Interview with Susan Skylark

Published 2015-06-09.
When did you first start writing?
I have always loved stories and have been reading them or imagining my own for as long as I can remember, but in the pre-computer days I wrote very little as it was a tedious and time consuming process (of course that was in elementary school), but once I hit junior high and discovered computers, I began to write much more often and have been doing so ever since, at least when I get the time.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
My sister has tried to get a book published for years, she actually has a deal with a major publisher, but so far no book. I have all these stories I want to tell and it seemed the best route to get them out there, whether anyone reads them or not is another matter but it is fun seeing your words in print.
How has Smashwords contributed to your success?
Success? I suppose I am now a 'published' author but does that correlate with 'success?' I love writing, love having my words in print, and love having the chance to explore the writing of others, so I guess in that sense I am a success: that it is something I enjoy and therein I am content. As far as paying off my student loans though...most people (including me) can probably make more money flipping burgers than by writing, but success should not be measured in monetary terms alone. I write because I love to write, and if I sell millions of books, great! If not, I'm fine with that too.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
I love exploring new worlds, meeting new people, seeing what is around the next bend in the road. I am as curious to see what happens next as any one reading what I have written. I love exploring the complex world of thought and philosophy in story form, as has been done throughout time and across cultures. Story is one force that unites us all and can help us understand ourselves, each other, and our world.
What are you working on next?
I am puttering around with a few more short story collections, but who knows? I never thought I would write a book, let alone an entire series. Who knows what comes next?
Who are your favorite authors?
Anybody British and dead would be a good start...Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Jane Austen, George MacDonald, even Shakespeare would be on my list. I also love L. M. Montgomery (Canadian) and Louisa May Alcott (American). I am still looking for a living author to fall in love with, I think I was born in the wrong century sometimes.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Family and work take up most of my time, as is the case with most of us. Writing is a passion but must give place to more important matters most of the time.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
This was back in the handwritten days of elementary school where I wrote some strange story about a kid who wakes up to find a cat in his dog house and the dog gone with no explanation given, I think it was my first (and last) attempt at literary fiction.
How do you approach cover design?
I love nature and photography, and now have an overwhelming supply of pictures to choose from. I try and find a photo that conveys a sense of what the book contains, then very unprofessionally attach a title and author and call it an ebook cover. It works for now, someday perhaps I will meet a cheap and skilled graphic artist...
What's the story behind your latest book?
I'm really excited about the 'In Shadow' series, it has been a while since I wrote anything in my 'Chronicle of the Brethren' series besides a few short stories, it was fun to get back into it and add a unique twist to an already interesting world.
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Wheat-free, whole grain, and high-fiber baking that doesn't taste like cardboard! Need more fiber or whole grains in your diet, love cookies? This book is for you! Warning: This is not a Healthy Cooking Book, it uses real sugar and contains fat along with all the flavor, texture, and deliciousness you expect in traditional baked goods, just without the gluten and with lots of fiber besides!
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“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” Hamlet, William Shakespeare. A land of shadows, of mystery, of obfuscated Truth. Welcome to the Greylands, that strange world, within the bounds of Time, peopled by mortal men. We cannot see truly, only as through a glass, darkly. A collection of stories inspired by such imaginings, in a modern setting!
The Greylands: Volume X
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Are you clueless when it comes to gluten free baking? Are you tired of spending a fortune on specialty products that taste like the box it came in? Do you miss real bread, croissants, cookies, cake, and brownies? Are you looking for a straightforward approach to a baffling new lifestyle written by a real, ordinary person who has been there? Then this might just be the book for you!
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