my promise to you
I will do everything possible to be sure your
book reflects your best work.
I want each of you to be proud of the work you publish.
My passion lies in delving into the depths of human emotion and expression by guiding writers away from the shallow waters of conventional thought and into the deep current of creativity that runs within each of us. I believe the essence of impactful writing emerges from deep within. In a world inundated with superficiality, I am driven by the conviction that shallow writing is a detriment to us all.
Through the years since earning my MFA (dual concentration in Fiction and Creative Nonfiction) and a Certification as a Creative Writing Instructor, all at Antioch University LA, I have found my footing in the literary world, that of guiding aspiring writers on a journey of self-discovery. I help uncover and amplify their unique voices and empower them to harness their creativity and the complexities of the human spirit by exploring the very depths of their beings.
When you entrust your writing journey to me, you’re not just gaining a mentor or an editor – you’re gaining a passionate advocate for your voice. Together, we delve deep into the essence of your message, infusing it with the power and resonance that only an authentic writer’s voice can deliver. Whether you’re crafting fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, I am here to support you every step of the way, ensuring that your words leave a lasting impact on readers’ hearts and minds.
By exploring the ‘writer self’ through the essence of nature, my students are able to create characters and a sense of place that brings them alive on the page, rising up from the land as if it/he/she/they were born of the earth.
I have carried my passions with me crisscrossing the country – managing a guest ranch in Arizona for many years, caring for my elderly parents in Missouri while writing each day. I now live in Boise, ID with Ellie, my Golden Retriever.
My writing journey
How It All Began
I had been working on my writing for years. After completing the BA at Vermont College, I worked and worked on my writing still more, then finally, I applied to an MFA program and was accepted at Antioch University Los Angeles.
When I arrived on campus, I was such a novice. I had a completed manuscript in my hands. I was so proud of myself for actually finishing it. I can’t even tell you how long I had worked on this, or how many revisions I had done. My professor read it, and sent me home to rewrite it, saying it was more like a movie script, and he wanted me to write it as a novel. Whew.
That was the best thing that ever happened to me, but I didn’t know it on that day. Thank you Leonard Chang! My heart fell to my feet. I was devastated, but I didn’t quit. Instead, I set out to figure it all out.
I decided to go for a dual concentration, both in Fiction and Creative Nonfiction, and then when I graduated, I stayed another term to get certified as a Creative Writing Instructor. That is what brings me to you today. I have been writing since I was about 14 years old starting with a teen column in a Nevada newspaper, the Tonopah Times Bonanza and went on from there, but I had never been taught what I am about to teach you.
My book, Song of the Earth, was/is about the US/Mexican Border crisis. I had been living this at the time but had since gone to Missouri to care for my elderly parents and to finish my book there. When I got back to my parents’ home from LA and was trying to figure out how I was going to put this book together, I wrote something about the Border. Just two or three pages, and sent it off to a friend of mine, a Mexican diplomat, in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico. I asked him for his opinion, and I certainly got it. He was livid! “Susan, my dear, this isn’t Mexico and the Border, you’ve missed the essence of it all.” And that was when I realized what this was all about. I was standing back, writing about it from a distance. On that day, I fell off that perch I had considered a safe place, where I could see and document things, but not get involved. I knew if I got too close to it, my emotions would get the best of me. So, I moved up closer, figuratively speaking, and wrote the story from the inside, from my heart. My life and my writing changed forever.