Ask the Author: Susan Gabriel
Answered Questions (9)
Susan Gabriel
Hi Joy. Thanks for your question. I'm so glad you found me. Lily's Song is actually book 2 of The Wildflower Trilogy. Book 1 is The Secret Sense of Wildflower. Book 2 is Lily's Song. Book 3 is Daisy's Fortune. When I wrote the first book 17 years ago, I never dreamed that it would be a trilogy. I finished the final book last Fall.
My readers are predominantly your age. I am also in my sixties and have been writing for 25 years. Although The Secret Sense of Wildflower is a coming-of-age story, there are a number of significant adult aged characters and the whole trilogy is really a grandmother-mother-granddaughter story. So I do not consider this trilogy to be for young adults since my readers all tend to be older. I love my readers, and have a large following on my Facebook author page at Susan Gabriel, Author. You can also check me out on my website: www.susangabriel.com.
If you decide to read the Wildflower books, please feel free to let me know what you think. I love hearing from readers. Many book clubs have read this series, as well as the Temple Secrets series. I answer any and all questions from book clubs.
Thanks so much for your interest in my books. If I can answer any other questions just let me know.
With every good wish,
Susan Gabriel
P.S. Autographed copies of my books are available through the "new and used" option on Amazon (look for the entry that offers autographed copies from the author), or can be found on my website.
My readers are predominantly your age. I am also in my sixties and have been writing for 25 years. Although The Secret Sense of Wildflower is a coming-of-age story, there are a number of significant adult aged characters and the whole trilogy is really a grandmother-mother-granddaughter story. So I do not consider this trilogy to be for young adults since my readers all tend to be older. I love my readers, and have a large following on my Facebook author page at Susan Gabriel, Author. You can also check me out on my website: www.susangabriel.com.
If you decide to read the Wildflower books, please feel free to let me know what you think. I love hearing from readers. Many book clubs have read this series, as well as the Temple Secrets series. I answer any and all questions from book clubs.
Thanks so much for your interest in my books. If I can answer any other questions just let me know.
With every good wish,
Susan Gabriel
P.S. Autographed copies of my books are available through the "new and used" option on Amazon (look for the entry that offers autographed copies from the author), or can be found on my website.
Susan Gabriel
Hi John,
Thanks for your question. I grew up watching television and have watched a ton of movies in my lifetime so I am very visual. When I sit to write a novel, I see it play out in my imagination like a movie. With that in mind, my job as a writer is to write down what I see. I write scene by scene until I have a complete story.
I agree, I think Elle Fanning would have made a great Wildflower. But I imagine there is someone out there who could embody her almost as well.
Thanks so much for your question, and thanks for reading Wildflower's story.
With every good wish,
Susan
Thanks for your question. I grew up watching television and have watched a ton of movies in my lifetime so I am very visual. When I sit to write a novel, I see it play out in my imagination like a movie. With that in mind, my job as a writer is to write down what I see. I write scene by scene until I have a complete story.
I agree, I think Elle Fanning would have made a great Wildflower. But I imagine there is someone out there who could embody her almost as well.
Thanks so much for your question, and thanks for reading Wildflower's story.
With every good wish,
Susan
Susan Gabriel
Hi Elaine. Thanks so much for your question! I am so glad you enjoyed The Secret Sense of Wildflower and that the story kept you engrossed until the end. That's a great compliment to a writer. It is also nice to hear that my writing style fascinates you and that you now want to read more of my books! Yay! I'm honored.
As for Wildflower's name, I got that directly from Wildflower. She told me.
I think the story of how the book came to me is in the back of the book, but the short version is that I woke up in the middle of the night hearing a voice that was clear as a mountain stream. It was a young girl's voice and she said to me: "There are two things I am afraid of. One is dying young and the other is Johnny Monroe."
When writing fiction, if you can get the "voice," it is a really good thing, and so I got up at 4 am and began writing down the story that Wildflower was telling me. What got me out of bed was the belief that if I didn't write her story, she might go find some other writer to do it. All these years later, I am still honored that she chose me to tell her story.
Something else you might find interesting is that after The Secret Sense of Wildflower was published, I had no idea that I would write a sequel. But I kept hearing from readers over and over again that they wanted to hear more of her story. So I wanted to give my readers more.
The wonderful surprise with writing the sequel was that when I sat down to tell more of the story it was as if the lives of the characters had kept going and they were ready to tell me more. The sequel is the story of Wildflower's daughter, Lily, and is called Lily's Song. Wildflower and Lily both narrate the sequel.
Now, again to my surprise, it turns out that there will be a third and final book. So what I thought was a stand-alone book many years ago, has become a trilogy. Since I love Wildflower so much, I am happy to continue her story with this final book.
Feel free to let me know what you think of Lily's Song, Elaine. I love hearing from readers. And also feel free to ask more questions.
Thanks so much for reading! :) xo
As for Wildflower's name, I got that directly from Wildflower. She told me.
I think the story of how the book came to me is in the back of the book, but the short version is that I woke up in the middle of the night hearing a voice that was clear as a mountain stream. It was a young girl's voice and she said to me: "There are two things I am afraid of. One is dying young and the other is Johnny Monroe."
When writing fiction, if you can get the "voice," it is a really good thing, and so I got up at 4 am and began writing down the story that Wildflower was telling me. What got me out of bed was the belief that if I didn't write her story, she might go find some other writer to do it. All these years later, I am still honored that she chose me to tell her story.
Something else you might find interesting is that after The Secret Sense of Wildflower was published, I had no idea that I would write a sequel. But I kept hearing from readers over and over again that they wanted to hear more of her story. So I wanted to give my readers more.
The wonderful surprise with writing the sequel was that when I sat down to tell more of the story it was as if the lives of the characters had kept going and they were ready to tell me more. The sequel is the story of Wildflower's daughter, Lily, and is called Lily's Song. Wildflower and Lily both narrate the sequel.
Now, again to my surprise, it turns out that there will be a third and final book. So what I thought was a stand-alone book many years ago, has become a trilogy. Since I love Wildflower so much, I am happy to continue her story with this final book.
Feel free to let me know what you think of Lily's Song, Elaine. I love hearing from readers. And also feel free to ask more questions.
Thanks so much for reading! :) xo
Susan Gabriel
I wrote a book called The Secret Sense of Wildflower that has been very popular with readers, as well as reviewers. (Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred reviewed and voted it a Best Book of 2012.) However, what meant the most to me was how readers kept asking for more of the story. And so I ended up writing a sequel called Lily's Song that takes place 14 years after the first book does, and is about Wildflower's daughter, Lily. Now, I am working on book 3, the final book of the Wildflower series.
I had no idea when I wrote the first book that there would be more of the story or that I would end up writing a trilogy. So honestly it was readers who gave me the idea for books 2 and 3, although what happens in them comes from my imagination.
Thanks so much for reading! And for telling me what you want. xo
I had no idea when I wrote the first book that there would be more of the story or that I would end up writing a trilogy. So honestly it was readers who gave me the idea for books 2 and 3, although what happens in them comes from my imagination.
Thanks so much for reading! And for telling me what you want. xo
Susan Gabriel
A sequel to my novel, The Secret Sense of Wildflower (A Best Book of 2012 - Kirkus Reviews) that takes place 13 years later. I'm delighted to be reunited with these characters. So many readers requested a sequel, I decided to listen. xo
Susan Gabriel
By doing it. By doing the writing. By sitting down at around the same time every day and getting to work. By taking myself seriously. By believing that I have a purpose. By believing in myself. By believing in the power of stories.
Susan Gabriel
The secret to becoming a successful writer is to write A LOT. Write as often as you can. Write in stolen moments. Be selfish in a sacred way. Develop your talent. If the people around you aren't supportive, write in secret. Never. Give. Up. I've been writing for 20 years. To write is revolutionary. It is a quiet revolution perhaps, but it will change your life. It's changed mine.
Susan Gabriel
Writing. Using my imagination in the service of a novel. Spending time with the characters I create. Connecting with readers who have enjoyed my books. It doesn't get any better than that.
Susan Gabriel
My cure for writer's block is to have a mortgage. It never fails to inspire me to keep writing. Seriously, the things that help me stay focused and inspired are walks by the river by my home, or getting out in Nature anywhere. Something about being outside always helps me. Creativity is everywhere.
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Thank you so much for your reply! I will look for an autographed copy of your book(s).
Sincerely,
Joyce H
Apr 24, 2020 05:01AM · flag
Apr 25, 2020 07:53AM · flag