The Best Reads of 2011

What a great year for books! Unfortunately, it wasn't a great year for time to read all the books I wanted. The year started off with my going to the Pulpwood Queens Girlfriend Weekend in Jefferson, TX. There I was introduced to many new (to me) authors which added to my already leaning pile of books-I-want-to-read-before-I-die.

Writing, editing, and marketing took a big chunk of my reading time in the middle part of the year, but I've finished strong and read some darned good books the last few month. Before I get to that, I have to tell you about a new and interesting twist to my author life - I was asked to read a number of books for endorsement - that pithy little blurb that appears sometimes on the cover or in the flyleaf at the front of a book. What an honor . . . and a responsibility. You can either gush and sound really silly or try out some sixty-four dollar words and sound stuffy or you can give a brief but lively blurb that pulls out the strengths of the book. Luckily, for me, this was easy as all the books I was asked to read only added to my literary enjoyment this year.

So to start things off, these are the authors and their books that I've endorsed this year:

When All My Dreams Come True by Janelle Mowery
Reinventing Leona by Lynne Gentry
Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy
Savanna's Gift by Camille Eide
Wish You Were Here by Beth K. Vogt (2012 release)
A Sweethaven Summer by Courtney Walsh (2012 release)
The Mother Road by Jennifer AlLee (2012 release)

Such a privilege to read these heart-warming stories. The one thing they all had in common was the unique voice that each author brought to the book.

Now, on to the Best of List. I sometimes do a top five in two or three categories, but this year my reading took me far and wide so I'm going to do like they do on the televised awards shows and invent categories to suit my needs.

Best Memoir:

In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White

Best Novel Set in England:

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Best Novel Set in the South:

Georgia Bottoms by Mark Childress - Absurd and Hilarious!

Best Literary Novel:

The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

Best Novel from CBA (Christian Booksellers Association):

The Sweetest Thing by Elizabeth Musser

Two-Way Tie for Second Place:
Blue Skies Tomorrow by Sarah Sundin
A Sound Among the Trees by Susan Meissner

Best Christan Debut:

Wings of a Dream by Anne Mateer

OVERALL BEST BOOK: Remember what I said about that huge pile of books. The best book I read this year is one that's been gathering dust for a couple of years, the one I'd heard great things about but never seemed to pull out and read. Although it has a 2007 pub date, 2011 was the year I discovered it, and everything I've ever heard about this book was true. Gritty. Mesmerizing. Heart-wrenching. The writing is unlike anything you've ever read. The characters and the story will wind around your heart and squeeze until you think you can't breathe. The impression will not go easily away. A teaser: I will never see or hear an accordion again without thinking of my choice for Best Book of 2011 - The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

It will most likely be read again in 2012.

How about you? Are you familiar with these authors or these books? See anything interesting? It was an eclectic year for me, and that's just the way I like it!

Happy New Year! I'll be back next week to tell you about the books I'm looking forward to in 2012.

BLUE SKIES TOMORROW by Sarah Sundin - PART 2

Welcome Back! This is Day 2 of the blog tour for Sarah Sundin, celebrating the release of the third installment of her Wings of Glory Series - BLUE SKIES TOMORROW. If you're just joining us, please visit yesterday's post for the special giveaway. Hurry, though, as the Grand Prize contest ends this Saturday!

If you're a regular visitor to my blog, you will know how much I admire Sarah's work and am fortunate to have her as a friend. We met at Mount Hermon in California several years ago and had the distinction of being "debut" authors together last year. Enough about that. Please read to the end - I have a special surprise for one lucky reader.

MY REVIEW of BLUE SKIES TOMORROW: 

Blue Skies Tomorrow is a stunning conclusion to Sarah Sundin’s Wings of Glory Series. Lt. Raymond Novak steps to the forefront in this one, but unlike his hero brothers, he really wants only to be a pastor and feels his stateside job as a flight training officer doesn’t measure up to the sacrifice and courage of those who’ve gone into combat. A job change that he views as a demotion brings Ray back to his home area in California. There he reconnects with a childhood friend, Helen Carlisle, who is now widowed and has a small child. As a romance begins to kindle, Helen confesses a dark secret to Ray, and in a panic, tells him she never wants to see him again. Defeated even in love, Ray volunteers for flight duty in England.

What I love about Sarah’s books is that her characters are flawed or have great obstacles to overcome, but falling in love doesn’t erase those problems and often highlights them. She brings her characters through the fire of their shortcomings, and as the romance develops, so does trust, accountability, and even being willing to let go of the other person if it benefits him or her more. Ray and Helen’s story was, for me, the most heart wrenching in the Wings of Glory Series. Helen’s character as a childhood polio victim and then a victim of another kind as an adult had me hoping desperately she would find courage and happiness. The ending tied all the stories together beautifully. Please don’t miss out on this great series.

Now for the surprise. In the comments section, tell me your favorite genre and favorite setting for a book, past or present. Also, you'll need to leave your contact information so I can notify the winner. At noon on Sept 15, I will draw for the winner of Blue Skies Tomorrow. Chat away!

Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher for my honest review. Void where prohibited. Chances of winning dependent on number of entries.

BLUE SKIES TOMORROW by Sarah Sundin - Kindle Giveaway

Special two-day post: Today, the blog tour giveaway information! Contest entries must be in by this SATURDAY, Sept. 10. Hurry. Hurry. 

Tomorrow, my review PLUS my giveaway of Sarah's book.

To celebrate the release of Blue Skies Tomorrow, the final installment of the Wings of Glory series, Sarah is giving one lucky winner A Vintage Kindle Prize Package! 

ABOUT SARAH: Sarah Sundin received the 2011 Writer of the Year Award from the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, and her second novel A Memory Between Us is a finalist for an Inspirational Readers' Choice Award. Her stories are inspired by her great-uncle who flew with the U.S. Eighth Air Force in England during World War II.

Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children.  Visit with Sarah online at www.sarahsundin.com.

ABOUT THE BOOK: Lt. Raymond Novak prefers the pulpit to the cockpit, but at least his stateside job training B-17 pilots allows him the luxury of a personal life. As he courts Helen Carlisle, a young war widow and mother who conceals her pain under a frenzy of volunteer work, the sparks of their romance set a fire that flings them both into peril. After Ray leaves to fly a combat mission at the peak of the air war over Europe, Helen takes a job in a dangerous munitions yard and confronts an even graver menace in her own home. Will they find the courage to face their challenges? And can their young love survive until blue skies return?
 

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One winner will receive:

* Kindle with Wi-Fi

* Handmade vintage apron for you and a friend (see a photo here)

* Blue Skies Tomorrow (for Kindle)

To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, giveaway ends on 9/10. Winner will be announced on 9/12 at Sarah Sundin's blog. Details and official rules can be found when entering the contest.

Interview with Sarah Sundin

I hope that you all had a chance to read about Sarah Sundin’s newest book, A Memory Between Us, in yesterday’s post. Today, I'm glad to have Sarah with me to answer a few questions.

Thanks, Sarah, for being my guest here at the Café. Congratulations on A Memory Between Us. I’ve been excited about this book for a long time and loved Jack and Ruth’s story. Can you tell us a bit about your writing journey?

I started writing in January 2000 and first submitted the proposal for A Distant Melody to editors and agents in 2003. For five years I received “good” rejection letters—they liked my writing and story and characters—however, historicals weren’t selling. In 2008, publishers wanted historicals again. At Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, I submitted to Vicki Crumpton from Revell, and she offered me a three-book contract. A Distant Melody was released in March 2010, ten years after I started writing.

How did you come up with the idea of the Wings of Glory series? Had you always intended for there to be three books? 

The idea for A Distant Melody came out of a “what if” question—what if a man and woman met at an event, truly clicked, and parted before exchanging contact info? Wouldn’t it be romantic if he went through great effort to track her down? My husband and I watched a History Channel special on the US Eighth Air Force based in England during World War II, and I was hooked. My great-uncle was a B-17 pilot with the Eighth, so I had access to his stories and letters.

A Distant Melody was meant to be a standalone, but while doing research, I became enamored with the Eighth Air Force and wanted to tell the full story to V-E Day. Since my hero had two pilot brothers, I decided to write a series, with each book focusing on one brother.

Having read the first two now, it’s quite obvious that meticulous research goes into your writing. Can you tell me a bit about how you do research? 

I have to confess, I have over two hundred books and websites in my bibliography for this series. Yes, that’s sick. I started with basic texts on World War II, then got more detailed. Bibliographies are a great resource—when a book is mentioned in multiple bibliographies, it warrants attention. On the internet I found a company that sells copies of the actual B-17 pilot’s manual and the training film, which were pure gold! For A Memory Between Us, I did lots of research into nursing during World War II, flight nursing, and Army hospitals.

Two hundred sources in your bibliography? That is some serious research, Sarah. Wow. But you mentioned you have real life inspiration through your great uncle as well. Did you have him in mind with any particular character from your books? 

I based the career of Jack Novak, the middle brother and the hero of A Memory Between Us, on my great-uncle’s career. But Jack’s looks, personality, family, life-story, and romance are purely fictional. My great-uncle, Roderick Stewart (yes, the original Rod Stewart), was a true character, and no fictional character could have done him justice. By the way, Carla and I are not related…no nepotism here.

Well, I am honored that we have the same name in common! I’m fascinated with the way you’re able to put the reader spot-on in the setting. Have you been to England and seen the places you write about? How about the military planes? Have you flown in one? 

I was blessed with a husband with frequent flier miles. He took me to England in 2002 and 2003 without kids (romantic!!!) when I was in the early stages of writing the trilogy. I visited London and Bury St. Edmunds, and traipsed through the ruined abbey—which I had to put in A Memory Between Us. As for the B-17s, the Collings Foundation and the Experimental Aircraft Association tour the country with beautifully restored B-17s—and you can walk through them for a nominal fee. Wow! When you crawl through the narrow passageways, duck through the doorways, and poke your head into the top turret—and then imagine doing it as a full-grown man with bulky high-altitude flying gear in subzero temperatures under fighter attack—it gives you a new level of appreciation for what the airmen went through. Both organizations offer flights in the B-17s, but I’ve balked at the price. Some day…

What do you want the reader to gain from reading A Memory Between Us? Is there a particular take away you have in mind? 

I never write a novel with a message in mind, but I do hope my readers will learn from my characters’ experiences. Shame serves a purpose—to bring you to ask God’s forgiveness—but when it persists after forgiveness, that’s not God talking. Shame burdens so many people and holds them back from the wonderful plans God has for them. I hope my readers will learn to truly accept forgiveness, shove off shame, and allow God to use them. I also hope they see the insidious nature of pride and learn to trust in the Lord a bit more each day.

Your spiritual threads are quite organic to the story, Sarah. Very practical, which leads me a practical question. What have you learned between the publication of A Distant Melody and A Memory Between Us? Any marketing secrets you’d like to share? 

I sure wish there was some way to measure which marketing techniques work and which are a waste of time and money. I’m still new at this, but what I’ve done that seems effective:

a)    Blog interviews like this one. Each interview exposes my book to people outside my sphere of influence.

b)    My publisher gave me book copies for “influencers.” These people have been wonderful. They’ve posted reviews, chatted it up on Facebook, recommended it to their book clubs and libraries, and my friend Marci Seither made a vintage 1940s apron with the book cover for A Distant Melody on the pocket and donated it to a fabric store. The store owner displayed the apron in the store window and recommended the book to her book club!

c)     Facebook has been a great way for me to connect with people—other writers, old friends, and new readers. I like that personal touch.

d)    Bookmarks generously distributed. I carry them everywhere. Whenever someone asks about my book, I give them a bookmark. Also my friends and influencers hand them out in droves. I’ve already gone through my first lot of one thousand bookmarks, and I’m working on the second. Low tech but effective.

e)    Local speaking. I’m still getting started in this, but lately I’ve spoken to middle schoolers, the women’s club, and the Soroptomists. Speaking at the women’s club led to two local newspaper features on me and my book. Those women know people!

Coffee? Tea? Sparkling mineral water? Or . . .

Yes, please! Well, I’ll pass on the mineral water, but I love anything in the caffeine family. Coffee with a dash of milk and flavored syrup, tea (hot or iced), and generic diet cola. Lots of it.

Sarah, you’re getting great reviews and gaining a lot of fans (including my husband and me). Congratulations! One last question:

Please tell us where to find you on the web and the burning question in all of our minds – when does book three come out? Title? 

The third book is called Blue Skies Tomorrow, and it comes out August 2011.

You can find me on the web (and please come visit) at:

Website: http://www.sarahsundin.com

Blog: http://www.sarahsundin.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sarahsundin

Twitter: http://twitter.com/sarahsundin

Thanks, Sarah. I love the title Blue Skies Tomorrow. And thank you readers for sharing this time with us . . .

A reminder: If you haven’t entered Sarah’s Movie and Memory prize package, check it out on yesterday’s post.

A MEMORY BETWEEN US by Sarah Sundin - Book 2 in the Wings of Glory Series and a FABULOUS GIVEAWAY

 It's no secret to my blog followers that I'm a big fan of Sarah Sundin and her debut Wings of Glory series set in WW II. I'll be sharing my review below, but first, a bit about Sarah and the just-released second book in the series - A MEMORY BETWEEN US. Tomorrow, I'll feature Sarah again in an interview where she tells us more about her passion for writing and how she does research.

ABOUT THE BOOK:Can they overcome the past to find a brighter future together?

Major Jack Novak has never failed to meet a challenge--until he meets army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty. When Jack lands in the army hospital after a plane crash, he makes winning Ruth's heart a top-priority mission. But he has his work cut out for him. Not only is Ruth focused on her work in order to support her orphaned siblings back home, she also is determined not to give her heart to any man.

As the danger and tension of World War II rise to a fever pitch, Jack and Ruth will need each other more than ever. Can Jack break down her defenses? Or are they destined to go their separate ways?

From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.

A Memory Between Us is the second book in the WINGS OF GLORY series, which follows the three Novak brothers, B-17 bomber pilots with the US Eighth Air Force stationed in England during World War II.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:Sarah Sundin is an on-call hospital pharmacist and holds a BS in chemistry from UCLA and a doctorate in pharmacy from UC San Francisco. Her great-uncle flew with the US Eighth Air Force in England during WWII. Sarah lives in California with her husband and three children. This is her second novel.  For more info please visit her website at www.sarahsundin.com!
 
MY REVIEW: 

As I anticipated the release of Book 2 of the Wings of Glory Series, I didn’t see how Sarah could possibly live up to her debut novel, A Distant Melody, but she did. She skillfully portrays Major Jack Novak as a man who is driven to succeed both in his military career as a WWII pilot and in his desire to win the heart of Lieutenant Ruth Doherty, the Army nurse who cares for him when his plane crashes. Ruth’s determination to forget her past and care for her orphaned siblings, though, is her top priority, and she is not swayed by the major’s relentless pursuit. The chemistry that sparks between them is authentic and tender, warm and witty.

There is an indefinable quality to Sarah’s story telling. She drew me in with her meticulous detail of the medical world Ruth inhabits, the British setting, historical context (the chapter on D-Day had me biting my nails), and Jack’s life as a decorated pilot. Novels that have this sort of magical “it” are hard to find, but this one is a treasure. I give it a high recommendation. 

 

LINK TO PURCHASE A MEMORY BETWEEN US:




And now, Sarah's gift to one very special reader - 


Sarah Sundin presents The Movies and Memories Giveaway in honor of book 2 in the Wings of Glory series. A Memory Between Us is available for purchase wherever fine books are sold. From the English countryside to the perilous skies over France, A Memory Between Us takes you on a journey through love, forgiveness, and sacrifice.




To celebrate Sarah is giving one lucky winner A Movie and Memory Prize Package! One grand prize winner will receive:

* Make-your-own-photo book from Mypublisher.com (Capture your own Memories)

* Netflix Subscription (New or Nostalgic Movies delivered right to your house)

* Starbucks gift card (To keep your engine revvin’)

*Gourmet chocolate (A favorite in the 1940’s and now)

* British specialty teas in carved wooden box (Timeless tradition)

* Miniature model of a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber & C-47 cargo plane (Everyone needs a few toy planes)

*Big Band music CD (Break out your dancing shoes)

* WWII authentic poster playing cards (Cards – a perfect game for two)

* Keep Calm and Carry On (Uplifting sayings WWII, a boost for troubled times)

To enter simple click on the icons below (contest runs 9/27 - 10/17!)

SARAH SUNDIN'S NETFLIX AND NOSTALGIA CONTEST

Please welcome my friend and debut author extraordinaire, Sarah Sundin. She's become something of a phenomenon in the blogosphere with five-star reviews popping up everywhere. Authentic. Detailed. Delightful. These are just some of the words used to describe A Distant Melody.

To celebrate, Sarah is hosting a social sharing promotion! Click the icon below to enter this fab-o contest. Tell your friends and earn extra entries!

A Distant Melody is book 1 in Sarah Sundin's exciting Wings of Glory series. Sarah has partnered with Litfuse Publicity Group for the Netflix® & Nostalgia Contest! Sarah's offering one Grand Prize winner the chance to get NOSTALGIC!

THE PRIZE:
The Winner of our ‘NETFLIX® & Nostalgia’ giveaway will receive a vintage prize package, including:

*A 6 month NETFLIX® subscription
*$25 Starbucks® gift card
*A box of See’s Famous Old Time Chocolates®
*A jar of homemade strawberry jam
*A Big Band music CD
*A Mini B-17 Model airplane
*Vintage stationery and pen
*British specialty tea
*WWII style playing cards

Historically Accurate High-Flying Adventure!
A Distant Melody

Debut Author, Sarah Sundin, earns rave reviews from BOOKLIST. "Sundin's debut Christian historical romance is an emotionally gripping, detail-rich but fast-paced trilogy set against the backdrop of WWII at home and abroad. Romance readers and military history buffs will find much of interest here."

Seattle, WA - 4/9/2010 - Rarely does a book come along from a debut author that is as well received as Sarah Sundin's A Distant Melody. The story grips you on page one and doesn't let up until the last page is turned. Critics and readers alike are impressed with both the accurate historical detail and complex cast of characters. From the fertile California orange groves to the soggy terrain of England, A Distant Melody, weaves an exciting and tender tale of love, courage and sacrifice. Not to be missed!

ABOUT THE BOOK: Never pretty enough to please her gorgeous mother, Allie will do anything to gain her approval--even marry a man she doesn't love. Lt. Walter Novak--fearless in the cockpit but hopeless with women--takes his last furlough at home in California before being shipped overseas. Walt and Allie meet at a wedding and their love of music draws them together, prompting them to begin a correspondence that will change their lives. As letters fly between Walt's muddy bomber base in England and Allie's mansion in an orange grove, their friendship binds them together.

But can they untangle the secrets, commitments, and expectations that keep them apart?

Hop on over and enter to win this great prize. I have. And to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to read this book, I'm offering in a completely separate giveaway the copy that LitFuse Publicity Group sent me as part of the blog tour. To be entered in the drawing for this book, leave a comment with your contact information. I'll draw for a winner on Friday, April 23.

My Review of A Distant Melody:

Once in a while a book comes along that wraps its arms around you and so enchants you that you don’t want to the story to end. Sarah Sundin’s debut novel, A Distant Melody, is one of those books. At the height of WWII, a chance meeting brings Allie Miller and Walt Novak together, but Allie’s upcoming marriage, arranged by her wealthy parents, and Walt’s dispatch to pilot a B-17 bomber from an airbase in England, halts the romance before it has time to spark. Only the letters which cross the Atlantic keep the flames burning.

At times I felt I had a front row seat in a Bing Crosby/Frank Sinatra/Betty Hutton movie. The story is warm and witty, with authentic characters and poignant situations. While Walt deals with the tragedy of war, Allie is consumed with wedding preparations to a man she doesn’t love and volunteers for the war effort stateside. Multi-layered with tender subplots, Sarah weaves this lovely story with finely drawn details and finesse.

Did I mention I didn’t want it to end? The good news is that this is the first book of three in the Wings of Glory series. I can’t wait until book two. Highly recommended.

VOID where prohibited. Chances of winning dependent on number of entrants. Book provided by Litfuse Publicity Group.