SANDRA
SAIDAK graduated San Francisco State University in 1985 with a B.A. in
English. She is a high school English teacher by day,
author by night. Her hobbies include reading,
dancing, attending science fiction conventions, researching prehistory,
and
maintaining an active fantasy life (but she warns that this last one
could lead
to dangerous habits such as writing).
Sandra lives in San Jose with her husband Tom, daughters Heather and
Melissa, and two cats. Her first novel,
“Daughter of the Goddess Lands”, an epic set in the late Neolithic Age,
was
published in November, 2011 by Uffington Horse Press. Learn more at http://sandrasaidak.com/
Here are the links to other parts of her interview.
Part 2 @ Emily - Friday, August 31st
Part 3 @ Sandra - Monday, September 3rd
Part 4 @ Dean - Tuesday, September 4th
Part 5 @ Terri - Wednesday, September 5th
Welcome to The Write Time. Hope you've had a good time visiting our Blog Ring. Today we are going to discuss your current works, so have a seat over hear and lets chat.
Tells Us About Your Current Work
Tell us about your new book and when it is
out? Where can people purchase it?
Shadow of the Horsemen was released on July 1 on Kindle, and
should be available in paperback... soon; hopefully by the time this post is
published. It, along with the first book
in the series, Daughter of the Goddess Lands, can be purchased on Amazon.
Is there anything new, unusual, or
interesting about your book? How is it different from other books on the same
subject?
There’s a lot of wonderful prehistoric fiction out there. Many of those novels, like mine, deal with a
clash of cultures that center on the role of women. Where my series stands out, I think, is the
focus on strong women who take back their power, even in seemingly impossible
situations. The focus stays on the
protagonist, Kalieu and the reader gets to experience her outrage and growth,
her understanding of the society she finds herself in, and, most importantly,
her eventual victory.
What was your favorite chapter (or
part) to write and why?
Without giving too much
away J I’d have to say the part I most enjoyed writing is in the second
book, when Kalie turns the tables on her captors. I especially liked it because it happens well
before the last ten pages, when that kind of thing usually happens in books (in
my experience, at least). That’s always
been my number one complaint in this kind of story: the author grants us a
happy ending, and maybe some justice, but never enough time to savor it, or see
what happens next. When I sat down to
write the series Kalie’s Journey, I really wanted to change that.
Did you learn anything from writing
this book and what was it?
I learned that I want to
be a writer for the rest of my life (or maybe “confirmed” is more accurate; I
guess I’ve always known that fact). And
writing the book I wanted to read was very rewarding: I didn’t just get to read
the story I wanted to hear—for a time, I got to live it.
Is there a message in your novel that
you want readers to grasp?
The messages in my books
are not particularly new, but I feel they’re very important: it’s better (and
more satisfying reading) when a victim defeats her oppressors herself, rather
than being rescued by someone else; a society will be more successful when
every member has the freedom to contribute and chart his/her own course, and
others can label you as something—but that doesn’t define who you are.
Other Places you can find Sandra online:
Website: http://sandrasaidak.com/
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sandra-
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/
Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sandra-
Book blurbs:
Daughter of the
Goddess Lands--Abducted by a tribe of violent horsemen, Kalie,
daughter of a peaceful, goddess-worshiping society, escapes from slavery and
returns home, only to find her trials are just beginning. When her warnings of an upcoming invasion go
unheeded, Kalie seeks sanctuary in a temple of healing. Here, she learns to help others, yet is
unable to heal her own pain or stop the nightmares. When the horsemen return, it is up to Kalie
to find a way to save her people from slavery and death, while at the same
time, finding the courage to confront the ghosts of her own past.
Shadow of the Horsemen continues the saga of Kalie, the
intrepid heroine of “Daughter of the Goddess Lands.” Kalie is rising in status and influence among
her captors, the horsemen that control the rugged steppes of prehistoric
Europe. Now she seeks the weapon that
will save her people, but time is running out as Haraak the Kingmaker, forges a
mighty federation of tribes, intent on invading Kalie’s rich and peaceful
homeland. Kalie finds, an unlikely ally in Riyik, a powerful warrior
whose crippled son Kalie has been treating with her healing skills. Forced to work together, the two find
themselves growing closer than either had intended. But in the violent, chaotic world of the
steppes, love can be a dangerous thing. As alliances shift and warriors battle for dominance, Kalie
must use all her abilities see her enemies defeated and create a new life for
all of those she has come to love.
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