Suzanne Barrett Interview and Giveaway

Hello Suzanne Barrett. Thank you to taking the time to stop by. I am honored to have you here.

To start would you mind telling the readers a little about yourself?

I am a retired facility engineer, but all my life I've loved reading and writing. To graduate from the eighth grade in Portland, OR, we had to submit a report on the Oregon Trail. I submitted a short romantic story! So, I guess my literary direction began at an early age. Later, a series of pen pals fueled my wanderlust, and eventually, after many years in aerospace, I began to write the kind of stories I wanted to read. I guess you could say I was a right-brain person in a left-brain job.

What can we expect from your newest release is In Love and War?

Ah, where to start. This was a book New York wouldn't consider, because it deals with a touchy political subject: Irish Republicanism. My heroine, Meaghann is a dairy farmer, but she's also the daughter and granddaughter of Irish Republicans (the original IRA men and women who fought against a divided Ireland). Quinn, on the other hand, is a war correspondent who is sickened by the religious and political violence in the world's hotspots, fueled in part by his flag-waving Irish father who gave his love and time to "the Cause."

In Love and War is set in rural County Waterford and offers a real slice of life. It's dramatic, realistic, sensual, and far, far from what you'll find in most romance novels.

In Love and War is set in Ireland, and I believe you took a trip there, can you tells us about it. Did your trip help you while writing In Love and War?

Actually, I've made many trips to Ireland, and once entertained the thought of moving there. For In Love and War, I spent part of a winter in the locality where the book is set. I spent quite a lot of time on research and can tell you that the dairy farm, the cheesemaking operation, the converted castle keep and other sites are real. I could not have written this story without being there.

I love the name Quinn and Meaghann how did you come up with them?

I keep several Irish telephone directories, and many of the names I use are straight out of those white pages.

What make a strong character to you? What sets a character apart from others?

A strong character is one you don't easily forget. I feel that to be memorable, a character has to be one with whom a reader empathizes. So, how does this happen? A character should seem real, should not be perfect (i.e. he, like all of us, has flaws). A character may start out in a story as flawed, perhaps unlikable, and with a boatload of baggage, but there should be a thread of goodness in him that in the course of the story carries him to the crisis that allows enough growth for him to overcome whatever obstacle prevents him from succeeding. If you're asking what sets the main protagonists apart from the others, I'd say it would be this underlying strength or resolve.

What is your favorite book and why?

The favorite book I've written? In Love and War, hands down. I struggled to make this book accurate, and I felt both protagonists down to my bones.

What or who influenced you the most in your writing career?

My critique partner, Carolyn Woolston, has been a lifelong friend. We met when we both worked in aerospace (she was an editor). We began critiquing in 1991. She made me examine my writing, develop critical thinking and pushed me to set ever higher goals to be the best writer I can be. Carolyn writes for Harlequin Historicals as Lynna Banning. (Check out her wonderful new Western historical Lady Lavender.)

Many of our viewers are aspiring writers; do you have any writing tips to pass along?

Oh, yes! Don't ever love your work so much that you can't see the flaws. Every work can be better. Find a critique partner who is a better writer than you and who will be brutally honest (not just brutal!) as well as encouraging. One who will inspire you to do better.

What is the writing process like for you? Do you have a particular writing process or any writing rituals?

I'm a seat-of-the-pants writer. I have a very loose outline, and I understand that each scene and each chapter needs a beginning, a middle and an end, but I feel more creative if I let the story become more organic. Write first, fix later.

What is next for you? Can you share anything regarding your current work in progress?

I have two very different partials I'm working on: one is a romantic suspense set in California's Central Coast - a wine country story. The other is a Medieval set in twelfth-century Wales (think Cadfael). In addition, I have a third partial set in Ireland just prior to the Easter Rising of 1915 and carries through to the signing of the treaty in 1922.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

Thank you for inviting me, Marissa. It was a pleasure to be here.

In addition to writing, I also design wire jewelry ( www.bellerustique.com) and run an Irish travel website ( www.irelandforvisitors.com)

Also, I am offering a digital copy of In Love and War to the first commenter who can name Meaghann's cat. (Hint: check the excerpt on the Turquoise Morning Press website.)