Welcome, Susan. Tell
us how much of yourself you write into your characters.
That’s a tough one. I don’t consciously write myself into my
characters, but I’m sure some of my personality leaks through. One thing I do
try to include, though, is the message of God’s love and forgiveness.
What is the quirkiest
thing you have ever done?
I live a pretty boring life. I can’t think of anything quirky. Oh, I just remembered something.
My grandmother passed away when she was 96 and 4 years later on her 100th
birthday, I had an impromptu celebration at the cemetery, complete with helium
balloons!
When did you first
discover that you were a writer?
I started writing my first book with encouragement from my
Grade 6 teacher, and finished it in my teens. I received my first rejection in
high school and then stopped writing. University, marriage, and children took
over for the next 20+ years! I rediscovered my love of writing again sometime
after my 40th birthday, and it took about 10 years to finally get published. A
winding road to be sure!
Tell us the range of
the kinds of books you enjoy reading.
I enjoy romance of almost any kind: contemporary,
historical, inspirational, and sweet. I
do read some secular romances as well, but my favorite authors are Julie
Lessman, Becky Wade, Laura Frantz, Jody Hedlund, and Katie Ganshert.
How do you keep your
sanity in our run, run, run world?
Writing is my sanity. If I haven’t had to time to write in a
while, I find myself getting very grumpy. LOL.
How do you choose
your characters’ names?
I usually pick first names I love and pair them with a last
name that I think sounds good. Sometimes for inspiration I read the obituaries
in the paper. A little morbid, but you get great story ideas there, too!
What is the
accomplishment that you are most proud of?
Raising two great kids. And making it to almost 30 years of
marriage. A huge accomplishment these days!
If you were an
animal, which one would you be, and why?
Definitely a cat. We have 2 in our house, and they lead the
loveliest lives. Eating, sleeping and getting fussed over!
What is your favorite
food?
I would have to say pizza—with chocolate coming in a close
second.
What is the problem
with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?
Learning to plot a story from beginning to end was a huge
issue for me. I started as a seat-of-the-pantser but partway through the book, I’d
have a hot mess on my hands. Now I’ve learned to plot the big events from
beginning to end, along with the major twists and turns, and this helps me
write more cohesively.
Tell us about the
featured book.
Betrayed Hearts is the story of Lily Draper, a girl who has had
a rough childhood and a rocky road to adulthood. At the beginning of the book,
she has reached the lowest point in her life. The discovery that she may have a
biological sister who her adoptive parents didn’t tell her about leads her to Rainbow Falls , North
Dakota
Please give us the
first page of the book.
Prologue
The click of the door echoed as loud as a gunshot through
the silent house. Lily Draper’s heart battled to escape her chest. She pressed
her back against the cool wall of her father’s office and made a valiant effort
to calm the roar of blood in her ears.
No time for fear. Focus on what you’re here for.
The familiar scent of cedar and moth balls threatened to swamp
her with nostalgia, causing memories of her beloved mother to spring forth with
a ferocity that spiked an ache of longing through her.
Mama, how I wish you hadn’t died. If you were here now, my
life wouldn’t be such a disaster.
She pushed away from the wall, grim determination stiffening
her resolve. She refused to dwell on thoughts of her mother, knowing how
disappointed Mama would be with the drastic action Lily was about to take.
She felt her way in the dark to the desk where she snapped
on the brass lamp. Dust motes danced under the short beam of light aimed at the
open Bible. With a pang, Lily ran her fingers over the worn pages. She used to
love when Mama read her stories from the Bible. But that was before God took
her mother away and left her with Tobias. With each punishment Tobias doled
out, he cited a judgmental, angry God who waited to punish Lily for the least
transgression. Lily wanted no part of a God like that.
How can readers find
you on the Internet?
They can find me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/susan.mason.127
or on my website www.susanannemason.com
.
They can find my books at the Pelican Book group site
http://pelicanbookgroup.com/ec/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=160
or at Amazon.com under Susan Anne Mason.
Thank you for having me here, Lena !
I’ve enjoyed answering your questions.
It's my pleasure to feature you here on my blog. I know my readers will be interested in this book.
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