Please welcome Suzie Webster to the blog! We met at the Lust in the Lowcountry conference and am fortunate to have met her! Let's take a look at her story:
Please tell me a little about yourself.
I am first a mom and wife. I’ve been married to my second husband for twenty-five years and we are having a grand adventure together. I have three children, ages 27, 24 and 18, a son in between two daughters. I am a serial entrepreneur. I’ve started numerous businesses and I never tire of learning new things, although I was never much of a student growing up. I started in real estate in 1993, I owned a hair salon in 1996 and I was a professional decorator for five years in the early-mid 2000s. I have produced events since 2008 and I published my first romance novel in 2019. I also own a building envelope business that I started with my husband in 2009. I have always loved reading and I read just about every book in my middle school library. I was also the editor of my literary magazine in high school. An authentic book nerd in every way.
Could you let us in on what you’re working on now?
I just finished a short story for an Anthology being published through our local Romance Writers Association and I am diving back into finishing up the third book in my For Me series. The first two books are a duet and a love triangle between two men and a woman.
Which of your stories is your favorite?
I love my book Stay For Me, the second in the For Me duet. I love writing the men in my books because it’s so fun trying to get inside the male psyche. So writing a book with two hot male leads was so much fun and so sexy! But I will always be partial to my book Revival on King Street because it was my first and I’ll never forget the thrill of finishing it.
What’s your inspiration?
My husband is my muse and my inspiration. He is my #1 beta reader and he doesn’t hold back when giving me his critique. I rely on him tremendously to make sure I am getting my male characters right. He is also the perfect balance of alpha with a soft gooey center when it comes to his family.
How and when did you begin writing?
I wrote a book in middle school, it was a hundred pages long and I was so proud to finish it. I never forgot that feeling of accomplishment and I always wanted to write romance novels because I loved them so much in my teens and twenties. Life got in the way for many decades but I finally published my first book at the age of 49! I just made the decision to do it and four months later I had completed my first draft. It was published nearly a year after I first started.
What is one of your favorite books by another author?
My favorite authors are Jennifer Hartmann, Jewel E. Ann, Pam Godwin and Kate Stewart in the romance genre. But my all time favorite author will always be Stephen King. His books were the cornerstone of my childhood and I adore his twisted mind. My favorite book is Sacajawea by Anna Lee Waldo, I’ve read it numerous times.
Have you considered writing in other genres?
I think romance is the one for me. I can’t resist an HEA.
What is your writing process?
Do you need silence or music? I need complete silence so I can live inside my story. I am very easily distracted so it’s difficult to write when other people are around.
How long does it usually take you to write a book?
Usually about three months if I am focused.
Have you ever had the dreaded Writer’s Block?
No but sometimes I am in a groove more than other times.
Do you have pets?
I have the world’s best dog named Seamus, a goldendoodle who is 9 years old. He loves to play ball and swim and he’s just so fun and loveable.
What is your favorite part of writing? Do you have favorite plots?
I love the moment when the two main characters connect for the first time. I love to write tension and I really love writing sex scenes.
Anything new on the horizon?
I have an idea for a paranormal book, a real-life ghost story. I plan to write that after I finish my For Me series and the last novella in my Lowcountry Liaisons series.
Do you have anything that you absolutely need to have in order to write?
Peace and quiet.
Could you tell me the heat rating of your books out of 5 flames?
My newer books are four to five flames.
Who is your main source of support for your writing?
My husband is my biggest cheerleader by far. He believes in me more than I believe in myself which always makes me strive to be better. My kids are also a great support system and my oldest daughter, Ryleigh is my personal assistant and social media coordinator.
Is there anything you’d like to add?
I started writing books because I wanted to inspire women in their forties and beyond. I want women to know that life only gets better as you get older. My husband and I are having the best time in our marriage right now. We both feel like we have made it through the hard part and we intend to enjoy every minute of these years. As a woman, having the confidence that experience brings enhances everything including in the bedroom. So don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. Your partner will thank you.
