An
interview with Sarah Sundin,
Author
of On
Distant Shores
Through
the good and the bad, God wants us to rely on Him in every situation.
Never was there a time so tenuous and uncertain as the battlefields
of WWII, the setting for Sarah Sundin’s newest release in the Wings
of the Nightingale series, On
Distant Shores (Revell/August
15, 2013/ISBN: 978-0-8007-2082-7/$14.99).
Sundin explores the uncertainty we face when life takes unplanned
turns, emphasizing the need to always turn to God. Sundin fittingly
chose James 1:5-6 as the theme for the story: “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.”
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:
What
do you enjoy doing when you're not writing?
Traveling...reading...sewing.
But this is all theoretical. When I'm not
writing,
I'm in the car driving my son to school, karate, tennis. The
last
child
without a drivers license. One year to go.
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's your favorite Bible verse?
John
15:5: "'I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me
and I
in
you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.'"
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:
What
fun thing can you tell us about yourself that we don't know?
My
husband deliberately sings song lyrics incorrectly. Just to annoy
me.
He's
doing it right now. I told him I'm putting him in the
interview.
Revenge
is sweet.
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.
Thank
you Sarah for answering all these questions! I had a blast with your
answeres and I hope my readers enjoy them as much as I do! :)
Thanks
also to Audra!
~ASC
