I am excited to have fellow Wild Rose Press on the Flight Deck today to tell us a bit about herself and her latest release. Welcome Susan - Tell us a little more about yourself – 3 things not many
people know about you:
S.C.: I am pretty much a “what-you-see-is-what-you-get” gal, but
here are three
obscure facts about me: I was a championship tree-climber as a child—once
reaching the top of a 100-foot poplar and hanging by my knees from a branch. My
girlfriend called my mother out of the house to see me. I will not report her
response in this G-rated blog! My first
name is Mary, which I dropped when I went to school. My brothers are twins and
my husband is a twin; I was grateful to have three children one at a time.
Lol, I used to love climbing trees as a child too! I've always been known by my middle name - but I have no connection with the twin thing! :) What do you do for fun when not writing?
S.C.: Hubs made a big sign and nailed it to our boat dock. It
reads: “Writer’s Block.” The word Block has a slash-mark through it and
underneath it says DOCK. What it means, of course, is that whenever I am
“blocked” with my writing I meander down to the water for inspiration. Water
pretty much defines my fun. Boating, jet-skiing, kayaking and water skiing are
my active water sports. Sitting on the dock watching everybody else play
(frequently while sipping an adult beverage) would be the more passive fun. I
also golf, practice yoga, and read—sometimes three books at once.
Wow, you have a lot going on! What comes first: the plot or the characters?
S.C.: Actually, I always
start with a theme—an underlying meaning or message I want my readers to take
away from my book. For EAGLEBAIT, my
YA anti-bully book, a major theme is building self-esteem as a way to ward off
school bullies. For my Overhome Trilogy, cozy mystery/Southern Gothics, an
over-arching theme concerns the culture and society of the South where
long-held-hard-felt ideas battle with modernity. Another theme for the series:
History defines us—not just our past, but also our present and our future. We
ignore history at our own peril and the ghost of history can return to haunt us
without warning.
Tell us about your latest release and what you think readers
will enjoy about it.
NOBODY KNOWS
completes the Overhome Trilogy. In A RED, RED ROSE, protag Ashby Overton is
a wide-eyed twenty-something searching for her family roots and, consequently,
herself in her journey to her historic ancestral Overhome Estate in Southern
Virginia. Ashby is aided in her quests by Rosabelle, a family spirit residing
in the mansion. BENEATH THE STONES continues the saga as Ashby, now twenty-five and
owner of the Estate, battles Civil War ghosts as she attempts to save her home
from bankruptcy. NOBODY KNOWS picks up five years later as Ashby is visited by a
descendant of a former slave at Overhome during the Civil War. Tall, dark and
handsome, Professor Ellis O. Grady believes he and Ashby are related; indeed,
his middle name is Overton. Together they work through myriad slave spirits
riled up by his arrival and other disturbing local events.
Blurb for NOBODY KNOWS: Why do
ancient spirits hover at the crossroads between two worlds: the living and the
dead?
With a
successful writing career and blissful marriage, Ashby Overton is fulfilled and
content at historic Overhome Estate in Southern Virginia'until a stranger walks
into her life. The arrival of Professor Ellis O. Grady coincides with a violent
and bizarre turbulence emanating from the dark world of Overhome's ancient
spirits.
As
paranormal events build into chaos, Ashby must use her sixth sense to sort out
the real from the imagined in both the visible and the invisible worlds as,
stirred into fury, the souls of Civil War slaves engage in a dangerous battle
destined to reveal long-held secrets of the past.
What is the
connection between the enigmatic professor, a slave-built chapel and a restored
overseer's cottage on Overhome Estate? Ashby struggles to find the answers
before the spirits destroy her family's heritage, and the lives of those she
loves.
Excerpt for NOBODY KNOWS:
Walking over the
weedy ground, I felt the desolate abandonment of those
long-dead. A few tilting
gravestones, so blurred with time that their epitaphs were illegible, listed
toward the ground as if sheltering from a punishing wind. Scattered among the
patchwork grasses were small, thin stone markers set in the dirt, little more
than raw rocks, though several bore the faint outline of initials which had
been chiseled into them so long ago. Ellis and I surveyed the bleak cemetery,
each harboring our own thoughts.
I don’t
know how long we stood there breathing in the silence. Then, I heard the
voice.—so clear, so distinct, that I startled and almost fell back. Did my
companion hear it, too? I darted a look at him. He stood with eyes closed, evidently
completely lost in his own reverie. I held my breath and listened with all my
senses on alert. The voice wavered this time, as though trailing away, but its
repeated message was identical to the one I had first heard at the Overseer’s
Cottage when the candlestick went missing. I had thought, then, that I heard
“red apple,” which made no sense. Now I understood.
“Jared Chapel,” the voice
warned. Yes, its tone was severe. Demanding. “Jared Chapel.”
I touched Ellis’s
arm. “It’s here, Ellis. I know it is.” And when he blinked uncomprehendingly, I
added, “You wondered if Jared Chapel offers anything in your search for your
ancestry. It’s here—there’s something here. I feel it and I...I know it.”
He blinked
several times, a serious expression on his face. “You know because...”
“Sometimes the
past speaks to me. I can’t explain it, but I have to trust the voice that tells
me things.”
He rubbed his
chin. “You know...this is odd. Really odd.”
I raised my
eyebrows in a silent question and he continued. “Because I thought I heard
something. I definitely felt...a presence I can’t explain. Someone trying to
get my attention. Someone very, very seriously trying to make me understand.”
He shook his head. “Understand what? I confess, I’m baffled.”
“It’s a sign,” I
said. “Something I’ve learned over my years at Overhome. We ignore the signs at
our own peril.”
S.C.: I feel my “fans,” those who have read the first two books
will be gratified to have all (okay—most) of their questions answered. As a stand-alone novel, NOBODY KNOWS makes some clear statements about the nature of
slavery and its horrifying effects still felt today. All in all, my novels are
a combination of mystery, history, a bit of romance and ghosts. Something for
everyone! Each novel stands alone as well as hooking in to the saga. All are
published by The Wild Rose Press.
Sounds amazing. What have you learned about writing since you were published
that surprised you the most?
S.C.: Two things—both related. I am amazed at the amount of time
and effort we writers put into promotion and marketing. While necessary, I feel all the hours spent
on social media take away valuable creative time. On the positive side, that
very same time commitment has garnered dozens and dozens of writer colleague
friends—folks I feel as if I know as well as my neighbors—many lovely, lively,
loyal compatriots offering everything from advice to consolation—real help when
needed for reading, reviewing and revising. BONUS!
I agree, both about the time lost for writing, but also with the writer colleaguees and friends. What’s your writing process? Has it changed since writing
your first book?
S.C.: My writing process has remained the same over my twenty+
years as a published author. First I have to spend time—usually months—in one
case years— THINKING through my story. This involves TELLING my story to anyone
who will listen. My children soon learned to detect the story-telling glint in
my eyes and they would run and hide, knowing they were in for a long
session. When the kids all flew off on
their own, my sainted husband took their place as chief-listener. What I find is that every time I tell my
story it gets better—often aided by questions or added ideas from the
“audience.” Only when I have my details firmly in place do I sit down at the
computer to compose. Then, I write the whole manuscript without attempting to
edit—though I frequently will re-read previous chapters to make sure of
continuity. Revision and edits come after all this. Whew! No wonder it takes me
so long to write a book!
Do you have a support system? Do you have a writing
community? What
valuable lessons have you learned from them?
I have a very helpful writing group composed of every
possible genre-specialist in the lexicon of authors: poets, memoirists,
biographers, sci-fi, romance, mystery and crime writers. Eclectic (and wonky)
as we are, we offer each other constructive criticism that is invaluable. I am
also lucky in that I have a writing family. Daughter—with a degree in writing
and experience in everything from magazine editing to university branding is an
excellent critic for my mysteries. Daughter-in-law, a career librarian, knows
what readers like; she tells me the truth about my own creations. Brother, a
college dean and published writer of hundreds of scholarly articles and quite a
few books, reads my drafts and lets me know how an intellectual male regards my
overwhelmingly “chick-lit.” And good old Hubs listens patiently to every draft
chapter as though it’s in contention for a Pulitzer Prize.
With plenty of writing years under my belt and thirty years
of teaching writing, I have a few suggestions for beginners. First, read
everything you can get your
hands on. Read widely and well. Read the genre for
which you want to write. Secondly, join a writers’ group. Even if you read aloud
to them nothing you have written until you are completely comfortable doing so,
keep sharp ears out for what makes good writing. Finally, write for yourself
first, but branch out when you are ready and write for an audience. Think: Who
will want to read what I have to offer? Why? How do I best meet their needs?
And finally - where can readers connect with you?
I love to connect with my readers and hope to hear from all
who read any of my books.
Remember, everybody, HALLOWEEN is upon us at the end of
October. Celebrate by reading a great ghost series, the Overhome Trilogy.
Thanks, Hywela for inviting me to guest on your excellent
blog!
It's been a pleasure to have you here, today, Susan, and congratulations on the release of 'Nobody Knows' and wishing you even greater success.
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Happy Halloween everyone! And if you're Trick or Treating tonight stay safe and have fun!
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