Interview With Author Susan Macias
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I love words, books, and story! I work out how I feel about things by writing in my journal or on my blog. My greatest joy is to use words to make much of Jesus and point others to Him. While my seven children still lived at home, I wrote on my blog because I didn’t have time to write anywhere else other than a few articles that were published. Eventually, however, I published four books:
“Unceasing: A Parent’s Guide To Conquer Worry And Pray With Power.”
“31 Days Praying For My Daughter” A devotional and prayer guide.
“Putting Jesus On”. A devotional to help Believers find their identity in Christ.
“Finding Home”. A novel, described by one reader as, “a spiritual experience embedded in pure drama”
My sweetheart and I have been married for 40 years, and have seven children and 14 grandchildren. I live life free of gluten and full of caffeine, work as an Event Director for a non-profit, and usually find time to write every day. Connect with me on my website, susankmacias.com, or my podcast, “We’re Not Done Yet”.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Finding Home. Thirty years ago, I heard a teacher expound on the Prodigal Son parable in its Middle Eastern setting. So many cultural nuances are lost in our Western reading. I was enraptured and thought immediately that I wanted to write this as a long form story. It took twenty years to begin the process and ten years to complete!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I can’t think of any unusual habits, but I’m very productive on planes. I create higher word counts there, as I ignore my travel partners, than anywhere.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
For writing craft books: On Writing by Steven King. Surprised by Grace by Elizabeth Sherrill. Bird by Bird by Anne LaMott.
What grew my desire to be a storyteller: The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom. All of Brian Jacques. The Chronicles of Narnia by CS Lewis. The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher.
What are you working on now?
My first novel. “Finding Home” tells the story of the Prodigal Son (with many more characters, stories, and events!). I am currently writing the sequel. My current work-in-progress is titled “Loving Anyway” and uses the parable of the Good Samaritan as the jumping off point, and continues the story of the Ezra ben Lavi family from “Finding Home”.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I sell the most books at speaking events, and I am still working at the promoting part to find what works for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
*Look to others for inspiration but not for comparison.
*Don’t measure success on the number of sales, but on quality of work produced.
*Just write! You can’t edit what you don’t write
*Complete whatever project you’re working on. It won’t every be perfect, but you can’t build a body of work until you publish what you have and move on to the next project. Each book will be a little better than the last one, but you have to put your first book out into the world to ever have a second!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Write at least 500 words a day. It truly adds up when I am faithful to do it!
What are you reading now?
Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland
What’s next for you as a writer?
Selling directly appeals to me, so I would like to create more e-products that I can share, as well as sell my books and other products from my website. I’m also preparing to launch my first audio book.
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?
The Bible
Chronicles of Narnia
Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diebler Rose
Author Websites and Profiles
Susan Macias’s Social Media Links
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