AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: Interview with Susannah Noel

INTERVIEW WITH SUSANNAH NOEL

We want to again Welcome Susannah the Author of The Wordless chronicles

We have a new interview for you today, and this time it is all about your writing. 

1. When and why did you begin writing?

I wrote my first story in second grade. It was about a hot air balloon that got out of control and almost hit a power line! But I didn’t get really excited about writing until I was twelve years old. That’s when I write my first novel and started spending a lot of time writing.

2. When did you first consider yourself a writer?

I think I’ve considered myself a writer since I was twelve, when I wrote that first novel. There wasn’t any particular landmark that made me think of myself as a writer—just when I really started writing.

3. What inspired you to write your first book?

It was actually a school assignment. We all had to write a novel. I was the only one in the class who really got into it, though. I kept writing—first a sequel to my first novel and then many, many more novels.

4. Do you have a specific writing style?

I think everyone has a unique style, and I think it’s hard for writers to objectively assess their own style. My stories all tend to be character-driven, but I write in a number of different genres, so the style really depends on the context and purpose.

5. What genre would you say your series belong in?

I’ve had such a hard time with this question, because Word and Breath really falls between genres. I’ve been calling it paranormal/dystopian, since those genres seem to be the best fit.

6. How did you come up with the title?

The original title was actually Wordless, but then I decided to make that the series title instead. I wanted to have titles for all three books with the word “Word” in it, and I started with Word and Breath to capture some of the themes and evoke the idea of the Soul-Breather.

7. Could you tell us in 4 sentences what this series is about?

In a future dystopian world, reading has become obsolete. A group of readers have formed an underground rebellion against the totalitarian government. The main character, Riana, has to decipher the secrets her grandfather left with her—secrets that will change their understanding of the world. At the same time, she’s torn between the rebel leader who shares her ideals and the Soul-Breather who has her heart.

8. Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I think authors are always trying to communicate a message in their stories. Mine primarily explores what happens to books, ideals, and community in a world that denies their meaning. But I don’t like to define a specific message because, if it’s not communicated the way I want, then it’s my fault and not the readers’!

9. How much of the series is realistic?

Well, it’s not in the genre of realism because it has paranormal creatures. But I tried to keep even the Soul-Breathers true to human nature—they’re like humans, just revved up some—so I hope it’s realistic at least in its treatment of how people think and act.

10. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?

Oh yes, I think it’s inevitable to find things you wish you’d done differently. But I don’t like to say what they are, since I don’t want to bring them to anyone else’s attention! In general, though, I try not to give books the post-mortem treatment. Once they’re published, they’re done. They’re the best I could do at the time I was writing them, and hopefully the next book will be better!


Thank you so much for being with us today Susannah!


Thanks for having me again!

Guest author: Susannah Noel
Part of our Spotlight feature
Blog:
 http://susannah-noel.com/ 
Amazon buy link:
http://www.amazon.com/Word-Breath-Wordless-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B008UM8XRM
Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15813110-word-and-breath
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/SusannahNoelAuthor
Twitter:
  https://twitter.com/SusannahNoel1