The 2018 Author Interview Series Featuring Suzanne Burke

It’s time for the next subject for my 2018 author interview series. Author interviews are posted every Friday throughout the year.

I am honored to continue this series with Australian author Suzanne Burke

You can catch up with all of my past author interviews (nearly 200) on my Author Directory page.

If you’re an author interested in being interviewed in this series, I still have limited spots available for 2018. You can email me at don@donmassenzio.com

Now, please enjoy this interview with Suzanne Burke:

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Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I haven’t really asked myself that question before. Now that I have it seems that If I’m excited enough by an idea I come up with to write it down, and if that excitement continues as my work grows, then THAT is what I deliver to my readers. I write in multiple genres, each one fascinates and draws me to it. Some have called my style original. I do hope that is the case.

If you could tell your younger writing self-anything, what would it be?

As I didn’t begin my writing journey until my early fifties my younger self is already a good deal older than most aspiring writers. Something I’ve forced myself to do since then and the thing that I wished I’d had a grip on when I began this crazy journey is NOT to edit as I write. I may perfect a paragraph by editing as I go, but the flow will be altered and an idea for a line of dialogue can vanish in an instant. I found that an invaluable lesson.

What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?

That would have to be “The Last Man” by Mary Shelley. It was forever overshadowed by ‘Frankenstein” (Which I enjoyed) However the darker nature of “The Last Man” I believe makes it the better of the two.

Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

I read every review. If I know or can connect with the reviewer I thank them. The great reviews lift me up and nurture my spirit and my muse. The bad ones I reflect on carefully. I decided that if more than 3 people find that the same thing troubles them about my work I would review that in my writing … if I found their constructive comments to be accurate, I take steps to correct them.

Do you hide any secrets in your books that only a few people will find?

I believe all writers leave secrets in their books, even subconsciously.My Non-Fiction works hold many.  For my works of fiction, I had to laugh long and loud when a friend after reading “Acts Beyond Redemption” said that, my pivotal character Sheila Harrington’s dialogue sounded exactly like me. Given that Sheila Harrington was the FBI’s Prime suspect in the brutal murders of 18 men, maybe that’s not such a great thing J… My works of fiction will cause a few people to nod and say “uh-huh”, several of my characterizations hold clear visual identification for a few very close friends.

Do you Google yourself?

I haven’t before, and just did so. Wow! Now that is a surprise.

What is your favorite childhood book?

I had no real childhood. I attended school only from the age of eight, until not quite eleven years old. I learned to read at the State Library, I went in there early in my days living on the streets, not for the books, it was the airconditioning, bathroom availability and the sweet silence that drew me, with the added bonus that is was free.

The Senior Librarian became curious about my constant daily presence over a period of weeks. She became curious enough to ask if she could help me with something. That marvelous woman taught me not only to read, she taught me how to learn more about the world I lived in, the world outside and beyond the city streets of Sydney, Australia. She and I remained lifelong friends.

The first complete book I read at age twelve was Enid Blyton’s “The Magic Faraway Tree” I enjoyed it … but my real world needed something different. My favorite book by age thirteen was ‘Valley of The Dolls’ by Jacqueline Susann. It made me nod my head in recognition.

If you had to do something differently as a child or teenager to become a better writer as an adult, what would you do?

I’d keep a journal.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

That depends entirely on the genre. My thrillers each took around 14mths, with the research time and story development demanding a minimum of 8-10 hours a day. Luckily I only sleep between two and four hours in every twenty-four.

My non-fiction books didn’t take quite as long. I had no need for research, for I’d lived it. Once I began writing the words consumed me. I hadn’t been prepared for the ‘flashbacks’ or the depths of depression that Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can drag you down to. It was a painful journey. The second memoir was difficult, yet the writing of it set me free from some of the more debilitating memories.

Each new genre presents new and exciting challenges.

About Suzanne:

Suzanne Burke resides with her daughter and grandson in a small country town located hundreds- of-miles to the west of her previous home in Sydney Australia.

Suzanne had long wanted to write, life interrupted and she didn’t begin her journey into the world of writing until she was in her early fifties.

Suzanne has written her memoirs under the author name of Stacey Danson, both her non-fiction books have ranked in the top 100 paid in Kindle on Amazon. “Empty Chairs” and “Faint Echoes of Laughter” continue to earn wonderful reviews. The third and final book of her memoir series “Still Sassy at Sixty” is due out Mid 2018.

Suzanne writes her powerful Thrillers “Acts Beyond Redemption” and “Acts of Betrayal” and her Paranormal anthology “Mind-Shaft” as S. Burke. Look for her latest thriller an anthology titled “A Darker Justice” Due out March 2018.

Connect with Suzanne:

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/StaceyandSuzie

Blog

https://sooozburkeauthor.com/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/pursoot

Suzanne’s Books:

Acts Beyond Redemption – Book 1 of the (Unintended Consequences) series https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EXVBG1I

Acts Of Betrayal – Book 2 of the (Unintended Consequences) series

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MR4

 

Mind-Shaft Paranormal Anthology.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AQ0GEJO

NON-FICTION MEMOIRS

Empty Chairs Book 1 of the (Standing Tall & Fighting Back) series.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EXVBG1I

 Faint Echoes of Laughter Book 2 of the (Standing Tall & Fighting Back) series.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01F6ET050