Saturday, May 22, 2010

An Interview with Sandra Dallas, Author of Whiter Than Snow w/ giveaway

Welcome to the Minding Spot! Thanks so much for taking time out of your day to answer a few questions!

Can you tell us what inspired you to write Whiter Than Snow?

I was at a Western Writers of American conference in Scottsdale two years ago and heard someone say a plot was where you bring together unrelated characters to face a common danger.  Why a remark made in 100-plus degree heat led to a story about an avalanche in Colorado’s high country, I don’t know.  The story is entirely fiction, by the way.  It is not based on a real event.

Are your characters in White Than Snow based on anyone real?

No, my characters are made up.  The one exception is the father in Tallgrass, who is based on my father.  My bad characters are sometimes based on real people, but I don’t want to get into that.

What book is currently on your nightstand?

The Fatal Shore, which my kept husband kept reading out loud to me until I decided I ought to read it for myself, So Rugged and Mountainous, a history of the early western trails, and Wench, which I picked up in Phoenix yesterday.  

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

Eating.  I’d be thin as a rail if I weren’t a writer.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Mostly reading.  But my husband and I are restoring a Victorian house in Georgetown, Colorado, so we spend a great deal of time there.  I love historic architecture.

Are you currently working on another novel?

I am, and it’s set in that house in Georgetown. Do you think the IRS will let me write off the remodeling costs?

An excerpt from WHITER THAN SNOW
Sandra on Facebook
Sandra's Book Tour Schedule  
About Sandra's New Book - WHITER THAN SNOW

WHITER THAN SNOW opens in 1920 on a spring afternoon in Swandyke, a small town near Colorado’s Tenmile Range. Just moments after four o’clock, a large split of snow separates from Jubilee Mountain high above the tiny hamlet and hurtles down the rocky slope, sweeping up everything in its path – including nine young children who are walking home from school. But only four children survive. 

WHITER THAN SNOW takes readers into the lives of each of these families. Ultimately, each story serves as an allegory to the greater theme of the novel by echoing that fate, chance and perhaps even divine providence, are all woven into the fabric of everyday life. And it’s through each character’s defining moment in his or her past that the reader understands how each child has become its parent’s purpose for living.


I have one copy of WHITER THAN SNOW for one lucky reader.

USA ONLY!  

Please leave a comment, along with your email to enter.  Any questions and/or comments for Ms. Dallas will give you an extra entry.

Winner will be announced on June 8th. 

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED.

15 comments:

  1. I love Sandra Dallas and am currently reading Whiter Than Snow. I'm a bit jealous you got to do an interview :)

    Please don't enter me as I already have a copy.

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  2. I have a few Dallas books--looking forward to reading them. Thank you for sharing!

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  3. What a great cover! I'd love to win!

    bookcrossingkitten22 AT gmail DOT com

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  4. This would be a new author for me, sounds good! tWarner419@aol.com

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  5. Another new to me author!! I must say Whiter Than Snow sounds great!

    I follow on gfc

    mlawson17 at hotmail dot com

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  6. Nice interview! I would love, love, LOVE to win a copy of this book -- I've really enjoyed the other novels I've read by Sandra Dallas. Thanks for the chance!

    geebee.reads AT gmail DOT com

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  7. What a nice interview. Well done! Enter me.

    Nancy
    ntaylor228 at yahoo dot com

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  8. As a mom, I'd probably cry at parts of this book, but it DOES sound like an interesting read! Thanks for the chance to win!

    jewell330 at aim dot com

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  9. I would like to enter in this giveaway and have a shot at winning this book.

    archanaskorner(at)gmail(dot)com

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  10. This would be a new author for me, but I am looking for a new book to dive into. I'd love to try Whiter Than Snow!

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  11. I enjoyed the interview and would love to read Whiter Than Snow :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
    theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

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  12. This sounds like a great book. Thanks for the giveaway.

    Question for author:
    When did you first know you wanted to become an author?

    mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

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  13. I love the book cover.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  14. I have never read any of Dallas's books. This sounds like a great read. Count me in!

    dcf_beth at verizon dot net

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  15. I realized I've never read a story set in Colorado. Wondering if the author has written of locales she's never been to.

    adrianecoros(at)gmail(dot)com

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The old grey donkey, Eeyore stood by himself in a thistly corner of the Forest, his front feet well apart, his head on one side, and thought about things. Sometimes he thought sadly to himself, "Why?" and sometimes he thought, "Wherefore?" and sometimes he thought, "Inasmuch as which?" and sometimes he didn't quite know what he was thinking about.

Thank you for taking time out of your day to leave a comment. It's appreciated.