Monday, April 4, 2011

Author Interview: Susan Bigelow

I’m excited to welcome Susan Bigelow, the author of Broken, to the blog today!







TFE:     The synopsis and cover of Broken hooked my interest immediately. Do you think they are a good fit for the story you are telling?

Susan: I absolutely love the cover. Kate, my publisher, came up with the design. She originally gave me about five or six different designs, some of which were a bit similar to the final cover, some of which were very different. What eventually became this cover leaped out at me immediately. It's very stark, but evocative of the kind of mood that is heavily present throughout the book. I especially like the figure in silhouette, is she flying or falling? Both? I think it's one of the more original designs out there right now, and I think it's a great draw for the book.

I'd never written a synopsis before trying my hand at this one. I hope it's a good fit for the story. I tried to think of some of the overarching, unifying ideas of the story. I particularly like the last sentence: “Ultimately, it's a story about how sometimes, things thought lost forever may be found again.” That sentence sums up the book so well.

TFE:   Is Broken the start of a series or a stand-alone novel?

Susan: Broken works very well as a stand-alone novel, but there is a sequel coming out next year, set in the same universe and with at least a few of the same characters. I'm also hoping to complete a third book in the sequence at some point.

TFE:   Do you have a favorite character in Broken?

Susan: Janeane, who is calm, mysterious and very, very powerful. She's a minor character, but still, I just love her.

TFE:   I love the idea of a future with superheroes. Do you have a favorite superhero?

Susan: I absolutely loved Batman as a kid. I also liked the Peter David version of Supergirl, and when I was in college I adored Battle Angel Alita (a manga series from Japan) by Yukito Kushiro. Alita, who is a cyborg martial arts expert (yes!) is one of those characters who has influenced me in all kinds of ways, I can't get her out of my head.

TFE:    What are some of your favorite books?

Susan: I like anything by Lois McMaster Bujold, especially the very cool Miles Vorkosigan series and the wonderful Paladin of Souls, which might be the best fantasy book I've ever read. I do constantly return to the stories I grew up with, including books by authors like Judy Blume, Paul Danziger and Robin McKinley (read The Blue Sword, it's marvelous), among others. I'm always reading new things, though, so picking favorites is always difficult!

TFE:   If you can, please share with us a bit about what you’re currently working on.

Susan: I have two projects going right now, which is one of those things they tell you never to do. One of them is the third book in the series that I mentioned above, and the other is set is a completely different universe, with new characters, none of whom have any superpowers at all! I also write a mostly-weekly political column for CT News Junkie (http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com) and monthly pieces for the online literary magazine 30pov (http://www.30pov.com).

TFE:     Is there anything else you would like to share with us about yourself or your novel?

Susan: Broken is my first book, and I've been thrilled by how much those who have read it seem to like it. I wrote the first draft during National Novel Writing Month in 2004, and I had no idea that six years later I'd actually publish it. I guess the message is, keep writing and never give up!

Thank you so much for stopping by Susan!


Don’t forget to check out the other stops on the Broken Blog Tour!



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