Sarah Holland

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Sarah Holland
Born November, 1961
Kent, England
Occupation Writer Actress Singer
Nationality British
Writing period 1982 - Ongoing
Official website

Sarah Holland (born November 1961 at Folkestone, Kent) is a writer, actress and singer best known for her 22 romantic novels for Harlequin/Mills & Boon which have been published in over 130 countries, sold many millions of copies worldwide and been translated into most languages.   The daughter of Sheila Holland (best selling novelist Charlotte Lamb) and classical biographer, ex-Times journalist Richard Holland, Sarah wrote her first book, Too Hot To Handle at 18 and became one of the youngest romantic novelists in history when it was published by Harlequin/Mills & Boon in 1982.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Personal life

Sarah Holland has travelled extensively, writing and researching in 56 countries and 5 continents, many of which feature in her books.   She has lived in Hong Kong, Australia, Texas, San Francisco, Holland, France, England and the Isle of Man. Sarah Holland suffered epilepsy briefly in her teens and had to leave Wanstead High School, London E11 with a handful of O levels at sixteen. Subsequently educated at home by her parents, who owned a private library of over 50,000 books, she moved to the Isle of Man with them in 1978 and, in 1980, began training to write at her mother's side. 

[edit] Writing career

Sarah was nicknamed Mouton Cadet, a wordplay on Lamb's Daughter, by publishing brothers Alan Boon and John Boon, who then ran Mills & Boon.   This industry nickname was later reported in the non-fiction book The Merchants of Venus: Inside Harlequin and the Empire of Romance by Paul Grescoe (1998). Sarah was living in San Angelo, Texas in April 2008 when the FLDS Mormon-splinter sect case shot to international prominence and, as a Contributing Journalist, wrote about it for The San Angelo Standard Times as well as giving interviews to Texan news agencies including San Angelo Live.  

[edit] Screen writing career

In 1995, Sarah studied screen writing at the Robert McKee Story Structure Course in London and was invited to write a 6 minute teleplay for Island of Dreams, part of the Granada Television series, Being There.   Island of Dreams was nominated for Best Documentary of 1996 by The Royal Television Society (Northern) and sold to over 13 countries.   In 1999, Sarah wrote a film screenplay, Abuse Of A Dominant Position for Iron Pictures, Manchester Ltd.

[edit] Influences

  Sarah is also an actress and singer and many of her books reflect this.   The heroines of Bluebeard's Bride (1985), Adult Love (1991) and Desert Destiny' (1991) are all singers and the books have music business backgrounds.   The Devil's Mistress (1982), Forbidden Passion (1991) and Blue Fire (1994) are all set in the film industry with both movie star heroes and heroines.   The hero of Too Hot To Handle (1982) is a pop star; the hero of Red Hot Lover (1998) is a movie star.   

[edit] Acting career

At 20, Sarah enrolled at the London E15 Acting School and embarked on an acting career which has included film, television and 4 years in leading roles in theatre.   She performed Shakespeare for BBC 2's Bard On The Box series (1994) and won the supporting actress role opposite Hollywood superstar Jack Palance in Treasure Island (2000) directed by Peter Rowe; also starring Patrick Bergin and Kevin Ziegers.   Her Equity registered stage name is Abigail Rhode (Abby Rhode); she is a member of Isle of Man Actors and has appeared in several films through the Isle of Man Film Commission.   

[edit] Music career

Sarah is also a professional singer with over 20 years experience.   She has performed blues, jazz and pop all over London and the Isle of Man. [1]  

[edit] Television career

Sarah has been the subject of three television documentaries.    In 1982, BBC 1 Nationwide made a 10 minute programme about her: - Young Writer At Drama School.   In 1993, BBC 2 filmed Sarah Holland and Charlotte Lamb for the 50 minute documentary Paradise Road directed by Phillipa Lowthorpe, who later married actor Martin Clunes.   In 1996, a 30 minute documentary was made about Sarah Holland and Charlotte Lamb; Island of Dreams, Granada Television.    

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] Single novels

  • Too Hot To Handle (1982)
  • Tomorrow Began Yesterday (1982)
  • The Devil's Mistress (1982)
  • Deadly Angel (1982)
  • Fever Pitch (1983)
  • Bluebeard's Bride (1985)
  • Outcast Lovers (1985)
  • The Heat Is On (1988)
  • Adult Love (1990)
  • Desert Destiny (1991)
  • Forbidden Passion (1991)
  • Last Of The Great French Lovers (1992)
  • Ruthless Lover (1992)
  • Confrontation (1992)
  • Extreme Provocation (1993)
  • Ungoverned Passion (1993)
  • Dangerous Desire (1994
  • Blue Fire (1994)
  • Master of Seduction (1995)
  • An Obsessive Love (1995)
  • The Dominant Male (1996)
  • Red Hot Lover (1998)

 


[edit] References and sources

  • [2] Isle of Man Actors Website
  • [3] Fanatasy Fiction Website
  • [4] Treasure Island Review
  • [5] Review of Desert Destiny Novel
  • Grescoe, Paul, 1998, The Merchants of Venus: Inside Harlequin And The Empire of Romance
  • [6] San Angelo Standard Times article, Texas - June 2008
  • [7] San Angelo Standard Times article, Texas - May 2008
  • [8] San Angelo Standard Times article, Texas - April 2008
  • [9] San Angelo Live with 2008 photographs
Persondata
NAME Holland, Sarah
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Holland, Sarah (birth name), Rhodes, Abigail (pseudonym)
SHORT DESCRIPTION British novelist
DATE OF BIRTH 1961
PLACE OF BIRTH Kent, England
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH
Languages