Have you ever woke up from a dream and wondered what the heck just happened? Ever wondered what the nonsense playing in your brain could possibly mean? Ever have a recurring dream?
Today I’m introducing my good friend and RWA chaptermate, Suzanne Vince, who is here to talk to you about her debut novel The Many Lives of June Crandall, a book about a young girl’s recurring dream and what it meant for her. On Friday, September 12, 2014, Suzanne will choose one random person who leaves a comment to receive a free copy of her book.
Growing up, Suzanne imagined herself as many things (a nurse, a teacher, even a secretary) but never a writer. Despite the fact that she grew up in an exceptionally creative family — everyone having some special talent — Suzanne did not, leaving them all to wonder if perhaps she’d been adopted.
She wrote her first book by accident, four years ago when she sat down to journal her thoughts. Four hours later she’d written the first 30 pages of what became her first novel, The Many Lives of June Crandall.
While Suzanne’s books include elements of romance and spirituality, the main story revolves around a strong parent-child bond, a reflection of the bond she shared with her own parents. Her stories inspire love, hope and the possibility of happily ever after.
Here’s my interview with Suzanne (her responses are in purple):
Tell us about how this book got its start. Did you actually have a series of dreams like the protagonist in your book, or did the idea just strike you out of the blue?
Out of the blue, kind of. I had just finished changing out the books on my bookshelf—removing the old, making room for the new. I came back a while later and found a book lying on the floor. It was titled, Many Lives, Many Masters by Brian Weiss. It’s a book about past lives.
I picked up the book and opened the cover and saw an address label on the inside. Like one you’d put on a letter. Obviously I’d purchased the book used. The name on the label was June Crandall from Sarasota, Florida. I put the book back, but for the next week I kept thinking about June, who she was, if she was still alive, what her life had been like. Before I knew it, I’d created June’s story in my head.
The following weekend I sat down to start writing and pulled the book off the bookshelf to serve as my muse. When I looked at the label on the book again, the name was Rosalyn Fink, not June Crandall. As writers, we have to invent the name of our characters, but I never in a million years would’ve come up with the name June Crandall. That’s when I knew that the story was meant to be written.
Any particular reason why you choose those three specific Junes?
Not really. I wanted each June to represent a different aspect of what was missing in Grace’s life. A mother, a best friend, even a lover.
How much research did you have to do before or while writing this book?
The dreams all take place in past centuries and I wanted the details to be as accurate as possible, so there was some research needed there. And since most of the story takes place in New York, I wanted to make sure I got the geographical scenes correct.
What’s your favorite part about the story?
I think the book signing scene is my favorite. And of course, who doesn’t love a happily ever after?
What would you tell your readers to expect before they start reading?
Well, the book is classified as a women’s fiction novel, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a mystery, a romance, and a coming of age story all in one.
Without giving anything away, what one thing about the book surprised you as you were writing it?
I think it had to be how hard it was to make my character (Grace Adams) suffer. It took a lot of revisions to get to the point where I felt she’d suffered enough.
Were you inspired by any particular author before or during your writing of this book?
There’s a little book titled God on a Harley by Joan Brady (I highly recommend it–it’s funny, moving and every woman on the planet will be able to relate to the story). Anyway, I’ve read the book several times and every time it stirs something inside of me. I read it last in July of 2010 and then, without realizing it, I wrote the first fifty or so pages of what would become my first novel (which is now collecting dust bunnies under the bed). So I guess you could say that Joan Brady inspired me to write.
Here’s the 4-1-1 on Suzanne:
I grew up in Park Forest, Illinois—twice an All-American City—in a hectic and chaotic but loving family. After graduating from Loyola University of Chicago with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration (major in Accounting), I said goodbye to snow shovels and ice scrapers and followed my parents out to California.
I currently live in Sacramento with my husband, my step-daughter and our four furry children. I still have my day job—for now—but spend most of my free time writing.
Learn more about Suzanne by visiting http://suzannevince.com.
And here’s the 4-1-1 on The Many Lives of June Crandall:
Shuffled from one orphanage to another and finally abandoned into foster care, Grace Adams finds comfort only in her dreams, only these dreams are unlike anything Grace could ever dare to imagine. From a Nazi concentration camp in World War 2 to a Geisha house in Feudal Japan, in her dream world Grace is loved and protected by one person: a woman named June Crandall with a face she is unable to forget. Believing that the woman from her dreams is the mother she’s never met, Grace petitions the court to unseal her birth records, and what she learns about her birth mother will shake her to her core. Years later, at the urging of her husband, Grace publishes a book about the woman from her dreams. At a book signing, a stranger appears and offers a clue to the mystery surrounding Grace’s birth. Putting her skills as an investigative journalist to work, Grace uncovers a web of secrets and betrayal that threatens to destroy her dream of being reunited with her birth family. Will Grace find the woman from her dreams? Will she solve the mystery of her birth? Will she be able to put the past behind her and find forgiveness for the family that abandoned her?
Get your copy here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Many+Lives+of+June+Crandall
Word of the Day: Cajuput
Fun Fact About Me: I consider myself a wine snob.
Original post by Jansen Schmidt September 2014. Photos courtesy, Google Images, Amazon.com and suzannevince.com.
Hey everyone. Can you believe Patricia went on vacation and left me in charge? What should we talk about today? Undies? Boys? Yes, let’s talk about boys. Or maybe we can tell ghost stories! Ouija anyone! But seriously, I’m thrilled to be here, and I’m willing to talk about anything you are! So please, don’t be shy!
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Thanks for being here Suzanne and holding the reins for a few days. Congratulations on the book! It’s a wonderful story that I know readers are going to love.
Patricia
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Congrats on your first book, Suzanne!
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Thanks for stopping by with encouragement for Suzanne! Always nice to see new faces over here at the Edge of Eternity.
Patricia
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Thanks, Lindsey!
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Your book sounds really interesting, Suzanne! Dreams have always fascinated me, so this read is right up my alley. 🙂
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Hi Coleen and thanks for stopping by. Suzanne’s book is awesome. I got the privilege of being in on the earlier drafts of this book and I can’t wait to read the final version myself.
Patricia
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Thanks, CJ. They have me, too. I used to have a little dream “manual” where I’d look up the topic of the dream to see what it meant. I wonder what ever happened to it? I wonder what it would tell me about Grace’s dreams!
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Congrats on your first book! The concept sounds intriguing, though I must admit, if I dream, I rarely remember it, so recurring is pretty much out of my realm of direct knowledge.
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Hi Kitt. I’m with you, I rarely remember my dreams and usually when I do they’re not good. Those scary dreams stay with me a lot longer than they need to.
Thanks for stopping by. It’s so nice to seem your pretty smiling face.
Patricia
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Congratulations, Suzanne! The theme of your story has fascinated me ever since I first talked to you about it.
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Hi Suzanne. Suzanne’s book is really good and the concept is interesting indeed. As Suzanne’s critique partner, I got to delve a little deeper into the back stories of these characters, which was fun.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
Patricia
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I know what you mean, Kit. It usually takes some kind of trigger for me to remember a dream! Thanks for stopping by and dropping a comment 🙂
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HI Suzanne (TeacherWriter). It’s been a crazy but fun week since the release. Thanks for hopping over to say hi.
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I remember watching “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” on TV in the 1970s and being absolutely riveted. I’m not a believer, but I find the possibility tantalizing, especially as a writer. It sounds like your book takes an interesting twist on the reincarnation theme, Suzanne. Congrats! (And thanks, Patricia.)
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Hi Debra, I might just have to watch that movie. My book certainly hints about the possibility of reincarnation, which is a subject that I too find tantalizing (great word, by the way). But whether Grace’s dreams are really past life memories or not, well, you’ll just have to read and find out! Thanks for stopping by. You’re officially entered in the drawing for a copy.
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Congrats, CJ, you’re the winner of The Many Lives of June Crandall! I’ll be in touch through Patricia.
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Congrats on the book Suzanne! I sometimes have dreams and deja vu that makes me think of a past life. Maybe?
Sounds like an interesting read!
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Maybe, indeed, Regular Guy! I’d love a guy’s perspective on the book if you’re ever so inclined. Thanks for stopping by and dropping a note.
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Yay, I just saw that I won! Excited to read – thank you!
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Patricia will send me your email address and I’ll be in touch, CJ!!
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I’m late to the party, but the book looks fascinating, Suzanne! I hope that all is going well with you and your recovery.
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Thanks for stopping by Jenny. Suzanne is healing quite nicely and is glad to have all of this medical stuff behind her. Thanks for asking.
Patricia
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