Author Interview with Sue Seabury!

Let's welcome YA author Sue Seabury!

Kristen - Hi Sue! Thanks for dropping by. First questions of the day! How often do you write? Do you have a special time during the day to write?

Sue - I write every morning, and maybe snatch a few minutes later in the day to work on editing.

Kristen - Ah that's the opposite schedule from mine! I write late at night when everyone is sleeping. Though I do also try and snatch those precious moments during the day if there's a lull in activity.

Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

Sue - No. My preference is to finish a scene in one sitting, but that isn’t always possible.

Kristen - Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand?

Sue - Computer. My handwriting is officially illegible.

Kristen - Mine too! Besides, it all needs to go on the computer eventually so I might as well save myself some time. Not to mention I type way faster than I write.

Where do your ideas come from?

Sue - Where don’t they come from? Anything I see, hear, etc is fair game. Look out. I’m collecting ideas from you right now.

Kristen - Eep, I'll be careful then. I knew there was a reason I made sure my socks were matching for this interview! 

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

Sue - To be #1 on the NYT bestseller list . . . What? That’s not everyone’s ambition?

Kristen - Haha, I'm sure most writers at least hope that's in their future! I think if I made it anywhere near the top 10 I'd think it was a dream. 

Thank you so much for joining me today!

Sue Seabury enjoys travel, good food and great conversation. Since she doesn't often get to do any of these things, she writes about them in her books.

Follow her on Twitter.

Learn more about Sue on her blog.

Find her books on Amazon.

Interview with H.S. Cook

This month's interview is with H.S. Cook. First, a little bit about her.

Working in a world of logic and reason, while dreaming of one filled with magic, H.S. Cook lives between her scientific research and her fantasy writings. A molecular biologist by day, she finds ways to inject the magic of her worlds into daily life, making time to write. She is currently working on an epic fantasy series: The Blood King Chronicles.

On now to the interview.

Kristen - Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?

H.S. - The first story I was given to read was a series of Wind in the Willows books. It was before I went to school, but they were not oversimplified. It was published as a box set of 9 books, so the individual books were short and easy to manage. I remember reading them and getting lost in the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger and Mr. Toad. I loved those books so much, and they started my life of reading. I still have them today!

Kristen - I only remember reading one story from Wind in the Willows. So I at least know who people are talking about, though I didn't get to enjoy all the same adventures as you did. Mr. Toad is quite the character!


What was the first thing you remember writing?

H.S. - I am sure we had assignments before this, but the first thing I remember was a two-line story for school that had to start: ‘In the dark, damp basement…’ I do not remember it exactly, but in two lines I was eaten by a massive hairy spider.

Kristen - And later that night you probably wondered why you had nightmares! At least you managed to pack a riveting ending into two lines.  


What do your friends and family think of your writing?

H.S. - Generally, they are supportive. They understand that I need to write. I would like to say that they enjoy it, but that may be friends and family just being nice.

Kristen - What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?

H.S. - I crossed out good/bad there because a review is an opinion, whether good or bad. I appreciate honest reviews. I do not care whether it is loved or hated – I cannot force people to like what I write. I only ask that they are honest and representative of your actual opinions.

Reviews left with an agenda, or jumping on the bandwagon, are not helpful to other readers or to the writer. They are a waste of space.

Kristen - Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

H.S. - Writers – Tolkien. He is my idol. Non-writer – Rosalind Franklin. She is one of my many idols in science and was vastly under-appreciated at the time. X-Ray Crystallography is vital to my current research!

Kristen - I'm so glad I got to learn more about you. And you're a Tolkien fan too! Thank you for answering some questions for me.

Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.

By the Blood, may the Fates show mercy.

H.S. Cook

Check out her website!
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