Big Happenings! by Susan Sands

 I'm happy to announce I've signed with Harpeth Road to write a new book! Harpeth Road is a new

romantic imprint started by bestselling author, Jenny Hale. So far, I'm completely impressed by the detail and care HR is taking in building my author brand. No detail is too small it seems. To that end, I'm finally collecting emails from readers and will send out my very first newsletter soon!

The book I've signed on the write for Harpeth Road is a low country romantic women's fiction set in coastal South Carolina. It's actually based on real place called Fripp Island, where I've vacationed for years with my family. We have friends who live on the island and this story has its origins with that family. I can't wait to share more as things progress!

I've decided a newsletter should be fun and not spammy, so I'm planning to include some interactive items and always a yummy recipe or two. I've just finished making a newsletter crossword puzzle! Fun and games! I do hope you will sign up at susansands.com!

I'm busy finishing up my second Louisiana novel for Tule Publishing and it's a real edge-of-your-seat mystery. My hero and heroine are having a hard time finding a moment to fall in love. But they will. You know they will. I can't wait for you to visit Cypress Bayou, Louisiana!

I hope the weather is nice where you are and that everyone is safe and healthy!

Take care!

Susan

Top Ten Goals for 2021 by Susan Sands

My mom's Christmas cookie recipe

We've made it! At least we've made it through 2020. 

Politics, pandemic, and loss. There's still a virus, but now we've got a vaccine, which hopefully will help get the thing under control soon. It won't help those who've suffered and lost their lives. It won't help those who've lost their homes and business and who grieve over lost loved ones. But turning a page on this year might help us all mentally do a hard reset.

I've written two books this year, which don't even mention a virus. How can that be possible? My characters don't wear masks or social distance. Strange really. The distraction of writing has been a life-saver to be sure. 

Moving forward with a new year, I honestly need to make some changes in my thinking, and there are things I've decided to consciously do to improve my attitude and my life.

To do:

1) Stop watching the news. (The talking heads are ridiculous)

2) Exercise more. (Just a walk every day, aside from tennis)

3) Stop baking so much and eat healthier. (I love to eat baked goods)

4) Leave the house more. We aren't locked down here, so there are ways to get out. (Staying home ALL the time has become a habit)

5) Contact friends. (I have good friends, but I'm not great at reaching out as much as I should)

6) Only wear pajamas at night. (Self-explanatory)

7) Do some long-range planning on new projects.

8) Visit my son in North Carolina.

9) Have more patience. (With everything and everyone)

10) Emerge from 2020 with new ideas and more energy and find my joy!

What will you do in 2021 to take back your life? Get the vaccine? Make some personal changes? 

I hope you can find your joy in 2021! 

Happy New Year to all!!

Susan Sands

Now We Wait! by Susan Sands

If asked to identify my most self-defeating trait besides procrastination, it would be IMPATIENCE, hands down. While I work to portray a calm outward demeanor, I have an internal screaming banshee who is rather hard to live with. Are we there yet?

I'm impatient with drivers who do dumb and dangerous (and incredibly slow) things on the road. And people in general who show no desire to move out of the general flow of humanity. I work at it. I really do. And I'm terribly hard on myself when I can't produce words when I'm writing.

So, you can imagine how this being on submission thing is for me. It's like watching paint dry in the rain. Molasses in winter. And the new book went out to editors just over a week ago. So, yes I understand this is going to take awhile. Don't "they" say we detest in others what we don't like in ourselves? Um, yes. Those who make me wait. But I procrastinate in starting work a new book while I wait. So, I am at the same time annoyed with myself for dragging my feet while others aren't as snappy as I'd like them to be.

I'm breathing deep breaths (of yellow pollen here in Georgia) currently. And settling in to start my new novel. And checking Instagram frequently. And Facebook. And Twitter. And Pinterest.

But I have a great new premise and I'm outlining currently. So, yes, I'm working at it. And taking my Allegra while I breathe the tainted air.

I hope you are finally enjoying a little Spring weather where you are. I hear there's still snow out there. No thank you. I'm also impatient for warmer weather.

Take care, y'all!!

Susan

An Odd Thing Happened on the Way Home...Susan Sands

I left early this morning to drive two hours to Milledgeville, Ga to attend my daughter's sorority tea.
We visited with her "sisters" and their moms for a couple hours, and I hopped back in the car for the drive home. This is one of the many excuses I'll give for being late with my blog post today.

As I drove on I-20 headed back into Atlanta, pushing eighty miles an hour, a car with two large men in the front passed on my left. The passenger was unapologetically snorting what I assumed was cocaine. I tried not to look, but I was obviously surprised by the sight. As they continued around me, I noticed a very large and sparkly pageant crown displayed in the place of honor in the back window. Not a tiara, a full-out CROWN, like Miss America or Miss USA might wear. Or any small-town peanut, pecan, or fruit festival first-place winner in the South. Have you seen the size of those crowns?

Anyway, I digress. All I could think was, "Is there a body in the trunk?" I know that's macabre, and a large stretch, but the writer in me goes nuts when I see something the least bit interesting during a boring drive and it gets my imagination revved up for a good storytelling.

Too bad I don't write suspense--yet. LOL!

Readers always ask where we get our ideas from. I get mine everywhere! Today I got one on I-20 headed west.

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving and is looking forward to more fun and festivities with family throughout the holiday season.

Merry Everything, y'all!

Susan Sands

Taking on the Tough Topics by Susan Sands

I took some time to read Kristan Higgins' new book, Good Luck With That, last week. Kristan is one

of my auto-buy authors because she writes with such humor about some pretty tough topics. This book was no exception. It tackled the difficult subject of obesity and her characters' lifelong struggles with weight. Many of us aren't considered obese by the doctor's charts but still fight our metabolisms daily to keep from gaining more than we should. I know I do. I love food and mostly the wrong kinds. I grew up in Louisiana where food was love. I envy those folks who consider food as fuel. But Kristan, through what I imagine was a great deal of research, handled the the story and the agony of how society treats the overweight, and the truly obese. And how those people, because of that lifelong abuse, treat themselves. The obsession with being skinny, the fixation on food, and the utter agony of being hated for their fat. The eating disorders and other psychological issues, not to mention the physical and medical conditions are many and vary widely. I'm not sure I would have had the courage to dive this deeply into such a sensitive subject unless it were part of my own reality. But I think Kristan did an amazing job portraying her characters with an emotional beauty and soul-baring honesty that readers will appreciate and identify with.

As writers, we walk a fine line. We want to accurately portray characters' lives and emotions and perspectives as accurately as possible. We're often told to "write what we know." This can't always be the case, obviously. We are only one person with a single perspective. I am only one race, one gender, and have only lived within my life experiences. To portray another's life is tricky. Can I authentically write in a woman of color's point of view? Or a man's? Like I said, it's tricky.

In my first book, Again, Alabama, I wrote about a woman who'd been cheated on by her fiancé. She was a celebrity chef and found solace back in her Alabama hometown after a hugely embarrassing ordeal. I'd had none of those particular experiences. But I'd been lied to and hurt by a guy as young woman, (who hasn't at some point?) I love to cook, and my family does make me feel safe and protected when things go wrong. So, I took those emotions and put them to work in my story.

When I write about something unfamiliar, I research, I speak to people extensively about their experiences and how they were affected by things out of my realm of understanding. Plus, writer's often tend to be intuitive and empathetic. We are really good at putting ourselves in others' shoes. Hopefully we get it right more often than not. And we use beta readers. Readers who are our target audience, or maybe the same gender, race, or circumstance as our characters in our stories. I wouldn't consider sending a book to my publisher without fist making sure the voice and tone is authentic.

Bravo to Kristan Higgins on her new book. It couldn't have been easy to write. I'm deeply impressed!

Have a fantastic week, everyone!

Susan Sands

Blogging From Alabama!! Susan Sands

Dear Friends,

Happy Summer!! I'm thrilled to finally be able to say those words and really mean them. My daughter graduated from high school last week and we are free and clear. We've had a good run, Georgia public high schools, but we're done here.

I'm in my hotel room writing this post from Huntsville, Alabama in anticipation of the RWA Heart of

Dixie luncheon. I'm so looking forward to meeting the readers my table and sharing my hand-made gifts! I wanted to capture the essence of the South. How did I do? They turned out pretty cute, despite the blue paint under my nails and splinters in my fingers.

My mom and I drove here through the pouring rain from Atlanta and had to stop a couple times because the rain was so heavy we couldn't see the road. Thankfully, it was clear (and later than planned) by the time we arrived.

Great news! My second Alabama-set novel, Love, Alabama has a free BookBub ad scheduled for June 2nd. Download a copy if you missed it!

I so appreciate the hard work my publisher does to help get these ads that allow my books to reach more readers! If you've never read one of my Southern romantic women's fiction stories, now's a great time to start!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Learning from Teaching by Susan Sands

Many of you don't know that I was a teacher in a former life. I even forget sometimes what it was like

to create lesson plans, hold parent/teacher conferences, and get up every morning and head to school and spend a full day shaping young minds. It was rewarding, challenging, and exhausting.

Recently, I've been asked to present workshops at several writers' conferences in my area. I've also been asked to judge a couple contests. I've created handouts for my "students," worked on my presentations, and received material to critique from writers trying to publish their work. I'm to meet with each person whose pages I've critiqued and discuss my notes and suggestions for ideas to help them reach the next level in their publishing journey.

I'm back to teaching, essentially.  And I'm really enjoying it. What I didn't expect was how much I would learn about improving my own work from critiquing others. When I return to my work in progress after editing someone else's, I'm able to recognize more clearly where changes and improvements are needed.

I'm grateful for taking some of, what would have been, my writing time to change gears and work with others. It's definitely helped me in countless ways. I can't wait to meet these writers and brainstorm with them about their stories. I hope I can help them in some way reach their goals.

If you're in the Atlanta area March 10th and have an interest, check out the one-day Atlanta Writing Workshop. I'll be presenting two one-hour workshops. There will be agents and editors on hand taking pitches and lots of other great information.

Happy reading and writing!

Susan

Wishing Everyone a Balanced New Year! Susan Sands

A new year always feels like beginning with a clean slate in so many ways. The resolutions, you

know. Eat better, exercise more. Keep an organized schedule. All the things. And yes, I do plan to improve myself in all those ways. Last year I began my second half-century of life. That sounds pretty momentous, doesn't it? Yes, I thought so too. I was busy last year. Writing, and taking care of all the things and people who live in my circle.

I'll do that this year, but I have plans to do more. Write more and better. Bigger. But I've also got to nurture and support the heck out of my last chick until I send her off to college in a few months. Give her my best as well. It's all a balance, and it's one that is easy to upset with too much focus on one thing or the other. So my biggest goal beginning the year will be balance. Family, work, exercise, nutrition, sleep.

I spent the entire day reading a book just released by one of my favorite authors. Nothing else, just reading. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy just reading. And how it inspires me to write. So, today, I'm motivated to work on one of my new projects because of the day spent immersed in that book. It was something I'd denied myself because I'd lost the balance. I don't know how I could have forgotten the pure joy of reading, of losing myself in a book. I'm a writer for heaven's sake. But I've rediscovered it and won't let it happen again.

I hope everyone who celebrates enjoyed their holidays. I had all my children under one roof for an entire week, which is hard to come by these days. I've cooked, baked, and just rolled around in the family time.

Happy New Year to everyone! I wish everyone good health, humor, and happiness in the coming year. And balance. We'll see how that goes, won't we?

Susan Sands
         

Happy Holidays, Y'all!--Susan Sands

I can't believe another year has flown by yet again. I'll be an empty nester this time next year if

everything goes as planned. My daughter's senior year is rolling by at the speed of light along with everything else. My mom moved in with me and then moved back out into her own place where she'd been waiting to be approved for an apartment. Plus, I released two books this years!

Life leaves us little room to choose our level of busyness. Mine has been non-stop for a couple years now. But there's a lot to look forward to as well. I'm excited to see what college life brings for my third child in the coming months. I will miss her terribly, but I'm so excited for her next steps toward adulthood and independence. I know, ask me again in May and see what I have to say then. I might be sobbing my eyes out.

I'm writing, editing, and making career decisions right now as well. I should have books coming out next year. I'll keep you posted on that. Hopefully I'll have details coming soon.

So, in the meantime, I'm promoting Christmas, Alabama at book signings and on social media. So far the reviews are great!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a lovely holiday season!!

Susan