Interview Susan R. Sweet

by

Sophie Simonet

I had the pleasure of interviewing Susan Sweet, author of ADRIFT and fellow Florida writer. Below are her insights as both a writer and reader. Read on!

1) Susan, ADRIFT is a great title for a novel! How would you describe your book in three adjectives...

suspenseful, romantic, and emotional

2) What is the setting for ADRIFT? Is this where you live?

The southern coast of the US, from Louisiana to and including Florida. I live in Florida and travel the route taken in ADRIFT often.

3) What did you find to be the most difficult aspect of writing this novel?

Final revisions. This story has enjoyed quite an evolution.

4) Are your characters components of people you know?

Of course. In fiction, I can enhance the good characteristics and modify the bad. The hero is definitely based on my real-life hero, my hubby.

5) Do you seek most of your inspiration for your mysteries though the media or through personal experience, or both?

Both. The ideas bounce around in my head for awhile. The ones that won’t go away, I put to paper. If putting the words on paper excites me, then I continue to create the story.

6) What do you look for in a book, from a reader's point of view?

A smooth read, one that doesn’t continuously make me backtrack. I like a lot of action and dialogue, not descriptive narrative.

7) What is your biggest peeve in reading a book?

Guessing who-dunit by the end of the first chapter. I try hard to keep the reader guessing until near the end in my own work. If I guess the perp at the beginning of a book I’m reading, it spoils the entire story for me.

8) Was there anyone close to you who encouraged you to write? A teacher or family member, perhaps?

My husband. Every day when he came home, he’d be eager to hear me read aloud the next chapter from ADRIFT. His enthusiasm for the story kept me at the computer, knowing that he’d be disappointed if I didn’t have the next installment ready for him. Talk about pressure! But it’s good pressure, and support, too.

9) Do you have any personal interests that you worked into your novel?

Yes. Private eye work is a lot like writing a mystery. You search for clues to solve puzzles. I love puzzles.

10) You also wrote A DEADLY AGENT. Any other books in the pipeline?

The sequel to A DEADLY AGENT is A DEADLY DECEPTION. I’m about a third of the way finished with that one. I’m also working on a book that’s a departure from my usual writing, but I’m not ready to talk about it yet…