Interview with Susan Swift and Book Give Away!
Best-selling, award-winning author Sue Swift has written over a dozen novels, plus several short stories and non-fiction articles. She writes in numerous genres including romance, mystery, paranormal, historical, contemporary comedy and erotica, which she publishes as Suz deMello. A former trial attorney, her hobbies are yoga and world travel. She is currently teaching in China and working on her next manuscript.
Her travel blog is at http://www.susanoverseas.weebly.com. Her websites are at http://www.sueswift.com and http://www.suzdemello.com.
Welcome Susan, please start by telling us a little about yourself. Where are you from?
SFS:I was raised in Los Angeles and maintain a permanent residence in Sacramento, California, but currently am teaching kindergarten at an international school in Luoyang, China.
When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
SFS: An astronaut, which I called an “astronette” in one of my earliest stories.
What authors inspire you?
SFS: When I read Jodi Picoult or Jeff Lindsay, sometimes the writing is so good I catch my breath.
Do you have a favorite book or series?
SFS: I am a HUGE Harry Potter fan.
When you’re not writing, do you have any hobbies or interests?
SFS: Yoga and world travel.
About Your Books
Tell us more about your latest release. What’s it about and what inspired you to write it?
SFS: PUCKHEADS is a romantic suspense novel set in the world of pro ice hockey. I wrote it at a time when I was a real hockey fanatic. I watched every NHL game I could and played on an amateur team.
Though PUCKHEADS is disguised as a hockey romance, it’s about hockey the same way that MOBY DICK is about whaling–in other words, it’s not. Both books are actually about ambition.
Your books are many and varied, how do you find all those different ideas?
SFS: I like to tell people that I get my ideas at Sears–they sell them in the basement between the barbecues and the exercise machines.
More seriously: I’ve always pursued different experiences. I’ve traveled a lot, held down a number of different jobs and met quite a few people as I’ve moved around. The material is stored in my memory banks and pops out…whenever.
Though sometimes a book will be a direct response to a defined event. For example, I went to Alaska in 2000 and started a book set there while I was still touring the islands. The place struck me so deeply that I was immediately inspired, and that experience led to the writing of one of Suz deMello’s erotic novels, SEDUCING THE HERMIT.
What’s coming out next from you? Our readers will want to mark their calendars!
SFS: That’s very kind and I hope true. At this point, I’m getting my hardcovers onto Amazon as Kindle downloads, so that readers who couldn’t afford the steep cover prices can download each for less than six dollars.
My erotica alter ego, Suz deMello, has a short story coming out from Harlequin Spice Briefs, “Highland Vampire.” That’s next November. I’m working on a “prequel” to that story called THE KILBORN VAMPIRES.
Do you come up with your characters first or the plot of the story?
SFS: Usually the characters though it’s interactive.
Do you believe characters find you? Do they have names when you “meet” them? If not, how do you pick the names?
SFS:I spend quite a lot of time on names, researching them, trying them out and so on. For example, in PUCKHEADS, my heroine is named Zoe because the name means “life,” and the hero, after what he’s been through, chooses Zoe, chooses life.
Do you have a favorite book or one that’s closest to your heart that you’ve written?
SFS: That’s a tough question. Writing isn’t easy and so all my stories are precious.
I’d say that my two best-written books are SEDUCING THE HERMIT and QUEEN OF SHADOW. Both are erotica published under the name Suz deMello. I think they’re extraordinarily good books.
What’s cool is that they’re completely different from each other. HERMIT is contemporary, humorous but deeply emotional. QUEEN OF SHADOW is a futuristic with a touch of paranormal. There’s a lot of emotion in it also, but there’s a super-strong external plot.
Both books have strong heroines and wonderful heroes to match them.
Random Questions
Give us 5 words that describe you.
SFS: Getting old…oops, that’s two.
Explorative
Earnest
Impulsive
What’s your favorite movie? Actor? Actress?
SFS: Whoa, can’t really answer that. I have too many favorites!
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
SFS: I’d like to check out Buenos Aires–it’s the now hip place to be. I’ve wanted to go to Spain, specifically Barcelona, for awhile–I’ve been to Europe a number of itmes but just haven’t gotten to Spain.
Some authors play favorite songs when they write or always have to drink a certain beverage. Do you have any special rituals you do when you write?
SFS: Yes, I sit down at my computer and place my hands on the keyboard. It works really well.
Sometimes if I’m stuck, taking a pen and a notebook to a coffee shop will shake things loose.
Where can readers find you on the web?
SFS: Wow, in a bunch of places. Sue Swift’s site is at http://www.sue-swift.com.
Suz deMello is at http://www.suzdemello.com.
There are always contests running at the sites even if I don’t change the question frequently, I still record entrants’ names.
If anyone wants to read my travel blog about life in China, it’s at http://www.susanoverseas.weebly.com. I update it frequently.
Be eligable to win your own Ebook copy of Sue Swift’s PUNKHEADS by simply leaving a comment or question for Sue. A winner will be chosen randomly on December 12.
The odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. Void where prohibited.
juliemt said:
I really enjoyed reading the interview with Sue and have made a note to check out her books and sites.
Mina Gerhart said:
Have read & LOVE your books Sue!
Judy Cox said:
Great interview. Your book sounds very interesting.
Susan Lathen said:
Interesting interview Sue. I hope to win your book because I live in a household of hockey fanatics but have yet to attend a game yet. My son has season tickets for himseld and his little sister who attends a high school with most of the players.
Donna said:
How interesting that you teach kindergarten in China!
Tracey D said:
Hi, Sue.
What is your opinion on book trailers? Do you think they help in book sales?
Thanks,
Tracey D
Anna Shah Hoque said:
Loved your interview Susan. How long have you been teaching in China? Touring Alaska must’ve been fantastic…did you go on any whale watching tours?
Sharon A said:
What was it about Alaska that struck you so hard?
kim f said:
I didn’t realize you had an alter ego…. And vampire books? I must find those.
Sue Swift/Suz deMello said:
Thanks, all, for your messages. I’ll try to answer your questions:
Yes, while in Alaska we went on a cruise that included whale watching. We went on Cruise West, small craft that enabled us to get up really close to these beautiful animals. It was neat to watch orcas at play with their young.
Alaska blew me away because it is so beautiful. I’ve traveled a lot and it is without a doubt the most beautiful place I’ve seen.
Vamps…definitely. Right now you can get FANGS, an antho from Loose Id.
Book trailers? Have no idea. I’ve never done one…just haven’t gotten around to it
Talitha Lee said:
Great interview! Thanks for the contest!
Sue Swift said:
Please notify me at suzswift@yahoo.com so I can declare a winner!
Donna said:
Congratulations Susan Lathen, winner of a copy of Sue Swift’s PUNKHEADS!