Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
A Brooklyn proud, native New Yorker and I love my city. I’m a die-hard Knicks fan. My family and friends are the most important things in my life. I enjoy cooking foods from different countries and sharing those meals with loved ones.
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember. Currently, I have two books published. There will be more to come in 2019.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Asia: Good Girl is my latest work. The idea of “perception” was the inspiration behind this work. I find that life is curious at times, we go through it worried about how we’re perceived. We forget to be our genuine selves, and that’s Asia’s problem. She lives her life wanting to be viewed through the lens of a good girl.
The man in the hooded mask holds a mirror up to Asia’s face. She questions her morals and even her sanity. He forces her to see herself, not the image she so carefully crafted; preacher’s dutiful daughter, model employee, active churchgoer and community volunteer. He shows her an Asia that has passions, wants, desires and sexuality of her own, that’s been repressed for years.
Asia: Good Girl, was my brief exploration into how we view ourselves. How others perceive us and that our true selves probably lie somewhere between the two. Also, for Asia, that it’s perfectly acceptable to embrace all aspects of herself, repress nothing and embrace it all. When she finally does this, she gets the prize, her happiness.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Yes, I’m like a teenager, I need white noise to concentrate. There’s always a radio or TV going in the background when I write. I tried writing the other night in silence and it was so weird, it kind of gave me the creeps. I was also in the room alone, even my dog had abandoned me. The little traitor!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Austen, Pride & Prejudice is one of my all time favorites. I’m also a huge Theodora Taylor fan, I pretty much love anything she writes. Robert Ludlum is another favorite. I spend most of my teenaged years buried in his books. I cried when he passed away, it was like that family friend who always brings you cool presents would no longer be coming around anymore. I still re-read his books and still enjoy them.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently re-working my college senior thesis which is a novel about two cousin and two friends and their love lives. I’ve decided it’s too dense so I’m considering making it a series where each woman gets her own story.
I’m also working on another story about an accountant who runs from love until the right man stops her running.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Still trying to find the right method. I’m on Facebook, Goodreads, BookBub, Twitter, and Instagram. I think there’s a lot of trial and error for finding the right method. Even then nothing’s guaranteed, it’s not necessarily formulaic because it also depends on the book and the audience. Marketing is one part product, part skill, and two parts luck, in my opinion.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Do not let anyone stop. Keep writing and then write some more. Take creative writing classes, find a mentor and stay vigilant.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
You miss 100% of the shot you never take.
What are you reading now?
Funny you should ask. I am reading a twenty-year-old manuscript written by a friend. I finally convinced her to take it out of storage and do something with it. I trying to convince her to publish it. It’s amazing! I’d almost forgotten how talented she is, she’d put her writing career on hold when she adopted three kids.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I want to create new work. However, I really want to go back and publish the stories that I wrote and just left to languish. I think they’ve been waiting for me to take them out of the filing cabinet in my closet. 2019 is going to be a busy and interesting year for me.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Sonnets (all of them) by William Shakespeare
Trevayne by Robert Ludlum
Her Russian Billionaire by Theodora Taylor
Author Websites and Profiles
Susan A. Buchanan Website
Susan A. Buchanan Amazon Profile
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