Sunday, January 15, 2012

A few moments with Suzanne Robb


Today I have the pleasure of having author Suzanne Robb on my blog. Welcome, Suzanne, and tell us a little about your current Dark Continents release. Where did it originate? Are there any underlying themes you explore that are personal to you? What was its writing process like for you?

The collection for Dark Continents is really varied. It is a collection of three stories, one is about a werewolf, another a dysfunctional family fending off the impending apocalypse, and the third about genetic mutation. The stories all came from pretty random places, the spots of my brain with cobwebs that like to change things up a bit.

There was no real personal theme for me other than humor in two of them, even though they are horror stories, they are also funny and my goal as a writer is to make people laugh at times.

The writing process for me is ever changing. I used to write like a mad woman, but there was no way to keep up that pace. Now I wait until an idea has fully formed and then I run at it full speed. I might go a few days with no writing and then write 5 stories in a week.

What are some of the writing resources you've found most useful in your time as author? What is the one truly good piece of advice you'd give to a newbie writer?

Editors, the best thing a writer can do is make friends with an editor and learn. That is also the same advice I would give to any writer, new ones especially. An editor's advice is invaluable, do not mouth off to them, or say you like your way better, or any other variation of that. An editor has a job that kicks in AFTER the writer has finished.

What are some of your interests, outside of the written word? Care to tell us why they blow your hair back?

I like LEGO's, puzzles, crosswords, some video games, and playing with my dog. I would not say they blow my hair back, as an adventurer I am not, but they relax me and at the same time let my mind wander. Playing fetch with the dog is when I come up with some of the best ideas.

Do you think the written word has the power to change people's perceptions of the world? What is the single-most influential work of fiction you've read, and why?

The written word has the power to do almost anything, changing perceptions of the world one of them. They can make people sad, angry, and a whole gamut of emotions if strung together in the right order.

The work I read that had the most impact on me was The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. The first story to take me somewhere else and teach me about nobility and sacrifice, and had an emotional impact on me, most likely why it stuck with me for so long.

How do you feel about electronic publishing? Do you read ebooks? Do you prefer printed books?

I have mixed feelings about electronic publishing. Seems like anyone can put a book out, which is their right. But what is happening is the lack of editing and proper formatting is giving e-books a bad name, and thus many readers think e-books are all cut from the same cloth so to speak.

I do read e-books, but it is more of a money-saving matter. I have so many friends who write that if I were to buy all their books I would need another job and about seven more bookcases.
I prefer printed in the end, something about them, not sure if it is the feel or smell.

Links:
Twitter - @srobb76

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