Author Interview with Audra Sanlyn & a Giveaway

By Deena Adams

This week I have the privilege of introducing you to Audra Sanlyn, an author friend I met through the American Christian Fiction Writers online critique group.

Audra is a passionate pro-life advocate, and her novel, Impact, follows her main character’s life through two opposite scenarios, each depicting what might happen if she keeps her baby or has an abortion.

Enjoy meeting Audra!

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Welcome to the blog, Audra! Let’s start with learning a little about you and your family. 

Hello, everyone! I live in Virginia with my husband and two kids, ages eight and three. We were a homeschooling family pre-Covid, so we’ve been blessed with the ability to continue education as we have in years past. 

My husband and I are youth leaders at our church and I enjoy volunteering as Webinar Coordinator for Capital Christian Writers Fellowship. When we’re not in school (AKA, my office) or church, we love to take walks outside, read, and sing karaoke.

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Sounds like you have a wonderful family. I’m curious why you decided to write contemporary novels. And what unique challenges does writing about today’s culture present? 

I enjoy the relatable aspects of contemporary fiction and the familiarity of the here and now. 

This can be a challenge to write sometimes because you have to get your facts straight. It’s not like you’re in a dystopian universe where your reader won’t realize the zombies weren’t supposed to be on planet Zoon. If you’re going to make a pop culture reference, it has to be on point.

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Good point! How do you incorporate Christ and hope into your writing? 

Impact is the first Christian novel I’ve written, so I faced some challenges incorporating the biblical worldview without sounding preachy. I tried to weave it gradually into the character’s thoughts and dialogue. 

Impact has a pro-life theme, so the message of hope shines throughout the story—not only for moms who choose life, but for those who choose death and are able to find forgiveness and peace in Christ.

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I love that you’re an advocate for those who can’t speak for themselves. Are any of your stories inspired by true events or personal history? 

Impact is not. A previous family project entitled Through the Eyes of a Veteran: A History of Winchester is a biography/local history based on the life of my husband’s grandfather.

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It must have been fascinating researching your husband’s grandfather and his history. Speaking of research, how long do you spend on research before you begin writing the book? 

Because of the sensitive nature of Impact, I spent three months on research before I wrote a single word and continued heavily throughout the writing process.

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Writing about such a heavy topic requires some fun down time, right? Do you have other hobbies you enjoy? What do you do for fun? 

I love to sing and play guitar. I love all art forms, but am especially addicted to woodburning. And I love to hike and spend time outdoors.

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Woodburning is such a unique hobby. I bet that’s fun. Share with us what your writing space looks like. 

I’m using the same desk I had in high school. What can I say, we’ve become attached. On the walls, I have lots of encouraging quotes, along with the Writing Manifesto. And there’s a big cork board I use for storyboarding. The office where my desk is located is also our school room, so once you take one step from the chair, you’re wincing from a Lego or tripping over books.

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I love that you’re productive in the space you share with your children. As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? 

It changed a lot throughout my tween and teen years. For a while I wanted to own my own bakery. Then I wanted to be an optometrist. But the first thing I wanted to be as a young child? A writer. God is Good.

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Amen! What did God teach you through the writing of Impact?

While writing Impact, I learned a lot about abortion and the negative affects it can have on a woman both physically and mentally. I also learned a good bit about Oregon and was blessed to be able to visit the beautiful Pacific Northwest in early 2019.

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I lived in Washington State for about six months. It’s gorgeous! What do you hope your readers take away from the book? 

I hope it reveals, even in a small way, how much our choices define our future and the lives of those around us. 

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So true. Which character in Impact was easiest for you to write and why? 

Oddly enough, the antagonist in Impact was the easiest to write. She’s a horribly mean person. I tend to be pretty sarcastic sometimes, so I took that sarcasm and added cynicism and a heavy dose of selfishness. 

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Sounds intriguing. Which character presented the biggest challenge? 

The most challenging character was the super sweet guy my main character falls in love with. I absolutely adore him, but I had a hard time making his character believable because I just wanted him to be perfect.

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I can relate! How do you balance writing with your other life and family obligations? 

I get up early to write before they wake up and then write again during nap time. If I have to, I’ll write on evenings and weekends, but I try not to. My kids won’t be young long.

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They definitely grow up in the blink of an eye. Besides posting comments on your website, how can your readers and fans support you? 

Leave reviews for Impact on Amazon and Goodreads, subscribe to my email list, and follow me on social media. Subscribers will receive a collection of short stories based on characters in Impact . You can find my other short stories in this series here.

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Any last words for your readers? 

As humans, we tend to weave very tangled webs, but God will make our lives beautiful if we hand over the chaos. 

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I’ve enjoyed getting to know more about you, Audra! Thanks so much for joining me on the blog this week. May God bless your writing and publishing journey and use Impact for His glory.

Join the conversation. Do you enjoy fiction that tackles tough topics like abortion? Have you ever lived in or visited the Pacific Northwest? Do you have any questions for Audra?

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Please share this interview on social media using the icons provided below to support Audra and spread the word about her book!

If you missed last week’s post, Five Must-Read Christian Suspense Novels, find it here.