Meet an Author Monday...Suzy Turner!

"Meet an Author Monday" is my way of showcasing up-and-coming authors (published and soon-to-be) to help get their names and books out there for others to see. It's a quick little interview just so you guys can get to know someone you may not have heard of before!

Please help me welcome the lovely Suzy Turner to the blog today. Suzy is the author of the upcoming YA Urban Fantasy Raven, being released via Amazon.com. Please check out her website and read all about this really cool book. And be sure to check out the end of this post, where Suzy offers a giveaway! Now, on to the interview...


Hi Suzy! I see from your website that you began your writing journey as a newspaper journalist, moving on to becoming an editor for a publisher and a magazine before trying your hand at fiction. Would you say that journey helped shape the writer you are today?

Absolutely. No matter what kind of writing you do, it all helps you become a better writer. I wrote all kinds of things, from short pieces about car accidents to movie reviews (Suzy's Big Screen Scene!) to stories about real people (those were always my favorite). I was more of a features writer than a journalist, though; I found that I wasn't any good at actually going out and getting the stories, which is why I became features editor before my leap to magazine editor. Both of these positions gave me good enough editing skills...although, having said that, it's not always so easy to edit your own work, which is why I asked a few friends in the industry to edit and proofread Raven for me.


Your YA Urban Fantasy, Raven, is self-published. What stood out in the self-publishing world that made you go that route vs. a traditional one?

After receiving 20 rejections from literary agents, a friend of mine mentioned that they knew someone who had epublished their book on Amazon and it had reached the top 100 in their genre. I was intrigued, of course, and so I read up about it. That's when I heard about Amanda Hocking! I've always believed in myself and so I thought, why not? If Raven doesn't sell too well, at least I'll receive plenty of feedback about what I'm doing wrong and learn from my mistakes. But hopefully that won't happen! Naturally, I'm hoping readers will love Raven!


I just watched the Raven trailer and I loved it! Was that a difficult thing to create? Do you think book trailers are the way to go in terms of marketing?

Thank you! It was actually quite easy to create and I loved every second of it. I can't wait to get my teeth into my next one! A friend and fellow author, Pauline Barclay, suggested I give it a go using Windows Movie Maker after she made hers. I used some of my own images and sourced others from the internet (making sure there were no copyright issues first). I did the same with music...which I adore. As soon as I heard that track, I knew it was perfect for Raven. I do think that book trailers can be of benefit to authors. I put the link to my video on Facebook, Twitter and any other social networks I could find and I've had quite a few hits already. People seem to love it!


You write in both YA and Adult (chic-lit to be specific). Do you find one genre more/less challenging than the other? And which do you enjoy writing most?

I can't say that either is more or less challenging to be honest. Both genres are great fun to write and I love reading both styles myself. If I had to say which I prefer to write, I'd probably go with YA purely because of the fantasy element. I can get really carried away! Lately, I have been concentrating more on Raven and its sequel, December Moon. My chick-lit novel, Forever Fredless, is still in the works.


And finally, the question I ask all my interviewees: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one book, which would it be and why?

Oh, that's a really tough one! I'd probably have to go with Robinson Crusoe as I could use as much advice about life on a desert island as possible! No, but seriously? Probably Harry Potter...because JK Rowling is a genius.

http://suzyturner.com

http://suzyturner.blogspot.com

Thanks so much, Suzy, for stopping by today...I really enjoyed it! And as an added bonus, Suzy has been kind enough to offer for a giveaway not one but TWO e-copies of her YA debut, Raven! How great is that? Simply comment on this post between now and Wednesday at midnight (hmm, me thinks I have another contest ending that night, too!) and I'll announce the winners on Thursday. Thanks again Suzy!

ADDENDUM: Suzy's YA book Raven is now available on Kindle...go check it out here!