Sunshine has a new book!

One of the best perks of narrating audiobooks is meeting the creative geniuses behind these masterpieces. Today the author of The Creation Project, Sunshine Rodgers is sharing some of her inspiration with us to honour the launch of her new book, “Helpers: A Rescue Mission”

  Your new book is for mid-grade readers. Did you write as a child?

In Miss Bond’s class in first grade of Shady Grove Elementary,
our  assignment was to write and illustrate a book. Mine was titled
“The Bear Who Lost His House.”

I wrote about the friendships the bear made that would help him “find his way.” When I was 9 years old, I started writing in a journal which was pages about having “fun at Brittany’s sleepover” and my thoughts on the orthodontist. Fast forward 23 years later, and I still write in a journal, just less emphasis on dentistry.

I remember back in college I started writing about Angels, God, Satan and demons (the characters I currently use!). I went to a secular University so I asked my creative writing teacher if the subject matter was appropriate for class and Dr. Larsen’s reply was “Who am I to stand in the way of something about God. Bring it in and share it with the class. It will be different than the R-rated content and violent pieces we normally get.” English was always my favorite subject; it just came naturally for me. It’s still a continual
passion.

Is there a major event in your soul life – the death of a loved one, an encouter with God, an unexpected and extravagant gift, that has found its way into your writing?

Let me tell you what my life was like before I was close to God.
In high school, I was still writing incredibly dark pieces. I was
still smiling on the outside, but my poems and short stories had to do with cutting myself and heartbrokenness and emotional instability. And though I was being recognized for my talent (I won an Honorable Mention at the Famous Poets Society for my poem “Broken”), my earlier “works” were not “Sunshine-ey” at all!

After I committed my life to Christ in high school (and further in
college!), I took the pen away from the devil! I am on the side of Christ and I dedicated my works to writing about God’s goodness, grace and love! The same pen that the devil used to sink me down is the same pen I am going to fight him and his demons with. In all my books…the devil doesn’t win…and it’s always a happy ending!

The Creation Project was an intense emotional exercise for me! How do you know God is/has/wants us to have emotions.   What would you say to someone who has just learned that God gets angry/sad/joyful?

I remember a time in my life when I never admitted when I was mad or sad or upset about something. It was very liberating and freeing to know that it’s okay to not be okay. I strive to have a close relationship with God, knowing that He is nearby, very personally involved in my life and very connected and understanding to how I am feeling and what I am thinking.

 Jesus experienced righteous anger when he was knocking over tables in the Temple and experienced sadness many times in the Bible, like weeping before the miracle of resurrecting Lazarus in the Gospel of John. Jesus experienced normal emotions and Jesus was God.

In my books, I really open up about the personhood of the Trinity,
especially in my book “God the Father, Jesus the Big Brother, Holy
Spirit the Best Friend.”  God is the epitome of love and I want to be able to express that same passion so that people can understand the heart of God and the personal side of His divinity.

Let’s shout with praise, let’s intercede when we are angry
or fearful, let’s mourn with those who mourn, let’s share God’s love
not just by what we do, but how we express ourselves.

Lucifer is a lively character in all your books.  Have you met him
face to face? (I have!)

Have I met Lucifer face to face? I can’t say I have. But I have
certainly seen his handiwork!

Lucifer shows up in my book “This is My Heaven” as an enemy of God.
One Atheist character, Charlotte, is “running out of time.” God is
there on her deathbed, begging her to choose Him before it’s too late. Lucifer is also in the scene, mocking God, laughing that more and more people are choosing his side than God’s.

I also show Lucifer as the best friend to God in the book “The
Creation Project” because I want to re-iterate the fact that in the
beginning, the ultimate traitor was God’s closest Angel, the “morning star” and that the origins of demons started with rebellion.

And of course, in my books:  “Last Night, When I Prayed”
“After You: A Demon is Always Lurking Nearby”
and “Helpers: A Rescue Mission” Lucifer and his demons are trying to stop the plans of God. I wanted to show the back and forth struggle of good versus evil and of course, the “normal” characters living on Earth have no idea of this eternal battle going on around them!

What are your hopes and dreams as you give kids your new book, “Helpers: A Rescue Mission”?

I want kids to know that God cares for them and is personally involved in their lives and is working things out in their favor, even if they can’t always see it.

I want my readers to see firsthand that prayer brings about positive change and that God can appear to them, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. I hope my readers get encouraged in their faith and will grasp the Biblical truths on the pages as well as enjoy the stunning visuals.

My new book, “Helpers: A Rescue Mission” shows the strength, the
loyalty and the power of Heaven. It’s a reminder to keep the faith, no matter what! The book’s message is that God doesn’t give up on people, even when people give up on Him. And that God will send Helpers to His people to help them, to minister to them, and to love on them!

Fun fact: I made myself as a character in the book “Helpers: A Rescue
Mission.” Sunshine is one of the main Helpers in the book fighting in
the Mission from Heaven.

And my husband Travis is an “easter egg” in all my books and he makes
an appearance in this newest book as well! 

Thank you Sunshine for giving us a glimpse into your inspiration and vital relationship with God! We wish you all the best with this and all your wonderful books!

All 5 of her books have landed on the Amazon Best Seller List and 3 have landed on the International Best Seller list! Well done, Sunshine!

Connect with Author Sunshine Rodgers:

SunshineRodgers.com

Facebook.com/SunshineRodgersBooks

Twitter: @Writer_Sunshine

Instagram: @AuthorSunshineRodgers

Follow Sunshine on Amazon.com and Goodreads!

To support Sunshine Rodgers, go to her Patreon page:
www.Patreon.com/SunshineRodgersBooks