Exclusive Bits from Susan May Warren Interview - Part Two

From missionary in Russia to novelist? How did Susan May Warren do it? Read my article to find out, and come back to read more of her story and about her upcoming novels.

"I dove in and wrote my first novel (approximately 800 pages – a James Michener epic about Russia from 1938-1980) in about a year. I learned a lot about pacing and setting and storytelling and characterization in just "doing it." I did get great feedback from a couple publishers and also landed my first agent. However, I really didn’t know what I was doing, and I spent the next four years writing more novels, and gobbling up everything I could about writing and craft. I read books, and joined ACFW, and attended online chats, and submitted my work for critiques and contests.

"My big break came after a traumatic experience – I was locked in an elevator during one cold November night for about 2 hours, and after relating my experience to my ACFW friends, they encouraged me to write a book about it. At the time Tyndale was having "novella" contests . . . so I wrote Measure of a Man, and submitted it the day before the deadline. I thought for sure nothing would come of it because I had talked to another author who said the two things publishers didn’t wants were missionary stories and international stories (and mine was both!) But, Tyndale took a chance on me, and bought it! I couldn't believe it when I got "the call" (or, in my case, the email, since I lived in Russia at the time). That opened the door to my "arsenal" of books that I’d been writing for the past four years. Oh, but the epic is still sitting unpublished on my shelf. (It makes a great footstool!)"

What's next from Susie? Read on:

"The next book out (in May) is Wiser than Serpents. It’s a thriller set in Taiwan about a woman who goes undercover to find her sister, who’s been swallowed into a human trafficking ring. Thankfully, she’s joined by a delta force captain who is also undercover, and together they work to uncover the ring and rescue her sister. It’s fast-paced, and tense, as well as wonderfully romantic. I also give information in the back of the book about how to get involved in the fight against human trafficking.

"In July, Finding Stefanie, the third book in the Noble Legacy series hits the stands. It’s a story about a movie star with a secret who heads to Montana country to start over and find healing. However, he finds trouble waiting for him in Montana in the form of a runaway teenager and his siblings. Stefanie is a horse trainer, with a soft-spot for the hurting, and she takes the kids under her wing…a move that brings more trouble than any of them can imagine. It’s a story of strength, and finding a fresh start, with suspense, a rich romance, and a spiritual theme that will encourage anyone going through a season of struggle.

"November brings Get Cozy, Josey, the third book in my Josey series. Josey and her family move to Siberia , and as Josey’s world gets colder, she wonders just what a girl needs to do to light the fires of her marriage when it seems the spark has died. It’s about being a mom to toddlers, living in crazy conditions, finding a new rhythm of marriage, and discovering that even at the ends of the earth, God has treasures waiting for a girl who trusts Him. It’s a great way to end the Josey series, and since I set it near where I lived, the hardest part was trying to figure out which of my own stories to put in!"

Hmm, this is getting kind of long - so stayed tuned for part 3!

P.S. This week the CFBA is featuring a book by Susie's friend - and My Book Therapy cohort - Rachel Hauck! Check out Sweet Caroline!