Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a copywriter by day and fiction writer by night. Or something like that. I also have a second-degree black belt in kickboxing, something which has had a big influence on my writing. I write young adult books, many of which feature kick butt heroines because I believe every girl needs to kick a little butt from time to time. I’d love to empower girls around the globe to take care of themselves and to follow their dreams.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
Parallax Error is the name of the book. It’s inspired by Amanda Todd, a Canadian teenager who was bullied and told her own story in a series of flashcards on a YouTube video. The video makes me cry every time I watch it because this wasn’t fiction. It was someone’s life. I started to think about the skills and confidence I gained from kickboxing, albeit as an adult, and how this can help people. So I threw my heroine into a parallel universe where she’s not the school nerd any more. She’s a bodyguard-in-training. I desperately wanted to give Amanda a happy ending, something that simply couldn’t be done. But I made sure my heroine in Parallax Error had one.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Coffee, chocolate and my homemade shortbreads. Nothing too unusual there.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Too many to name. One book that had a big impact on me as a teenager was Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange. The book painted a picture of a very violent world that made me think about a lot of things, including the importance of personal freedom. It’s hard to write kick butt young adult books and not be influenced by The Hunger Games. When I first heard about the book, I could’ve kicked myself for not coming up with it first. A story about teenagers pitted against each other in a fight to death is right up my alley.
What are you working on now?
And now for something completely different… I’m working on a series of six rock star romances. The first books I wrote were romances so in some ways I’m going back to my roots. Also, I’m a bit of a rock tragic. I spent my youth going to see bands every weekend and I still go to the odd concert. Last year, my husband and I flew across the country to see our favorite band, The Pixies, in Melbourne because they weren’t playing in our home town.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I got a huge kick out of getting a write-up in my local newspaper about my latest book. The interview got off to a great start when the reporter said she hadn’t planned on actually reading Parallax Error but she started skimming it and then couldn’t put it down. Many of my friends saw the interview and I got a huge buzz out of that too.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If this is your dream, then do it. Don’t let anyone stand in your way. You don’t want to get to eighty and then think about writing a novel when it’s perhaps too late.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Just do it. Okay, this may be the Nike tag line but it’s also my life motto. You can’t do everything in life but you can choose the things that are important to you and spend time on those things.
What are you reading now?
I just finished Boy Swallows Universe, by Trent Dalton. I’d give this book more than five stars if I could. It’s brilliant – full of heart, beautifully written and has a killer ending.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I thought I might finish the series of six rock star romances. It takes a while to write six books!
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?
I’d only need one – To Kill a Mockingbird.
Author Websites and Profiles
Susanna Rogers Website
Susanna Rogers Amazon Profile
Susanna Rogers’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account