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Please welcome Susan Page Davis, my guest author for the month of July. Susan's latest release, Crimson Cipher, should be hitting the shelves July 1, and she's offering a free copy here on Barb's Author Interviews. Just leave a comment to get your name in the hat!
Welcome, Susan! I'm honored to have you on the blog today. Let's begin with a couple of questions about your writing career.
How long have you been writing?
I started writing fiction seriously eleven years ago.
How many of your titles are published? About 30 separate titles (not including collections).
Please tell us about your latest release.The Crimson Cipher takes place in 1915, a time I didn’t know a lot about, even though my degree is in history and I read a lot of nonfiction and fiction historical books. In fact, as I got into my research, I was amazed at things I didn’t know about the time when Europe was at war and America was trying to stay out of it.
In the book, Emma Shuster’s father, a math professor, is murdered in his college office. Emma was helping him develop an encryption system for a bank. His old friend in the Navy (the professor was a Signal Corpsman in the Spanish American War) wants him to go back to work for the Navy, decoding messages, and sends a handsome Lieutenant to see him. But Lt. John Patterson arrives the day of Professor Shuster’s death. He and his supervisor decide to recruit Emma instead. She goes to Washington and begins solving ciphers and saving lives. She’s shocked by the sabotage going on within the borders of the United States. She catches the attention of one of the German ringleaders—known only to Emma and her coworkers as “Kobold”—German for “goblin.” Kobold is convinced Emma is the one he needs to get rid of. At the same time, she’s determined to bring him down.
Wow! Ican't wait! Crimson Cipher sounds like a great read. And, Susan, I'm sure our readers would love to know a bit about what makes you such a successful author. Are you a chapter-by-chapter plotter, seat-of-the-pantser, or in between?Definitely a plotter. I have to be. My books are usually bought (since the first few) based on the synopsis. That’s what I write first.
Aspiring authors are encouraged to attend writers' conferences often. Which are your favorite conferences and why?I haven’t been to many. ACFW is definitely my favorite so far. It’s in Indianapolis this year, Sept. 17-20. I’ll be teaching a workshop, and my husband and I are both giving critiques during the event. I also have a fondness for the Maine Fellowship of Writers’ annual conference. It’s in Belfast, Maine this year, August 14, featuring Cecil Murphey.
What “writing stuff” do you keep handy while you work?Definitely my dictionary, synonym finder, and English Through the Ages, though I do use online dictionaries, too. Sticky notes, highlighters, pens, notepad, calendar, paperclips and tape. I make a binder for each book. It contains research materials, the synopsis, the contract, and character sketches if I’ve made them. One of the most important things for each book is a calendar of the time span covered in the book. If it’s a historical, I go to www.timeanddate.com and print out a calendar for the year of the story. If it’s contemporary, I use a current calendar.
I don't know an author who doesn't love to read. What are you currently reading?
I’m reading a nonfiction book called Not in Front of the Servants as part of my research for the next book. My story takes place in Prince Edward Island during the Victorian Age. I just finished a couple of very good novels: Nancy Mehl’s Simple Secrets and Deeanne Gist’s Maid to Match.
You have a great offer for our blog readers, Susan. Tell us a bit more about that.
We’re giving away a copy of The Crimson Cipher. I’m very excited about this book. It combines all the things I love to write about—romance, intrigue, history, and suspense. A bonus inside is a cryptogram that readers can solve to enter a drawing to win another book.
I'm positive folks will want to read more about your success as an author and your many fascinating books. Where can they find you on the web?
Come see me at my Web site: www.susanpagedavis.com
Thanks so much, Susan, for a fantastic interview! I enjoyed hosting you. And readers, don't forget to leave a comment -- AND a way to contact you -- for a chance to win your very own copy of Crimson Cipher!
