Sarah Sundin is a bestselling author of World War II novels, including The Sound of Light. Her novel Until Leaves Fall in Paris received the 2022 Christy Award, When Twilight Breaks and The Land Beneath Us were Christy Award finalists, and The Sky Above Us received the Carol Award. Sarah lives in California and serves as co-director of the West Coast Christian Writers Conference. http://www.sarahsundin.com
Tell about yourself, your
family, pets, favorite foods, hobbies, where you grew up, etc., and 1-3 things
about yourself that have nothing to do with writing.
My husband and I live in
Southern California with our two rescue dogs. Our three adult children live on
their own, and our first grandchild was born in December—and he’s absolutely
adorable! My hobbies include traveling, walking with the dogs, cooking, and
baking. I grew up in Southern California, then went to Northern California to
go to school—and stayed. Then our children went to Southern California to go to
school—and stayed. So this summer, we followed them and moved south.
What genre(s) do you
write?
I write historical
fiction set during World War II.
Are you Indy,
traditionally published, or both?
Traditional.
What are you working on
now?
My latest novel, The
Sound of Light, just released, so I’m doing publicity for that story. I’m
also finishing up my next World War II novel, which will be released in
February 2024. It follows a Dutch refugee searching for her little son and a
BBC radio correspondent in London during the Blitz.
Do you read outside of
your genre? If so, what other genres do you like to read?
I do when I can! I spend
a lot of my reading time reading for endorsement and to support my fellow
authors—so a lot of historical fiction. However, I also love contemporary
stories, women’s fiction, and suspense.
Did the first book you
wrote get published? How long were you writing before you were published?
My first two novels have
never and should never be published, and that’s all right. They were my starter
novels, and by writing them, I learned how to write and edit a novel. The time
spent writing them was not wasted at all.
When you are writing, do
you like complete silence, or do you like to listen to music? If so, what kind
of music do you like? What are your favorite writing snacks?
I prefer silence to
music. Music draws me in, and I find myself humming along—it pulls me out of
the story. However, I don’t mind background noise. Right now, I can hear the
neighborhood kids outside practicing roller hockey, my husband doing chores in
the backyard, and the dogs “helping” him. That doesn’t bother me at all.
How
much research did you need to do for your book?
For each novel, I enter
about fifty books and websites into my bibliography. I begin the research
process when I’m writing the proposal that determines whether my publisher
gives me a new contract. That preliminary research helps me see if my basic
story idea works in the framework of history. Then in the year or three between
signing the contract and writing the novel, I collect research books and online
materials to read later. When I begin working on that particular novel, I begin
deep research. This continues through the outlining, rough drafting, and
editing phases—a year total for me.
What do you do to get
inside your character’s heads?
Characters are the heart
of the story. Since I’m an outliner/plotter—a writer who does a great deal of
work before starting the rough draft—I spend a lot of my prewriting time
getting to know my characters. I fill out lengthy character questionnaires for
my hero and heroine, give them personality tests, and analyze the story from
their point of view. But when I start writing the rough draft, things shift a
bit. I feel as though I’m finally meeting them in person for the first time. In
the first few chapters, I feel my way around, trying to capture their
voices—and I often feel as if I’m waiting for the characters’ permission to
tell their stories.
What
inspired the idea for your book?
The Sound of Light was inspired by the real-life stories that
came out of Denmark during World War II, including the Danish resistance and
the astonishing rescue of the Danish Jews. The hero, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt,
was inspired by the real-life Knud Christiansen, a Danish Olympic rower who
sheltered dozens of Jews and rowed them across to Sweden. The heroine, Dr. Else
Jensen, is a physicist at the Institute for Theoretical Physics, directed by
real-life Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr—and Else is persuaded to print copies of a
resistance newspaper. There are multiple “Little Mermaid” references in honor
of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale and the famous Little Mermaid statue
in Copenhagen Harbor, which plays a role in the novel.
What is
the best money you’ve ever spent with regard to your
writing?
Writers conferences,
without a doubt. Disclaimer—I serve as co-director for the West Coast
Christian Writers Conference. But the reason I do so is because of the
immense benefit conferences have provided in my life and in the lives of my
friends. At conferences, you get intensive teaching to learn about the writing
craft, the publishing industry, and how to build your platform. You also meet
industry professionals, like agents, editors, and published authors. Most
importantly, from my standpoint, you meet fellow writers on the journey and
build community, which is essential in this solitary and emotionally draining
job.
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In WWII Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt assumes the identity of a common shipyard worker, rowing messages to Sweden for the Resistance. His life depends on keeping his secret hidden--a task that proves challenging when he meets Else Jensen, an American physicist who seems to see right through him.
