Want to know a secret? I didn’t always like the historical fiction genre. Really.
Most likely this was rooted in my dislike of history in school. So how was I converted into a fan? Well, there are a handful of authors who wrestled this ADHD brain into appreciating the stories of people in history–not just dates. One of those authors is Sarah Sundin.
Sarah Sundin is the bestselling author of When Twilight Breaks, Until Leaves Fall in Paris, The Sound of Light, and the popular WWII series Sunrise at Normandy, among others. She is a Christy Award winner and a Carol Award winner, and her novels have received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly, and have appeared on Booklist’s “101 Best Romance Novels of the Last 10 Years.” Sarah lives in California
What’s new?
For nearly fifteen years, Sarah Sundin has transported readers back to World War II with her mesmerizing and historically accurate novels. In her newest narrative, Embers in the London Sky, Sundin explores the war through the eyes of a mother who has been separated from her beloved child and through a BBC correspondent who knows that reporting the truth will take him deep into the flames. Filled with raw emotion, Embers in the London Sky will captivate, entertain, and educate readers as they plunge into the gritty realities of war.
Here’s the skinny on Sarah’s latest release, Embers in the London Sky:
Found a copy of the 2/19/24 Woman’s World Magazine issue featuring Embers in the London Sky 😍Such fun! My WWII novel is included in Woman’s World’s Book Club for Feb. 18-24!
As the German army invades the Netherlands in 1940, Aleida van der Zee Martens flees her homeland with her husband and her three-year-old son. But when her husband is killed and she is separated from her son, she must escape to London alone to wait out the occupation. She finds work with an agency responsible for evacuating children to the countryside and is determined to use her connections to help her find her son. This includes enlisting the aid of a handsome BBC correspondent.
BBC radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood is caught in the middle of the London Blitz. As German bombs set the city on fire, Hugh is determined to boost morale while walking the fine line between truth and censorship. But the Germans are not the only ones Londoners have to fear as a series of murders flame up amid the ashes.
As Aleida and Hugh work together to find her missing son and also uncover the culprit behind the murders, they continue to grow closer. But with bombs falling and continued killings, they may be running out of time.
What is something God taught you while you wrote your featured book?
In the story, radio correspondent Hugh Collingwood struggles with his identity—his aristocratic parents disapprove of his profession, and he feels he’s never measured up. He gets his “strokes” through his popularity with listeners.
Our society tries to define our identity by what we do and how well we do it. As the girl in school with straight A’s, I defined myself by academic and then career success. Others define themselves by their looks or popularity or family. But those are all “chasing the wind.”
Worldly success can disappear, looks do disappear, popularity is fickle, and even our family roles can unexpectedly shift. Then who are we? Over the past few years, the Lord is having me unpack this and reminding me that my identity is solely in Him. When I remember that, most of the stress and frustration and disappointment of my life evaporates.
No one can ever pluck me out of the Lord’s hands!
Do you have any strange writing habits/quirks?
It isn’t strange to me, but others find it strange. I’m an extreme outliner. Before I start my rough draft, I’ve filled out character questionnaires and personality tests, plot charts and timelines. Since I’m a visual person, it really helps to see the plot. I can wrangle all my subplots and historical references into submission, and this helps me relax and enjoy the journey of the rough draft. For me, it’s similar to having an itinerary before travel. If I know we have hotel and transportation reservations, I can lean back and enjoy the ride!
What is the least helpful writing tip you ever received? Why wasn’t it helpful?
“To be a writer you have to write first thing every morning.”
I am not a morning person, so anything written before a significant quantity of coffee has reached my bloodstream will be incoherent. My creativity peaks mid-to-late afternoon, so I’ve learned to reserve my afternoons for writing and to do other things in the morning—chores, errands, and the business end of writing.
Each writer needs to find their best time for writing—then protect it zealously. If you have a full-time job or children at home, this might not be possible. You find the best time for you—naptime, the lunch hour, the wee early hours, or the night owl hours. Use it and guard it.
Ready for the GIVEAWAY?
The March A2A Giveaway!
Yes! Thanks to Revell Publishing and Sarah, this month’s giveaway is a copy of Sarah’s, Embers in the London Sky! PLUS, Sarah will send the winner an autographed bookplate and a set of three vinyl stickers–suitable for framing. Watch the video to see what they look like!
There’s one winner and it could be you! How? Well, by entering! Not just once, but up to SIX times!* Leave a comment below and share this blog and if you haven’t already, please subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of this blog and receive a free gift from me — and an extra entry.
NOTE: WANT TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING THIS INCREDIBLE GIVEAWAY?*
Check out my YouTubeA2A interview with Sarah. Because, in the video interview Sarah will read a touching excerpt of Embers in the London Sky, and answer different fun questions! By Liking and Commenting on the video episode, you will have one more entry.* Sharing the video, another entry.* Subscribe, and you have TWO entries for a chance to win.*
The Deadline is March 14th!
Watch our interview
That means, my friends, if you comment and subscribe -– or are already a subscriber -– to my blog, then watch the video and LIKE, SHARE, and COMMENT on the VIDEO, then Subscribe to my YouTube Channel, your name will be entered SIX TIMES!*
Coming up in April: So excited to interview Jaime Jo Wright. A bestselling and multi-award-winning author whose latest release, Night Falls on Predicament Avenue, is another leave-the-lights-on thriller!
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed getting to know Sarah–I sure did! Until next month, God bless and KEEP READING!
*So sorry, entries from the contiguous US only.
