Ask the Author: Sarah Sundin
Answered Questions (52)
Sarah Sundin
Hi Jacob! I'm so glad you enjoyed Embers in the London Sky! WWII in Britain is very well documented, so you won't have trouble finding resources. Some of my favorites:
Gardiner, Juliet. Wartime Britain 1939-1945.
Ziegler, Philip. London at War.
Deighton, Len & Hastings, Max. Battle of Britain.
Collier, Basil. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Defense of the United Kingdom. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK... (UK home defense military history)
Longmate, Norman. How We Lived Then: A History of Everyday Life during the Second World War.
Have fun!
Gardiner, Juliet. Wartime Britain 1939-1945.
Ziegler, Philip. London at War.
Deighton, Len & Hastings, Max. Battle of Britain.
Collier, Basil. History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Defense of the United Kingdom. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK... (UK home defense military history)
Longmate, Norman. How We Lived Then: A History of Everyday Life during the Second World War.
Have fun!
Sarah Sundin
Hi Faith! My first twelve novels had primarily American characters, and a few of the women dealt with the US Home Front (A Distant Melody, Blue Skies Tomorrow, Through Waters Deep, Anchor in the Storm, When Tides Turn, and The Land Beneath Us), but no bombs falling - and only one of those involves a married woman (The Land Beneath Us). My most recent five books have been set in Europe, and have featured women in dangerous situations, often getting involved with the resistance. Embers in the London Sky comes closest to what you describe - the heroine is indeed dealing with bombs falling and the difficulties of life in the London Blitz - but she's a widow in search of her little son.
Sarah Sundin
Hi Kymberli! Aleida and Cilla are cousins - as is Gerrit van der Zee, the hero of my 2026 release. The stories completely stand alone, but there's a family connection. And there may be cameos ;)
Sarah Sundin
Hi Katelyn! For some reason, I didn't see this six months ago - oops! I don't usually find myself in writing slumps. I have contracts (and written proposals) for my next three novels - so I have writing material for the next three years. I'm very much an outliner/plotter, so I've already figured out what is going to happen and when. So if I sit down to write and get that "slump" feeling, I review my notes for the upcoming chapter and read the previous few chapters so I can get a running start. However, I've learned if that slump feeling persists, it may be because there's something wrong in my outline - a big-picture problem with pacing, perhaps.
Sarah Sundin
Hi Ada! Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying the stories. I am indeed a plotter & outliner. Before I start my rough draft, I get to know my characters and plot thoroughly in a process that takes a few months. I know what's going to happen in every scene.
However...once I get into my rough draft, I get to know my characters better, the theme becomes clearer, and connections emerge. I see ways to make the climax and ending better - more meaningful for the character - not to mention, better thought out! Not just "she gets herself into trouble....and gets herself out...somehow." :) I treat my outline as a working document, not set in stone, and I rewrite it several times DURING the rough draft process.
However...once I get into my rough draft, I get to know my characters better, the theme becomes clearer, and connections emerge. I see ways to make the climax and ending better - more meaningful for the character - not to mention, better thought out! Not just "she gets herself into trouble....and gets herself out...somehow." :) I treat my outline as a working document, not set in stone, and I rewrite it several times DURING the rough draft process.
Sarah Sundin
Hi Faith! No, I haven't explored that in my novels. In The Sound of Light, my nuclear physicist heroine touches on the possibilities and ramifications of such a weapon, but because she's in Denmark - which was isolated from Allied work on nuclear weapons - she isn't involved. I do think it would be interesting to explore. Maybe someday.
Sarah Sundin
Hi Peyton! Yes, I love them all equally. I had such fun writing about three very different brothers - as brothers often are. Jack & Ruth's banter came rapid-fire, and I had a hard time keeping up with them, transcribing for them, if you will. With Walt and Ray being quieter heroes, their interactions were different too - but I thoroughly enjoyed writing their stories!
Sarah Sundin
Interesting question, Anna! I majored in chemistry and received a doctorate in pharmacy - not the "expected" career path for a novelist. And yet, it was perfect for me and my writing. My health care experience has helped so much in writing about characters who are sick and injured (and my characters keep getting sick or injured), and exposed me to so many heartbreaking stories in the hospital environment - which inspire stories. My scientific training not only helped me understand my characters' technical work and write about it, but it taught clean writing, analytical thinking, and organizational skills. And having a job in the real world - ANY job - introduces you to a wide spectrum of people - and people are at the heart of novel writing.
So...my halfway-tongue-in-cheek advice to aspiring writers is to major in anything but English. If studying literature is your heart, then by all means, major in it. But first of all, writing pays diddly-squat, contracts are short-term, and new contracts are never a guarantee. Most authors I know either have a day job or a "patron of the arts" - a spouse with a paying job.
More importantly, working in areas outside of publishing inspire story ideas and help you write authentically about different careers. There's a reason most legal thrillers are written by lawyers! And those careers give you life experience and exposure to so many different kinds of people and life stories and all - and understanding the human experience makes powerful novels.
So, I would still major in chem and become a pharmacist. Besides, I met my hubby in pharm school ;)
So...my halfway-tongue-in-cheek advice to aspiring writers is to major in anything but English. If studying literature is your heart, then by all means, major in it. But first of all, writing pays diddly-squat, contracts are short-term, and new contracts are never a guarantee. Most authors I know either have a day job or a "patron of the arts" - a spouse with a paying job.
More importantly, working in areas outside of publishing inspire story ideas and help you write authentically about different careers. There's a reason most legal thrillers are written by lawyers! And those careers give you life experience and exposure to so many different kinds of people and life stories and all - and understanding the human experience makes powerful novels.
So, I would still major in chem and become a pharmacist. Besides, I met my hubby in pharm school ;)
Sarah Sundin
Hi Anna! That's a bit tough, since that was my first series, and I started writing it in 2001. It took a lo-o-o-ong time to get published :) A Distant Melody came to me as a standalone. I gave Walt two brothers - but I can't remember why. As I was developing that story and doing more research into the US Eighth Air Force, I felt sad. I knew Walt's story ended in early 1943, but that was a terrible time for the Eighth with heavy losses and little to show for it. But I knew how strong it was by 1945. Then I had a "what if" moment - what if Walt's two brothers also flew with the Eighth? I could follow the air war through to V-E Day. Then all of a sudden, Ruth and the story of her youth came to me - and I HAD to tell her story. I put her with Ray - he was a true pastor. He'd be good for her. No. Meh. Then I paired her mentally with Jack and sparks flew. Good sparks.
I'm not sure exactly why I made them pastor's kids. I did like the concept of all the boys trying to meet their dad's expectations and not always meeting them - and from a well-intentioned and loving dad.
For the music, that probably came as I started listening to WWII-era music and envisioned Walt's friends dancing and singing around the piano, and shy Walt "hiding" behind the piano - and the scene with him and Allie playing a medley. Having musical brothers was a fun way to work in the Big Band music I was falling in love with.
I'm not sure exactly why I made them pastor's kids. I did like the concept of all the boys trying to meet their dad's expectations and not always meeting them - and from a well-intentioned and loving dad.
For the music, that probably came as I started listening to WWII-era music and envisioned Walt's friends dancing and singing around the piano, and shy Walt "hiding" behind the piano - and the scene with him and Allie playing a medley. Having musical brothers was a fun way to work in the Big Band music I was falling in love with.
Sarah Sundin
Hi Marie! I'm so glad you're enjoying the stories - and the Pinterest boards! The three books on my current contact are standalones with a loose connection (the heroes are all friends). My next 3-book contract (releasing 2024-26) is similar with loosely connected standalones. Writing a trilogy is a lot of fun - although not without challenges. But I'm also enjoying writing these standalones. As for the future, we'll see how the story ideas come - and how the sales go :)
Sarah Sundin
Hi Linda! I had fun using the imagery of leaves throughout the novel, especially how the leaves were falling at the same time things were "falling" in the story. Not to give any spoilers to others who may read this answer, but there's a tidbit on p. 285.
I also had fun bringing in John Greenleaf Whittier, since I grew up in the town named after him :)
I also had fun bringing in John Greenleaf Whittier, since I grew up in the town named after him :)
Sarah Sundin
Hi there! In general, I write my series so that each novel can be read independently. Since you're planning on reading all three anyway, I would recommend reading them in order - especially this series. There are a few things revealed in books 2 & 3 that aren't known in book 1.
Sarah Sundin
Hi Abigail! When Twilight Breaks, and the next two books on this contract, are standalone novels. They each follow Americans living in Nazi Germany or in Nazi-occupied countries, but they're unrelated to each other.
Sarah Sundin
Thank you, Linda! That's funny about the double order - it happens rather frequently. You can always give one to a friend or conduct a giveaway.
I'm so glad you enjoyed When Twilight Breaks! I write one book a year, which is as fast as I can write with all the research :)
I'm so glad you enjoyed When Twilight Breaks! I write one book a year, which is as fast as I can write with all the research :)
Sarah Sundin
Hi Susan! I'm sorry I missed this! How wonderful for your writers' group to interview veterans. They're a treasure trove of knowledge. Sadly, I don't usually find the "right" veterans until after a book is published - then they contact me. I do rely a lot on oral histories and interviews, which I can find for the unit I'm researching. Granted, I'm an introvert, so approaching people makes me very uncomfortable :)
Sarah Sundin
Hi Rebecca! I'm so glad you're enjoying the stories. As for Catholic heroines, it depends on where my story ideas take me!
Sarah Sundin
Hi Anna! Their story came in a roundabout way. My initial idea for the Sunrise at Normandy series was to tell the story of D-day from the sea, the air, and the ground - from the perspective of three brothers. But that required the three stories to be told in parallel, rather than in sequence as most series are told. However, the three brothers would have been communicating with each other, which would have removed all suspense for the books for brothers #2 & #3. My agent and I almost threw out the entire idea.
But then I wondered...what if the three brothers were NOT talking to each other? But why would three brothers not be talking to each other? Why would at least two of them not be talking to their parents? From there, the tragic spiral that destroyed the Paxton family unfolded. That also gave me an overarching and multifaceted theme of forgiveness and reconciliation to explore for the series.
Each brother's personality and story kind of developed out of their role in the family tragedy and their role in the war.
But then I wondered...what if the three brothers were NOT talking to each other? But why would three brothers not be talking to each other? Why would at least two of them not be talking to their parents? From there, the tragic spiral that destroyed the Paxton family unfolded. That also gave me an overarching and multifaceted theme of forgiveness and reconciliation to explore for the series.
Each brother's personality and story kind of developed out of their role in the family tragedy and their role in the war.
Sarah Sundin
Hi Lydia! That's a huge question requiring a long answer. I teach several workshops on writing historical fiction and conducting historical research, so it's difficult to condense to a paragraph or two. Research runs in several parallel veins. First, you need a broad general knowledge about WWII to give your story a strong foundation. Next, your story guides your research. The research I did for each of my novels was very different because each story covered different aspects. For good historical fiction, you need both traditional history books/websites/sources/documents that give you dates and names and locations - and personal stories (oral histories, interviews, memoirs, etc.) to give you color, the feel for how it was to actually BE there at that time. If you have a specific area you'd like to research, you can contact me by email through my website, and I'd be happy to send you a list of resources if I have anything for that aspect of WWII. All the best to you in your writing!
Sarah Sundin
Hi Tami! I'm so glad you're enjoying the stories. Ironically, the first two novels I wrote were contemporaries. They haven't been published - nor should they ever be! They were my starter novels. At this time, I'm in the middle of writing another three books set in the WWII era, due to release in 2021-23, and I don't plan to leave the era yet. But who knows what the future might bring?
Sarah Sundin
Hi Claudia! I don't have any such plans at this time. I have a contract for another three WWII books coming out 2021-23. After that, who knows?
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