I’d like to thank romance author, Suzy England, for gracing The Writing Jungle today.
At what point in your life did you realize the writing bug had grabbed ahold of you? And which writers influenced you?
According to my mom, my love of writing started in 1st Grade when I penned a poem about a bubble. My teacher loved it and I read it aloud at Parent Night! I guess that’s when the seed was planted. It’s funny – I remember talking about that poem with my mom several years ago and she said that when she read my poem for the first time, she didn’t believe that I actually wrote it myself. I don’t remember the exact wording of the poem (and we lost the original when our home burned) but evidently, it was somewhat advanced for a seven-year-old’s mind. Imagine being accused of plagiarism by your own mother! LOL!
In 3rd grade, I fell in love with author Judy Blume. I read every one of her books–multiple times with some titles. She was my earliest influence. In 5th grade, I started a writing club. I even had a pen name – Lucky Lemon Lollipop. Sophisticated, huh? I journaled and wrote poetry throughout junior high and high school. I wrote a modern version of Thorton Wilder’s play Our Town during my sophomore year. My English teacher printed copies and used it as a companion piece with the original text for several years. My senior year of high school, I fell in love with Chaucer (if that’s even possible) and wrote my own Canterbury Tale in iambic pentameter. If that doesn’t say nerd writer girl, I don’t know what does.
As an adult, I hold the writings of Pat Conroy, Amy Tan, and Nora Ephron in very high esteem. They are my gold standard.
Besides writing, what else do you enjoy doing?
Travel! Now that I’m retired (26 years as a public school educator!), my husband and I plan to do a lot more (he’s retiring this March!). I also enjoy hiking, snowmobiling, deep sea fishing, attending plays/musicals/symphony, visiting museums, reading, and baking.
Oh, deep sea fishing, now that’s different. What types of films and music do you enjoy?
I love political thrillers, art house films, foreign films, and romcoms, but not/never horror. I am a certified binge-watcher and can spend hours watching an entire TV series from start to finish. I’m also a lifelong fan of British television, (stretching all the way back to the 1970s, watching Upstairs/Downstairs with my mom when I was about six).
As far as music, I love a little bit of everything – from Vivaldi to Lizzo. I think the 70s produced the BEST music across a wide array of genres. I will die on this hill.
LOL! I binge-watch horror. Do you have a specific writing ritual (like listening to music) and/or schedule you stick with?
I’m a night writer! Well, more of a “late afternoon/early evening writer.” I like to sleep in, so you’ll never see me at the #5amwritersclub. Also, I’m a big “shower writer.” I do some of my very best thinking and compose some of my best dialogue in the shower. I also write when the mood strikes. I have never been a “I-must-write-X-number-of-words-a-day” type person. I might knock out a few thousand words in a day…and then go weeks before I write another word. I can’t force it if it’s not there. I do listen to music while I write – and love creating playlists for my work.
What inspired you to write PERFECT, which was released on January 25th, 2023, from The Wild Rose Press?
PERFECT actually began life as a short fan-fiction piece about an 80s TV crime drama. I promise it’s a Women’s Fiction novel now, with zero crime-fighting elements—no car chases or murders. I’ve written fan-fiction for various fandoms for years, but now focus solely on my own original works. I still enjoy reading fan-fiction. There are some really amazing stories floating around the internet.
From all the characters you’ve written, which one is your favorite and why?
Author confession: I almost always end up liking my secondary characters more than my protags. Is that weird? My new novel, PERFECT, centers on a married couple (Rebecca and Will), but Rebecca’s ex-husband and Will’s sister are my favorite characters. Rebecca’s ex, Kelly, just melts me. Even though he’s not the main character, he’s impactful. Then there’s Will’s sister, Georgia. She was so much fun to write. Georgia has no filter, so I just let her say all the things. I’m really proud of her character too.
Do you allow your characters to dictate their paths or do you plot out everything?
I’m 100% a Panster, which can be so painful at times. I wish I could be one of those writers who map everything out in advance, but I’ve just never done it that way. I have no idea what my characters are going to do. Case in point: in my current WIP (a Romcom), my MC, Elena, decided to make out with a guy she just met IN FRONT OF THE GUY SHE REALLY LIKES! I was shocked! Will she regret it later? We shall see!
l’ve tried to outline but find my best work also is when I’m “pantsing” along too. Does research play a big part in your writing schedule?
Doesn’t every author have a crazy, wackadoo Google search history?? I know I do! I am big on details, and will thus spend an hour scouring the internet for one little tidbit that will probably mean nothing to readers. It’s easy to get sidetracked by internet rabbit holes. I haven’t met an author yet who hasn’t.
Are there any other works in progress that you’d like to hint about?
I gave a tiny hint in a previous question. My current WIP is called THE GUEST HOUSE. Prima ballerina Elena Cameron is forced to sell her family’s vast estate after learning her deceased mother, acclaimed author Evelyn Brett, squandered her millions and died penniless. Wanting desperately to hang on to a piece of her childhood home, Elena jokingly offers to buy back the guest house. She’s beyond shocked when the new owner, the mysterious Mr. Spencer, enthusiastically accepts her offer.
Oh, The Guest House sounds intriguing. If your favorite author (past or present) invited you for dinner to discuss writing, who would that be and what one question would you ask him/her?
I have to go back to the woman who started it all – Judy Blume! Just to be in my Queen’s presence would be a dream. I honestly can see myself going blank and completely losing my words. I think I would say, “tell me all the things!” and then just sit back and listen.
What wise words of wisdom would you give up-and-coming new writers?
- Give yourself grace. The current state of publishing is tougher than it’s ever been. Also, there are many paths to publishing – find what works for YOU.
- Edit, edit, and edit some more. And then, when you’re certain your story is perfect, edit it again because I can promise that you missed something.
- If you’re pursuing a traditional publishing path, be careful not to query literary agents too soon. I have queried agents with projects that were not ready when I naively thought they were.
- Join the #WritingCommunity on Twitter/Hive/Mastodon/etc! You will connect with authors all over the world who will love you, champion you, and send you hilarious vids/GIFs/memes when you’re having a bad day!
Thank you, Suzy, for your time today.
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