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Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Mists over the Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin

Book Description

The German invasion of the British Channel Islands shatters Dr. Ivy Picot’s peaceful world, forcing her to shoulder the weight of her father’s medical practice and hold together a family unraveling under the strain of war. As conditions worsen in Jersey with the arrival of thousands of forced laborers, Ivy’s quiet allegiance to the Allies compels her to risk everything by providing medical aid to escaped workers–even as danger closes in.

Dutch engineer and resistance member Gerrit van der Zee volunteers to build fortifications for the Germans so he can secretly send maps and diagrams to the Allies. On his arrival in the Channel Islands, he crosses paths with Ivy, who shows him contempt for the uniform he wears. As tensions mount and their missions grow increasingly dangerous, Ivy and Gerrit must confront the cost of courage, the meaning of sacrifice, and whether love can survive in the shadow of war. Will their covert efforts turn the tide–or will they pay the ultimate price for defiance?

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Elise’s Thoughts

Mists over the Channel Islands by Sarah Sundin is another riveting story. All her books seem to educate the readers while presenting a compelling story, relatable heroes in both Ivy and Gerrit and incredibly memorable multifaceted characters. There is danger, suspense, a sweet love story, and family conflicts.

The book opens with the German invasion of the Channel Islands. The female lead, Ivy Picot, has her father leaving the family’s medical practice to serve as a medic on the Allied front lines. Now Ivy along with her older sister, Fern, and younger brother Charlie must manage the practice.

As conditions worsen in Jersey with the arrival of thousands of forced laborers, Ivy’s quiet allegiance to the Allies compels her to risk everything by providing medical aid to escaped workers. She meets Dutch engineer and resistance member Gerrit van der Zee and his friend Bernardus Kroon. They volunteered to build fortifications for the Germans so they can secretly send maps and diagrams to the Allies. But Ivy wants nothing to do with him and shows him
contempt for the German uniform he wears.

Charlie is aligned with Ivy on her views of the Germans and realizes that Gerrit and Bernardus are in the resistance. He volunteers to help them and becomes part of the resistance. The one sibling who readers will grow to hate is Fern. She was a terrible sister and awful person, blaming others, and never taking responsibility. Plus, she aligned herself with the Germans, working for them and having an affair with a German officer.

The tension increases as the dangers increase for Ivy, Gerrit, Charlie, and Bernardus. Readers will not want to put the book down because this story is a page turner.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Sarah Sundin: I have always been interested in the English Islands, which were occupied by the Germans. I looked at Jersey and read about the physicians who took care of the escaped forced laborers. A lot of the men who fought as young men in WWI fought as older men in WWII. The main character’s father was a physician, and fought even though he was a little older.

EC: Jersey folk versus English folk?

SS: There are four Islands, Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, and Sark, each with their own unique status. They are not part of the United Kingdom, and are not English, but are a part of Great Britian. They depend on them for military protection, but they have their own laws, police, government, postage stamps, and currency. They have Norman roots but have a lot of British culture.

EC: Did you show how they Germans tried to exploit the difference?

SS: Yes. There was some resentment between the natives and the English there. The Germans deported those who were born in Mainland England and sent them to internment camps. One of the reasons the Germans did it was to drive a wedge between the locals and the English people. It totally backfired. The people of Jersey were upset.

EC: In the story, Ivy and Gerrit seem to struggle with their beliefs. Do you agree?

SS: The quote, ‘the Nazis are specialized in cruelty and erasing the goodness for the Island. Why did God do nothing to stop them?’ It’s the old saying, ‘if God is good why do bad things happen?’ Ivy especially struggles with it but realizes God does not want people to be robots and should make choices.

EC: How would you describe Ivy?

SS: She is intuitive, caring, and compassionate. She has quiet strength and courage. Being a doctor, she faces criticism and must deal with being a woman in a man’s world. Sometimes she can see things others don’t.

EC: How would you describe Bernardus?

SS: He is the friend of Gerrit. He is smart, driven, a little bit reckless. He wants to get things done.

EC: What about Gerrit?

SS: He is cautious to a fault, wants to do the right thing, thoughtful, and gentle. He has an engineer’s mind and sees the world in black and white.

EC: How would you describe Charlie?

SS: He was my favorite character and at some point, stole the story. He is bright, curious, courageous, impetuous, selfless, charming, perceptive, favors and respects Ivy over his other sister.

EC: How would you describe Fern, the older sister?

SS: A charming narcissist. She is bitter, jealous, disloyal, a betrayer, controlling, bullying, mean, efficient, clever, and enjoyed Ivy’s dependence on her. She twists people’s words. She sees herself as the heroine, not as the villainess she is. She will never admit her wrong doings.

EC: What about the relationship between Gerrit and Ivy?

SS: I think it was an enemy to lover’s story that got off to a rough spot. Ivy’s perspective was he wore the German uniform and would not trust him. He is in the resistance but cannot tell her that. For him, it is a forbidden love. He cannot tell her because he would put himself, Charlie, Bernadus, and herself in danger. In the end they became affectionate toward each other.

EC: Do you think the Germans were harsh to the Islanders?

SS: They would not allow people to draw outside. They regulated the water intake, had curfews, and took political prisoners. The Germans cut off Jersey from Britian who provided supplies, coal, and medicine. Now they had to buy from France but do not have trade patterns with them. This was a cruelty of war itself.

EC: Next books?

SS: A Christmas novella coming out in September, titled Twelve Days and Twelfth Night. It is set in San Diego with a USO show. The USO director must put on a show for the sailors. She recruits a Hollywood heartthrob has been, who has severe burns. It is fun and lighthearted.

My next novel comes out in February, set in France. The plot has those living in the mountains of France rescuing 3000 Jewish children during the war. Almost every home in that village rescued at least one person.

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Book Review: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE SOUND OF LIGHT by Sarah Sundin is a suspenseful inspirational historical fiction story featuring two memorable main characters in Nazi occupied Denmark during WWII. Make sure you have plenty of time when you start this standalone story because I found it impossible to put down.

American physicist Dr. Elsebeth “Else” Jensen is working under the famous physicist Niels Bohr when the Germans march in to occupy Denmark. She has dual American and Danish citizenship and refuses to leave her work at the Institute. Her best friend, mathematician Laila who is Jewish and lives with her in a boardinghouse asks for her assistance in printing resistance papers. Also living their boardinghouse in the quiet giant Hemmey who works at the shipyard and befriends Else.

Hemmy is actually Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt who until the Germans came lived his life as a spoiled aristocrat. Now he risks his life and keeps a secret as the people whisper of the legendary Havmand (Merman) helping the Danish resistance by rowing messages to Sweden across the sound. As acts of sabotage occur in the shipyards and town, the Germans declare martial law and begin to round up the Danish Jews. Henrik and Else have become close and are determined to help Jewish families escape to Sweden.

As the danger increases, Henrik and Else respond to their extraordinary circumstances with their strength of faith and love. They continually face the question of following the laws of man or the morally just laws of man and God as they risk their lives.

This is a suspenseful story of resistance during war and an inspirational romance that are perfectly intertwined. I could not stop turning the pages. Else and Henrik are courageous, strong, and memorable characters. Henrik’s character is based on an actual Danish Olympic rower who helped get Jewish people to Sweden in his boat during the war. All the secondary characters are realistic, both good and bad. The author brought the Danes of Copenhagen during WWII to life in this story with scenes of bravery and courage as well as treachery. The historical research is evident. The inspirational elements of faith, redemption, and forgiveness are believable without being preachy. I did not want this book to end.

I highly recommend this inspirational historical fiction story!

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About the Author

Sarah Sundin enjoys writing about the drama and romance of the World War II era. She is the bestselling author of The Sound of Light (February 2023), Until Leaves Fall in Paris (2022), When Twilight Breaks (2021), and four WWII series. Her novels have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. Until Leaves Fall in Paris, received the 2022 Christy Award, When Twilight Breaks and The Land Beneath Us were Christy Award finalists, and The Sky Above Us won the 2020 Carol Award.

A mother of three, Sundin lives in Southern California and teaches Sunday school and women’s Bible studies. She enjoys speaking to community, church, and writers’ groups. Sarah serves as Co-Director for the West Coast Christian Writers Conference.

Social Media Links

Website: https://www.sarahsundin.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahSundinAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahsundin

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/sarah-sundin/

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin

Book Description

When the Germans march into Denmark, Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, assuming a new identity so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden.

American physicist Dr. Else Jensen refuses to leave Copenhagen and abandon her research–her life’s dream. While printing resistance newspapers, she hears stories of the movement’s legendary Havmand–the merman–and wonders if the mysterious and silent shipyard worker living in the same boardinghouse has something to hide.

When the Occupation cracks down on the Danes, these two passionate people will discover if there is more power in speech . . . or in silence. Bestselling author of more than a dozen WWII novels, Sarah Sundin offers pens another story of ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances with faith, fortitude, and hope for a brighter future.

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Sound of Light by Sarah Sundin shows why her name has become synonymous with captivating and historically accurate World War II books. This novel has ordinary people responding to extraordinary circumstances using their courage, faith, fortitude, and a bit of hope.

The story shows how the Nazi occupation was different with Denmark. After the Germans occupy Denmark during WWII, they treat the country as a “model protectorate”. They didn’t enforce the same antisemitic laws as they did throughout Europe, allowing the Danes to self-govern and keeping the power of King Christian intact. For a while, things remained very much the same.

But when the plot fast forwards to 1943 everything changes. Baron Henrik Ahlefeldt exchanges his nobility for anonymity, so he can secretly row messages for the Danish Resistance across the waters to Sweden. He had three personas. Havman is the name chosen for helping the Danish Resistance. The “Merman” is based on the Hans Christian Anderson story The Little Mermaid. As a former Olympic rower, he volunteers to row vital intel across the Sound to the allies in Sweden. There is also Hemining chosen by Henrik to be the opposite of the Baron, portraying an illiterate silent ship worker.

As Hemining, he meets Dr. Else Jenkins, an American Physicist who decides to stay in Denmark even after the Nazi occupation. But she is also working for the resistance, helping to publish a resistance newspaper for her friend Dr. Laila Berend, a mathematician. Neither Else and Laila know Hemining’s identity and resistance activities, and he does not know of their resistance activities. This changes in 1943 after the Nazis decide to round up the Danish Jewish community. Together along with most of Denmark, they hide and then transport most of the Jews to safety in Sweden. They face the constant danger of getting arrested, tortured, and executed.

The themes of the book are bravery, forgiveness, heartbreak, and horror along with the resilience of the Danes. Sundin has a way of bringing to life the true history in a fictional story.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: Idea for the story?

Sarah Sundin: It came from historical research. Since this is my fifteenth WWII novel, I find new stories that piqued my interest through my research. I came across the amazing things Denmark did during the World War, especially how they rescued the Danish Jews.

EC: The Nazis were uncharacteristic the way they treated the Danes?

SS: My last book was set in France, previous ones set in Germany. Yet, how the Nazis treated the Danes goes against everything learned about the Nazis. When the Germans occupied Denmark, they made the country a “model protectorate.” They allowed the king and the government to remain in place, and they gave the Danes, as “fellow Aryans,” freedoms unheard of in the rest of Europe. For that reason, resistance was slow to develop in Denmark, but it did develop. In late 1943, the German crackdown on the Danish Jews dramatically fueled the resistance, and the various groups united to form the Freedom Council to coordinate their efforts, not only with each other but with the Allies.

EC: How would you describe Else?

SS: She is a nuclear physicist. She is very sweet natured and hates to confront people. She learns how to speak up for herself, developing a backbone.

EC: What role did Professor Mortensen play?

SS: He is a chauvinist pig, condescending and rude to her, treating her as more of a secretary than a scientist. He basically humiliated Else. He is arrogant and dismissive. He forces her to speak up to save her career, which means everything to her. She needs to learn the difference between being nice and kind. Niceness is giving in on everything whereas kindness is respecting someone and being considerate.

EC: The other physicist Bohr was a contrast to Mortensen?

SS: He is a real person, while Mortensen is fictional. I was so impressed with Bohr. He truly cared for those he worked with, nurturing them, and bringing out their brilliance. He used his brilliance to help others. Mortensen never cared about others. I chose to make Else a physicist after hearing about Nobel Laureate Niels Bohr’s institute in Copenhagen and the role Bohr played during the war.

EC: How would you describe Henrik?

SS: A nobleman who led the playboy life until the Nazi occupation. He was an Olympic rower and used those skills for the resistance, rowing to Sweden to give messages. Henrik’s character was inspired by Knud Christiansen, a Danish Olympic rower who rowed Jews to Sweden. He is bold and outspoken until after he took on his secret identity where he becomes a shipyard worker, appearing to be all muscle and very silent.

EC: What are the similarities and differences between Henrik, Havmand, and Hemining?

SS: He took on all three personas. Henrik was a nobleman with daddy issues. His father had high standards for his son, causing Henrik to rebel. Havmand was the rower, a code name. In Danish it means Merman. He took inspirations from The Little Mermaid story since she gives up her voice to have legs. He basically did the same thing, giving up his voice to be mobile for the resistance. Hemining was the ship worker. Else describes all three: Hemining was noble in character, Henrik noble in birth and upbring, and Havmand is noble in his deeds.

E: How would you describe them:

SS: Henrik was a leader, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, wants to be a warrior, and courageous.

Hemining was level-headed, responsible, considerate, thoughtful, hard-working, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, humble, and courageous.

Havmand was level-headed, responsible, considerate, stubborn, direct, determined, protective, humble, a warrior, and courageous.

EC: How would you describe the relationship between Hemining and Else?

SS: Henrik pretends to be someone else in her presence. He is trying to restrain himself to make sure he does not reveal his identity. She on the other hand is confronting her prejudices. She is a scientist who falls for someone who can barely read, Hemining. She is drawn to his kindness and decentness. She becomes more attractive to him and realizes that what is more important is someone’s character, not the letters after their name.

EC: What was the role of Leila in the book?

SS: She is spunky, fun, persistent, and a good foil for Else. She was Else’s best friend. She quits her job as a PHD mathematician to join the resistance. Leila is Jewish and needed the help of Else and Henrik to escape the Nazis. She symbolized in the story the persecution of the Jews and the courageous acts of resistance. The Danes managed to save almost all the Jews in Denmark by ferrying them across to Sweden. I wanted to tell these stories.

EC: Next book?

SS: It is coming out in February 2024 and set in London during the Blitz. A Dutch refugee is separated from her son who is sent to London as they both flee the Nazis. She enlists a BBC radio correspondent to help find the son. In the flames of the city a bunch of murders pop up. This one will be a mystery and thriller.

THANK YOU!!

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Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin

Book Description

As the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940, American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape. Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Widower Paul Aubrey wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers. As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.

Master of WWII-era fiction Sarah Sundin invites you onto the streets of occupied Paris to discover whether love or duty will prevail.

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Elise’s Thoughts

Until Leaves Fall in Paris by Sarah Sundin shows why she is the master of writing World War II fiction. This story is filled with intrigue, danger, and romance when two American expatriates living in Paris navigate the “normal” of German occupation in 1940, while secretly working for the resistance.

Lucie Girard has been living in Paris since she was ten years old. She quits her job as a ballerina for the Paris Opera Ballet School to buy her favorite English language bookstore from her good friends to allow the Jewish owners to have money to escape Nazi controlled France. She decides to use the bookstore to help the resistance by having them hide messages in books she delivers to other resistance members.

Widower Paul Aubrey is being shunned by the Americans living in Paris including Lucie. Even though Lucie is attracted to him she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. Paul is an engineer and owns an automotive factory in France. He is only cooperating with the Nazis because the American military asked him to be a spy. Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory.

This is an excellent historical novel. Sundin has engaging characters and realistically shows what it would be like for Americans living in Nazi occupied France during the neutrality period of 1940.

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Elise’s Author Interview

Sarah Sundin: There are three books in this series dealing with Nazi Germany. I decided to write a story with Americans who remained in France during the occupation. Through my research I found there were 1000s of Americans who remained in France between the Nazi invasion of 1940 and before December 1941, when America was still neutral. At that time American citizens there were free to come and go. Some stayed because of having their roots in France, others enjoyed the French culture, and businessmen who stayed for making money. I wanted to explore these reasons.

Elise Cooper: Why the ballet?

SS: I did it growing up for ten years. Paris is the home of ballet. The ballet is in the main character’s heart.

EC: How would you describe Lucie?

SS: Her character was inspired by Sylvia Beach, a single woman, who ran the bookstore “Shakespeare and Company.” It was an English language bookstore in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s up until December 1941. Many of the bohemian expatriate’s literary community hung out there including Hemmingway. She also published James Joyce’s Ulysses. I gave Lucy a reason to stay, sacrificing her savings to buy a bookstore from her Jewish friends so they can escape. She is dreamy, artistic, and poetic with her feet on the ground. She can read people. Since she only went through 8^th grade, she did not feel smart because of being a daydreamer and not good with numbers.

EC: How would you describe Paul?

SS: He was easy to write because he is very much like my husband and son. Very left-brain with numbers as their friends. Paul is good with people in a managerial way and knows what makes them tick. He has no appreciation for the arts. Typical of people who are like Paul, an engineer. He is also an extrovert, social, and likes to be around people.

EC: What about the relationship between Paul and Lucie?

SS: Her intuition told her one thing, while her eyes and ears told her something else. She cannot make heads or tails about Paul. They do have similar personalities. They are kind, honorable, courageous, and determined. They challenge each other. Both came into the relationship guarded and judgmental.

EC: What role did Josie play?

SS: She is Paul’s four-year-old daughter. She is very creative and spirited. She challenges Paul and grows very fond of Lucie who appreciates her stories. She thinks Lucie is wonderful and is enamored by her. Josie bonds with Lucie. Paul originally tried to stifle her thoughts but comes around to understanding her through Lucie who brought both together.

EC: Treatment by the Nazis?

SS: Early in the war, France was different, than by the end of the war. The Germans wanted to pacify the French, so they delayed being brutal. But everything changed in 1942 where the Nazis took away Jewish businesses. They censored civil liberties. They took over houses. German repression was light early on to make sure there was little resistance. At first, they only did some things like the “Otto Rule,” a ban on books, and burning of books. But by the end of 1941 their horrific behavior spiraled. French police helped with the roundups.

EC: What was the role of the bookstore?

SS: I thought about how the resistance found interesting ways to pass messages. I thought that they could do it through the pages of the books. It was like choreographing the resistance code. Lucie would greet resistance members like any other customer. The store would be a letter box. Books brought in were placed behind the desk. The code question to be asked is, “did you read the author?”

EC: Next book?

SS: No title yet. It is set in Denmark in 1943. The hero is a Nobleman and takes on the persona of a shipyard worker. He meets a nuclear physicist, a brilliant woman. They both work for the resistance and strike up an unlikely friendship. It delves into the rescue of the Danish Jews. Because of the resistance over 7,000 Jews were taken safely to Sweden. The whole Danish population united to save their fellow citizens from the Holocaust. It will be out this time next year.

THANK YOU!!