Sarah Sundin discusses her lateset release, On Distant Shores
An interview
with Sarah Sundin,
Author of On Distant Shores
Q:
What are some of the challenges your main characters Georgie and Hutch face,
and what do they learn from them?
Q: The Wings of the Nightingale
series is your second series set during World War II. What is it about this
time in history that holds your fascination? Do you plan on writing about any
other time periods in the future?
So
much about the World War II era appeals to me — the music and fashions, the
adventure and drama, and the inherent romance of living in uncertain times.
Also, the vast scope of the war inspires countless story ideas to explore. I do
plan to keep writing about World War II — at least for the next three years. I
recently signed a contract with Revell for another series, tentatively called
Waves of Freedom, which follows three naval officers based in Boston in the
early years of the war.
Q: If you could go back in time to
any period, when (and where) would you go?
As
much as I enjoy reading and writing about World War II, I don’t know if I’d
want to live back then. I’d pick a gentler time, like the immediate post-war
years into the 1950s.
Q: You include a lot of specific
details in your novels. What did your research process look like for the Wings
of Nightingale series?
Research
for this series has kept me hopping! I’ve read everything I could find about
the flight nurses, the battles in the Mediterranean area and medical care in
the war. One of my favorite finds is the complete unit history of the US 93rd
Evacuation Hospital, where Hutch, the hero of On Distant Shores, serves as a pharmacist. Not only did it include
the extensive movements and work of this mobile hospital, but it included
stories and lots of pictures.
Q: Have you been able to travel to
any of the locales featured in this series? If so, where to and where were your
favorite places to go?
I
have! In the summer of 2011, my family visited Italy and southern France. I
felt the sand of the beaches of Salerno and Anzio between my toes, heard the
thrum of the cicadas among the ancient Greek temples at Paestum, balanced on
stepping-stones in the roads of Pompeii, braved the hair-raising traffic of
Naples and ate plenty of authentic pasta and pizza. Thanks to “Learn Italian
While You Drive!” CDs, I bumbled my way through a conversation with a
delightful museum docent in Anzio and amused countless merchants and cashiers
with my pidgin Italiano. I loved
everything about the trip.
Q: What is the main spiritual
message you hope readers will take away from On Distant Shores?
The
theme verse is James 1:5-6: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God . .
. and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he
that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
Social butterfly Georgie has always turned to others to make decisions, but she
learns to turn to the Lord for wisdom and not to waver in fear. Also Hutch
battles with bitterness when his goals are thwarted at every turn, and he learns
to be content where he is: “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord,
and not unto men,” Colossians 3:23.
Q:
What are some of the challenges your main characters Georgie and Hutch face,
and what do they learn from them?
One
of the chief problems they face is that Georgie, as a nurse, is an officer, and
Hutch is enlisted, despite his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. Not only are they
not allowed to fraternize, but she outranks him. Nowadays the economic downturn
has produced many families where the wife out-earns the husband, which can
cause problems in the relationship if not handled with care, respect and
humility. I hope Georgie and Hutch’s struggles with this situation will
resonate with readers.
As
the baby in her family, Georgie is used to depending on other people to help make
decisions. In the course of the story, she learns to turn to the Lord for
wisdom and guidance and to overcome her fears. Meanwhile, Hutch deals with the
frustration of thwarted dreams. When should we keep fighting for our goals? Is
it ever best to surrender?
Q: Hutch faces some disrespect and
difficult coworkers in his position — how should we handle tension in the
workplace?
Since
I work on-call in a hospital pharmacy, I witness workplace tension firsthand.
Things work best when people go out of their way to understand and respect one another.
Assuming the other person has good motives — even if you disagree with the
means they’ve chosen — goes a long way. You get into trouble when you begin
assigning bad motives to one another. Also it’s vital to treat co-workers with
basic courtesy and respect, even if you don’t like them as a person. Because,
shockingly, that happens. These are lessons Hutch learns in the story.
Q: Friends play a major role in
On Distant Shores. What qualities do
you believe make a good friendship, and what can we learn from the
relationships within the story?
I’ve
had more fun watching the friendships grow in this series. At the beginning,
they have so little in common, but by the end, they’re closer than sisters. The
women are so different, but that’s their strength. They complement each other
and enjoy the differences. They know when to encourage and when to confront,
when to push and when to let up.
Q: Both of your lead characters come
to realize that dreams change — how have your dreams changed?
I
never seriously pictured myself becoming an author when I was growing up, no
more than becoming a ballerina. From sixth grade on, I was drawn into science,
ending up as a pharmacist. I loved pharmacy and never imagined wanting to do
anything else . . . until the year 2000 when a story idea hit me and wouldn’t
let go — and my dreams shifted.
Q: Many of the characters in your books
are pilots, flight nurses or deal with planes in some form. Are planes a hobby
of yours? Do you have a background in the medical field?
I’ve
had a lifelong love affair with planes. My father traveled a lot on business,
and the whole family would take him to LAX. It was all so exciting — the
glamorous stewardesses, the travelers with their fascinating languages, even
the smell of the airport. And oh, the planes! I’ve never learned to fly (or
even wanted to), but I’m an enthusiastic traveler and was privileged to
experience a flight in a restored B-17 Flying Fortress. What a ride!
Yes,
I do have a background in the medical field; I have a doctorate in pharmacy. My
scientific and medical training helped me write this series, from understanding
nursing procedures and medications, to understanding the medical texts of the
time period, to deciphering the pilot’s manual for the C-47 cargo plane.
Q: You didn’t become a writer
overnight. What was your journey like that brought you to where you are today?
One
of the reasons I chose pharmacy as a career was the opportunity for part-time
work, since I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. In 2000, when my children were
little, I had a story idea and started writing. That first novel was really bad
and will never be published (please), but it got me started. I began attending
a writers group and writers conferences. In 2003, I began submitting to editors
and agents, which led to a five-year run of rejection letters. I used those
years to keep learning, growing and writing. In 2008 at Mount Hermon Christian
Writers Conference, I submitted A Distant
Melody to Vicki Crumpton at Revell, and a few months later, Revell offered
me a contract for my first series, Wings of Glory. Since then I’ve been busy
making the transition from hobby writer to full-time professional writer.
Q: Can you give readers a sneak peek
at what’s to come in the next book in the series?
In Perfect Time comes out
in August 2014. Flight
nurse Lt. Kay Jobson collects hearts wherever she flies, but C-47 pilot Lt.
Roger Cooper is immune to her charms. Throughout Italy and southern France, as
she evacuates the wounded and he delivers paratroopers and supplies, every beat
of their hearts draws them where they don’t want to go.
To keep up with Sarah Sundin, visit www.sarahsundin.com, become
a fan on Facebook (SarahSundinAuthor) or follow her on Twitter (@sarahsundin) and Pinterest (sarahsundin).
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