“Love this first story by Sarah! She’s incredible with the pen and the heart. Sam is the perfect hero.”
~ KELSIE STELTING ~
AUTHOR OF THE CURVY GIRLS CLUB ROMANCE SERIES
Love on Paper
BOOK ONE
Her happily-ever-after just fell apart. Can she find the courage to write a new one?
After discovering her fiancé tutoring his college student in bed, Marin Beckett is done with love. The only problem? She’s a romance author, and her next novel is way overdue. When her estranged parents come together to offer her an escape to tiny Seasalter, England—the setting of her father’s famous memoir and the last place her family was whole—she seizes the chance to untangle her present from the past. Her mission: clear out their old beach cottage before it’s sold and figure out what comes next.
She doesn’t expect “what comes next” to include Sam Quinn, the charming (and distractingly gorgeous) British actor starring in the TV adaptation of her latest book. And she definitely doesn’t expect to find herself writing steamy scenes inspired by him—scenes that become impossibly complex when she learns his family is grappling with a heart-wrenching loss. As Sam models true loyalty and Seasalter soothes her broken heart, Marin begins to wonder if some love stories are worth the risk.
With warmth, wit, and deep empathy, Love on Paper explores the complexities of family, the courage it takes to love after loss, and the healing power of finding home—even when home turns out to be someone rather than somewhere.
How did Love on Paper come about? Take a trip down memory lane with me to learn more about what inspired the story and explore the real-life settings captured in the book.
Seeking A Refuge
Infertility and a struggling business haunted me in the years before Love on Paper. Writing had long been my refuge, but as a corporate writer, I got burned out. For years, I had nothing to say. And then: I discovered Twilight and I finally understood the fuss over Robert Pattinson. “If I were Stephenie Meyer,” I told myself, “I’d have been on set every day.” So my idea began: with an author whose book was being adapted to film. For some reason, she was reluctant to visit the set. Why? I wasn't sure, but I listened to her. As odd as its sounds, while I wrote, she told me. Better yet, as I wrote Marin out of her heartbreak, the broken pieces of myself began to heal.
Early Drafts + Escape Plan
I listened, I wrote, I wrestled with plot points. Ten months later, I had a first draft...of 160,000 words! With undergrad and graduate degrees in English Lit, I knew that was obscenely long. I whipped out my red pen and killed every darling yet unnecessary scene in the book. I was left with a story I truly loved that needed one vital - and amazing - bit of research. I needed to put myself in the setting I'd worked so hard to faithfully portray. Owning my own struggling business had some perks. After working night and day for six years straight, I took a month off to immerse myself in the coastal English town I'd chosen for Marin's hideaway.
The Setting: A Coastal Haven
Most of Love on Paper is set in Seasalter, a real-life coastal town in England. Writing a book set in a real place in another country was daunting, and I was serious about getting it right. To give the setting the respect it deserved, I embarked on a solo adventure: a whole month at the Kent coast.
I stayed in the tiny village of Blean, but took the bus the short distance into Whitstable and walked the 2.5 miles along the waterfront down to Seasalter to reach the house that was the inspiration for Marin’s blue cottage. Rain, sun, cold...nothing kept me from those rambling walks.
Marin's Little Blue Cottage
This darling place is a vacation rental called Oystercatchers, named after the birds that live near the shore. I had already dreamed up Marin’s narrow blue cottage when I discovered this place, but it perfectly fulfilled my vision of it. It was my first stop in Seasalter! On my first bus ride there, I sparked up a conversation with my seatmate, Lee. She turned out to be a writer as well, and she was super supportive when I told her I was riding toward my first glimpse of the setting of my book. We became fast friends, and met up twice a week for rambling walks, dinners, and wonderful conversation. I treasure those memories and our friendship, which continues today!
My Home Base
This darling place in the village of Blean was my home away from home for the month. My landlady lived next door, and she was a force of nature. I loved every moment I spent with her, and in my little haven in the village of Blean. One of the funniest parts of my trip was the two guys who ran the local store calling me out for buying so many boxes of Coco Pops. What can I say? I’m a cereal addict, and that stuff is the best!
On Location: Whitstable
Whitstable is Seasalter's hip yet charming next-door neighbor. It's a fishing town with a working harbor (harbour in the UK, of course!) and I spent many a dreamy afternoon wandering its quaint streets. Here's a shot of Harbour Books, which inspired Patricia's bookshop in Love on Paper even before I visited the area.
On Location: West Malling
My wonderful new friend Lee was kind enough to read Love on Paper during my trip and proof it with her meticulous English eye. One thing she pointed out was that the place I had originally chosen as the hometown of fictional dreamboat Sam Quinn, Marin’s British love interest, is less charming than its name leads one to believe. She pointed me instead in the direction of West Malling, and I owe her a big thanks because it was perfect.
On Location: Fairlight
One weekend I took a special side trip to Fairlight, East Sussex, in between the medieval towns of Rye and Hastings. I enjoyed two nights in the B&B that inspired my vision for Sam's grandparents' house, which plays a pivotal role in both Love on Paper and its sequel, Love on Film. I took the name for Sam's film production company, Firehill Films, from the colorful local fire hills, shown here (thanks to Colin Smith and Creative Commons).
My Deepest Thanks
After my incredible research trip, I continued to refine my novel while working up the courage to send it out into the world. Then my fertility treatments worked, and soon I was raising my amazing twins. But all the while, I was dreaming of my book. I loved the characters too much to give up on them, so they waited and I waited until the time was right.
Thanks for joining me on this journey. I'm so, so happy to share Love on Paper with you.
