Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
About Myself: Let’s start with my name – I was named after both of my great-grandmothers, 100% Czechoslovakian. Being born in the U.S., my name was Americanized to Suzie. When I became an adult, and outgrew that name, I reverted back to the original, “Zushka.”
I was born and raised in New England, the first of three children born to my hippie parents. I grew up in a modest home surrounded by miles of forest, which became my playground. My appreciation for nature began there and remains with me to this day. I feel most at home outdoors.
I spent 20 years in the desert of the American Southwest, before spending a year in Michigan, and finally landed in Sedona, Arizona, which is where I live to this day.
Books I Have Written: My first book, “God Knocked Me Off My Bike,” was released via paperback in May of 2010. It became available on Amazon Kindle in January of 2013. My second book, “The Secret Butterfly Trail,” was released on November 25, 2013, via Amazon Kindle. It will become available on paperback in March of 2014. These two books are a part of my Nonfiction Trilogy Series, “An Ordinary Life.”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The Secret Butterfly Trail is my latest book. As with all of my books, it was inspired by my journals. The recording of my life events, feelings, and my personal accounts, over 30 years of journaling, produced my trilogy series sort of by accident. My journals evolved into books. You could say I am an “accidental writer.”
My biggest inspiration is purely selfish – it is my own personal therapy. I have recovered from difficulties in my life through my writings. Sharing this with readers is a big part of my inspiration and continued recovery. Through my shared experience and hope, readers who have been through similar events in their own lives, are relieved that they are not alone; that there is somebody else out there in the world who went through the same things that they are, and survived it. Most of the feedback from my readers is simply this: They feel comfortable opening up and talking about their own lives after reading my books. Knowing that I am touching the hearts of people I have never met, and in some small way helping them, is in itself what inspires me to continue writing.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Writing Habits: I handwrite all of my journals. After I have collected 10 or so notebooks of writings, I type them onto my laptop. I don’t include every single detail, as not all of it is necessary in a book format. As I type, individual chapters develop naturally. Before I know it, I have a whole book completed. I print the entire book and hand it to my Editor, who quickly gets to work with his red pen. Weekly meetings, sometimes twice a week, continue for a few months until the edits, rewrites, and printed version is ready to be released into the world.
Writing Space: My writing space is just as important to me as my writing habits are. I have a writing room in my house, decorated with things that comfort me: My desk, a bookcase full of my favorite books, a Vision Board on the wall, inspirational artwork, plants, and a crystal singing bowl on top of an antique trunk, fill the room.
Writing Ritual: I prefer to write in the early morning hours, and can spend 3 to 5 hours in one sitting. Soothing music must be playing, incense burning, and a fresh pot of brewed coffee waiting. I journal first, then meditate for a few minutes, before I dive in.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I read Hugh Prather’s “Notes to Myself” when I was younger. His book of journal excerpts resonated with me. I felt liberated by his words. Charles Bukowski’s and Hunter S. Thompson’s raw, real-life, no-sugar-coating writings are always influential. Larry McMurtry’s “Literary Life” is another one of those books that I look through often. These styles, mixed with “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert, and “A Day in the Life of the American Woman” (by a collaboration of women photographers) all have their way of influencing my life.
What are you working on now?
I am finishing the Trilogy, “An Ordinary Life.” My third book, which does not have a title yet, is about my Sedona experience. It covers the period of the 3 1/2 years that I have lived in Sedona; the people that I met, the places I have been, the events, and the culture. Everything, from the cowboys to the moon worshippers, to the psychics and the coffee houses, are included in my book, just to name a few. It is a story of my personal encounters with the hippies, artists, and thieves of Sedona – nonfiction and entertaining.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Word of mouth seems to be the best way I have promoted my books. I talk about them everywhere I go, to everyone I meet. Other than that, Facebook, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads, Twitter, and my own website are a good way to promote my books.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write. Write all the time. Write whenever you feel like writing. Write, write, write, and never stop.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“Anything worth doing, is worth doing badly.” – Anonymous
What are you reading now?
“Finding What’s Lost” a novel by Gail L. Winfree
What’s next for you as a writer?
Book Signings and interviews – lots of them.
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?
Very large books that float very well.
Author Websites and Profiles
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