Sarah Stegall writes novels and reviews. Her reviews have been cited in academic television and cultural studies such as Cult Television, Escape Into the Future, Aliens In America, The Philosophy of The X-Files, Convergence and Reality Squared (which called these reviews ""among the best critical commentary available on the Web""). She is the author of the young adult science fiction novel Farside (CreateSpace, 2011); a series of murder mysteries set in San Francisco: Deadfall (Wavelength Books, 2012) and Deadwater (Wavelength Books, 2013); and a science fiction novel Chimera (Wavelength Books, 2013). With Brian Lowry, Stegall co-authored The Truth Is Out There - The Official Guide to The X-Files and Trust No One, The Official Third Season Guide to The X-Files. With Andy Meisler, she co-authored I Want to Believe (The Official Guide to The X-Files, Vol. 3). Stegall currently resides in Northern California, USA.
"A remarkable achievement. Beautifully written, eerily authentic
and never less than compelling, Stegall's fictionalized account of
an extraordinary moment in literary history held me in thrall."
--Miranda Seymour, fellow, Royal Society of Literature; author,
Mary Shelley
"Although we know some of the circumstances that led to Mary
Shelley's composition of the book Frankenstein, until now we have
had no detailed look into Shelley's inner thoughts on those summer
afternoons beside Lake Geneva . . . . Sarah Stegall fills in the
gaps in our knowledge with an imaginative and entertaining novel
whose events take place over the course of three days in June
1816." --James R. Adair, Voices de la Luna
"Author Sarah Stegall's romantic novel Outcasts is narrated in the
third person by the young Mary Shelley, second wife of poet Percy
Shelley and the author of Frankenstein. ... Based on the famous
Romantics' actual summer occupancy on Lake Geneva, Outcasts is
believable and compelling, especially since it explores Mary
Shelley's mind, including what does not say. She brings forth all
the characters through expressive and tart dialogues, which drive
the novel . . . . A departure from Stegall's earlier novels,
Outcasts is a well-researched, engaging and entertaining work."
--Robert Bonazzi, San Antonio Express-News
"During the dreary summer of 1816, in a villa on Lake Geneva, Lord
Byron challenged Mary Shelley; her husband, Percy; and John
Polidori to each write a ghost story. Stegall has done her research
on these remarkable people, and much of the drama comes organically
as she lets their opposing personalities and desires bounce off
each other. Rather than dwelling on personal drama, Stegall folds
philosophy into the narrative, taking meandering paths through
subjects that were dear to the Romantics' hearts: nature, the
fallibility of human beings, the soul, women's rights, and, later,
ghosts and monsters. This novel is sure to please fans of literary
history and historical novels, as well as anyone who likes monsters
well-rounded." --Publishers Weekly
"This summer marks the 200th anniversary of the invention of
science fiction . . . by an 18-year-old woman . . . . I celebrated
the genesis of the genre by reading a fantastic book about the
three fateful days leading up to that creative epiphany: . . . In
Outcasts: A Novel of Mary Shelley (Wings Press), Science fiction
author and critic Sarah Stegall -- after obviously thorough
research -- explores three days in June of 1816, when the newly
married Shelleys and their infant son William were staying at near
Lord Byron's villa on Lake Geneva with Mary's half-sister Claire
Clairmont . . . . Stegall's writing is so perfectly evocative of
those times, so emotionally powerful, that segue into the
incomparable science fiction classic feels utterly seamless."
--David Bowles, McAllen Monitor
"We are given a rare glimpse into the genesis of the first horror
story--Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus--during three seminal
days on Lake Geneva during June 1816 . . . . So intensely written
are these days that I could actually hear Lake Geneva lapping at
the shore, smell the rain, and hear the thunder. Stegall captures
this time in mundane detail while recognizing the historical
importance of the relationships and the literary works that found
their roots in them. Absolutely wonderful!" --Ilysa Magnus,
historicalnovelsociety.org
"With Outcasts, Sarah Stegall twists the origins of Frankenstein
into a new and utterly fascinating shape. Brilliant, devious and
beautifully written. Highly recommended." --Jonathan Maberry,
author, Kill Switch and The Wolfman
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