Thursday, August 4, 2011

Giveaway and Author Interview: Blue Skies Tomorrow

Welcome back to Writing for Christ Sarah Sundin, I am excited to have you here for a second time. J
What has changed in your writing life since you were last here?

It’s been quite a year. I signed another three-book contract with Revell for a series that follows three World War II flight nurses in the Mediterranean Theater. I’ve finished the first novel in that series, and it’ll be released Fall 2012. In April I received the Writer of the Year Award at the Mount Hermon Writers Conference, which meant a lot to me, since Mount Hermon is where I got my start. Mostly it’s just been a lovely blur of writing and blogging and social media.

What recent read stood out to you as truly spectacular?

Athol Dickson’s Lost Mission impacted me. Through dual storylines, he showed flip-side dangers Christians can fall into when interacting with the world—characterizing the world as evil and isolating ourselves from unbelievers, or identifying so strongly with those we minister to that we forget Christ’s teachings. And never once did Dickson “state his theme.” It all rose beautifully from the story.

Do you have favorite authors?

Oh, I hate this question because I have too many favorites! I’ve always loved Jane Austen and Maeve Binchy. Some of my more recent favorites include Dale Cramer, Athol Dickson, Liz Curtis Higgs, Charles Martin, and Jill Eileen Smith. I could list dozens more. Urgh.

What do you find the most enjoyable part of writing or connecting with readers?

I find almost all of it enjoyable. I love the story spark, researching, plotting, the rough draft, and editing. The reader connection has been a pleasant surprise. I’ve met so many fascinating people through reader mail, website contacts, and Facebook. I had no idea being a writer would be so much fun.

What do you find the most ideal atmosphere for writing? Do you ever get those surroundings? J

A quiet house, a sleeping dog, and my desk. We recently converted our guest room/sewing room/husband’s computer room to a his & hers office. I have my very own desk with lots of cubbies and drawers and a tackboard, plus an extra bookcase for my research material. I love it, and I use it every day. However, I can work pretty much anywhere. I’ve learned to use snippets of “wasted” time throughout the day, and I do research while waiting at the dentist’s office, edit while my kids play soccer, and clean out my email inbox on my phone while in line at the DMV.

Okay, something fun for those writers out there: In what point of your writing career did you surprise yourself by writing the most words ever in the shortest amount of time?

I don’t keep track of daily word count, but I occasionally write a 10-page chapter in one day. That’s pretty rare because I have to stop frequently to check research notes. The period in my writing life when I was most prolific was the very beginning. My first novel—which will never be published nor should it be—was a simple contemporary romance. I wrote 750 pages (yes, 750) in six months. And it was awful.

Thanks for being here again! It has been a joy and we wish the very best with your novels.

Readers, here is your chance to enter to win Sarah's latest release!


Please leave an email adddress! If I draw your name and there is no email, you will not win.
For extra entries:
~Be a follower
~Be a subscriber

And an EXTRA one:
~Follow Sarah's blog (scroll down, right side)


Contest is only open in the U.S. and void where prohibited. Chances of winning are based on the number of entries and winner is draw from a non-biased third party- Random.org. I am not responsible for any lost or damaged items for said prize.


Thanks for coming by to enter! Contest ends on August 19th.

46 comments:

  1. Hi Sarah,

    Congrats on the contract and the Mt. Herman award. I've always wanted to go the the conference but haven't been able to. ;(
    I really like your cover. And your book sounds great.

    Like you my first novel never will see the light of anyone's day--but mine was a mere 50K--nowhere near 750 pages! That was some fast writing.

    lindipeterson at tds dot net

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  2. Interesting interview!
    Please enter me!!
    Thank you!
    Lisa Nelson
    storyrreader617(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. I enjoyed Sarah's interview very much. Congrats on her continued success! I would love to read Blue Skies Tomorrow.

    I am a GFC follower.

    I am an email subscriber.

    Thanks!
    JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for the nice interview Susan and Casey - always enjoy getting to know about an author. Sounds like you have not had a dull year Susan - congrats to you! Please sign me up for your book giveaway! Thank you!

    Blessings,
    Lori
    triplel at evertek dot net

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  5. This sounds like a good book from a time period I like to read about.

    Please enter me in the contest.

    wfnren at aol dot com

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  6. This really looks like a very good book! Please put my name in the hat!!

    GFC follower-judy
    email subscriber
    GFC follower of Sarah's blog-judy

    Thanks!!
    Judy
    magnolias_1[at]msn[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  7. Great interview! I'm looking forward to reading Sarah's latest... please enter me!!

    I'm a follower and a subscriber!

    lubell1106(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. I would love to be entered in the contest!

    minizabel@live.com

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  9. Thanks, everyone!

    Lindi - I think all published authors have one or more "starter novels." At the time I sure didn't want to think my masterpiece would never be published, but now I cringe at the thought. But those novels serve a vital purpose - I discovered my passion for writing and learned how to slice & dice. I cut that book from 750 to 350 pages. And I survived :)

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  10. I'm a follower and a subscriber. Just the cover of this book makes it look like a good read!

    Doreen
    priviesandprims at yahoo .com

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  11. I'd love to win my teen girls love WWII stories. thanks for a chance

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

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  12. I would love to read this book. Please enter me in contest. Sounds like a very good book. Tore923@aol.com

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  13. Thank you so much for the chance to win this. This looks like an amazing book. I would love to win this. Thanks again.

    agent_beckster(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  14. Wonderful interview, love to learn more about authors.

    GFC follower
    e-mail subscriebr
    Sarah Sundin's blog subscriber

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  15. Would love to win!

    faithinhim(at)gmail(dot)com
    Sarah

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  16. Hey Sarah!

    Your new book looks really great! Can't wait to read it!

    Emreilly303(at)gmail(dot)com

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  17. Oh, and I'm a follower and a subscriber!

    Emreilly303(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Would love to win this!

    frequentreader19 (at) gmail (dot) com

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  19. I follow via GFC!

    frequentreader19 (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I subscribe via email!

    frequentreader19 (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  21. I am a GFC follower of Sarah's blog!

    frequentreader19 (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I enjoyed the interview with Sarah. Blue Skies Tomorrow has a great cover and sounds like a book I'd like to read.
    I'm a follower.
    I'm a subscriber.

    pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  23. I'm a follower gfc and a subscriber by email. I posted this to my blog: http://dancealertreads.blogspot.com/2011/08/writing-for-christ-author-interview-and.html

    dancealert at aol dot com

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  24. Everyone - thanks for your interest and your kind words!

    Doreen & Pam - I'm so pleased with Revell's art department. They've done the best covers for my books. What's fun about this book cover is it features El Campanil Theatre in Antioch CA, where a number of scenes in the book takes place. They even put the movie "Cover Girl" on the marquee, which my characters see. And Carmen Dragon (from Antioch) received the Oscar for his orchestration of this movie - so that was a fun little tidbit.

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  25. This book sounds very good! Thanks for the giveaway! Cheryl cjabdelnour@hotmail.com

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  26. I follow you on gfc as cjabdelnour. Cheryl cjabdelnour@hotmail.com

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  27. I love books placed in this time in life. Thanks for the chance to win one. ybutler(at)oppcatv(dot)com

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  28. I am a subscriber
    ybutler(at)oppcatv(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Public follower on Google Friend Connect ybutler(at)oppcatv(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  30. Great interview!

    I'm a subscriber and a follower

    Blessings,
    Jo
    ladijo40(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I can't wait to read this book! Please enter me!

    krhmoseslake(at)gmail(dot)com

    I'm a follower and a subscriber.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I can't wait to read this book, the cover looks amazing!Please enter me in the contest!

    ecriggs1990(at)aol(dot)com

    I'm a follower, subscriber and I follow Sarah's blog

    ReplyDelete
  33. I have read A Memory Between us and it was great. Recommend everyone reads this series. Would love to win Blue Skies Tomorrow and Sarah's other books I have not read. Thank Great interview.
    Thanks for the giveaway.

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  34. I am old GFC Follower

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  35. Old email subscriber

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Already follow Sarah's blog

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com

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  37. would love to read sarah's latest novel...thanks for the chance :)

    i'm a follower & email subscriber!

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

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  38. I love the cover --when I looked up this book, it said that it's the third in a trilogy. Does it spoil a lot of the first two books if you read it out of order?

    Anyway, thanks for the chance to win! I haven't read any WWII inspiration fic. recently. =)

    jafuchi7[at]hawaii[dot]edu

    +1 - I'm an e-mail subscriber

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  39. Lady Dragonkeeper (and I love the name!) - each book stands alone and focuses on a different brother, so they can be read out of order. A few details will be "spoiled" because the stories follow each other chronologically - but not many. I don't like buying a book, feeling like I walked into a party where everyone but me already knew each other, then finding it's the second in a series. So I try not to write that way :)

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  40. This book look so great! You really don't see many romances set in this time period. Thank you for the contest!

    inthehammockblog at gmail dot com

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  41. Great interview and a new to me author, thanks, ladies! Please enter me in the giveaway. I'm a follower and subscriber as well.

    Beth
    bharbin07[at]gmail[dot]com

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  42. I'm excited to see that Sarah has more WWII books in the works, this time period is so interesting. Please add me!
    worthy2bpraised at gmail dot com

    I'm a follower.
    I'm a subscriber.

    ReplyDelete
  43. This sounds like a great book! Thanks for the chance.

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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  44. Follower

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  45. email subscriber

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete
  46. I follow Sarah's blog

    nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for stopping by, I love to hear from those who traffic my blog! Have a wonderful day. :)