INTERVIEW WITH SARAH EDEN

Sarah Eden is a funny lady whose historical romances have generated considerable buzz amongst her peers and her readers. With several notable awards to her credit, she is debuting a new book, "Courting Miss Lancaster" which pairs her delicious humor with her gift for raising the heart rate of her readers. But we'll let Sarah explain.

Your wit kills me. Where did that come from?

Sarah: My family has lived in the arid deserts of Arizona since before the invention of air conditioning. So insanity runs in my family. Not something most people would include on a resume, but it's great for an author. Writing requires a certain degree of mental instability. And a tendency toward insomnia. I write a lot at night and while my kids are at school and any time I am supposed to be cleaning my house. My 6-year-old describes my books this way: “Kissy, romantic books where the people lived a long time ago and talked funny.” Yep, pretty much. I write clean romances that take place in Regency England (think the first two decades of the 1800s: Napoleon, Jane Austen, Mad King George). The endings are always happy, the characters are usually funny and my mom thinks they are amazing.

I read a little something about the source of your inspiration. Rather than having me try to paraphrase, explain your inspiration to my readers.

Sarah: Perhaps the single greatest source of inspiration for me lies in the fact that writing gives me an excuse to avoid responsible things. “Wow, I have very large piles of dishes on the counters (yes, plural) of my kitchen. Sorry. I need to write.” “The PTA is hoping I will bake 6 dozen cupcakes for the bake sale in a half-hour. Sorry. I need to write.” “What is that, children? You want dinner? There are frozen waffles in the freezer. Mom needs to write.” Inspiration? Check.

I wish I had an in with Leno! I'd get you booked ASAP! Any challenges to getting your thoughts on paper?

Sarah: I have a deep and unshakable need to consume large quantities of unnecessary and useless calories (and by this I mean Cheetos). This need creates another need—to exercise my backside, hips and gut off. These very real needs often get in the way of my writing. To my joy, I have managed to invent, in many different versions, a contraption made up of very large books, packing tape and the back of the sofa in my living room which allows me to type while spending some quality time with my elliptical machine while burning calories to which I'd rather not become too permanently attached. I would take a picture, but it's pretty embarrassing. Embarrassingly awesome! I am also developing a system by which I can type and eat at the same time. I call it “Click, click, click, chew.” Fascinating. I'm thinking of writing a book about it.

So, where do you begin?

Sarah: My books always begin with a character, oddly enough. The plot and setting develop around him or her. I write romances, so the next step is deciding what kind of person would be the love-interest for that character. Then I flesh out where and exactly when within my time period these people live, their circumstances, etc. Those things which come in the way of their being together are usually obvious at this point—if not, I figure that out. So, my ideas come from people. This is probably the primary reason I have no friends—everyone is afraid they'll end up in my next book. It probably doesn't help that I tell them about this possibility.

Your most recent Regency-era romance is Courting Miss Lancaster. What's it about?

Sarah: About 200 pages.
Oh... wait. I get what you mean. Let me refer to the oh-so-handy back of the book:
Harry Windover adores blonde, green-eyed Athena Lancaster, but alas, a penniless man like himself has no hope of winning a young noblewoman's hand. To add insult to injury, Athena's brother-in-law and guardian, the Duke of Kielder, has asked Harry to assist Athena in finding the gentleman of her dreams. But the lovesick Harry is cunning as well: as the weeks pass, he introduces Athena to suitors who are horrifically boring, alarmingly attached to their mothers, downright rude, astoundingly self-absorbed, and utterly ridiculous.
Athena can't comprehend why she is having so little success meeting eligible and acceptable gentlemen. Indeed, her circle of admirers couldn't be less admirable--nothing like the loyal, gentle friend she's found in Harry.
But how long can Harry's scheme be hidden before it is discovered? And what will Athena do when she uncovers Harry's deception?


What are you working on right now?

Sarah: I am currently writing a sort-of-sequel to Courting Miss Lancaster. It follows the misadventures of another Lancaster sister—timid and uncertain Daphne—as she attempts to find love despite almost overwhelming obstacles. She comes up against snooty Peers, selfish matrons and even the dreaded “Love Triangle!” Now, that's gonna be an amazing story!

• Other than writing, what else do you do with your time.

Sarah: When my daughter was in preschool, she made me a Mothers Day card in which she answered several questions about me. Her answer to the question “What does your mom like to do most?” was “Not cook.” So, there you go.
I also enjoy reading and music and not sleeping (though “enjoy” isn't precisely the right word for that last one—more like “accept begrudgingly”).
In all my free time, (rolling my eyes), I am a regular contributor at mormonmommyblogs.blogspot.com, a presenter at various writing conferences, a Mommy-Taxi and an interviewer-extraordinaire for my recurring blog segment “I Need Friends Friday” at www.sarahmeden.com.

• Where can readers buy Courting Miss Lancaster?

Sarah: Courting Miss Lancaster can be found at Deseret Book stores and Seagull bookstores. A link to purchase online can be found at my website, www.sarahmeden.com.

It's been delightful, Sarah. "Courting Miss Lancaster" sounds fressh and fun and I hope people will hurry and snag a copy.

GREAT BOOKMARK

Did you know there are over 100 names for Jesus Christ in the Book of Mormon? It's easy to understand why it's another Testament of Jesus Christ.

The front of the bookmark lists names for Jesus Christ from A - Z with a scripture reference where it is used. The back of the bookmark can be used to help you find the rest. It'a a great resource for Seminary, Young Women, Young Men or as a Missionary tool - put in a Book of Mormon when you give it away.

As you read, see how many times these names for Christ appear in the text. Suddenly, passages that seemed obscure will open up and be illuminated.

You can order these great bookmarks online here.

PERSEVERENCE PAYS OFF!

"AWAKENING AVERY"

The contracts arrived yesterday, so it's official, and I can finally announce some details about my new book. I began working on this project several years ago, but although my contracted publisher gave me excellent , glowing evaluations on the manuscript, it wasn't a genre they handled, and so they passed on the story.

During my promo trip for "Dawn's Early Light," I accepted an invitation for a meeting from another publisher, Walnut Springs Press, and they are rushing "Awakening Avery" to print for an April release!

This sweet novel is a literary drama, similar to Nicholas Sparks' style, where the primary conflict comes from the emotional struggles of the characters rather than from actual antagonists or disasters. But "Awakening Avery" is also a chuckle-out-loud comedic read as well, as our very vulnerable characters put themselves "out-there" in their attempts to heal.

Here's the briefest, most hyperactive synopsis you'll ever read:

A recently widowed LDS woman named Avery, from Baltimore, and an anti-religion widower from Anna Maria Island named Gabriel both see trouble brewing in their respective families, so they each seek a change of scenery in which to heal themselves and their children.

When Rider and Teddie, an ex-rodeo couple from Texas who run a real estate company, arrange for the pair to "swap" homes for the summer, Avery's and Gabriel's tidy, private lives are invaded by a host of quirky characters who teach them how to laugh again, and most importantly, they remind them what things truly last.

Most of the book is set along the breathtaking views of Anna Maria Island in Florida, and we'll introduce readers to one of the most spectacular homes in America, the famed Ca d'Zan, the summer home of the Ringlings, on Sarasota Bay. This is a fun read, and I'm so excited to see it coming together!

I'll be ramping up the PR and marketing on this in the next few weeks. If you're a blogger, interested in reviewing an advance copy of the book, contact me and we'll get you on board the "Awakening Avery" blog tour!

Fans of FREE MEN AND DREAMERS, fear not! I'm hammering out book four right now and we're aiming for a July release! So keep posted. What a summer we're going to have!

For all you aspiring novelists, if you beleive in your piece, never give up!

BOOKS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Because of research and writing time, I don't get to read for pleasure as much as I'd like, so when I find a book that really delivers, I'm delighted. When I find a book that lifts and teaches, I'm grateful. Here are two books that have meant a great deal to me. Neither is new. Both can be found on Amazon and EBay at a fraction of their release costs. Both are filled with stories that will edify, inspire, teach and challenge your thinking. Both will increase your understanding of, and appreciation for, the Savior and His all-encompassing Atonement. Each is well worth adding to your personal library.

"Believing Christ" by Stephen Robinson, is about the greatest book I've ever read on the Atonement, not because it reveals new truths, but because it delivers simple, powerful truths in a way that helps us internalize and receive it as if it were new. Delivered through parables, Robinson is masterful at weaving analogies that make us feel we are being taught by the Master himself in our day. The simple analogies of the bicycle, the checkbook, etc, present examples we can relate to, helping us understand the Atonement from all sides. As parents, we can relate to the unflinching love of God that never ceases to reach out to rescue a lost child. But Robinson also helps us understand our role as children of God--completely indebted, utterly helpless on our own, and in need of the Lord's divine mercy. I can't even count the number of people I've referred to this book. That's how powerful it is.

"The Peacegiver" is another excellent book that teaches through stories. Unlike Stephen Robinson, who weaves stories through a doctrinal narrative, James Ferrell's "Peacegiver" is a series of stories told within the story of a husband who is about to give up on his loveless, tense marriage. In Dickens-like fashion, a beloved, dead grandfather returns to accompany his grandson through several biblical stories, guiding him in a quest to seek deeper meaning beyond the obvious principles taught there. Using the story of David and Abigail, and Jonah's mission to Nineveh, the troubled husband sees himself, his wife, and his marriage through new eyes. The truths revealed are not always pleasant as the roles reverse in the light of these new truths, making it difficult to label one partner the victim and one the victimizer.

The book comes also in a 2-book format which includes a journal. I plan to buy sets for all my children. I think this would be a marvelous gift for a young couple who may, from time to time, need to be reminded that marriage requires forgiveness on many levels.

BIRTHDAY KIDNAPPING!!

2010 has begun with a mixed bag of highs and lows. Fortunately, all the "lows" are now moving into the "blessings" category, and in between all the 2010 "adventures of health and snow," I did get to enjoy a great visit out west with family and a successful promotional tour for "Dawn's Early Light," during which time I picked up a publisher for a novel I've been shopping around, which will be published in April.

It's good news. But as my birthday drew near, I think Tom knew we each needed to "step away from our respective computers" and just get away from the shovels, the vacuum cleaners, the phones and work. He was planning to surprise me, but knowing that I was still struggling with this bronchial thing, he approached me with his plan, and I leaped at the idea.

We only drove about an hour and a half away, to Annapolis, but it's a place we both love. The city's history is exquisite--sections of it remain as though frozen in time . The Maryland State House sits in the center with streets that veer off like spokes from a wheel, each lined with period homes that seem frozen in time.

The inscription on this cannon reads: "This cannon was brought from England by the first settlers, March 25th 1634, mounted on the walls of the fort at Old St. Mary's." Pretty cool, huh?

Maryland's State House is the oldest still in use for legislative business. As you can guess, it has a prestigious history. It was the place George Washington reported to in order to retire his commission after the Revolutionary War. It also served as the capital of the new republic from a short time.

We also love the harbor area with all the boats and shops. Several movies, like "Patriot Games," were shot in this historic area, within these narrow, colonial-designed brick streets. We love Annapolis' great seafood, the sight of the Naval Academy and all the fresh-faced midshipmen, or "middies" as they are known. We love the Bay Bridge, the largest span over salt water, and the invitation it extends, beckoning everyone to cross to the ocean and all the adventures waiting there. Annapolis was a great choice.

Tom gets an "A+" for this trip. He thought of everything. We had left the temple and it was late and we were starving. I asked the desk clerk for any carryout menus she had for places that would deliver at that hour. There were two, both were pizza joints, which at that moment seemed like manna from heaven. It wasn't necessary. Tom really had thought of everything. There on the table was a fruit and cheese platter, a plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries and a bottle of chilled sparking cider. It was perfect.

After a nice breakfast buffet, we headed into the harbor area for some sight-seeing, when I snapped all these photos. Afterwards, we returned to the hotel and spent the day slopping around, eating pizza and watching the Olympics. A few hours later, a knock on the door revealed Amanda, Nick and little Brady who Tom had invited down as an extra surprise. They brought the cake, and after a seafood dinner we returned upstairs for dessert. Perfect. Sometimes running away from home is good for the soul.

It's back to reality today. But what fun it was to be a slug for a day!

THE MOUNT VERNON STATEMENT

A host of people from a broad spectrum of social, political and private interests assembled yesterday at George Washington's home, Mount Vernon, to declare a return to the founding principles of this nation. Their "Mount Vernon Statement" may be an important step in gelling the still disorganized concerns of the Tea Party movement, and if so, only time will tell if this is the beginning of an effort to launch a third party, or the call to arms for Republicans and Democrats to take Constitutional Conservatives seriously and bend their platforms to answer to this American groundswell.

At the very least, I was pleased to finally see a more succinct and coherent detailing of the Tea Party-ers issues in a format that looks well thought out and less random. I attended the first Tea party rally in historic Frederick, Maryland on a cold rainy day last April, and while our enthusiasm was exhilarating, the overall message was blurred by the attendees anger and disorganization. I believe both parties must finally admit that this group, however disorganized they remain, has found their voice and are making their points known in a variety of ways. They're not going away.

A few weeks ago, after the Inaugural Address, I posted some comments from George Washington's Farewell Address. Since this Constitutional group chose President Washington's home as their symbol for a return to the founding principles of this nation, it's only fitting that we compare Washington's thoughts to their statement, which you click and read right here, and then sign to support if you so desire.

Now, here's a synopsis of George's warnings:

Point 1) Even after the signing of the Constitution, America remained a loose confederation of states with no real national identity. Washington knew the nation's survival required a strong federal government to defend the nation as a whole, and to balance the inequity between the large and small states. He said, "The unity of government...is a main pillar in the edifice of your real independence...of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize."



Point 2) He had already seen the strife the party system was creating amongst good people--men who had sacrificed much and bled together for America's survival, but who were engaging in a political tug-of-war. He warned against party politics saying, "It serves to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration....agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one....against another....it opens the door to foreign influence and corruption...thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another."

Point 3) Knowing that our Constitution was written for, and would only stand when supported by a religiously moral people, he stressed, "Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice?"

Point 4) His economic counsel was almost prophetic considering the recent financial crises. He said, "...cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible...avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt....it is essential that you...bear in mind, that towards the payments of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not...inconvenient and unpleasant..."

Point 5) Washington knew all too well that today's ally could become tomorrow's enemy, and that dependence on foreign governments results in a loss of liberty. "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world..."

Point 6) A trained military was essential to defense, but, said Washington, "...avoid the necessity of those overgrown military establishments, which, under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which are to be regarded as particularly hostile to Republican Liberty."

I'd say the Mount Vernon Statement would please the first president. Whatever side you may be on in this regard, one thing we can all agree on and celebrate is the fact that we can still have such an open, sometimes-unpleasant disagreement in this land without fear of suppression of thought, or military intervention. How to preserve these liberties is now the concern.

Statement's website.

MY RENAISSANCE MAN

Valentine's Day fell on a Fast Sunday in our neck of the woods due to the snow-cancellation of church and Stake Conference in previous weeks. Fast Sunday means no luscious, romantic breakfasts; and any Sunday means Tom is out the door for early meetings. I dashed out of the house and forget to stick the chicken in the oven, so dinner ended up being very, very, late and the day was not a restful one. I think my daughter and I mentioned that several times during supper. Evidently, my hubby picked up on my disappointment, which he amended in the sweetest of ways the next morning.

Since we each have home offices except when we travel, the TV usually pops on early in the a.m. I opt for the news if I'm the first one up. Tom has an entire selection of action-adventure and cowboy shows on the DVR from which he chooses his morning pick-me-up. But on Monday, February 15th, an amazing thing happened.

I had set the DVR to record some shows on Masterpiece Theater. The title caught Tom's eye. "What's this?"

"Oh, don't worry about that. You'll hate it. I'll watch it later."

"Well, what is it?"

"It's a movie based on a Jane Austin novel--Northanger Abbey--with British accents."

His brow furrowed as I expected it would. (Anything with accents throws his already weak hearing into a tizzy.) But he didn't flip the channel as I also would have expected.

We watched for about fifteen minutes until both male leads appeared in a scene together. "So which one is the good guy?" he asked. I could see that he was using his familiar cowboy or 007 skill set to understand this film--as soon as he was able to identify the bad guy from the good guy, he was invested.

We had to stop a few times so I could interpret the accents and the Victorian-era dialogue. Having spent five years writing in this very period, I soak it up like honey, but poor Tom was losing patience, so I quickly translated and we moved on.

In the end, he actually enjoyed it, and I was delighted by his attentive efforts to share something I love so much.

And get this. My birthday's this weekend, and he's whisking me away, just the two of us! See, he really is a Renaissance man, and things really can get better with age!