Guest Post Author Susan Schoenberger

How/why did you start to write?
 I started to write seriously in my late 30s as a creative outlet that tapped into a different part of my journalist's brain. I don't like embellished writing as journalism, so I needed another venue to play with words.

How did you become an author?
 That was a very long road. I first wrote a novel that didn't go anywhere, then started working on short stories. When I attempted writing a novel again, I was fortunate enough to win a contest that helped me, eventually, find an agent. But even then, it took two years to sell A Watershed Year. Since then, I've had some rough luck and some great luck. Borders, which was much more enthusiastic about my book than Barnes & Noble, filed for bankruptcy just as it was coming out, so that didn't help. But then my editor at Guideposts Books moved to Seattle and got a job with Amazon Publishing, where she told them about my book. They are re-releasing it in November, which will give it another life, and they also bought my next novel, The Virtues of Oxygen.

What was your first published piece?
It was a short story called "Intercession," and it's the basis for the first chapter of my novel. 

Where was it published?
 It was published in the small journal Inkwell, which is based at Manhattanville College.

How long ago?
That was 2002. 

What did you do before embarking on your writing career? Was it an asset to your writing? How?
 I was a reporter and a copy editor, and both of those helped me as a fiction writer. The reporting skills are important for research, and the editing skills help me to fine-tune my own work.

What inspires you?
 Many other writers inspire me, as well as anyone who pursues a craft and really tries to untie the knots of what makes art successful and meaningful.

Please share one of your successful author platform building technique
I'm convinced that Twitter is a meaningful endeavor, but I haven't had enough time to devote to tweeting and building my followers. So please follow me on Twitter! https://twitter.com/schoenwriter

Parting words

Thanks for the opportunity to share my story. 

(You're most welcome, Susan. I enjoyed reading about your author journey. And I wish you much success with A Watershed Year.)

Blurb:

A woman in the midst of heartbreak finds renewed purpose in her life when she decides to adopt a young boy from Russia in this powerful and triumphant debut novel.

Two months after the death of her best friend Harlan, Lucy remains haunted by the things she never told him. Then she begins receiving emails he'd arranged to be sent after his death, emails that will change the course of her life. One email in particular haunts her -- he tells her he is certain she is destined for motherhood. Thus begins her watershed year.

Links

To order the book:

http://www.amazon.com/A-Watershed-Year-ebook/dp/B00D237Q9K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1375403280&sr=8-3&keywords=a+watershed+year

My website:

http://susanschoenberger.com 

My Facebook author page:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Susan-Schoenberger-Author/140050966055510

Book Review: Insomnia by Stephen King

It was a sunny, warmish day—unusual for early October. I unzipped the flap on the canopy, climbed onto the lawn chair and slipped into Stephen King’s world.

Insomnia was published in 1994. Well before the creation of the new genre—Baby Boomer Lit. But there’s no doubt this book belongs in this genre. King writes frankly about growing old and the moment of death.

‘ “The approach of almost every death which serves the Purpose takes a course with which we are very familiar. The auras of those who will die Purposeful deaths turns gray as time of finishing approaches. This gray deepens steadily to black. [The moment of death gives] release to those who suffer, peace to those in terror, rest to those who cannot find rest.’ (p. 396)

The senior citizens that people King’s book aren’t feeble and ineffectual. No, on the contrary, they fall in love, have sex and live dynamic, engaged lives.

Ralph Roberts is vulnerable—having just lost his wife—and so is a sympathetic character. He’s an every man which makes him easily relatable.

‘As that summer became fall, and as that fall darkened down toward Carolyn’s final winter, Ralph’s thoughts were occupied more and more by the deathwatch, which seemed to tick louder and louder even as it slowed down.

But he had no trouble sleeping.

That came later.’ (p. 35)

With the skill of a master, King takes time to develop his story. He uses the first forty pages of Insomnia to develop his characters, build intrigue and establish the world in which his story is set.

Completely engrossed in the book right up and including the bittersweet ending, I only paused briefly to note interesting observations ….

‘ “All lives are different. All of them matter or none matter.” ‘ (p. 577)

and acknowledge exceptionally well-written passages….

‘[L]ooked a few sandwiches shy of a picnic.’ (p. 144)

‘The light which did manage to find its way in here seemed to fall dead on the floor, and the corners were full of shadows.’ (p. 185)

 ‘He could feel the killer’s aura which surrounded this place pressing in on him, trying to smother him like a plastic dry-cleaning bag.’ (p. 501)

Insomnia has an old-fashioned charm, full of quaint sayings like:

‘Peek not through a keyhole, lest ye be vexed.’ (p. 384)

‘ “Looks like it’s shank’s pony the rest of the way up the hill.” ‘ (p. 463)

And as always happens to me when I read Stephen King’s prose, I was inspired to write…

It’s the time of the year when the clouds drift down in thin veils to dance with the evergreens. 
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Next post:  An interview with author Susan Schoenberger