SARAH BULLEN
Author. Speaker. Literary Agent. NDE Experiencer. Cancer Survivor. Ancestral Constellator
Sarah Bullen is a multi-published author, writing coach, and literary agent, leading international writing mentorships. She is the author of Write your Book in 100 Days and works with authors as a book coach and agent. Over the last two decades, she has had over 180 books published by writers she has mentored. She has held editorial roles across books, magazines, and literary agencies. Her expertise in writing and publishing provides invaluable guidance to aspiring authors, helping them develop their craft, structure their stories, and navigate the publishing world.
Sarah had a life-altering near-death experience in her 30s where she was in a coma for three weeks. Her story has become a book Love & Above: A journey into shamanism, coma and joy.
Her latest book The Other Side: Journeys into Mysticism, Magic and Near Death follows on from that and gathers riveting and radical stories of people from Africa, who have crossed to the ‘other side’ or those who can contact it.
Sarah Bullen lives in Cape Town and spends part of the year in Greece and Botswana. She is a qualified African Constellations facilitator and works with Writing with the Ancestors. She engages in traditional rites of passage storytelling, curates storytelling retreats, and facilitates women's rites of passage. Her unique approach and international lifestyle enrich her storytelling, making her a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary life.
In 2012, Sarah Bullen's life underwent a strange transformation. At the time, she was a published author, journalist and mother of two young children. She was also an author with two books already on the shelves. Her world was turned upside down when her husband of seven years was diagnosed with brain cancer and began a four-year battle with the illness. He pursued a shamanic path, entering the path of Traditional African Medicine to fight the cancer. That catapulted them into a world of ritual and ceremony. Alongside hospitals, surgery and treatments came a wilder journey of spiritual searching. Then the impossible happened - in the last month of his life, Sarah fell gravely ill with acute viral pneumonia, slipped into a coma, and faced a critical battle for survival.
While in a month-long coma, Sarah travelled through near-death and into other realms and worlds.
Sarah's crazy and wonderful story is captured in her book Love and Above and then the follow-up book The Other Side: Journeys into Mysticism, Magic and Near-Death (2024), which delves into near-death experiences. These works reflect the wisdom and insight gained from her extraordinary life experiences.
Sarah Bullen is an author, speaker, and literary agent whose work is deeply informed by her personal journey. As a speaker and mentor, she uses her voice to inspire and support others, offering guidance and hope based on her experiences of loss and recovery. Her unique perspective, shaped by her life and professional expertise, allows her to connect with and empower others as they navigate their own challenges and seek healing.
Sarah is herself a cancer survivor and advocate. In 2016, four years after her husband died of brain cancer, she found a lump in her breast and was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Cancer. The word she had run from. Read her story here
In addition to her extensive writing career, Sarah Bullen offers personalized coaching and mentorship to aspiring authors. With a wealth of experience and expertise, she has guided numerous writers to success, resulting in the publication of over 180 books. Sarah provides practical tools and insights to help authors bring their stories to life and achieve their publishing goals, making her mentorship a valuable asset for anyone looking to navigate the complex world of writing and publishing.
Sarah Bullen - The Writing Coach and Agent
Sarah's journey into the world of writing began with a successful 10-year career as a journalist. Her work appeared in publications such as Men's Health, Woman's Health, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, The Guardian, and The New York Times. Her engaging and humorous style led to her first book in 2005. Hey Baby! The Hip New Mom's Guide That's All About You (Penguin, 2005) became an unexpected bestseller, cementing her place as a speaker.
Sarah released Romance 101 ! Can Your Relationship Survive Your Kids and Other Passion Killers? (Penguin, 2007), which expanded on themes from her magazine columns. Her career evolved as she transitioned from magazine editing to consulting with publishers as a structural editor. In 2007, Sarah acquired a franchise for a writing school focused on novel writing, teaching romance writing courses backed by Avon Publishing.
In 2009, she founded The Writing Room in Cape Town, South Africa, which has since become a premier destination for aspiring writers. Under her guidance, The Writing Room has expanded its offerings to include courses in novel writing, memoir, and non-fiction, mentoring over 1,000 authors globally.
Sarah’s influence extends beyond her books and courses. She has been featured in a wide range of media, including Elle Decoration, Women's Health, Men's Health, Marie Claire, House and Leisure, The Guardian, and Cape Talk. Her extensive experience as a magazine publisher and editor, combined with her role as a personal finance editor and radio news editor, has shaped her multifaceted approach to writing and mentorship.
Sarah Bullen is seasoned MC and event host, known for her captivating author talks and engaging interviews with other authors. She is a professional keynote speaker at business events, conferences, and workshops.
As a multi-published author, international writing coach, and literary agent, Sarah Bullen is a prominent figure in the literary world. She founded The Writing Room and Kent Literary, successfully mentoring writers to publish over 180 books. Sarah is a frequent guest on talk shows, podcasts, and writers’ circles and has been leading international writing retreats and adventures since 2007.
Sarah Bullen has been telling traditional oral stories professionally since 2014. She continues the tradition of old storytellers and bards, sharing tales at retreats, women’s gatherings, sharing circles, and ritual events. Her repertoire includes Norwegian Wonder Tales, African creation myths, and old Celtic poems. Stories of Beowulf, The Lindworm Prince and Tatterhood are among those she shares, bringing ancient stories to modern audiences.
Stories That Transcend Time and Borders
These stories delve into dark forests and dangerous missions, life and death, and transitions. They are tales that connect to the soul and offer answers to life’s deeper challenges. Whether it’s a Norwegian wonder tale or an African creation myth, Sarah’s storytelling captivates and inspires.
Living the Storyteller’s Life
Sarah Bullen lives in Cape Town and spends part of the year in Greece and Botswana. She is a qualified African Constellations facilitator and works with Writing with the Ancestors. She engages in traditional rites of passage storytelling, curates storytelling retreats, and facilitates women's rites of passage. Her unique approach and international lifestyle enrich her storytelling, making her a bridge between ancient wisdom and contemporary life.
AUTHOR, SPEAKER AND NDE SURVIVOR
SARAH BULLEN - THE WRITING COACH AND AGENT
Sarah's own story is inspirational has taken her to stages all over the world. In hwe mid 30s and with two young children, Sarah fell ill with pneumonia and ended up fighting for her life, in a coma and on life support. During that time she had an extended three-week long Near Death Experience. This journey is the story in her book Love and Above: A journey through shamanism, coma and joy. (2022 Tafelberg) and The Other Side (release date 2024).
How did this crazy fight for life happen? A three-week long coma and a NDE that lasted as long?
She was just 34 with a young family when her husband discovered he had a brain tumour. As he pursued a shamanic path to fight the cancer, they were both catapulted into a strange and magical world of ritual and ceremony. Then the impossible happened. As he entered his last weeks of life - Sarah too ended up fighting for her own life, in a coma on life support. She was to remain in the coma for four weeks and travelled through near-death and into other realms and worlds. Her three week journey was recorded in magazines and has become a NDE story that captivates audiences from USA to UK and in magazines from Marie Claire to Men’s Health and on talk shows and stages.
After her husband died of brain cancer in 2012 she moved to a Greece island to heal, write and run writers retreats. and has consistently supported authors for the last decade. She is the founder of Black Ink Books, and works with publishers around the globe in English-speaking territories.
Sarah is herself a cancer survivor. She had cancer four years after her husband died of brain cancer. That was in 2016. Sarah Bullen lives in Cape Town and spends part of the year in Greece and Botswana. She is a qualified African Constellations facilitator and works with Writing with the Ancestors. She does traditional rites of passage storytelling and curating storytelling retreats, and facilitating women's rites of passage.