Enter
INTERVIEWS & REVIEWS
  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission Statement
      • FAQ'S
      • Review Us!
    • Contact
  • Interviews
    • Interview Requests
  • Reviews
    • Book Submissions
  • Team Members Only
    • Children's Books
    • Contemporary Fiction
    • Historical Fiction
    • Mystery/Suspense
    • Young Adult
    • May Nominations
  • Book of the Month
    • January Nominations
    • February Nominations
    • March Nominations
    • April Nominations
  • Our Reviewers
    • Marta Aldrighetti
    • Anna Bottoms >
      • Carolyn Bryant
    • Trinity Caver
    • Laura J. Davis >
      • Jeanette Durkin
    • Elizabeth Eckmeyer
    • Kristina Hall >
      • Joy Hannabass
      • Adriann Harris
      • Demetria Head
      • Raechel Helwig
      • Charity Henico
      • Mindy Houng
      • Monica Huyser
    • Heather L. Jones
    • Linda Klager
    • Beverly Laude >
      • Diana Lea
      • Tammy Lunsford
    • Rebecca Maney
    • Rick Norris
    • Trixi Oberembt
    • Lori Parrish >
      • Deanne Patterson
    • Kimberlee Sams >
      • Connie Porter Saunders
      • Paula Shreckhise
      • Katie Slocum
      • Amy Smelser
      • Katelyn Sponaugle
      • Emily Stephens
    • Laura Thomas >
      • Winnie Thomas
    • Billi Varela >
      • Diana Varela
      • Elisha Varela
      • Juanita Varela
    • Ewurabena Wilson >
      • Conny Withay
      • Cheryl Wood
  • 2024 Book of the Year Winner
    • 2024 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2023 Book of the Year
    • 2023 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2022 Book of the Year
    • 2022 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2021 Book of the Year
    • 2020 Book of the Year >
      • 2020 Book of the Year Finalists
    • 2021 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2019 Book of the Year
  • 2018 Book of the Year
    • 2018 Finalists
  • For Writers
  • Home
    • About >
      • Mission Statement
      • FAQ'S
      • Review Us!
    • Contact
  • Interviews
    • Interview Requests
  • Reviews
    • Book Submissions
  • Team Members Only
    • Children's Books
    • Contemporary Fiction
    • Historical Fiction
    • Mystery/Suspense
    • Young Adult
    • May Nominations
  • Book of the Month
    • January Nominations
    • February Nominations
    • March Nominations
    • April Nominations
  • Our Reviewers
    • Marta Aldrighetti
    • Anna Bottoms >
      • Carolyn Bryant
    • Trinity Caver
    • Laura J. Davis >
      • Jeanette Durkin
    • Elizabeth Eckmeyer
    • Kristina Hall >
      • Joy Hannabass
      • Adriann Harris
      • Demetria Head
      • Raechel Helwig
      • Charity Henico
      • Mindy Houng
      • Monica Huyser
    • Heather L. Jones
    • Linda Klager
    • Beverly Laude >
      • Diana Lea
      • Tammy Lunsford
    • Rebecca Maney
    • Rick Norris
    • Trixi Oberembt
    • Lori Parrish >
      • Deanne Patterson
    • Kimberlee Sams >
      • Connie Porter Saunders
      • Paula Shreckhise
      • Katie Slocum
      • Amy Smelser
      • Katelyn Sponaugle
      • Emily Stephens
    • Laura Thomas >
      • Winnie Thomas
    • Billi Varela >
      • Diana Varela
      • Elisha Varela
      • Juanita Varela
    • Ewurabena Wilson >
      • Conny Withay
      • Cheryl Wood
  • 2024 Book of the Year Winner
    • 2024 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2023 Book of the Year
    • 2023 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2022 Book of the Year
    • 2022 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2021 Book of the Year
    • 2020 Book of the Year >
      • 2020 Book of the Year Finalists
    • 2021 Book of the Year Finalists
  • 2019 Book of the Year
  • 2018 Book of the Year
    • 2018 Finalists
  • For Writers

Interviews
​

1/30/2018

6 Comments

Sarah Sundin Interview

 
Picture
Today I am pleased as punch to welcome author Sarah Sundin to Interviews & Reviews.

Sarah is the award-winning author of ten novels, including The Sea Before Us. Her novels When Tides Turn and Through Waters Deep were named to Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” A mother of three, Sarah lives in California, works on-call as a hospital pharmacist, and teaches Sunday school. Please visit her at www.sarahsundin.com.

Sarah, welcome to Interviews & Reviews!
I have been reading your WWII novels since With Every Letter crossed my path, so I have to ask – how did you become interested in the WWII era?

Family stories piqued my interest. My grandfather served in the US Navy as a pharmacist’s mate (medic), my great-uncle was a B-17 bomber pilot, and my grandmothers held down the Home Front. They were all storytellers, for which I am thankful.

Do you travel to the places you write about?

Whenever possible! I was blessed to be able to visit London and Normandy when researching The Sea Before Us. I was even able to tour Southwick House, a little-visited World War II site in England that is an important setting in the story, and we took the ferry from Portsmouth to Ouistreham in Normandy. What an experience to watch the Norman shore appearing over the horizon as my hero does in the novel on D-day.

I would imagine that the research for a series like this is extensive, so which do you enjoy more, the research part for a book, or the writing?

Both. When I’m researching, I love the research most, but when I’m writing, research annoys me. However, the love of the story is what fuels my interest in the research. The driest topics come to life for me when I realize how important it is to my hero or my heroine.
Picture
What inspired you to write The Sea Before Us?

​
I’ve been longing to write a D-day series for some time. When I was researching the US Navy for my Waves of Freedom series, I read about the exciting role the American destroyers played off Omaha Beach, and I wanted to tell that story. From there, the concept of the three estranged Paxton brothers fighting on D-day from the sea, the air, and the ground developed. My naval research also showed me the work of
the British “Wrens” (Women’s Royal Naval Service), and Dorothy Fairfax came to me.

Is there a message in The Sea Before Us that you want your readers to grasp?

Both Wyatt and Dorothy have come through difficult times, but Wyatt leaned on the Lord while Dorothy leaned away. I love when Wyatt tells her, “When times are dark, it’s hard to see the light, but it doesn’t mean the light is less real.” Difficult times are inevitable, but we can come through stronger if we turn to the Lord.

I loved that line too! Who was your favorite character to create in this book and why?

It was actually Dorothy’s father, Reginald Fairfax. He has responded to the great losses in his life by shutting down and shutting out his daughter, who needs him desperately. He makes some poor choices, but his deep pain really touched my heart. It was a joy to watch him change and find his strength again.

Yes, he really surprised me in the end. When does the next book in this series come out?

The Sky Above Us will release in spring 2019. This novel tells the story of Lt. Adler Paxton, a P-51 Mustang fighter pilot who flies on D-day, and Red Cross worker Violet Lindstrom.

Last question for a bit of fun: You are stranded on a deserted island. What three books would you want with you and why?

The Bible, of course—for inspiration, courage, and strength. And it’s long.

The US Army Survival Manual. I bought it for research, and it’s chockful of how-to-survive-in-the-wild information that this suburban girl would need for deserted-island living.

My three-in-one Jane Austen collection of Northanger Abbey, Emma, and Persuasion. She’s my all-time favorite author for swoony romance with substance and humor.

​Hmm ... There are sixty-six books in the Bible, plus the manual, plus a three-in-one book. I think that's cheating! That's really seventy books. Ha! Ha! Excellent choices! Thank you so much for stopping by today Sarah. I look forward to your next book.

You can sign up for Sarah's newsletter and check out her books at www.sarahsundin.com
Picture
In 1944, American naval officer Lt. Wyatt Paxton arrives in London to prepare for the Allied invasion of France. He works closely with Dorothy Fairfax, a “Wren” in the Women’s Royal Naval Service, who pieces together reconnaissance photographs with thousands of holiday snapshots of France—including those of her family’s summer home—in order to create accurate maps of Normandy. Maps that Wyatt turns into naval bombardment plans for D-day.
As the two spend concentrated time together in the pressure cooker of war, their deepening friendship threatens to turn into something more. But both of them have too much to lose to give in to love . . .

Pre-order your copy today!
Releases Feb. 6, 2018

Picture
Picture
6 Comments
Mary Kay Moody
1/30/2018 07:35:07 pm

I always enjoy learning a bit of the story behind the novel. Love how Sarah fell in love with Dorothy's father. I'm also fascinated with the role women played in WWII, so I'm eager to read this. Happy book launch, Sarah. And thanks I & R for the interview.

Reply
Sarah Sundin link
2/1/2018 12:13:56 am

Thank you, Mary Kay! I'm glad you enjoyed the interview.

Reply
Tisha Martin link
1/30/2018 08:14:51 pm

Thank you for this wonderful interview! Personally, I can't wait to read about Reginald Fairfax, either. He seems so mysterious. :) Also, the little bit about Wyatt's and Dorothy's spiritual journeys, this will be great to read as well!

Reply
Sarah Sundin link
2/1/2018 12:15:09 am

Thank you, Tisha! It was a fun story to write.

Reply
Laura Davis link
1/31/2018 01:44:19 pm

Thank you both! I enjoyed getting to know Sarah too.

Reply
Sarah Sundin link
2/1/2018 12:16:39 am

Thank you, Laura! I enjoyed it.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Author Interview
    Christian Living
    Christmas
    Contemporary Fiction
    Fantasy
    Giveaway
    Historical Fiction
    Historical Romance
    Inspirational Fiction
    Islam
    New Book Release
    Suspense

    Archives

    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    April 2024
    January 2024
    November 2023
    October 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016

Services

Interviews
Reviews
Our Reviewers
For Writers
Book Submissions

Support

Contact


© COPYRIGHT 2016. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Disclaimer
FTC DISCLAIMER: All the books reviewed on this site are given to us for the express purpose of review. They are provided by publishers, publicists, authors and agents. None of our reviewers were required to write positive reviews and none of them were paid monetarily. All opinions are those of each individual reviewer. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”