Seeking Sara Summers (25 page)

What genre do you feel most at ease writing in, if any?

There is something magical and archetypal about telling a story. I’ve written in several different mediums including children’s fiction, adult fiction, short stories, plays and poetry. As far as categories, you can find me in literary fiction, southern fiction, coming-of-age stories and contemporary fiction. I'm hard to pin down.

How do you like to approach your writing when starting a new project? Do you do outlines, and breakdown scenes, or do you just leap straight into writing the narrative?

Most of my stories begin with a voice. If I’m lucky, I will hear a character’s voice and luckier still if they begin to tell me their story. I am an intuitive writer and have a rich imagination, so it usually begins with a dialogue or a first-person voice. I don’t do outlines or breakdown scenes. It is a total leap of faith.

The characters grow as I get to know them. Over time I will get to know their family history, their personal habits, and their motivation. However, I rarely know where a story is going after I start it. Nor do I know how it will end up. A first draft is like getting the bones in, like a skeleton, and then subsequent drafts are spent putting flesh on the bones.

I even dream about my characters sometimes. While writing
Seeking Sara Summers
, Grady showed up in a dream and waved to me. I thought this was very generous of him since he isn’t the most sympathetic of characters in the book.

What did you do before you became a writer?

I started our as a professional musician and then became a teacher for at-risk kids, before getting my masters degree in counseling. I was a licensed psychotherapist in private practice for ten years. I did good work, but one day I realized that if I didn’t follow what was deep in my heart and pursue writing, I would die with regrets.

When I began to write, I started out writing children’s books (ages 10 and up). I think I started with juvenile fiction because writing a novel for adults seemed much more daunting. But that was a good process for me in those early years because I learned to put together a story with a beginning, middle and an end, and I learned what engages readers of all ages: a really good story.

What was the most fun part about writing
Seeking Sara Summers
?

I actually traveled to Italy to do research for the book in 2004. It was an amazing trip and many of the places I experienced ended up in the book.

What’s your favorite thing about being a writer?

The process. I love having a cast of characters show up, getting to learn their story and then relaying that story. I love that period of time when I’m totally in my imagination with the story, seeing it play out in front of me and then, writing it down.

Also, I love hearing from readers who like my books, who tell me they couldn’t put it down and got swept up into the world of the story and were moved by it. This is very, very special. I think stories have the power to heal and inspire. And if I accomplish even a tiny bit of that, then I have done my job.

Susan loves to hear from readers! If you would reach her with a comment or question, you can contact her here:
http://www.susangabriel.com/contact
.

Other Books by Susan Gabriel

A novel

Fans of
The Help
and
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
will delight in this comic novel of family secrets by acclaimed writer, Susan Gabriel.

Every family has secrets, but the elite Temple family of Savannah has more than most. To maintain their influence, they’ve also been documenting the indiscretions of other prestigious southern families, dating as far back as the Civil War. When someone begins leaking these tantalizing tidbits to the newspaper, the entire city of Savannah, Georgia is rocking with secrets.

The current keeper of the secrets and matriarch of the Temple clan is Iris, a woman of unpredictable gastrointestinal illnesses and an extra streak of meanness that even the ghosts in the Temple mansion avoid. When Iris unexpectedly dies, the consequences are far flung and significant, not only to her family—who get in line to inherit the historic family mansion—but to Savannah itself.

At the heart of the story is Old Sally, an expert in Gullah folk magic, who some suspect cast a voodoo curse on Iris. At 100 years of age, Old Sally keeps a wise eye over the whole boisterous business of secrets and the settling of Iris's estate.

In the Temple family, nothing is as it seems, and everyone has a secret.

Available in paperback, ebook and audiobook.

Visit Susan's website for contact information, to sign up for her newsletter (which often includes book and audiobook giveaways) or to read her blog posts about her life as a writer.
www.SusanGabriel.com

The Secret Sense of Wildflower

“A quietly powerful story, at times harrowing, but ultimately a joy to read.”

--- Kirkus Reviews, starred review (for books of remarkable merit)

Named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books of 2012.

Set in 1940s Appalachia,
The Secret Sense of Wildflower
tells the story of Louisa May “Wildflower” McAllister whose life has been shaped around the recent death of her beloved father in a sawmill accident. While her mother hardens in her grief, Wildflower and her three sisters must cope with their loss themselves, as well as with the demands of daily survival. Despite these hardships, Wildflower has a resilience that is forged with humor, a love of the land, and an endless supply of questions to God. When Johnny Monroe, the town’s teenage ne’er-do-well, sets his sights on Wildflower, she must draw on the strength of her relations, both living and dead, to deal with his threat.

With prose as lush and colorful as the American South,
The Secret Sense of Wildflower
is a powerful and poignant southern novel, brimming with energy and angst, humor and hope.

Praise for The Secret Sense of Wildflower

"Louisa May immerses us in her world with astute observations and wonderfully turned phrases, with nary a cliché to be found. She could be an adolescent Scout Finch, had Scout’s father died unexpectedly and her life taken a bad turn...By necessity, Louisa May grows up quickly, but by her secret sense, she also understands forgiveness. A quietly powerful story, at times harrowing but ultimately a joy to read."
–
Kirkus Reviews

“A soulful narrative to keep the reader emotionally charged and invested.
The Secret Sense of Wildflower
is eloquent and moving tale chock-filled with themes of inner strength, family and love." – Maya Fleischmann, indiereader.com

“I’ve never read a story as dramatically understated that sings so powerfully and honestly about the sense of life that stands in tribute to bravery as Susan Gabriel’s,
The Secret Sense of Wildflower
…When fiction sings, we must applaud.” – T. T. Thomas, author of
A Delicate Refusal

“The story is powerful, very powerful. Excellent visuals, good drama. I raced to get to the conclusion...but didn’t really want to read the last few pages because then it would be over! I look forward to Gabriel’s next offering.” – Nancy Purcell, Author

“Just finished this with tears streaming down my face. Beautifully written with memorable characters who show resilience in the face of tragedy. I couldn’t put this down and will seek Susan Gabriel’s other works. This is truly one of the best books I’ve read in a very long time.” – A.C.

“An interesting story enhanced by great writing, this book was a page turner. It captures life in the Tennessee mountains truthfully but not harshly. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.” – E. Jones

“I don’t even know how to tell you what I love about this book --- the incredible narrator? The heartbreaking and inspiring storyline? The messages about hope, wisdom, family and strength? All of those!! Everything about it!” – K. Peck

“Lovely, soul stirring novel. I absolutely could not put it down! Beautifully descriptive, evocative story told in the voice of Wildflower, a young girl of the mountains, set in a wild yet beautiful 1940’s mountain town, holds you captive from the start. I had to wait to write my review, as I was crying too hard to see!” – V.C.

“I write novels, too, but this writer is fantastic. The story is authentic and gripping. Her voice through the child, Wildflower, is captivating. This story would make a great movie. I love stories that portray life changing tragedy and pain coupled with power of the human spirit to survive and continue to love and forgive. Bravo! Susan. Please write more and more.” – Judi D.
“This is a wonderful story that will make you laugh, cry, and cheer.” –T.B. Markinson

“I was pretty blown away by how good this book is. I didn’t read it with any expectations, hadn’t heard anything about it really, so when I read it, I realized from page one that it is a well written, powerful book.” – Quixotic Magpie

“If you liked Little Women or if you love historical fiction and coming-of-age novels, this is the book for you. Definitely add The Secret Sense of Wildflower to your TBR pile; you won’t regret it.” – PandaReads

“Bottom line: A great story about a strong character!” – Meg, A Bookish Affair

Grace, Grits and Ghosts: Southern Short Stories

This delightful ebook collection of short stories from acclaimed writer, Susan Gabriel is rich in humor, as well as mystery and meaning.

Whether white or black, living or dead, down home country or upscale urban, Gabriel’s characters are quirky, poignant and deep. They include: A Gullah woman using folk magic to cast her latest spell. A girl coming-of-age dealing with death in 1940s Tennessee. A wealthy Savannah matriarch with gastrointestinal issues guarding family secrets. A good ol’ boy observing himself shortly after his death. An agoraphobic woman striking up a unique friendship with the girl across the street. And a band of seventy-year-olds finding healing in a mountain stream.