Susen Edwards
Susen Edwards is the founder and former director of Somerset School of Massage Therapy, New Jersey’s first state-approved and nationally accredited postsecondary school for massage therapy. During her tenure she was nominated by Merrill Lynch for Inc. Magazine’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award. After the successful sale of the business, she became an administrator at her local community college. She is currently secretary for the board of trustees for her town library and a full-time writer. Her passions are yoga, cooking, reading, and, of course, writing. Susen lives in Central New Jersey with her husband, Bob, and her two fuzzy feline babies, Harold and Maude. She is the author of Doctor Whisper and Nurse Willow, a children’s fantasy. What a Trip is her first adult novel.
Instagram: @SusenEdwards
Are there particular films that have influenced your writing?
I’m a fan of the black and white film noirs of the 1940s and 1950s. I have no interest in writing crime fiction, but I focus on the dialogue. I’ll never be a Dashiell Hammett or a Raymond Chandler but watching the films has taught me to pay close attention to how my characters speak.
Is there a genre of music that influences your writing/thinking? Do you listen to music while you write?
The music of the Woodstock Generation influenced What a Trip. The late 1960s and early 1970s is seen by many as the golden age of Rock ‘n Roll. I’ve referenced artists and albums of the time in the novel. At the end of the book, I’ve included a Spotify playlist and a list of suggested albums.
Because I am easily distracted, I prefer to write in silence.
Is your go to comfort food sweet or savory? Is it something you make yourself? Does food inspire your writing?
Definitely sweet! I bake most of my sweet treats, but I also love chocolate of any kind. Each morning when I sit down to write I treat myself to a homemade oatmeal/peanut butter/chocolate square. I’d like to think the chocolate is the inspiration for my writing.
What’s the difference (at least for you!) between being a writer and an author? How do you shift gears between the two?
Being a writer and an author are both creative activities. Writing is deeply personal-- perhaps journaling or writing a memoir. Writing is meant to be private or shared among close family or friends. Authoring is the act of putting writing out into the world. It means facing rejection, success, or something in between. It means editing, critiquing, networking, and marketing.
These days I spend more time authoring than writing, but I do produce at least one short memoir “writing” piece each month. Writing relaxes me and ultimately assists in the authoring process.
What piece of clothing tells the most interesting story about your life?
My wedding dress. As I mentioned earlier, I’m fascinated with the 1920s so when I went wedding dress shopping, I asked the salesperson for a 1920s flapper-style dress in cream lace. She showed me a dropped-waist, mid-calf lace dress. It was exactly what I had envisioned and needed no alterations. Several years later I attended a Roaring Twenties banquet and was able to wear the dress a second time.
