THE COLOR OF SORROW ISN'T BLUE - Sharon K Souza - One Free Book

Welcome back, Sharon. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I like to write about the hard questions that surface in our walk with God. Christians face difficulties that are hard to understand; we aren’t exempt simply because we follow Christ. In my own life, the death of my son, Brian, bears that out. And from that crisis came the question, What happens when God says no? Because He does say no at times – even for issues that are of the utmost importance to us – and  it can derail us if we’re not aware of that. That question launched the idea for my featured novel, The Color of Sorrow Isn’t Blue.

I drew on my own loss to tell the story of a mother whose young daughter goes missing. The story was inspired by a family in my community whose adult daughter Cindy disappeared, and whose fate was unknown throughout the writing of this novel, and in fact whose fate was unknown for more than 10 years. The case was a national story. Cindy’s mother worked in the bank my family and I had our accounts with, so I saw the mother on a regular basis, and wondered how in the world she was able to cope under the enormous grief she and her family carried. So it’s not Cindy’s story, and it’s not Brian’s story, but I drew on both to create Kinsey’s story.

If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

Without a doubt it would be Harper Lee. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all-time favorite novels, and I’d love to ask Ms. Lee some questions about it. For example, what was it like for a young white woman from Alabama to write such a book in 1960, and what was the fallout, if any, for writing it? I suspect there must have been fallout, because of how she withdrew from public life. I’d like to know what the ramifications were and how the fame of the novel affected her life. I’d also like to know about her decision not to publish after To Kill a Mockingbird. In no way do I believe she stopped writing, only that she stopped publishing, and I’d like to ask her about that.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

Charles Dickens, who is one of my favorite authors. I have a set of sketches of original covers from six of his novels, and signed by his last surviving great-grandson. They’re one of the best gifts my husband ever gave me. I know Mr. Dickens had his faults, but I’ve always found him fascinating.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

I wrote for years before I was published, and quite honestly haven’t realized the success I’d hoped for, but my advice would be to hang in there, to not give up. Keep working at your craft, go to major writers conferences when you’re able – not just to meet industry professionals, but to meet other writers. The relationships you’ll make will be invaluable, and will help keep you going when you’re tempted to quit.

I’d also say, if you write purely to be published and successful, you’ll most likely be disappointed. But if you write because of the need to tell the stories living inside you, the satisfaction will be worth all the hours you invest, all the disappointment you work through, and all the improvement you see in yourself with every finished book.

Tell us about the featured book.

The Color of Sorrow Isn’t Blue is the story of Bristol Taylor, whose young daughter, Kinsey, went missing. The one-year anniversary is approaching, and with the grief and guilt Bristol carries, she has no desire to be there for it. In fact, she plans to head to the coast where she will take her life to commemorate the exact hour Kinsey disappeared. But Bristol’s sister, best friend and crazy stepmother have no intention of letting Bristol be alone on the anniversary. Unaware of her true plans, they manage to thwart her at every turn. In all my novels I write about serious topics, but I love to infuse even the heaviest stories with humor, and this unlikely trio provide the comic relief this time around.

Love covers a multitude of sins, they say, but can it truly redeem the irredeemable? That’s the question explored in The Color of Sorrow Isn’t Blue.

Please give us the first page of the book.

Grief, it is said, is a sea that ebbs and flows. Comes in waves that roll over the shore, then recedes in a dizzying, lose-your-footing-in-the-sand sensation, leaving you unsettled but standing. Well, whoever said that never felt the tsunami effect, the drowning, sucking, tidal wave of grief.

I know, because I haven’t come up for air in five days short of a year. A suffocating, black hole of a year, each day collapsing in on itself like sand too long unwatered. Eighty-six hundred hours; five-hundred thousand minutes; thirty-one million seconds of a smothering nightmare I

can’t wake up from. A long slow terror, like free-falling in the dark with no cord to pull.

I don’t plan to be here for the anniversary five days from now. Not after what I saw this morning.

“I’m going to the beach house for a few days. On Thursday.” I ignore the shadow that flits across David’s face and clouds his eyes.

He blinks, but I know it doesn’t clear up a thing. “This Thursday?”

“Yes.”

“Alone?”

I push down the pang of guilt that’s taken up residence in my gut this past year. “Yes.”

“But I thought ...” His words drift off with a head shake and a shrug.

I know exactly what he thought. He and I would do the interview together—because we aren’t the only ones watching the calendar—then we’d, what, pay a public visit to the Find Kinsey headquarters, strike a pathetic pose for the cameras, make another plea for our daughter’s return, then retreat to the cave that our home has become?

No, thank you.

The last printing we did of Kinsey’s “Missing” flyer is still stacked up on the brown laminated table with the pressed board showing through where the edges have chipped away—the only one left out of a room full of such tables—the stacks of flyers as high as they were five weeks ago. There are two brown metal chairs now instead of fifty, and that’s one more than we need most days. The phone seldom rings, and when it does it’s one more dead end, one more dagger to the heart.

I mean, really, how many times do we have to die before it’s over?

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.sharonksouza.com.  And I blog with five very talented authors at www.novelmatters.com.

Thank you, Sharon, for sharing this new book with us. I'm anxious to read it, and I'm sure my readers are, too.

Readers, here’s a link to the book. By using it when you order, you help support this blog.
The Color of Sorrow Isn't Blue

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

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UNRAVELED - Sharon K Souza - One Free Book

Welcome back, Sharon. God has really been moving in your writing life. What do you see on the horizon?

I see myself writing novels that address the struggles we face but are afraid or unable to reveal to anyone—often even God if we’re honest with ourselves. Of course, He knows anyway, but it takes our willingness to address them before we can move beyond them. I’d like people who have experienced deep hurts to know that God is willing to hear us out, regardless of how raw our words may be, and of His willingness to help us get to a better place. Notice I didn’t say get over it because there are some things we don’t get over, but with God’s help we can get to a place that no longer feels like quicksand.

Tell us a little about your family.

My husband Rick and I got married a year after graduating from high school, and will soon celebrate our 42nd anniversary—a fact I can still hardly comprehend. We have a son and two daughters (our son now resides in Heaven), and 7 grandchildren. We’re a very close family. Rick travels the world physically and strategically building the kingdom of God, and is the owner of a General Contracting business. I’m in the fortunate position of being able to pick and choose which trips I accompany him on. I’ve been with him to Mexico, Jamaica, Japan, and South Africa—which, as you can imagine, was an amazing trip. Our daughter Mindy went with us. We spent three days in a wild game preserve hundreds of square miles in size. We stopped in Amsterdam on the way and visited the Anne Frank museum, as well as the home/museum of Corey Ten Boom and actually stood in the Hiding Place. That trip was one of the highlights of my life.

           

I’m sure it was. I’d have loved to have accompanied you as well. Has your writing changed your reading habits? If so, how?

Not necessarily my writing, but my connection to other writers has certainly broadened my reading habits. I have an ongoing list of titles other authors recommend and have read numerous books I might not have found on my own. Like all readers I know, I lament the fact that I won’t have nearly enough time in my life to read all the books I’d like to. Even so, I allow myself the privilege of re-reading the few that I find extraordinary. How can you not?

What are you working on right now?

Since I began writing in the mid-eighties, I’ve always had a new novel to begin working on the minute I finished one. Usually about two-thirds of the way through writing a novel, the ideas for the next one begin flooding my mind. I jot everything down, which gives me lots of material to work with when I begin the new work in progress. But after finishing my latest novel, which will be released this summer, I had two ideas that vied for my attention. It took several months of dabbling in each one to decide which way to go. It helped that late one night, when I wasn’t sleeping, a young girl, whose photo I had found and planned to use as the main character in one of the story ideas, introduced herself to me (she has a very unique name, which adds to the texture of the novel) and began telling me her story. I immediately went into my office and wrote what is now the prologue to the book, after which there was no turning back. My protagonist is an eleven-year-old girl who lives with her aunt. She has selective mutism, which I’d never heard of till that night, when I began my research from the things the girl was telling me. I know—they lock people up for less. But, honestly, that’s exactly how it happened.

What outside interests do you have?

Besides spending time with my family, I love arts and crafts. Before I began writing I used to spend hours drawing and painting, but I haven’t done either since I started writing. I love to crochet, I also make these adorable rag dolls, which I sell at church boutiques in the fall before Christmas. I love working puzzles, the harder the better. I’d rather fish than shop. And I love baseball. My husband and I—our whole family, in fact—are Los Angeles Dodgers fans. That’s really tough since we live in northern California—San Francisco Giants territory, the team that is the Dodgers biggest rivals. But it’s also created lots of fun rivalries with our friends, who are mostly Giants fans.

James and I are huge Texas Rangers fans, but our interest in baseball only developed about four years ago. How do you choose your settings for each book?

I like to use fairly local settings. Usually the story will dictate what type of community it should be, which helps me narrow it down. For Unraveled, when I decided the Shunk-Winters clan were nut farmers, Linden, California, was the natural choice. It has some of the loveliest walnut orchards I’ve ever seen. I love the agricultural area in which I live. Lodi is surrounded by vineyards, and further out in the valleys of northern California are thousands of acres of orchards of all types of fruits and nuts, as well as field upon field of vegetables of every variety. During the spring and summer we buy most of our produce at farmers’ markets. It’s fresh and luscious. And the strawberries around here are amazing!

I love really fresh produce. If you could spend an evening with one historical person, who would it be and why?

I would probably give a different answer every time I was asked this, based on the current circumstances of my life. Today my answer is Harper Lee. If I could spend an afternoon with her, and what a privilege that would be, I’d ask her what it was like for a young, white Alabama girl to write a book like To Kill a Mockingbird in the 1960s. I’d ask what was the best part and the worst part of that novel’s success. And I’d ask why she never published another book—because there’s no way I believe she never wrote another one. She truly fascinates me.

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started writing novels?

I suppose to have known how difficult it would be to have a novel published. But I’m glad I didn’t know how long and arduous my journey would be or I might not have continued writing. My life is so much richer merely from the experience of being a writer. It’s allowed me to meet some wonderful people I’d have never met otherwise, and to learn things about myself I might never have discovered. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss any part of that.

What new lessons is the Lord teaching you right now?

My husband and I are in a very difficult place right now. The Lord is teaching us trust and dependency. And let me just say I’d like very much to pass the test TODAY. Fortunately, there are lots and lots of scriptures for us to hold onto in the meantime. But, really, I’d like to pass. Today.

I so understand that sentiment. What are the three best things you can tell other authors to do to be successful?

1) Write for writing’s sake and not merely to be published. You might be sadly disappointed otherwise. 

2) Draw from the deepest part of your experiences as you write. It will make your writing more authentic, and will give readers a reason to choose your work over the vast amount of product out there.

3) Don’t settle for good, but work hard for better. And for the sake of your readers, make every word count and take time to find the right words and not just okay words. There are plenty of okay words, but they won’t help your writing stand out. Okay writing is lazy writing, and it shows.

Tell us about the featured book.

Unraveled is the story of Aria Winters, who is bored with her very privileged life. So she goes to Moldova to spend a year with a seasoned missionary couple and teach English to a select group of kids. Aria is ill-equipped for the world she finds herself in, but is trying  to make the most of it. The couple she’s staying with is in the process of building what they call Hope House, which will be a place where young women who are rescued out of human trafficking can find healing and restoration. Aria is really drawn to that, and wants to help. But through no fault of her own, something happens to one of her students and she takes responsibility for it. It nearly undoes her in lots of ways, including her faith. Unraveled is the story of Aria trying to find her way back.

Please give us the first page of the book.

One

I lost my faith at twenty-four. Well, that isn’t true. I didn’t lose it, I left it. In a small village in Moldova, right there amongst the sunflowers. Just took it off like a vesture discarded. Not outgrown. Discarded. It left me feeling exposed, I’ll admit, but I figure if God isn’t capable of protecting the weakest among us, well I’d just rather work for someone else. Oh sure, he makes it plain that pure and undefiled religion is caring for the widows and orphans, as if it’s my job and not his. And that was the thing; he let us down in the worst way. So, I tipped my hat and shook the dust off my feet.

Which left me instantly unemployed a half a world away from home. No one ever said I was farsighted. They did, on occasion, say I was rash.

After high school, I earned my AA at Modesto JC because the commute from where I lived in Linden, California, was easier than driving to Sacramento during rush hour. And if you ask me, one JC’s as good as another. Sure, Delta College in Stockton was even closer than Modesto, but that was too close to home. I wanted to feel, at least to some degree, that I was going off to college, even if I came back home every afternoon.

I chose a community college instead of a four-year institution because, quite frankly, I had no earthly idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I knew one thing for sure. I did not want to spend the whole of my adult working life in the family business, on the family compound, though that’s exactly where I ended up after tucking my Associate in Arts certificate in between the pages of the family Bible. That’s where we keep all our important papers. Most everything pertaining to me can be found in the pages of the Gospel of John. Which is exactly where you’d expect to find my sister Johnnie, but no, I’m the firstborn, so I got first choice, and I chose John.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

My website is www.sharonksouza.com. I also co-write a blog with 5 amazing women authors, www.novelmatters.com  My novels are available at Amazon.

Thank you, Sharon, for sharing this new book with us.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book. Please tell us where you live, at least the state or territory. (Comments containing links may be subject to removal by blog owner.)

Void where prohibited; the odds of winning depend on the number of entrants. Entering the giveaway is considered a confirmation of eligibility on behalf of the enterer in accord with these rules and any pertaining local/federal/international laws.

The only notification you’ll receive is the winner post on this blog. So be sure to check back a week from Saturday to see if you won. You will have 4 weeks from the posting of the winners to claim your book.

If you’re reading this on Google +, Feedblitz, Facebook, Linkedin, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment if you want to be included in the drawing. Here’s a link.

Http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

LYING ON SUNDAY - Sharon K Souza - Free Book

About Sharon:

Sharon and her husband Rick have been married 36 years. They live in northern California, and have three children and 6 grandchildren. Rick travels the world building churches, Bible schools, and orphanages. Sharon travels with him on occasion, but while Rick lives the adventure, Sharon is more than happy to create her own through fiction.

In your previous novel, Every Good & Perfect Gift, you address the tough issues of infertility and catastrophic illness. Again, in Lying on Sunday, you've tackled a tough subject, that being infidelity. Why do you choose such tough topics?

I like to write stories that speak to women on deep and personal levels. None of us gets through this life without being affected in some form by sadness, loss, a sense of failure over one issue or another, and having been failed. I think when we know we're not the only one going through these types of situation--and it's so easy to feel that you are alone--it gives us hope that we really can come through, not necessarily unscathed, but certainly stronger and more equipped to help others.

Do heavy topics equal a heavy reading experience?

Definitely not. I firmly believe that pleasure reading should first and foremost be entertaining. Time is a precious commodity. I hope that readers who choose to spend some of their precious hours in the pages of my books will thoroughly enjoy the experience. So even though I tackle tough subjects, I infuse enough humor to keep those subjects from becoming an albatross around the reader's neck. Conversely, I love to read for pleasure, but I want to take something away from the experience.

What would you have readers take away from Lying on Sunday?

In one day, Abbie Torrington has the underpinnings of her world knocked out from under her. Everything she thinks she knows about her marriage turns out to be false. It leaves her reeling in the aftermath. Years ago, while dealing with health issues in my own life, a close friend gave me a Precious Moments figurine entitled "Light at the End of the Tunnel." In Lying on Sunday, I want to show that even with issues as devastating as betrayal there is always a light at the end of the tunnel, and for me that Light, of course, is Jesus.

Lying on Sunday deals with the betrayal of infidelity, but are there other forms of betrayal that the book might speak to?

Types of betrayal obviously vary, but the end results can be equally devastating. Any time a trust is broken between people in relationship, someone is going to be hurt. We can either allow those hurts to hinder us, or we can allow the Lord to use them as lessons to make us better and stronger. That brings to mind the old adage "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger." Well, through her own devastating experience Abbie becomes a stronger, more independent person than she knew she could be.

Once again you've written a story with a strong and vital friendship that's central to the story. Was that coincidence or by design?

Absolutely by design. I'm all about relationships and so are my characters. Having gone through a period in my early adulthood without a close friend, I know how important friends are in our lives. In fact, I've recently reconnected with two friends from high school, one I hadn't seen in 25 years, and the other in over 30 years. But relationships between women, while vital, can be very complex. That's certainly true for Abbie. Besides her close friendship with Shawlie Bryson, she has a close relationship with one daughter and a challenging relationship with the other, mostly because of the very different emotional place these girls are in while dealing with the death of their father. Not only that, but Abbie has a strained relationship with her own mother for reasons she eventually discovers. I'm certain that women of each one of these generations will relate to one or the other of these characters, especially the woman caught in the middle, where she's both the daughter and the mother.

Truth is a theme you deal with extensively in Lying on Sunday. In a book that deals with betrayal, wouldn't forgiveness be a more fitting theme?

I believe forgiveness is the key to getting beyond the kind of hurt Abbie experiences - which doesn't necessarily equate to restored relationship. (In Abbie's case, of course, that's impossible anyway.) But the discovery of truth is a huge first step in the process. In any difficult situation we can choose to ignore the facts and try to keep life on an even keel. But there inevitably comes a day of reckoning. For Abbie to arrive at the desired destination, there are some unpleasant truths she must acknowledge and deal with. She's dogged by a scripture from John 8:32 that says the truth will set you free. Only she can decide whether or not she'll let it.

What is the most satisfying thing that comes out of your writing?

I love hearing from readers, especially those I don't know, who say my stories have touched them in one way or another, and most importantly, have helped them see more clearly how good and loving our Lord is.

What are you working on now, and does it continue in the style of Lying on Sunday and Every Good & Perfect Gift?

My work in progress, Unraveled, is another contemporary novel about a young woman who gives a year of her life to help teach children in Moldova, a small country in eastern Europe. While there she experiences a crisis of faith (the story ultimately deals with human trafficking). And yes, it continues in the style of my previous novels.

Is there anything you'd like to add?

Naturally I love to hear from readers. You can email me through my website: http://www.sharonksouza.com/.

If you're in a book club and choose to read any of my books, I'll send a complimentary book to the person who contacts me on behalf of their group. Then, after you read the book I'd love to participate in your group discussion, either by phone or in person if you're close enough for me to drive to.

Thank you, Sharon, for spending this time with us.

Readers, here's a link where you can order Lying on Sunday:

Leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of the book.

The only notification you'll receive will be the winners post on this blog. So check back a week from Satyurday to see if you've won.

If you're reading this on Feedblitz, Facebook, or Amazon, please come to the blog to leave your comment. Here's the link:

http://lenanelsondooley.blogspot.com

Author Sharon K. Souza - EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT - Free book

Welcome, Sharon.

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

My closest family members might say I write more of myself into my characters than I realize or intend. If I do an honest evaluation, I think any flaws or insecurities that my characters deal with are closer to my own reality than any strengths they may exhibit. But I do draw on my own experiences as I write.

What is the quirkiest thing you have ever done?

That’s a tough question. I love quirky in other people, but don’t tend to lean toward quirkiness myself. I’ve never dyed my hair blue or pierced my lip. With that in mind, I’d say the quirkiest thing I’ve ever done was have my husband take me to a firing range to teach me how to fire a handgun while I was writing a suspense novel. I wanted to be able to write about the experience accurately. I actually hit the target.

Good for you! When did you first discover that you were a writer?

The earliest moment that I can recall was when I was in sixth grade. Our class was given an assignment to write a short story about any topic we wanted. All my friends moaned and complained, while I grinned all the way to the pencil sharpener. It was winter of 1964 and Beatlemania had invaded the country. Naturally, my story was about the Beatles. I wrote some anti-war poetry in high school (who didn’t in the ’60s?), but didn’t become serious about writing until I was in my 30s. It’s been my passion ever since.

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

I’ve always been a fan of English literature, especially Dickens. I also love the writing of Chaim Potok. But the past few years I’ve enjoyed reading contemporary women’s fiction—exactly what I love to write. Lisa Samson and Dale Cramer are two of my favorites, as well as new author Kathleen Popa. I enjoy good suspense and legal thrillers (James Scott Bell & early John Grisham). And I loved Ted Dekker’s trilogy (Black, Red and White). So there’s some diversity in that.

The Gospel of John is my favorite book of the Bible, as well as all the prophetic books. And two of my all time favorite non-fiction books are A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards, and Windows of the Soul by Ken Gire.

What other books have you written, whether published or not?

My Christmas novella, A Heavenly Christmas in Hometown, was published by WinePress in 2004. I have two suspense novels I hope to find a home for this year, as well as a novel called Annie Walker that needs work but has potential. Lying on Sunday will be out in September. Anything else I’ve written has added to my learning experience, but won’t ever be published.

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

I am so fortunate to have been out of the workplace for the past several years. So my life isn’t nearly as fast-paced as it used to be. Plus our children are grown and married, so Rick and I are enjoying the bliss of the empty nest and grandchildren. That doesn’t mean the pressures of the world don’t filter in, especially being married to a man as busy as Rick. I soothe the savage beast by listening to my favorite contemporary worship music, with quiet evenings at home with a good book, and with the good company of family and friends on a regular basis. But get me on a California freeway, and hear me roar.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Sometimes a character’s name comes easily, sometimes it comes by experiment, but I know it when I hear it. And I can’t advance until it’s right. I mean, how can you tell a person’s story if you don’t know who that person is? Even secondary characters’ names have to be right. And when I pick up a book I’m thinking about reading, if the protagonist’s name turns me off, chances are I won’t read the book.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

Let’s assume we’re not talking about our children, because that’s a given. With that in mind, I wrote my Christmas novella, A Heavenly Christmas in Hometown, not just as a novel but in play form as well, and produced it at my church 3 years ago. That was one of the most delightful things I’ve ever done. And now it has special significance. Our son and a very close friend were actors in the play, and last year we lost both of them within 3 months of each other. Having the DVD of the performance is something we’ll always cherish.

I also write and produce plays. If you were an animal, which one would you be, and why?

I’d be an Old English Sheepdog, content to curl up in front of the hearth. But if I could pretend I was something other than a sheepdog, I’d be a gazelle or a humpback whale.

What is your favorite food?

Japanese and Mexican. Preferably not together.

Of course not! What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Like almost every other writer I know, becoming published was the hardest problem I’ve faced as a writer. I went to a major writers’ conference 4 years ago and everything changed. I met a couple of editors who liked my writing, I signed with an agent, and in a comparatively short period of time I had a contract. Now I try to go to that conference every year.


What advice would you give to an author just starting out?

Write what you love, because it will come through in your work. Hone your craft by writing, writing, writing. Get honest feedback, from other writers if possible, and as my daughter Deanne would say, chew the meat and spit out the bones. Read the best books on writing (my top picks are Write Tight by William Brohaugh, Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, Write Away by Elizabeth George, and Plot & Structure by James Scott Bell), but remember, they’re guidelines. In the end, do what works for you! And by all means, find a writers’ conference to attend.

Sharon, what would you like to tell us about the featured book?

In part, the book deals with a life-changing illness that a very close friend of mine was diagnosed with several years ago. That’s what inspired the story. I learned in the past few months that another dear friend has the same illness. We all face loss at one point or another in our lives, and at times, sorrow seems to outweigh the joy. The Apostle Paul said, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (1 Cor. 15:19). Fortunately that is not the case. An incredible future lies ahead for those who have accepted the greatest Gift of all. Like I said in my Acknowledgments, the end is really the beginning.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Visit my website: www.sharonksouza.com. I’d love to hear from you.

Thank you for spending this time with us, Sharon.

Readers, leave a comment for a chance to win a free copy of Every Good and Perfect Gift.