LITERARY LOCAL | Paula Riehle of Downers Grove, Author of Sarah’s Fall

by Mindy Kyle

DREAM COMES TRUE FOR ASPIRING WRITER WITH FIRST NOVEL

DOWNERS GROVE–Downers Grove resident Paula Riehle had always dreamed of becoming a professional writer, but only had time to write as a hobby in between a demanding financial career and raising a family. However, four years ago, an idea for a novel sprung from a true story her friend told her from her daughter’s cheerleading event, and now she is the proud author of her first book, Sarah’s Fall. “Cheerleading isn’t exactly the safest sport, and teenage girls are about the most volatile creatures on the planet, so it seemed a topic worth exploring,” says Paula.

Sarah’s Fall starts with a twenty-year high school reunion amongst friends reminiscing about their senior year in 1995, and Sarah Blake’s memory of friendships, questionable loyalties and the cascade of events that culminated into a single moment where it all went wrong. Weaving in nostalgia and a coming-of-age story, Paula explores human nature and touches on important themes like obsessive jealousy, teenage friendship, parental guidance and forgiveness. “The story provokes the question, how long should you suffer for a mistake you made when you were a teenager,” says Paula, “and whose forgiveness do you need -society’s or your own?”

With raising three kids and working full-time, it is an achievement to finally cross the finish line on her first novel. Currently, Sarah’s Fall is available for purchase on Amazon in paperback and Kindle.

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