An Interview: Sara Ella

Sara and I have been friends now for about a year. We met online. No really. We did (and it’s ok, she’s not a crazy murderer that’s going to murder me in my sleep . . . overactive brain much? Good. I’m a writer, that’s what I’m paid to have . . . only I haven’t gotten paid for it yet). Anyways . . . we met online and clicked after realizing that we were both writing YA stories. I’m not sure when we started meeting online (along with another fellow writer mom Neysa), but Sara has been a much needed encouragement and sound board over this past year. I’m extremely grateful to have been blessed with her friendship.

Ok. Enough with the sappy. Here’s a little more about Sara. I promise you’ll love her as much as I do . . . and her story. Ooooweee you guys are in for a treat!! (and no I’m not bragging that I’ve gotten to read it already and you guys have to wait . . . not at all . . .)

Name and share a little about yourself:

My name, or rather my pen name, is Sara Ella. I am a wife, homeschooling mother of two, eager reader, and hopeful novelist. I love all things to do with coffee and books, especially when the two are paired. I love to encourage my sisters in Christ and am saved by grace alone. I’m a true believer that “Happily Ever After is Never Far Away” for those who put their faith in the King of Kings.

Share about your work in progress:

Currently, I am working on my first novel. I could say it’s been a work in progress for years, but the truth is that I am the work in progress. I think my Creator was molding me, making me wait until I was ready to “finish”. I am almost to 30,000 words and my goal is to have a first draft finished in time for the ACFW Genesis deadline, which is March 15th. I can’t say too much about the story since I am entering the contest (those pesky rules and all) but I will say my story, really the entire series, is a Young Adult fiction story set in two worlds–our world and a fantasy world. It is a picture of the Bride of Christ and one of the main themes is that true beauty comes from the heart. I have a passion for girls and hope this story will resonate with them on a personal level.

Where did the inspiration come from?

The Bible. I’ve always thought it interesting that, of all the things, the term “bride” is used for followers of the Messiah. I love how the picture of His bride is shown all over scripture. It’s beautiful and just too good not to write a story about.

Why do you write?

As an act of obedience and worship. We all have our special gifts, things we love to do and things we’re good at. I like to think writing is one of mine. Whether I ever become a published author or not, one thing will never change–I write for an audience of One. As long as He is pleased, that’s okay in my book.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Yes. English was my favorite subject in school. I have been writing stories since I can remember. I recall being really in to American Girl dolls around the time the movie Titanic came out (you know, the one with Leo). I was so interested in the history of the Titanic that I wrote a story about a girl named Rose that was on the ship and even wrote to the Pleasant Company saying they should make a doll who lived during 1912. All of this is just to say that no matter what I’m interested in, whether it be dolls at the age of twelve or Grey’s Anatomy at the age of twenty-eight, one thing has never changed–I am a writer.

How do you write with littles at home?

What a great question. Honestly, I don’t really have a set schedule. I write when I can, which is mostly at night when people are asleep (when I SHOULD be asleep). If I write during the day it is usually in the afternoon with my toddler on the bed next to me watching Barney on my Kindle. Sometimes I sneak in a few words when she naps, but that’s not always possible either. It’s really all about setting priorities and learning how to say “no”. Last year I overloaded myself with blog obligations, which took away from my writing time. This year, my main goals are to finish my first book, find an agent, and attend the ACFW Conference in the Fall. I think it helps to have definite deadlines for things, which is why i enter contests.

Writing advice?

I just wrote a post about this on my blog which you can find here. It’s going to sound redundant, but my advice is to write EVERY DAY NO MATTER WHAT and not to edit anything until your first draft is done. Keep a list of notes on things to fix and change, but if you edit in the middle of writing the first draft you’ll never finish. Also, drink lots of coffee and learn how to tune out background noise (headphones and Spotify work great for this).

Favorite book?

Oooh, that’s a tough one. There are so many, because every writer is also a reader. I’d say my favorite book of all time is probably Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. Since I write YA I’ll say my favorite book/series in that category is the Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. The best book I read in 2012 was The Host by Stephanie Meyer and in 2013 it was a tie between Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay and The Selection by Kiera Cass. So far, this year, the best book I’ve read is Fallen by Lauren Kate but I still have 11 months for that to change. I’m sorry, you said to name a book? Oops.

Favorite Author?

So many! Right now it’s a tie between Lauren Kate and Kiera Cass. I also love Lauren Oliver, Stephanie Meyer, Shannon Hale, Karen Kingsbury, Denise Hunter, and Ally Condie to name a few.

Favorite coffee drink?

Iced Cinnamon Dolce latte from Starbucks, hands down.

Best place to write?

In my bedroom. I love the lighting and blue walls. It’s a comfortable atmosphere and has become part of my routine. (Though if Starbucks wasn’t over an hour away I would try to sneak over there from time to time).

Best time to write?

Right now it’s between 8 and 10pm. Everyone is asleep and I can write for a good long stretch, that is if I can get off of Facebook and Twitter.

Where can we find you online?

My website is SaraElla.com and here are the links where you can follow me on social media:

Facebook
Twitter
Google+
Pinterest

I do monthly giveaways, reviews, and offer writing tips at my site, so please follow me and sign up for my newsletter. I also have a board for my novel on Pinterest which is kind of fun, so feel free to check it out.