Sarah Jio Author of Love From London
Sarah Jio
Author of Love From London
The New York Times bestselling and #1 bestselling author of ten novels in more than 30 countries: Sarah Jio. We have interviewed with Sarah Jio on the occasion of her 11th novel, With Love from London, which is out from Random House and has met Turkish fans from Epsilon Publishing House. Of course, we have not forgoten to talk about cruise and her experiences as a cruiser.
You have a crowded family and I know you are full of ideas. What is your secret?
Yes, it’s a wild and wonderful life, indeed! I have three boys, and three step-children, and after I went through a difficult divorce years ago, I’ve been blessed in my second chapter of life with lots of love and joy. But, with that comes a lot of children to feed, ha! I wake up every morning around 5 a.m. to start making school lunches and breakfasts. I always joke with my kids that my passions are writing novels, feeding the people I love, and keeping them warm (I’m always trying to get them to put on their coats!). But truly, while this life of mine is often exhausting and completely imperfect, I’ve been given the great gift of being able to do the things I love most in life: the opportunity to be a mother and to spend my career dreaming up stories. I’m a lucky girl, even when I’m quite often a very tired mama..
How is it like to be a mother of six children? Especially when adding a husband to the equation, tell me about life and your creation journey?
I love that you added the addition of “a husband to the equation,” which made me laugh. As you know, husbands need their own care and feeding! Brandon and I got married in the summer of 2019, back when people had never heard of the word “Covid.” I’m grateful that we were able to have a big and beautiful wedding—with hundreds of our family and friends. Most people think of weddings for a second marriage as smaller or less festive, but we did the opposite. We threw an enormous and extraordinary party. It was important to both of us to honor the love we found and to celebrate the joining of our two families. People still tell us that our wedding was their favorite they’ve ever attended, which always makes my heart happy.
What’s it like to be a mother of six children? In one phrase: it’s an absolute honor. Brandon and I dated for more than six years before we married and joined our families together, so the kids had time to feel adjusted and comfortable with the change. I’m grateful that in our marriage, I inherited the three most amazing stepchildren of all time. It’s a joy to be their “bonus” mom, while also parenting my three beautiful boys—who are presently 15, 13 and 11.
There was an addition to the Violets of March in the new issue…
I’ll admit that after I finish and publish a novel, I find it painful to return, in the sense that when I read the words I wrote, I’m often quite self-critical. But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t think about my characters—and I do, often. When I live with a story for so long, they do become like friends. And with The Violets of March, it was fun to return to that world for a little while and write something that would honor them. Ultimately, I missed them all!
I know you have a special connection with Turkey and Turkish readers. What is so mysterious about it?
I always say that Turkey has been one of the greatest and most surprising gifts of my career. An entire country of readers has embraced me and my stories, and if you ask me why, I have no good answer other than to say that your country is made up of the most big-hearted people I have ever known. I have never received so much love and enthusiasm from readers in the world as I have from Turkey, and it is such a gift and joy to me. Because of that, I am always insistent that my novels come out in Turkey as quickly as possible because I owe that to my readers!
You say people write about their fear. Considering you mostly write about loss and healing, do you seek courage from their adventure or do you just give voice for those in need?
Such an interesting question! I will admit that for a very long time, I was fearful of being alone in life. After my divorce, that all hit home in the deepest of ways. Romantic love and connectedness is something of high value to me, and when my marriage disintegrated, it left me feeling quite lost. I had to learn to be comfortable being alone. And that was hard! It took quite a bit of work, but once I was comfortable being alone with just me, I was able to explore my second chapter of life.
I suppose that this is why I like to write about characters finding themselves in similar places of life. There is something so powerful and beautiful about pulling yourself up and out of a low valley of life and finding the joy that’s waiting on the horizon.
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR LATEST BOOK -WITH LOVE FROM LONDON. What is exciting about this book?
I loved writing this book, and it was truly a place of comfort to me when the world was dealing with (and is still dealing with) the fears of Covid. As with all of my novels, I set out to write a book filled with the things and places I love. I wanted to create a cozy world where I could slip into when the world around me seemed so confusing and unsettling during the pandemic.
In that, it was natural for me to return to London, where my husband proposed to me in 2017 on a cold night in the Notting Hill neighborhood. I said “yes,” of course, and vowed, then and there, to write a book set in London.
I asked a secret about this book and you have one. Can you share this with our readers?
Yes, I often use the characteristics of the people in my life for the fictional characters in my books, but you know what’s funny? I didn’t realize how much Eloise resembled my late grandmother, Cecelia—my mom’s mother—until you asked me about a secret in my story. There is so much about Eloise that feels familiar to me, and she’s so much like my grandmother!
The curve of letter g of Valentina’s husband, letter a of her mother.. Is there a hidden gem under the observation?
I wish I could say that it’s a hidden gem, or some sort of mysterious secret (wouldn’t that be fun?!), but really it’s just the way I write. I love details—I think little things can tell us so much about a person—but I also love handwriting. I’m someone who has very unique handwriting, and I appreciate the way people write their words, so I thought it would be fun to call that out in the story.
You said you have been to cruise before with Princess Cruises…
Yes! I was a guest author on a Princess Cruise Line sailing to the Caribbean in 2014. They were so generous and flew out my kids and treated us to a beautiful island adventure to St. Martin, St. Thomas and several other islands. My boys had a blast, and our favorite memory from the trip was when I fooled them into thinking that the fake gold coins I buried in the sand on the beach in St. Martin were real!
What was the destination that affected you the most and why?
Next to Istanbul, Paris remains one of my favorite cities of all time. It will always remain in my heart. Before I met my husband, I traveled to Paris twice—and both times alone. I had the chance to really experience the beauty of the city and think about my life. It also provided great research for the future novel I would go on to write, which became ALL THE FLOWERS IN PARIS.
I know you will go on a cruise to the Caribbean Islands in June with Royal Caribbean. What is so exciting about this journey for you?
Yes, Brandon and I are taking all six kids on a family Caribbean cruise in June. We’ve booked two adjoining loft suites, and our children are so excited! This is something we’ve been planning for a long time, and we can’t wait. The ship has multiple waterslides and activities that will keep our family busy and happy.
Last but not the least, can you promise to Cruise&Travel readers that you will write about your cruise to the Caribbean after you return from your vacation? We would love to explore the Caribbean from your mesmerizing pen.
Oh, that’s so much fun! I would love to do that! How about I do a daily travel diary and share the funny and wild moments from our trip? I’m sure there will be a lot of them! Presently, my oldest step-daughter and I are planning to buy matching swimsuits so we can “twin” at the onboard pools!
Interview by: Olcay Sevimli Şengel