Get Packing for a Summer in Santorini

Time to pack my bags and meet Sandy Barker in Greece to discuss One Summer in Santorini.  The story and setting of One Summer in Santorini are magical and perfect for anyone seeking an escape.  Indeed, this charming novel started life as a love letter to Sandy’s partner and all will be revealed in the interview. 

Jessie: Sandy, tell us what One Summer in Santorini is about. 

Sandra: When Sarah Parsons takes her broken heart to Greece, the last thing she wants is to meet someone new, so what happens when she meets, not one ‘someone’, but two? Ten days, two men and one big decision.

Jessie: What have the reviewers said about your novel?

I have been blessed with wonderful reviews. Phillipa read the novel and said, ‘Made me want to pack my bags for the Greek islands this instant.’ I couldn’t be more delighted with the response to my debut novel.  Other readers have also been so generous, and it has lifted my heart. Here are two wonderful reviews:

‘I absolutely loved this book. The descriptions of the islands and Greece made you feel like you were there — like you could smell the sea, taste the food and feel the sun on your face.There was a lot to love about this book. I loved the message that we can find happiness in the ordinary! This was a super cute beach read! There is also a lot of flirty and fun times as well! I will be checking out other books by Sandy Barker!’ ‘One Summer in Santorini by Sandy Barker is an irresistibly charming read set in the stunning Greek Islands, and I found myself transported to the idyllic locales in every single page. This is simply a lovely book that I just devoured in a single afternoon.  Full of flirtation, sun-kissed beaches, and plenty of cocktails, what is not to love?’

Jessie:  Read me an extract to tempt the reader.

Sandy:  I know the perfect scene to tempt you.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hi,” he replied. So far it was an excellent conversation.

My witty repartee had completely dried up, so I figured I’d get straight to the point. “Are you on the sailing trip?”

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Sandy: I cried when I finished the first draft of this book — full on sobbing, ugly crying. It was relief and pride and a sense of ‘Oh my, I just wrote a whole book’. I didn’t really have time to miss the characters, though, because I started editing almost immediately — and after that, I started writing the sequel.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family. 

Sandy: I started writing this book as a love letter to my partner, Ben, who I met on a pier in Santorini as we were about to embark on a sailing trip. When I handed it to him to read, I was a little nervous, but he loved that it was inspired by our real-life love story.

And I’m excited that two of my favourite authors, Paige Toon and Lindsey Kelk, have said that they’re looking forward to reading it. They’ve both inspired me with their incredible writing.

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Sandy: It will make you laugh out loud and we all need a little bit of laughter to take with us wherever we go.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Sandy: “I can’t remember the last time I saw you in the light of day without a face full of makeup.”

This is from my fourth book, which is set in Bali. It’s tentatively titled, One Summer on Sabbatical.

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Sandy: Beyond getting the words on the page — you can’t edit an unwritten manuscript — I’d say it’s finding the best way to get your work out there and in the hands of readers.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Sandy: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Perseverance is just as important as the writing. A few weeks before I was contacted by Avon Books to say that they loved my book and wanted to publish it, I had a rejection from a publisher which knocked me sideways. You never know when the ‘yes’ will come.

Jessie: Before you go, tell us a little about yourself:

I’m a writer and traveller with a lengthy bucket list and cheeky sense of humour. My aim in life is to go, see, taste and do – and then write about it.
As an author, I write the heart – what makes it sing, what breaks it, and how it mends – and many of my travel adventures have found homes in my novels.

It was a treat to meet the author, Sandy Barker, who is a traveller with an adventurous spirit with an endless bucket list. She is curious and funny and finds pleasure in the small things. She’s also been known to ‘steal’ anecdotes and travel tales and find a place for them in her books.

Your contact details:

sandybarkerauthor@gmail.com
https://sandybarker.com/
https://twitter.com/sandybarker
https://www.facebook.com/sandybarkerauthor

 

Please see all my author’s interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.