Q&A With Suzanne Simonetti

Today’s guest whom I’m doing a Q&A with is with USA Today Bestselling author Suzanne Simonetti. Suzanne is the author of, A Cape May Christmas Story & The Sound Of Wings. 

Q: Suzanne, would you like to tell the readers of the blog and I about your books A Cape May Christmas Story & The Sound Of Wings and how you came up with the concept for both books?

A:I knew I wanted to set both books in Cape May, yet they are very different stories. The idea for The Sound of Wings came to me the first summer we moved to Cape May. I was walking the beach with my husband and I imagined a local woman around my age collecting seashells and sea glass. I saw this woman filled with many insecurities and demons from the past. I also saw her breaking old patterns and healing as she accomplished more than she ever dreamed. 

A Cape May Christmas Story was designed specifically to showcase the town and all of its many treasures, especially during the holiday season. 

Q: Where do the ideas for your books come from? Do you use bits and pieces of real people and places to create your fictional worlds and characters? 

A:That is precisely what I do. I use bits and pieces of real people or people I know from television and let the imagination run wild. 

Q: Where is your favorite spot or spots to sit down and plot, write & edit your work? 

A: All those things you mentioned—plot, write, edit—take serious concentration. That would mean I would be in my home office (the “Bonus” room) where I can work independently in silence without distraction. 

Q: I read in your bio that you had a BS in Marketing. Did you initially know that you wanted to be an author or was it after you had your Marketing Degree that you knew being an author was what you wanted? 

A:I served a handful of years in corporate. I did not know I wanted to be an author until many years later. In the long run, marketing comes in handy as an author in today’s marketplace where the author has to not only write the books, buy, sell, position, and market them, as well. 

Q: Who were/are your biggest supporters of your writing goals and talent? 

A: My family. Starting with my husband followed by my mother. I also got a real dose of support nine years ago from one of my mentors, New York Times bestselling author Caroline Leavitt. She told me I had the talent to write. It changed everything for me. 

Q: How long does it typically take you to write a book? 

A: I think every book is different, but in general I would say a year and a half—that doesn’t include the rounds of editing that will add on more months. I would like to get faster and I think I will once I begin writing a series, which has been one of my goals for a while. 

Q: Would you say your time in Marketing influenced your writing a little bit?

A: Well, I do think like a marketer and I believe all of our experiences and job roles affect our decision making and life choices. To answer your question, yes. When writing the Christmas story, I added a bit of romance because I know that the holiday genre generally calls for some romance, even if it’s only a dollop. Knowing the marketplace will certainly help if you are looking to sell fiction. 

Q: If Hollywood were to get the rights to your books (if they haven’t yet) who would be your ideal cast to play your characters?

A: The Sound of Wings: Jocelyn Anderson played by Anne Hathaway. Krystal Axelrod played by Scarlett Johansson, and Goldie by Meryl Streep.  

A Cape May Christmas Story: Rita Abernathy played by Diane Lane, Shannon Abernathy played by Emma Stone, Paul Abernathy played by Ryan Reynolds, Chase Abernathy played by Robert Pattinson, and Patti Kelley played by Isabelle Fuhrman. 

Q: Are you currently writing your next book? If so, is it too early to reveal any details yet?

A: I am working on the follow up to The Sound of Wings. The story takes places years in the future. So readers will be able to catch up with Jocelyn and Krystal and where they are in their lives a decade later!