Sunshine Rodgers - My Stories Remain Close To My Heart (Author)


Each person had to fill out a Character-Likeness Form so I could use their identity as either a Main Character or a Pop-up Character on the pages. My husband Travis is a character in all of my books.


1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

I started keeping a journal when I was 9-years-old and wanted to be an Author back when I was in Elementary School. I didn’t entertain that idea until my mid-20’s when I put pen to  paper and started writing my first Nonfiction Christian book, “God the Father, Jesus the Big Brother, Holy Spirit the Best Friend.”

Since then, I have written 8 books in 6 years and I am officially a full-time Author. I write primarily Inspirational Fiction and a couple of Children’s books. I have signed with 2 Publishers and my books have landed on 21 different Best Seller Lists on Amazon in the U.S., U. K. and Canada. 

Many years after its initial release, my very first book landed  #1 and #2 on the Amazon Best Seller List in  the U.S. And U.K in the categories of: Bible (Book), Bible Study and Bible Commentaries.

I have attended 31 book signings and 4 book tours and I have a team of over 17 people who are audio book narrators, language translators and contributors to my books.


2. When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I wanted to be an Author at a very young age. I was a student at Shady Grove Elementary School and my teacher, Ms. Bond introduced storytelling to me. A class project was to write a book – edited, formatted and illustrated – for a classroom competition. My book was called, “The Bear who lost his Way” about a bear who realized all his woodland friends could help him on his journey home. 

I don’t think I won the competition, but that assignment truly won my heart and I kept my little “book” for safe-keeping as a reminder that imagination and storytelling are the key ingredients for every great writer.

  

3. Is it a financially stable career?

Yes and No.

When I first started my writing journey, I was a no-name Author with zero followers and absolutely no fanbase. So of course, I didn’t make a lot of sales from my books.

But I kept writing and creating because I knew that I wanted writing to be my full time profession.

It wasn’t until my “break out book”, my 4th book, a PG-13 Dark Fiction called, “After You: A Demon is Always Lurking Nearby” when I started to see constant sales, a stream of income and an organic group of readers/followers.

“After You: A Demon is Always Lurking Nearby” landed on 6 different Best Seller lists on Amazon in the U.S. and U.K. and to this day, is my top seller of all my books.

Since then, I’ve gained a nice size email list, 35K+ followers across all my social media sites and large royalty reports from my publisher.

So, to answer your question, you can have a financially stable writing career, it will just take a lot of patience, a lot of writing and a lot of book exposure to more and more readers.

 

 

4. Who is your favorite writer and why?

One of my favorite writers is C.S. Lewis!

In fact, my book, “After You: A Demon is Always Lurking Nearby” is a modern-day twist on the C.S. Lewis classic, “The Screwtape Letters.”

C.S. Lewis is monumental in his thinking, in his language and inspires me as a person and as an Author. Though I enjoy his fiction books as being extremely imaginative and thought-provoking, his nonfiction pieces can often leave me speechless.

If I could sit down and grab a cup of coffee with anyone from the past, it would be C.S. Lewis. Every time I am reading one of his books, I feel like I am spending an afternoon “hearing” his voice and embracing his philosophies on life.


5. Where does your inspiration lie?

 

I am primarily a Christian Author so I take universal themes like love, servanthood, sacrifice and humility from the stories in the Bible and incorporate them to my text.

One of my books, “The Creation Project” is a re-telling of the Genesis Story from God’s Point of View.

I am an avid reader and I enjoy authors like Gene Edwards, John Eldredge, Max Lucado and Joyce Meyer who also inspire me with their words. 

I definitely use real-life situations in my stories, and I am notorious for using real-life people as characters. In fact, I have used 45 of my friends, family and co-workers to be in the text. Each person had to fill out a Character-Likeness Form so I could use their identity as either a Main Character or a Pop-up Character on the pages. My husband Travis is a character in all of my books.

My stories remain close to my heart and each book showcases another level of my Sunshine-y psyche.

 

 

6. What piece of advice would you like to give to future aspiring writers?


I am currently an Author Representative to my Publisher which means I am always giving advice  to first time scribes.

Here are the words I readily repeat: Keep realistic expectations. You may not get rich and famous from your first book. The reason being is because you are a no-name author and quite frankly, one book isn’t going to get you too much attention. 

If you are a real writer, you will write. You will write every day. You may be like me and have a “break out book.” Or you may have to wait a decade before you start seeing regular sales and consistent money coming in. Just be patient with the process. And write because you love it, not for any other reason.

 

7. Which is your favorite book and why?

I would have to say. ”Wild at Heart” by John Eldredge!

This Inspirational Nonfiction book is all about pursuing your passion, taking risks and living life to the fullest! John Eldredge is an Author I deeply admire because his faith and his charisma just jumps off the pages. I have re-read “Wild at Heart” so many times and continuously listen to the audio book. His text truly inspires me to live out my best life!

 

 - Sunshine Rodgers (Author)

 

Sunshine Rodgers is a Best Selling Author, Blogger and Entrepreneur.

Her books have been translated in Spanish and Portuguese and created into audio books.  Sunshine is married to her best friend, Travis and they live in Central Florida. Sunshine’s books have reached International notoriety and she uses her time creating original content and interacting with her readers on social media.

 

Website: Sunshine Rodgers

Blog: Sunshine Rodgers

Amazon page: Sunshine Rodgers

Instagram: AuthorSunshineRodgers

 


- Interviewed By Pratibha Sahani