The Muse Update

by Suzie Carr

@girl_novelist

I put everything I had into this book. I cried, I laughed, I dug very deep to get this important story into words.

I received great news from my editor last night.  She read my first draft of my 6^th novel, The Muse, and gave it two thumbs up. She gets three weeks to read it and she read it in two days.

I trust her opinion and rely on her honesty and objectivity, always, but perhaps more so at this stage of the project. I always wait through these first draft read through weeks with my breath somewhat hitched, afraid that I’ve missed the mark on the concept and will need to rewrite the novel.

Well I’m happy to report she came back with the following: “No words can adequately describe how I feel about this book. It’s life changing. I’m floored beyond belief. The depth and brilliance are at a whole new level. Plot, characters, conflict, resolution, ALL AIRTIGHT SOLID.”

To a writer, this means Olympic gold. Well, at least to this writer!

This love story is written with humor, but carries a serious message. It is about bullying and its effects. It will be released in December 2012. 

It’s an important one to tell because I suffered at the hands of a bully when I was very young. She bullied me into silence for two very long years when I was only five years old. I was too afraid to speak to anyone but my parents and siblings during this time. She literally silenced me. 

Thanks to a great support system at the time, I pulled through what could’ve been devastating to my future. One person’s hatred, jealousy, whatever the root cause, can affect another for eternity, snuffing out the light source, the energy, the very best in someone.

Bullies have the power to destroy lives. They should never be tolerated. Period. If this book helps even one person, I will feel infinitely blessed.

As my readers know, I enjoy donating a portion of my book proceeds to a worthy charity. I am currently researching into national charities to donate a portion of future proceeds from this book. Please feel free to chime in below with your recommendations for a worthy charity that helps promote awareness and support to bullied youth.

Wishing you all the best,

Suzie

  

What's Your Fuel?

By Suzie Carr
@girl_novelist

As a novelist, I’m always interested to learn what motivates people to go beyond their comfort levels to that place where real growth happens. When creating characters, I enjoy learning lessons through them. What makes them act the way they do? Why do they care so deeply for certain things? How did they become so cynical, so happy or so fearful?

We’re all driven by different things. Our past experiences shape the way we view the world and the way we interact with others. We all come equipped with driving forces that dig deep and push us to or pull us away from defining moments.

I’m driven by the word CAN’T. When someone tells me I can’t do something, I do it double-time.  The reason for this motivation digs deep.

When I was in kindergarten and sitting in a circle for story time, a girl bullied me. Each time I’d raise my hand to answer a question, she’d hit me. After several grueling rounds of this, I stopped raising my hand and eventually lost all confidence to speak to anyone but my best friend, Todd, and my immediate family members. For two years, I spoke only to them.

Bribed with adventures and treats that would make any well-adjusted child leap for joy, I turned my back on any hope of being a ‘normal’ kid. Then one day, my best friend begged me to speak to his mother because that was the only way I could go to his baseball game. For three hours, I stood next to his mom as she watched soap operas and waited patiently for me to whisper something, anything, in her ear.

Todd begged and cried for me to brave up and say something. By the end of the third hour, my best friend knelt down exhausted and said to me, “I knew you couldn’t do it.” This little action switched something in me so powerful that I managed to whisper ‘yes’ into his mom’s ear.

I haven’t been able to stop talking since.

Fast forward to high school English class. To graduate, I needed to present my book report to the class. I refused, deathly afraid of public speaking. My English teacher allowed me to present it to him after school. When I finished, he told me, “You won’t succeed in a professional setting, so get used to working harder instead of smarter. That little insult sparked an inferno inside of me and I marched off to college shortly after and majored in public speaking, and graduated Summa Cum Laude.

Whenever someone tells me I can’t accomplish something, I accomplish the S*#T out of it!

That is my fuel.

What’s yours? What gets you out of your comfort zone?

All the Best,

Suzie

I feel it's critical to support the community, and so I've committed to donate a portion of my book sale proceeds to the NOH8 Campaign (www.noh8campaign.com).