and the unrealistically pure view of religious YA, and I think readers are drawn to a series that takes a moral yet realistic approach to the world.
The emails & letters
from readers who say they were inspired by Book I are what fuel my fire!
AR: Do you plan to adapt The Circle Of Friends series for the small or big screen?
LDW: I would love to see The Circle of Friends as a TV series! As I am not a screenwriter, I’d be quite willing to hand that responsibility over to another, as long as they understood the spirit of the stories. So sending the proposal to producers is definitely on the list of future prospects…
AR: Please share more with us about your publisher, Dancing Lemur Press.
LDW: They are a very young press and I am one of only a few authors signed thus far. I feel very fortunate that the entire series was picked up, as five books must really be daunting…
AR: We noticed that, in addition to being an author, you're also a professional speaker. Please share more with us about your endeavors in that field.
LDW: I began public speaking well over ten years ago, but did not pursue speaking as a professional until two years ago. I have several seminars I offer and I do the circuit of community colleges in my home state of North Carolina. My goal-setting and leadership topics have opened many doors. Recently I spoke at NCAEOP’s Annual Conference in Greensboro, NC, and in May, I am speaking at a health seminar outside of DC where the keynote speaker is Michelle Obama.
Inspiring others to
achieve more has always been my dream and I want to do even more motivational
speaking. I currently visit schools to do character-building sessions, but I
would love to come in a tell the kids that they can succeed in life!
AR: You are known as "Spunk On A Stick" to your fans...where did that nickname come from, and what's its significance?
LDW: Now that is a funny story! My nickname has always been “Spunky” and my husband came up with “Spunk On A Stick.” His reasoning was that chicken is good, but chicken on a stick is even better – thus, spunk is good, spunk on a stick even better! I began using that as my nickname online about three years ago, and it really caught on over at Deviant Art. So now, I use it everywhere. It represents the ultimate in determination!
AR: Where can our readers learn more about you and your ongoing efforts?
LDW: The website for this series is www.thecircleoffriends.net and readers can sign up for my monthly newsletter. My professional speaker site is www.spunkonastick.net I am also on about twenty social sites – just search for SpunkOnAStick!
AR: How can they contact you directly?
LDW: If I am home, I am always
online – wolferock@earthlink.net
- or send me a note through one of the social sites. I am touring virtually at
the moment as well, so they can chat with me at any of my stops – see my blog
for details - www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com.
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
LDW: Always believe in yourself and follow your dreams! Do not allow past circumstances to control your future or your attitude. Just as Matt and Sarah found their path in life, find yours – and pursue that vision with all your heart!
AR: Any final thoughts you'd like to share?
LDW: Always believe in yourself and follow your dreams! Do not allow past circumstances to control your future or your attitude. Just as Matt and Sarah found their path in life, find yours – and pursue that vision with all your heart!