I'm so excited to be interviewing Susan Strauss, who joins us again as a runner-up in the WOW! Spring 2024 Flash Fiction Contest. Before we get to our interview, make sure you read her story Guadalupe and the Roses, and then come on back.
First, here's more about Susan:
Susan Strauss is a Portuguese-American author whose culture influences her identity and her writing. She is an English teacher, a coach, and as the world keeps turning upside-down, she writes like crazy. She belongs to groups that cultivate good writing: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, The Writers Guild of America, and the best writing group this side of Portugal's Douro River.
Susan writes novels, Dear Senhor Hunny, The Queen of the Frostbite Ball, and The Banned Books Club, short stories, flash fiction, feature articles, editorials, plays, and poetry. She also writes picture books, such as Sincerely Yours, Buster, My Dog Speaks Portuguese, and Vava’s Baking Bread Today.
She lives in California with her family and a dog named Buster.
--- Interview by Nicole Pyles
WOW: First off, I LOVED your story. And as someone who has been known to need contests and coupons to make ends meet myself (and praying the whole way through), I can relate to your character whole-heartedly. What inspired this story?
Susan: Thank you for your lovely words, Nicole. I am so grateful for this opportunity to be interviewed as a writer. WOW.
Though I have been known to collect coupons, my inspiration for the story, Guadalupe and the Roses, to write this particular flash fiction came from my need to write stories that matter as well as my fascination with the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe. I first learned about Guadalupe while visiting Mexico City. It was her feast day, and crowds of believers processed by my hotel, some on their knees, many carrying images of Guadalupe and baskets of roses draped with white cloth, the color of her veil. The image has a permanent place in my heart and frequently surfaces in my head.
Since my main character is focused on her very real need to win a “free” chicken for her family, I turned to Guadalupe, the patron saint of the Americas, to move the plot forward.
My character, who speaks Portuguese, wears pajamas while shopping at various downtown Ralphs Markets in the middle of the night in search of a winning coupon for whole chickens. My hope was to make the woman and situation relatable and offer opportunities for readers to connect.
WOW: You certainly did exactly that. I loved your character so much! I have a gut feeling her and I would be friends. What was your revision process like for this short story?
Susan: My primary revision strategy was to read my story out loud to the mirror, my garden, doggy friend, writing friends, husband, and now to you, Nicole, and everyone involved with WOW’s writing contest. I enjoy writing to a specific word count, another top form of revision that I call “Squeeze In, Squeeze Out.” I am grateful that WOW’s flash fiction contest gave me the opportunity to use limited words to tell a good story.
WOW: I love how you read to whoever you can! I love that your culture influences your writing. And you do it so richly! What advice do you have for writers who want to do the same?
Susan: Muita obrigada! When you write with voice as we all hope to do, it is important to allow words to represent your identity and underlying beliefs. Since being Portuguese is a major part of my identity, one that I cultivate, my culture influences all three: identity, voice, and beliefs.
WOW: So true! How does your work as an English teacher and a coach influence your writing?
Susan: My work as an English and ESL teacher and coach influences my writing because I am fortunate to be a writing teacher who writes my teacher-models of the assignments either before class or side-by-side with my students. It can be humbling but rewarding, especially when a student who does not have a filter tells me exactly how they feel about my writing.
WOW: I can only imagine! You have an incredible amount of publications under your belt! What inspires you each day?
Susan: My most important inspirations are the people and situations that unfold right in front of me as well as my own life experience. Though I’ve written in various formats, I always focus on my intended audience. To think that right now a community of writers are my audience is mind-blowing yet invigorating as I try to do right by all creatives real and imagined.
Knowing that publishing is the best motivation for revision, when I push myself to submit my writing, I tell my fears to “Wait out in the hall!” and then surrender to the old saying, “Leap and the net will appear.” It’s all part of being dedicated to constant improvement.
WOW: What a great technique! What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
Susan: I am currently polishing my novel, Dear Senhor Hunny, and expanding on a working outline for another, The Banned Books Club. I’m also working on picture books, such as My Dog Speaks Portuguese and Turn Right at the Red Door.
WOW: I can't wait to see these books published! Thank you for your time and I hope our paths cross again.
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