Susie Kearley
Hi! First off let’s start simple. Tell us your name, where you’re from, and a little about yourself (if you’re promoting something specific feel free to add that in here).
I'm a freelance writer from the UK. I write for a wide range of magazines, including BBC titles, gardening magazines and lifestyle publications. In January 2021, my debut novel 'Pestilence' was published. It's an apocalyptic pandemic novel - based on an idea I had when I was a teenager. Here's the short blurb...
What if a new drug had unintended consequences?
A fungal pandemic, government corruption, scientific denial.
There's a medical breakthrough, a world full of hope.
Before things go catastrophically wrong...
Civilisation collapses. Will they find a cure?
What is your favorite genre to write in? Do you read different genres than you write?
I find non-fiction easiest, but that might just be because that's what I'm most used to writing. With non-fiction you don't have to make up the story - you just have to find a compelling way to tell it. I enjoy reading non-fiction too, such as memoirs. Yours is good!
What does a typical day of writing look like for you? Is there specific music you need playing in the background? Do you have a favorite chair?
I prefer quiet, though don't always get it when they're digging up the road outside, or decide to build 70 flats next door (this really happened, and it took 2 years). I work in my writing office from about 8am until 5pm every day. It varies a bit, depending on when I'm up and when I've had enough! I always go out for a walk in the afternoon. That's one of the perks of being self-employed.
If you could meet any author, living or dead, and pick their brain, who would it be and why?
I like the idea of meeting James Herbert, because he was my inspiration growing up, but he's dead now, and honestly, if I'd met him, I suspect I wouldn't have known what to say!
What does success as a writer mean to you?
I always wanted to be able to make a living from my writing, and now I do, so to me, that's success. Other people might measure success by having their novel published, by selling x thousand copies, or whatever. Obviously if I reached a decent milestone on book sales, that'd be another goal achieved too, but whether the books do well or not, I consider myself a success as a writer because I'm able to make a living from my writing.
What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not writing?
I enjoy walking, visiting stately homes, gardens, and historic places. I enjoy photography, and these things go hand in hand really.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received (about writing or life)?
I don't think anyone's ever given me good advice about my writing. People are often very negative. They don't want you to take chances, and they think you'll fail. On that basis, I think the best advice I can give someone else is to persevere, because you only fail completely when you give up. Obviously, there's room for taking a break when things aren't going well. Sometimes a break or a different path can be good - it gives you a chance to focus on something different, and return with a fresh perspective when you want to try again. At the age of 36, my circumstances were right to take the leap to freelance writing and it worked out.
Lastly, tell everyone where they can find you and buy your books (promote those books!)
My Amazon author page is here: https://www.amazon.com/Susie-Kearley/e/B00H6EI87U
My books include Pestilence, four writing books, a Grand Tour of Scotland, Memories of WWII, and my latest release, The Guinea Pigs' Guide to Training Humans!
My blog is here: http://susiekearley.blogspot.com
