Tell us about your books.
1. Do
you plot or let the story unfold?
A lot of advice online from, for
example, J.K. Rowlings or Stephen King, is to use a large chart and post-its to
fill in each scene. I tried this technique and found it too frustrating. I am
not a math person and that kind of precision makes me tense. Then I read that
Diane Gabaldon of Outlander fame writes in chapters or scenes and then puts
them together. That’s how I do it. I always have a category of “Scenes to Add”
handy to be inserted when I get to that part of the story. This works for me!
2. When
did you decide to become an author?
I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t
creating stories. When I was about ten years old, someone sent us kimonos from
Japan for my sister and brother, and I wrote a play that we all presented in
our attic along with some of the neighborhood kids. My first writings were
handwritten and stuffed in my underwear drawers. Next, I worked on a manual
typewriter, jumping up to fix dinner between paragraphs. Then we got a
Commodore 64 and I went through two keyboards. After that we’ve had a variety
of computers, and my husband always told me “You’ll never fill up that hard
drive.” I always did.
3. How
do you deal with writer’s block?
I get so many ideas at night in bed.
Once an entire short drama came to me, nearly word-for-word. I keep post-its by
my bed and scribble what I remember. Quite often my question in the morning is
“What does this say?” I heard that Ann Rice writes her nighttime ideas on her
walls, but I don’t think that would go over well in our house! I also do a lot
of plotting when I take walks. I give myself a question – How do I get the hero
from this place to the next?- and the quiet of being outside opens up my mind
until I know just how he’ll do it.
4. How
much of the book is realistic?
I am a lover of history, and I write historical
romance books based on actual true events. Then I can toss my fictional
characters in and see how they’d survive. Under the category of “You can’t make
this stuff up,” I am always amazed at events and people from the past. My first
two books (Steadfast Will I Be and By Promise Made) take place in
Scotland in the mid-1500s under the reigns of James V who was held prisoner by
his step-father before he escape to regain his throne at age sixteen, and Mary,
Queen of Scots who caused a war between England and Scotland over her betrothal
at age four. I do quite a bit of research on the setting, the clothing, and the
customs of the time while my hero and heroine are created from the heart.
5. How
did you do in English as a kid?
Since I’d always been writing, the
creative aspects of an English class came easily. I, however, got my greatest
encouragement from a teacher I had my junior year in High School. The school
had a literary magazine of student work, and I took a leap of faith to submit
one of my stories. It was loosely based on an event that happened to me. It was
not accepted by the panel of student judges for publication, but my teacher
called me in after class to tell me that while the students had not appreciated
it, she loved it. She said it showed promise and talent, and I should keep
writing. If she had been choosing the stories to be published, mine would have
been on the front page. This meant so much to me!
And for something a bit personal....
1. What’s
the most blatant lie you’ve ever told?
I
taught school for 30 years, first grade and fourth grade. I had a reputation
for being successful with children when no one else was. The result was that often
my classes were overloaded with “problem” kids. It turned out that my success
was due to the lies I told. For example, in Kindergarten “Kenny” could not be
left unsupervised. He’d did whatever he wanted, and usually that meant
wandering off or refusing to come in from recess, etc. and punching other kids
in the face. When I got him in first grade, I told him that I thought he had
strong leadership skills, and I would like him to help the other children.
Within two months I could send him on errands to the office alone, much to the
surprise of the principal and the secretary, and by the end of the year he
could lead the class to assemblies and get them seated.
Another
troubled girl had been in Kindergarten twice and still would not spell
her name correctly. I told her repeatedly that I thought she was very smart and
that I really liked her. Within the week she spelled her name correctly and by
November she was the top reader in my class. All because I told a lie.
2. I
have several favorite quotes.
This
one, in varying wording, has been attributed to several people, but I like this
version by Edward Teller, a nuclear physicist – a scientist who talks about
faith. “When you come to the end
of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the
unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things shall happen: either you will
be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly.”
Another is by Mother Teresa and is written on
the wall of her children’s home in India – a woman who often questioned her
faith but believed anyway.
“People
are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them
anyway.
If
you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind
anyway.
If
you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.
If
you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere
anyway.
What
you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
If
you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The
good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
Give
the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
In
the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you
and them anyway.”
3. If
you came with a warning label, what would it say?
My
warning label would say “She says what she means, and she means what she says.
So, listen up!”
4. What
are your current projects?
I
am working on marketing my first book, Steadfast Will I Be, and am in
the editing stage of my second book, By Promise Made. I also have
partially finished my third book, as of yet untitled.
For
the past fifteen years I have written scripts and performed with a music and
drama group called LightReaders. I am working on our 2020 program of music,
which we take to nursing homes in our area, and also working on an extended
program with music and sketches to present at our church in August. Both are entitled, “God is Great – Stories,
Songs and Psalms.”
5. Do
you travel researching your books?
Two
years ago, I took a two week cruise with my two sisters around Great Britain.
One of the stops was in Edinburgh, and we took a side trip north to Loch Lomand
and Dunrobin Castle, which happens to be in our Scottish heritage family tree.
I felt “at home” there, and I use that feeling when I describe the area in my
books. I wish I could travel more, but Google is a great help in showing me the
areas.
Where can we find you online?
My Facebook: https://business.facebook.com/SusanLeighFurlong/?business_id=790546757667381&ref=bookmarks
Download Steadfast Will I Be
on Amazon and other online retailers.
3 comments:
Great interview. It's nice to get to know you.🦉
Hi Susan: Nice "meeting" you. Thank you for all your years of teaching and much success with 'Steadfast Will I Be".
Nice post thanks for ssharing
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