Life of an
author
Creative Wellness Weekend in the Lakes
A weekend I am running in Loweswater, near Cockermouth, from 27-29 March
Sara @bumblebarnes is the 'arty' brain in the team: a published author of three books, The Cold Fix, The Winter of Our Lives and Where the Beck Flows, and has created two award-winning films: Dear Heart and Skinny. Jay @covidicebath, with three degrees in scientific subjects, is an 'analytical' powerhouse.
Together we have created a powerful blend of cold water dipping, outdoor activities, reflective time in nature, round-the-table group sessions, film screenings and more.
27-29 March, Loweswater Village Hall, Cumbria
My name is Sara Barnes and I am the author of three books: The Cold Fix, The Winter of Our Lives and Where the Beck Flows.
I live and work in the English Lake District and when I’m not writing you will probably find me dipping in naturally cold water somewhere out in the wilds.
I love being outdoors in this beautiful, ever-changing landscape of mountains, lakes, tarns and waterfalls. It inspires much of my writing and moulds many of my characters.
After having wanted to be an author since starting my ‘news’ book aged six, it has taken me a lifetime of dreaming, submitting, receiving rejections, revising, recreating and resubmitting … until on a camper van trip to the west coast of Scotland the brick wall came tumbling down and I received a thumbs up for my narrative non fiction book The Cold Fix.
This was published by Vertebrate Publishing in November 2022 and is available to buy from them, Amazon and all good book shops.
This was swiftly followed by an exciting email from a major publisher, One More Chapter (HarperCollins), who loved my novel about three menopausal wild swimmers who need to find a man, which evolved into The Winter of Our Lives.
Becoming Older Bolder Colder
In 2025 I survived two near-death experiences on the operating table. On 14th February 2026 I launched my own publishing imprint: CROOKED LAKE. It will showcase dark psychological dramas and romances set against the evocative backdrop of Cumbria.
I want to bring stories directly to readers, bypassing traditional publishing gatekeepers.
CROOKED LAKE published Where the Beck Flows on 14th February 2026.
“I believe in the power of storytelling to move hearts and offer true escapism,” says Sara Barnes. “Life is now, and these stories demand to be told.”
