Interview with Sarah M. Eden

About the Author

Sarah M. Eden is a USA Today Bestselling author of witty and charming historical romances, including Foreword Review’s 2013 “IndieFab Book of the Year” gold medal winner for Best Romance, Longing for Home, as well as 2014 Whitney Award winner for "Best Novel of the Year," Longing for Home: Hope Springs. Combining her obsession with history and affinity for tender love stories, Sarah loves crafting witty characters and heartfelt romances set against rich historical backdrops. She holds a Bachelor's degree in research and happily spends hours perusing the reference shelves of her local library. Sarah lives with her husband, kids, and mischievous dog in the shadow of a snow-capped mountain she has never attempted to ski. 

Sarah is represented by Pam Victorio at D4EO Literary Agency.​

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The Interview

Fun Questions

1. What is your favorite dessert?
Pie. Just about any kind. Pie. Pie. Pie.
 
2. What is your beverage of choice?
Ice water with lemon and lime slices. Boring, I know. But I LOVE it.
 
3. What is your favorite movie and/or TV show?
I don’t know if I have a favorite. I do love old, classic TV. I recently discovered the 1950s & ‘60s game show “What’s My Line,” and I’m loving it. Such a fun concept and such an interesting glimpse into and era.
 
4. Where is your favorite place to go on holiday?
Ireland. Hands down. I love Ireland in a way that is difficult to describe. When I’m there, I know my heart has come home.

Author Questions

1. Who or what inspired you to become an author?
I actually started on a dare. Before then my mind often filled with stories and characters, but I never seriously considered writing them out or being an author. Then, after complaining at length about how hard it was to find the kind of books I enjoyed most, my mom issued a challenge: “Write your own.” So I did. And I fell in love with it. The rest, as they say, is history.
 
2. What did you want to be when you grew up? Did becoming an author ever cross your mind?
I wanted to be a lot of things over the years. For a number of years, I really wanted to be an architect. To this day I enjoy drafting floor plans and going on architectural walks (walking through areas of a town/city specifically to look at buildings). By the time I graduated from high school, I'd gravitated to the sciences. I began my university studies as a physics major, intending to focus on quantum theory. Then I discovered the joy that is statistical data analysis and the amazing, intriguing world of social science research. So, that’s what I graduated in, intending to ply my trade in research and statistical analysis. Then my mom dared me to write books, and that's what I started doing. Typical author story, I know. ;)
 
3. Who are some of your favorite authors?  Do these authors inspire your own writing?
I love Jane Austen; her insights into human nature and her flare for societal satire… stunning. Elizabeth Gaskell was absolutely incredible. She tackled difficult topics and deeply important issues in a way that touched the heart and resonates even 150+ years later. Amazing. I also deeply love the work of Georgette Heyer. She is often considered the mother of the Regency Romance genre, making that time period in history a mainstay of historical romance. She was witty and her work vastly enjoyable.
 
4. When you are not writing, what other "hats" do you wear?
I’m a mom, and thus an unpaid chaufer, cook, maid, and amateur therapist. I spent a lot of years working as an accompanist, and still enjoy playing the piano. I also volunteered as a costumer for community theater and regularly pull out my sewing machine to make costumes for fun. I volunteer at my kids’ school, at my church, in the writing community. I’m a board member for the Timeless Romance Anthologies. Now and then… I sleep.

Book Related Questions

1. What inspired the idea for Ashes on the Moor?
While reading Parliamentary reports from the Victorian era in my free time (I have issues), I came across an act that required towns in Great Britain to provide education to all their children regardless of demographics. It was a revolutionary idea at the time. That got my mind spinning about all the ways this shift would have triggered other significant changes in towns and villages and cities throughout Britain. I dove in, reading up on what came next, how it impacted lives, and that formed the basis of this story.
2. What do you want readers to take away from reading Ashes on the Moor?
Perhaps a desire to be more compassionate, to appreciate differences instead of fearing them, to work hard and have hope.

3. What is your current WIP?  What can you tell us about this project?
My current WIP is a super, duper, big secret. I’m keeping this one tightly under wraps. I can tell you it has a main character, who goes through some stuff, and then big things happen, and then everything’s different. I know, I know. I’m giving a lot away. This project has required TON of research and I still have more to do. It’s a challenge, but I’m enjoying it.

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