Field Manor Speaker Series – Sarah Younger
Sarah A. Younger is a native Floridian whose ancestors settled Florida in the post-Civil War period, with some branches on the family tree traced to the 1820’s. The stories Sarah has passed on in the novel, A Bend in the Straight and Narrow, were told to her by her grandmother(Granny O’Steen).
Since the stories were a mere skeleton, she filled in the gaps with historical fiction. Not only did the inspiration come from family narratives, but after studying the picture of the real Sarah, the author thought that as a young girl, she could not have looked that stern. From that reflection “flowed the story like water over a broken dam.”
Much of the research done for this project was accomplished by visiting graveyards in the Bradford and Alachua County areas. The search for Jacob Henry’s and Sarah’s graves is ongoing. Many of the markers revealed things not previously known in family history, such as an epidemic that killed three people in the family including her grandfather’s mother, one week after he was born. The last names in the book have been changed, but many of the given names remain the same.
This is a three-book series, A Bend in the Straight and Narrow, Ye Who are Weary, Come Home, and Cry, Whippoorwill. A fourth book, Windstill Night, centers around 1926 impoverished Florida, taking place mainly in St. Augustine. It is historical fiction also.
Sarah has a BA degree from Baylor University and an Education degree from the University of Southern Colorado. She has an avid interest in history and quilting. She lives in Merritt Island, FL with her husband.
For our 2025 season, Field Manor is featuring five local Brevard authors. The authors will share their works and process, followed by a Q&A session, and culminate with a book sale/signing. A portion of your purchase will be donated to Field Manor.
