MRS. TUESDAY'S DEPARTURE - Suzanne Anderson - One Free Book

Welcome, Suzanne. Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

 I believe it would be impossible to write a story without having a bit of myself included. Otherwise the characters would simply be cardboard cut-outs. In the case of Mrs. Tuesday, I most identified with the main character, Natalie, and her desire to hold her family together during a very difficult time.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

I once went to a teddy bear making class and made a blue bear that became the inspiration for my next book, God Love You, - Chester Blue.

Or if you want really quirky…before I step onto a downward moving escalator, I stop and count to three, so I can gauge when to step onto the next step.

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I “wrote” my first book at the age of five. As a child, reading was my favorite pastime. I’ve always thought the best career in the world would be to create that pleasure for others.

Tell us the range of the kinds of books you enjoy reading.

Lately I’ve been enjoying Christian inspirational books, such as One Thousand Gifts. Then, since I turned 50 in March, I’ve been listening to books on healthy living while driving around town. On the fiction front, I enjoy most women’s literature, with a weakness for historical romance. And an occasional James Patterson.

How do you keep your sanity in our run, run, run world?

When I am feeling completely overwhelmed I have two strategies that help me to feel grounded: 1) pour my heart out in my journal in the form of a letter to God and then end with a list of five things I am most grateful for. 2) I take my dogs to the off-leash dog trail, which is a one mile loop through beautiful woods.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Generally, the name appears with the character in my mind. And then their personality becomes more developed as I write their story. However, in one story, I specifically chose the name of the character to serve a purpose.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

When I originally published Mrs. Tuesday’s Departure, I left out the spiritual elements and references to God. When I decided to go back to the original version, which was in first person POV and really centered the novel around Hebrews 11:1, it was scary to fully embrace my identity as a Christian writer. Of course, as soon as I did, I felt at peace; and more confident of my identity as a writer than ever in my life. God is good.

If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

In the past year, I’ve adopted two Newfoundland dogs, each weighing 150 lbs. They are completely spoiled, but I love them dearly. So, if I were an animal, I’d love to be a Newfoundland….in my house!

What is your favorite food?

I recently made a chocolate cheesecake for the first time and it was so incredibly delicious that it’s my new favorite thing. It was as decadent as a chocolate mousse, only denser. This may be why I haven’t had much luck losing the same ten pounds I’ve been working on for the past year!

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Plotting. I’m always wrestling with the desire to write an outline before I start writing the first draft, so that I have a roadmap to follow as I write. However, I also enjoy the “what will happen next” of writing without one.

I haven’t figured out how to overcome this. The best solution is probably to try outlining with my next novel and see how it feels.

Tell us about the featured book.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1

This Bible verse was the original inspiration for this novel about the mystery of faith and the search for God during difficult times.

Synopsis:

Hungary's fragile alliance with Germany kept Natalie, a renowned children’s book author, and her family out of harm's way for most of the war. Now as the Führer's desperation grows during the waning years of the conflict, so does its threat. Natalie's younger sister, Ilona, married a Jewish man, putting both her and her young daughter, Mila, in peril; Natalie's twin sister, Anna, is losing her already tenuous hold on reality. As the streets of Budapest thrum with the pounding boots of Nazi soldiers, danger creeps to the doorstep where Natalie shields them all.

Ilona and her husband take the last two tickets to safety for themselves, abandoning Natalie to protect Anna and Mila from the encroaching danger. Anna's paranoid explosion at a university where was once a professor, sparked by delusions over an imagined love triangle, threatens their only other chance for escape. Ultimately, Natalie is presented with a choice no one should ever have to make; which of her family will she save?

An inspirational story of faith and family, strength and weakness, and the ultimate triumph of love over hate. Mrs. Tuesday’s Departure demonstrates the power of faith to light even the most harrowing darkness.

Please give us the first page of the book.

“I CAN’T SLEEP, NANA.”

Mila’s skin was clear and pale; like the antique German porcelain dolls I’d bought for her when she was a child. Long dark lashes shaded her almond shaped blue eyes.

I released the doorknob that I’d been ready to close, entered her room and settled into an overstuffed chair with a sigh and a smile that belied my worry. Candlelight silhouetted Mila’s face in a halo of pale yellow. The book she held created a shadow that fell across her chest making the pink roses on her nightgown glow and float in the shadows of her long dark hair. In the five years that Mila had lived here, there were few nights when I did not find her with a book.

When Mila first arrived, I placed this chair next to her bed to read aloud one of the children’s books that provided me with my living and my reputation. Over the years, the chair remained, I wrote more books, and read each one to Mila until she outgrew them and began to read the novels she found in my study. The ritual of our time together before bed, our discussion of books, remained. Even during these years of war.

She propped the book against her chest and watched me expectantly. “You’re coming with us aren’t you?”

“Of course.” I turned from her gaze and smoothed the edge of the comforter wishing our conversation could skim the surface as lightly as my fingers.

“And Aunt Anna?” Mila’s eyes searched my face for signs of deception.

“Yes, she seems to understand.”

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I love to meet readers! Here are a few places you can find me:

My blog: http://www.suzanneanderson.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Suzanne-Anderson-Author-Page

Twitter: https://twitter.com/seakiev

Thank you, Suzanne, for the interesting visit.

Readers, here are links to the book. By using one when you order, you help support this blog.

Mrs. Tuesday's Departure - paperback
Mrs. Tuesday's Departure - Kindle


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