I am delighted to share a q&a with Susan today ~ thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for organizing.
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Genre ~ 1920’s romantic suspense
Publication Date ~ February 12, 2024
Estimated Page Count ~ 365
Q&A
How do you choose the titles for your books?
With my debut novel, I simply looked at my manuscript and asked myself – what’s this book about?
It was about a mysterious Spanish house built in a strange location, so I called the book – ‘Spanish House Secrets.
With BLOSSOMING OF TRUTH, it was different. I wanted to convey the essence of the story through the title. The male protagonist can’t allow his love for the female antagonist to blossom, because he is convinced, she is withholding the truth. The blossoming process forms the heart of the story.
I have a yet unpublished trilogy, which was inspired when my husband gave me a title. I was intrigued and wrote the first book under that title – the other two books followed, using a twist on the original title.
How do you know when a book is ‘ready’?
While editing I read it in different formats – computer, kindle and printed sheet. I read it aloud to check if it flows. When I have corrected the grammar, spelling mistakes etc and I feel I am just ‘tinkering’ about with it, I leave it alone. Returning, I usually find I love it if it sings!
Tell us about your book covers.
I confess I am ‘old school’ – I like a book cover to relate to the story content.
In SPANISH HOUSE SECRETS a house is at the heart of the story – so the cover depicts a Spanish house.
In BLOSSOMING OF TRUTH, the yellow rose is significant to the gist of the story.
Fortunately, I have a friend who is an artist – I told her what I wanted on the covers, and she painted my suggestions, the publisher then used this as a base for the cover, adding the wording.
Where do you set your books and why?
Residing in a small historic village in northeast England, my love for the local area provided the backdrop for my books. I use fictitious names for the places but visualising the streets, buildings and locations aids my writing process. Local historical web pages provide a photographic resource to study the details, as my books are set in the 1920’s.
What makes a book stand out?
For me it’s all about the characters. If I can relate to the main character(s) by two chapters in – then I’m usually hooked! I enjoy getting under a character’s skin. I also love a satisfying, well resolved ending. Tying up loose ends is also important to me.
Book Blurb:
A tragic accident…A bitter betrayal…A baffling mystery.
When an attractive young woman seeks refuge in his home during a blizzard, Tom Smallwood is convinced they have met before. As their friendship develops, her persistent denial of their previous connection threatens to shake the bedrock of Tom’s ‘life code’.
A tragic accident robs Tom of his beloved brother, leaving him devastated.
His world implodes further when he is arrested…
HIS ONLY CRIME WAS TO FALL IN LOVE.
Can Tom’s strong pillars of truth and integrity hold fast and enable him to win the heart of the woman he adores?
Purchase Links
Author Bio – ‘Never too old to follow your dreams’ has become Susan Gray’s mantra since beginning to write novels after celebrating a significant birthday. Susan endeavours to entwine the genres of mystery and romance and sets her novels in the early Twentieth Century. She lives with her husband in northeast England – setting her books in this picturesque area. She has a son and daughter, both married, two granddaughters and a grand dog. When not writing she loves to spend time reading, puzzling, walking and catching up with friends over a coffee. She enjoys travelling and tries to include many of the places she has visited in her books. Her plots are inspired by ‘life’ and how her characters navigate the waters. She loves to ‘people watch’ and creates her characters based on the many strangers she has observed. She has written six novels. SPANISH HOUSE SECRETS was her debut novel and is now joined by BLOSSOMING OF TRUTH.
Social Media Links –
https://www.facebook.com/susangrayauthor
https://www.instagram.com/susangrayauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/42479586
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