The Sanatorium(116)
Within CransMontana, Stéphane Romang pointed us toward some great resources around the legacy of sanatoriums in the town. Many other mountain people helped inspire certain scenes. Kindred spirits.
On a more personal note, thank you to Axel Schmid and family for introducing us to the very special place that is CransMontana in the Swiss Alps—it is the unique atmosphere and dramatic landscape there that inspired me to write this novel, and I’m grateful for it every day as our family’s “happy place.” See you at Amadeus.
A massive, sparkly thank-you to my parents and sisters—where it all began. Thank you for fostering such a love of reading and for encouraging me to write. My childhood was all about words—endless bedtime stories, audiobooks, and the weekly trips to the library. You have listened and given so much time and love and inspiration (and food!). Without you, none of this would have been possible and I’m so happy I can share all of this with you. Thank you also to my wonderful friends both off-and online for their unwavering support for my writing and my book—your kindness and advice (and coffee supply) have been invaluable.
Thank you to my grandmother, who used to speed-read at least a book a day and lent me many of her favorite novels, and my grandfather, who, despite his macular degeneration, would read my short stories even if it took him an impossibly long time. You both would have loved following my journey and I hope, somewhere, you’re following it from afar.
Finally, thank you to my daughters, Rosie and Molly, and my husband, James, for your enthusiasm and passion for the story from the very first step. Thank you for sharing a love of the mountains, for the six a.m. starts, and for helping with the tricky scenes and forcing me to go that little bit further. Having people cheering me on and believing in my writing through thick and thin is what keeps me sitting down and writing day after day. I’m so proud of you all and I honestly don’t know what I would do without you . . . FTB.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Pearse grew up in Devon, UK, and studied English literature and creative writing at the University of Warwick before completing a postgraduate diploma in broadcast journalism. She lived in Switzerland for several years before returning to the UK. The Sanatorium is her first novel.