Colleen Houck Book Club discussion

Welcome to the group! Suzanne will be answering questions in April in this thread only. In the meantime if you have a question for the author or just want to introduce yourself feel free to do so in this thread.

How did you get started writing?

What's the most important piece of advice you've ever been given?

Do you miss the northwest at all? We miss you!

I'm new to your books and I can't wait to check some out. Where do you draw your inspiration from? What music do you enjoy?

Colleen wrote: "How did you get started writing?"

I actually starting writing short stories in junior high. I'd write murder mysteries starring my friends. We'd pass them around during class.

I majored in creative writing in college, and eventually became an English teacher. I kept writing short stories, but it wasn't until years later that one of my short stories ended up being about 400 pages. haha

My sister told me I should try to publish it--which was kind of her, but honestly, it wasn't a great book. :) I ended up researching the industry--writing more--and querying. Now I'm fifteen published books in.

Ashley wrote: "I'm new to your books and I can't wait to check some out. Where do you draw your inspiration from? What music do you enjoy?"

Hi! I sort of take my inspiration from everywhere. Each book is different. Some, like The Program, started based on my own experiences. Others are inspired by current events. The one truth is that none of my books come from one source. They are typically built from several points of inspiration.

On a daily basis I listen to Alt Nation. My book playlists change constantly. The Program books are each split into 3 parts, titles inspired by songs. The Program is Pink Floyd.

My playlists for writing usually include really sad songs, almost always love songs :)

"The Night We Met" Lord Huron
"Apocalypse" Cigarettes After Sex
"Like Real People Do" Hozier

Colleen wrote: "What's the most important piece of advice you've ever been given?"

It was something along the lines of, "Always focus on the NEXT book." It's tempting to go all in on the book being published, but in reality, those are books we've written a year or longer ago. So I once had an editor tell me the most important part of the career is what you've got coming next.

Colleen wrote: "Do you miss the northwest at all? We miss you!"

Oh, my goodness. You have no idea! I miss everything about the NW, even the rain. But I could only take the weather in small doses. Any chance I can bring all of you to Arizona to hang by the pool? :)

Suzanne wrote: "Colleen wrote: "How did you get started writing?"

I actually starting writing short stories in junior high. I'd write murder mysteries starring my friends. We'd pass them around during class.

I ..."
So when did you make the move from teaching to full time writing? You don't still juggle both do you? I wrote my first three books while working full time and now I can't imagine that.

Suzanne wrote: "Colleen wrote: "Do you miss the northwest at all? We miss you!"

Oh, my goodness. You have no idea! I miss everything about the NW, even the rain. But I could only take the weather in small doses. ..."

I go to Arizona frequently since I still have four brothers and sisters who live there. My family are all in Tucson.

I started teaching way back in 2001 :) I took a few years off, but I wrote nearly all of my books while working. The last few years, I've switched to a part-time position at my school, working at the online academy. I hope to get back to teaching soon. I love it! I miss the classroom.

I just finished The Remedy and finally realized it was a prequel. How did this order of books come about?

What is your next project?

Do you have a favorite book conference you like to attend?

Colleen wrote: "I just finished The Remedy and finally realized it was a prequel. How did this order of books come about?"

The Treatment was going to be the last book. I started a new book, The Remedy, and at the end, I wrote a line about how this world became the world of The Program.

The minute I wrote that, I realized it was a prequel. I rewrote the draft. I love that it can be read separately from The Program, but if you read the first two books, you get to see nods to the series. The Remedy continues to be my favorite book. But it's not dependent on the other stories.

However, The Remedy plays a big part in ending the series.

Colleen wrote: "What is your next project?"

In 2019 I have a new series, starting with GIRLS WITH SHARP STICKS. It's about an all-girl private school where nothing is what it appears. And once the students realize what's going on, they start to fight back.

Colleen wrote: "Do you have a favorite book conference you like to attend?"

I do! I LOVE Apollycon, put on Jennifer Armentrout: http://www.apollyconevent.com

It's warm, welcoming, and too fun to even put into words. :)

After reading all of your books the most common theme I’ve come across is that they are all very emotional (whether it be happiness, despair, hope, etc) . What would you say is the hardest and the easiest emotion for you to write into your books?

What was your writing routine like when you were teaching full time?

Kennedy (Cosmic YA Books) wrote: "After reading all of your books the most common theme I’ve come across is that they are all very emotional (whether it be happiness, despair, hope, etc) . What would you say is the hardest and the ..."

I think grief was an emotion I was really suffering from when I started writing. It finds its way into all of my books, and usually, it's the driving force of behavior in my books. I can write grief. I know it well. I don't mind crying while I type the words because in the end, I control the outcome. In real life it's not that simple.

However, the most difficult emotion for me to write is heartbreak. The relationship heartbreak where love is unrequited or impossible. I do occasionally write it, but in the end, I make things okay. That's for me. I can't handle heartbreak and I'm absolutely miserable when I write it. :)

Ann wrote: "What was your writing routine like when you were teaching full time?"

At first, I would write at my desk on lunch breaks. And then an hour or so at my desk after school (my kids were small, so it was a little harder to write at home).

When I sold my books and had deadlines, I'd write at night, but mostly, I'd write through the weekend and through all of my breaks. I was lucky in that my school had a two-week per break schedule, so I'd edit an entire book during those breaks. I didn't have a vacation for years.

It was exhausting, however. And I made myself pretty sick doing so many hours. Eventually, I had to switch to part time and now I work through an online academy.

Now that my schedule is freeing up a bit, I might go back to full-time in the next few years. I miss it.

Will you be making a companion novel or anything like that for Hotel For The Lost or All In Pieces?

Hotel For The Lost was such an interesting book, and its probably the first of its particular kind that I read, don't want to give too much away because of spoilers but, how did you come up with the concept about the hotel? Since I didn't see the twist at the end coming was it hard to make it that way, like having it be a surprise to the reader?

Suzanne wrote: "Kennedy (Cosmic YA Books) wrote: "After reading all of your books the most common theme I’ve come across is that they are all very emotional (whether it be happiness, despair, hope, etc) . What wou..."

I'm so sorry that you know grief so well, but at the same time you being able to feeling an emotion that intensely really adds to the realness of the story and gives the reader more insight into the pain of what the characters feeling in those moments.

Suzanne wrote: "Colleen wrote: "What is your next project?"

In 2019 I have a new series, starting with GIRLS WITH SHARP STICKS. It's about an all-girl private school where nothing is what it appears. And once the..."

Sorry for all the questions, but to add on to what Colleen asked, what gave you the inspiration to write Girls With Sharp Sticks? Is it a standalone or will it be a duology/series?

Kennedy (Cosmic YA Books) wrote: "Hotel For The Lost was such an interesting book, and its probably the first of its particular kind that I read, don't want to give too much away because of spoilers but, how did you come up with th..."

I would write a sequel for Hotel for the Lost, but unfortunately it's not something I get to decide. Unless there's a huge bump in sales and readers ask for a sequel, it will never happen. Audrey wouldn't be the main character either. It would have to be a new guest :)

Suzanne wrote: "Kennedy (Cosmic YA Books) wrote: "Hotel For The Lost was such an interesting book, and its probably the first of its particular kind that I read, don't want to give too much away because of spoiler..."

That's too bad, it would be amazing to revisit these characters. Maybe an exclusive epilogue in your newsletter one day? Something like the Sloane and James short in your last one?

Kennedy (Cosmic YA Books) wrote: "After reading all of your books the most common theme I’ve come across is that they are all very emotional (whether it be happiness, despair, hope, etc) . What would you say is the hardest and the ..."

I love that question!

Suzanne wrote: "Kennedy (Cosmic YA Books) wrote: "After reading all of your books the most common theme I’ve come across is that they are all very emotional (whether it be happiness, despair, hope, etc) . What wou..."

Passion is my favorite emotion. Is that an emotion? I think it is. Anyway, it's a thing I enjoy writing. I can write pages and pages of kissing. =)

Suzanne wrote: "I would write a sequel for Hotel for the Lost, but unfortunately it's not something I get to decide.."

I hate that about the publishing world. I usually know going in how many books an idea will take to finish. If I'm writing a stand alone, I want to know that going in. It changes how I write a book.

Thanks to Suzanne for an amazing chat! The winner of the book prize this month is Kennedy (Cosmic YA Books). Congrats! Don't forget to join me next month when my featured author will be Sarah Ahiers!