Created April 19, 2024 by Tanja Bauerle
Susan Foss is a writer, reader, and daydreamer, who grew up all over the world as a military brat. Still a brat, she's now settled in Arizona, where she's drawing on her Mexican and Native American (Akimel O’otham) heritage to create new worlds in fantasy and sci-fi stories. When she’s not writing, she can be found with her nose in a book, cooking, biking, or just hanging out with her family.
SCBWI AZ E&I AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT: SUSAN FOSS
Fast Five Interview Questions:
1. What is one thing we should know about you that's not in your bio?
I am an unpublished author, who has been writing for a long, long time! I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was five years old, when I sat down and seriously considered my options between singer, actress, or writer. Too shy and too much of a bookworm to seriously pursue the other options, I chose the latter and have never looked back.
2. What should we know about the books that you write?
In general, I love to write books with strong heroines, complex magical systems, angst, and romance. For my current YA draft, tentatively titled STORMSINGER, I feature all these elements, plus draw on the O’otham legends that I’ve grown up with. In my story, fourteen-year-old Morning Star must grapple with new song powers that draw the attention of gods and monsters alike to save her community and her captive brother. She is accompanied on her journey by a reluctant teacher in her village’s healer, the chief’s mysterious son, and the troublesome trickster god Coyote himself, who is often more hindrance than help.
3. What is one thing you learned/discovered about your writing process while you worked on this book?
Every draft is a learning experience, frankly, but this was my first work where I learned to reign in my word count. One of my weaknesses as a writer is a tendency to verbosity. I knew I had accomplished something when my full draft didn’t exceed 100,000 words!
4. If you live in a scene in your story, what moment would that be and why?
Gosh, what a great question. There are several moments I would love to live through, including the inciting incident where Morning Star calls up a storm of great power, discovering her own strengths for the first time. But I’d also really love to spend just a little time in Coyote’s shoes (paws?) with his disregard for all societal norms among humans, gods, and monsters alike. Sounds like a blast!
5. Finish this sentence: I could never have written this book had it not been for...
...the innumerable support of my family and community around me. From reading various drafts to childcare, I literally could not have done this without them. Thank you to them all!
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