THE CHILDREN OF SARAH SERIES
BONE LINES
Book One of THE CHILDREN OF SARAH series
A young woman walks alone through a barren landscape in a time before history, a time of cataclysmic natural change. She is cold, hungry and with child but not without hope or resources. A skilful hunter, she draws on her intuitive understanding of how to stay alive… and knows that she must survive.
In present-day London, geneticist Dr Eloise Kluft wrestles with an ancient conundrum as she unravels the secrets of a momentous archaeological find. She is working at the forefront of contemporary science but is caught in the lonely time-lock of her own emotional past.
Bone Lines is the story of two women, separated by millennia yet bound by the web of life. A tale of love and survival – of courage and the quest for wisdom – it explores the nature of our species and asks what lies at the heart of being human.
Although partly set during a crucial era of human history 74,000 years ago, Bone Lines is very much a book for our times. Dealing with themes from genetics, climate change and migration to the yearning for meaning and the clash between faith and reason, it also paints an intimate portrait of two extraordinary characters. The book tackles some of the big questions but requires no prior or special knowledge of any of the subjects to enjoy.
Bone Lines stands alone as a novel but also marks the beginning of the Children of Sarah series.
A glossary of characters in Bone Lines and The Fire in Their Eyes is available here.
Cover design: Mecob
THE FIRE IN THEIR EYES
Book Two of THE CHILDREN OF SARAH series
An ancient cave newly unearthed in Yemen.
A scientific research facility in the Norwegian Arctic.
A fertile valley, home to an isolated tribe in prehistoric Kenya.
In book two of The Children of Sarah series, Dr Eloise Kluft is wrenched from her new-found happiness to join the battle against an emerging biological threat.
In a distant era, an ageing shaman must pit her hard hard-earned wisdom and the gifts of her bloodline against the terrifying dangers she has foreseen for her family.
Looking to an uncertain future, a hopeful young couple navigate the fraught path to parenthood in a world where little makes sense but the courage to love.
The Fire in Their Eyes follows characters first encountered in Bone Lines, as they negotiate life’s risks and joys… and as the heritage of our remarkable human journey is passed along.
A glossary of characters in Bone Lines and The Fire in Their Eyes is available here.
“The excitement is… realistic… an in-the-moment experience. Even the prehistoric characters have distinct personalities. I also loved how the language seemed appropriate to the time frame.” Susie Helme, The Historical Novel Review
“Provocative, intelligent and heartbreaking… a richly characterised, complex and compelling read. I highly recommend it.” Karen Cole, book reviewer for Alfred Radio FM
“A masterclass… thought-provoking and compelling in its scope. Engaging characters who feel very real.” Hannah’s Bookshelf, Manchester FM radio
The Fire in Their Eyes won the 2025 NYC Big Book Award, and is a Finalist in the 2025 Chanticleer Awards in the Global Thriller category. The book is also a Distinguished Favourite, Visionary Fiction, in the Independent Press awards!
Stephanie’s paperbacks are also available to order from all good bookshops and the e-books are also on the Apple iBook Store, Google Play and Kobo.
SHORT STORIES
Stephanie’s short stories have appeared in literary magazines and curated anthologies…
The Right Kind of Medicine, a ‘cli-fi’ story exploring the nature of healing, was selected for Sunshine Superhighway, a collection of ‘solar punk’ stories with a positive outlook from Jay Henge Publishing. It is available from Amazon here.
Human Error, a gripping near-future tale of DNA, identity and power, is featured in the new short story anthology, Taking Liberties, from the Breakthrough Book Collective (of which Stephanie is a founding member). It’s a collection of 12 vivid and varied stories from 12 accomplished authors on the theme of freedom. You can get it from Amazon here or from the Breakthrough Book Collective here.
Things that Fall, a tender exploration of the timeless and often surprising nature of love (featuring a minor character from Bone Lines) was written purely for Stephanie’s mailing list subscribers and also comes as part of the package for sign ups, here.
Entropy, an edgy journey through love, paranoia, loss and the weirder possibilities of physics, appears in an eclectic anthology of entertaining stories by sixteen authors exploring our relationship with nature and technology, science and the sacred, each other and ourselves. It is available from Amazon here and from the Breakthrough Book Collective here.
Written in Stone, Written in Bone borrows from the prehistoric worlds of The Children of Sarah series to delve through earth, water, fire and air into the nature of motherhood, survival and making one’s mark. Part of a diverse collection described as “short, sharp shocks of literary brilliance.” You can get it from Amazon here and from the Breakthrough Book Collective here.
ABOUT STEPHANIE
Photograph: Jake Fitzjones
Born in Hong Kong to a pair of Liverpudlians (and something of a nomad ever since) Stephanie now lives on a cliff in Cornwall, in deep gratitude for her coastal perch.
Before returning to her first love of writing fiction, Stephanie spent many years pursuing alternative forms of storytelling, from stage to screen and media to marketing. Meanwhile, an enduring love affair with words has led her down many a wormhole on the written page.
Drawn to what connects rather than separates, Stephanie is fascinated by the spaces between absolutes and opposites, between science and spirituality, nature and culture. This lifelong curiosity (and occasional conflict) has been channelled into her debut novel, Bone Lines, a Kindle bestseller, and its follow-up, The Fire in Their Eyes, book two in The Children of Sarah series.
Stephanie also writes short stories, such as Human Error and Entropy published in Breakthrough Books’ Taking Liberties and Order and Chaos anthologies respectively, and The Right Kind of Medicine for Sunshine Superhighway from J Henge. Various other works in progress keep her busy with authorly procrastination.
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NEWS / EVENTS
Stephanie has organised and participated in a number of literary events and talks, from bookshops and bookclubs to literary festivals and themed events. She also runs creative writing workshops online (free to the chronically ill or housebound.) For further information on events please watch this space… or get in touch to set something up!
In May 2026 Stephanie will be a panellist on a session called Ways of Knowing at the WisCon feminist sci-fi and fantasy convention.
And on 12 July 2026, Stephanie will be appearing at the Penzance Literary Festival Fringe in a session with author Stevyn Colgan called A Passion for Prehistory. This is scheduled to take place at the Redwing Gallery at 2pm.
In this event, Stephanie talks to the Pumping Marvellous online book club about the Breakthrough Book Collective’s short story anthology, Order & Chaos, and shares her thoughts on AI.
PRAISE FOR OTHER EVENTS
“Stephanie organised a fantastic group of authors for our Women’s History Month event who delivered a really interesting collection of readings and responses to ideas around women’s history. Stephanie was an excellent speaker and a pleasure to work with.”
Ruth Miller, Events Organiser, Southwark Cathedral
Thank you Stephanie, that was such a great event! Also Paul read Bone Lines and really liked it. Lindsay’s Green Man Dreaming is inspirational.
— Waterstones Exeter (@waterstonesex) October 15, 2021
“It was great to chat with the lovely @BrethertonWords at our @lablit book club meeting at the Royal Institution about her novel Bone Lines, a fascinating discussion!”
The FictionLab
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