Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master's degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her debut novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to author. Her second novel, Mountain Charm, was released in 2013. She is also the author of four short stories – Mistletoe Magic, The Little Drummer Boy, Force of Nature, and Stupid Cupid. A native of East Tennessee, Sydney enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her porch with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.
Welcome to the blog. Please tell my readers a
little about yourself and how you got started writing.
Thanks for having me! I’m from Tennessee and just turned forty
in May. I’ve been happily married for eleven years. I’m a school librarian, and
before that, I taught middle school reading for more than a decade, so I guess
you can say books are in my blood. I love music, Peyton Manning, and the University
of Tennessee Volunteers! :)
I’ve always been a writer. When I was younger, I used to write
songs during class. I considered majoring in journalism in college, but I
wanted to stay close to home, and there just aren’t a lot of journalism jobs in
the hills of East Tennessee. I became a teacher instead, and I don’t regret
that decision. I never stopped writing, though, and about four years ago, I
published some stories online. An editor from a small, independent publishing
house happened to be one of my readers (I know, what are the odds?), and the
rest is history. I published two books, Lessons
Learned and Mountain Charm, with
TWCS Publishing House, and it was a wonderful experience. I’ve had the itch to
self-publish for a while now, and I’m excited to do that with my third novel, Soldier On.
What made you decide to write a military
romance?
I really wanted to write a soldier, but I didn’t want to write
about war, so I decided to make Brandon an ROTC student. Once I had his story
planned out, I needed a conflict for his love story with Steph. I’m not a big
fan of writing love triangles. I prefer my conflicts to be personal, so that’s
when I mapped out Steph’s internal struggle with the military. What could be
worse for someone who hates the military than to fall in love with a soldier?
There were so many emotions to explore, and I loved giving Steph the chance to mature
emotionally during the course of the story.
Did you do any special research when writing Soldier On?
So much research! I chatted with military wives and practically lived
on goarmy.com for months. Brandon’s dad has Alzheimer’s, so I did a ton of
research on that, as well. During my army research, I happened to find a
YouTube video of an ROTC graduation. I hadn’t planned on writing it into the
story, but it was such an emotional ceremony I just couldn’t resist. I also
researched Fort Gordon, Georgia and the surrounding area, to see what was
available as far as housing and schools, both of which were important in the
story.
Do you have any writing rituals?
The only real ritual I have is that I can’t write with the
television on or with music playing, unless it’s instrumental. Even then I have
to be careful because the mood of the music can really influence my writing. I
tend to be the most creative at night, so that’s when I do most of my writing.
If you had to describe your writing to someone
who has never read your books before, what would you say?
My books are emotional and heartfelt romances that deal with
real people and their very real problems. My books are sweet romances. My
characters aren’t saints, but the love scenes aren’t graphic or detailed. I’ve
had some readers tell me that they compare my books to Nicholas Sparks’ books,
which thrills me because I absolutely love his work.
Tell us about the next book you’re working on.
I’m actually working on two, which is insane, but each of them calls
to me for very different reasons. Both are contemporary romances. I’m also
working on a Young Adult book that I hope to publish at some point. Once my
blog tour winds down, I’m going to buckle down and focus on just one of them in
hopes of publishing in early 2015.
Release Date: June 20
Genres: Romance/Military/New Adult
Will his call of duty break both their hearts?
Losing her father in Desert Storm has left Stephanie James with a bitter soul when it comes to the military. As a college senior juggling a full course load, Steph's only goal is to graduate with honors at the end of the semester. She’s focused, determined, and a firm believer in all work and no play. Then she meets Brandon Walker at a New Year’s Eve costume party. Despite his disguise, Steph finds herself attracted to the camouflaged soldier who curls her toes with a scorching midnight kiss.
Brandon is an engineering major and ROTC student from the hills of Kentucky. Growing up as the son of a major general has given Brandon firsthand knowledge of the struggles military families sometimes face. Now that his father’s memory is fading, Brandon is even more determined to make his dad proud and graduate as an officer in the United States Army. Then he meets Stephanie, and suddenly, his focus is less on his military service and more on the pretty brunette who has stolen his heart. When he becomes aware of Steph’s resentment toward the military, he worries their relationship is doomed.
Brandon is an engineering major and ROTC student from the hills of Kentucky. Growing up as the son of a major general has given Brandon firsthand knowledge of the struggles military families sometimes face. Now that his father’s memory is fading, Brandon is even more determined to make his dad proud and graduate as an officer in the United States Army. Then he meets Stephanie, and suddenly, his focus is less on his military service and more on the pretty brunette who has stolen his heart. When he becomes aware of Steph’s resentment toward the military, he worries their relationship is doomed.
When faced with the realization that she's fallen in love with a soldier, can Steph’s wounds from the past be healed with love in her present . . . and in her future?
Also available in paperback
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