Sandra Robbins and her husband live in the small college town where she grew up. Until a few years ago she was working as an elementary school principal, but God opened the door for her to become a full-time writer. Her books have been finalists in the Daphne du Maurier Contest for excellence in mystery writing, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the Holt Medallion, and the ACFW Carol Award. Since Sandra is a Southerner by birth, she enjoys setting her historical romance and romantic suspense books in both the past and present-day South.
What are some of the
spiritual themes you like to write about?
I write about forgiveness, loving and ministering to all
people no matter how different they are from you, finding God’s will for your
life, and telling others about God’s love for mankind. I want my books to
reflect the things that Jesus talked about when He was on earth.
What other books of
yours are coming out soon?
The story of Anna Prentiss and Simon Martin that’s told in Angel
of the Cove continues when Mountain
Homecoming, the second book in the Smoky Mountain Dreams Series releases in
March, 2013. The final story of the Martin family releases in July, 2013, but
this book’s title is still undecided. These books are from Harvest House
Publishers.
I’m also excited about another release next year. A Lady’s Choice which tells the story of
a young woman who travels to Washington to demonstrate with suffragists outside
the White House gates in 1917 will release in April, 2013, in the new American
Tapestry line from Summerside Press.
If you could spend an
evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would
it be and why?
Once when I was principal of an elementary school I met
Hillary Clinton when she visited at a gathering in my area. At that time she
was the first lady and was guarded by a lot of Secret Service men, but I was
impressed by her open and friendly manner as she moved through the crowd. The
week before that day a first grader in our school had died in a tragic accident
at his home, and our teachers and students were grieving the loss of this
little boy. I had sent a copy of her book It
Takes a Village to those in charge of the event and asked if they might be able
to get her to sign it for the child’s parents. Organizers of the event later
said that when they asked her to sign the book, she was quite concerned about
the incident and asked to be told more about it. Even when her security told
her it was time to go, she refused to leave until she had the full story. The
book was returned to me not only signed but with a comforting note for the
parents. The words she wrote let me know she had a warm and caring heart. Since
that time, she’s had the opportunity to represent our country to other nations.
I think it would be so exciting to sit and talk with her for an evening.
What historical
person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?
In doing research for A
Lady’s Choice I felt like I came to know many of the suffragists who worked
for women to have the right to vote. One of those who whose work especially
interested me is Alice Paul. She dedicated her life to the fight for women’s
rights. Today women have the right to go to the polls and cast their votes
because of the determination to succeed that she and others had. I would love
to be able to talk to her and hear the stories first hand of what they
experienced and what they suffered for a cause so dear to their hearts.
How can you encourage
authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?
It’s very discouraging to receive rejections, but it’s
something writers must expect if they want to enter the world of publishing.
Even after being published, there are still rejections. So the sooner one
learns to accept it, the easier life will be. I would encourage authors to
continue to go to conferences and network with writers, editors, and agents. Those
contacts are invaluable. Keep sending out those queries, and don’t give up. I
read an article where Kathryn Stockett said her book The Help received over seventy rejections, but she didn’t give up.
She persevered and ended up with a bestseller and a movie.
Tell us about the featured book.
Anna Prentiss has never
wanted to be anything but a nurse. Before she can start school in New York , however, her brother sends her to Cades Cove,
deep in the Smoky
Mountains
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Mountain air was supposed to be cool. At least that’s what
she’d always heard.
Anna Prentiss couldn’t be sure because she’d never been this
far into the mountains before. But if truth be told, they still had a fair
piece to go before they reached the hills that rolled off in the distance.
The narrow dirt road that led them closer to those hills
twisted and bumped its way along. The June heat had dried out the winter mud in
this part of Tennessee
and produced a dust that threatened to choke her, roiling up and around the
buggy. Anna covered her mouth with the lace handkerchief her mother had tucked
in her dress pocket and sneezed. The smudge left on the cloth made her wonder
what her face must look like.
She glanced at Uncle Charles, her father’s brother, who sat
beside her on the leather seat of the buggy. Perspiration had cut meandering,
dusty trails down his cheeks, but he didn’t appear to notice. His attention was
focused on trying to avoid the holes that dotted the road.
She wiped at her face once more before stuffing the
handkerchief back in her pocket. It really didn’t matter what she looked like.
There was no one to see her. The only living creatures she’d seen all day were
some white-tailed deer that had run across the road in front of them and a fox
that had peered at her from his dusky hiding place beside the road. In front of
them trees lined the long roadway that twisted and turned like a lazy snake
slithering deeper into the mountain wilderness. She’d come a long way from the
farm in Strawberry Plains.
How can readers find you on the Internet?
I enjoy hearing from my readers. They can learn more about
me and connect with me on social media on my website at http://sandrarobbins.net
or they can email me at sandra@sandrarobbins.net Thank you, Sandra, for the interesting interview.
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Angel of the Cove (Smoky Mountain Dreams)
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