interview with Susan Ee

Welcome to Jagged Edge!
would you like to tell us a little about yourself?

Thanks so much for having me on Jagged Edge, Kati. I’m an author and filmmaker. My first novel, Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days), just came out. I’m very excited about that!

My latest short film recently finished its festival circuit. It played in both childrens’ festivals and horror festivals, which I thought was pretty funny. It also played on a few cable TV stations around the country and was part of a Halloween TV special. I had a blast with it. :-)

What inspired you to write?

I’ve always loved stories. I read them, I watched them, I listened to them on audio. So it was a natural transition from absorbing them to writing them.
What authors influenced you as a writer?

The more recent authors who had an influence on my writing have been Suzanne Collins with her Hunger Games series and Karen Marie Moning with her Fever series. I loved their pacing and action, their styles of story telling. Stephen King no doubt had an influence on me as well, particularly his Dark Tower series with its twisted, dying world. And George R.R. Martin with his amazing characterizations in his Song of Ice and Fire series that starts with The Game of Thrones.

Then there are my numerous author instructors, including Octavia Butler and Connie Willis at Clarion West, Nancy Packer at Stanford and Pulitzer Prize winner, James Alan McPherson, at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

Your favorite character?

Yikes! So many great characters…I think I’ll declare today’s favorite as Arya Stark of The Game of Thrones. She’s small and unsullied, full of fire and determination, fierce and feral. Gotta love that. 

What is your favorite Quote?

“To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.”— Elbert Hubbard , US author

If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world, which would it be?

Ooh. Tough question. Many of the books I love are set in worlds too harsh for me to want to live in! I’d want a fun and happy place for my daily life. Hogwarts comes to mind. Without You-Know-Who, that school could be pretty awesome. Just the food alone could be enough to entice me over. :-)

What is the one thing that every writer needs to have or do?

Lose control. Let it go. Let your characters do what they want to do, however they want to do it. Be prepared to gently manage them but let them have their say first.

Are your books different from your personal favorite books by other authors?

It took me a long time to write stories I’d choose to read. My writing training is mostly hi-brow and literary. But my reading habits are almost exclusively fun genre fiction. For a long time, I wrote what I thought would please my workshop readers but their tastes were not mine. I had to learn how to collect writing skills and sharpen my tools without worrying about whether or not they liked the story, which was very difficult.

But I eventually started writing stories I would want to read. Angelfall is a book I’d totally drool over. Action, adventure and romance in a twisted and devastated world. Demigod warriors I long to be with and find out more about. Scrappy underdogs who somehow manage to survive and maybe even have a shot at triumph. I love that stuff.

What lead you to writing in this genre?

I’ve always loved science fiction, fantasy, horror and anything under the speculative fiction umbrella. It was just natural for me to write in this genre.

What inspires you the most when you write?

When the characters do something I never would have thought of. That’s truly inspiring. And a wee bit disturbing.

How long does it normally take you to write a book and go through the whole process?

I wrote Angelfall in 6 weeks. Then I spent the next year shaping, rewriting, editing, polishing, getting feedback from my beta readers, then doing it all over again. I expect the next book in the series to take less time since the world and characters have been established.

What are you most excited about this year?

People enjoying Angelfall. I’ve received emails from readers telling me how they read the book overnight and how it felt like they were right there with Raffe and Penryn on their adventure. It’s thrilling to share the story on that level with readers.

What book do you wish to see come out as a movie? (of course all authors want to see their movie on the big screen but what other book would you like to see?)

Can’t wait for Hunger Games!

What happened while writing one of your books that you did not expect?
I free write my stories so the entire story of Angelfall and every character in it was unexpected.

Do you read the review when they are good and/or bad?

Just can’t help myself. :-)

What's next in life for you?

The sequel to Angelfall. I’d like to get that into the readers’ hands as soon as possible.

LAST QUESTION:
Was their a question you wish I would have asked but didn't?

I think you’ve done a great job with the questions! Thanks so much for inviting me onto your blog. :-)


Don't forget to come back on the 25 for the big giveaway here's a sneak peek of all the books in the giveaway! http://klearsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/06/so-i-finally-made-it.html
Also don't forget to check out MY review of Angelfall