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Susanna Ives | My Confessions ... Wicked Little Secrets
December 13, 2013
Hello, my name is Susanna, and I'm a writer. Years ago, my friend, the amazingly talented writer Tina Whittle, and I decided
to go on a writing retreat at a horse ranch where we didn't ride a single horse,
but rambled about the grounds, drank wine, ate chocolate and talked about
writing. We are great at chatting about writing, whereas actually putting words
on paper is a different matter. She was about to get published by a prestigious
press, and I was about to not get published for several more years. We had that
great writerly philosophical discussion of what it means to your identity and
psychology to admit in public that you are a writer. So when the business manager asked that fateful, "what do you do?" Tina took a
breath and said, "I'm a writer." A clear, concise statement to the universe. I
hedged about the matter, saying I was a writer, mommy, web developer, pet owner,
housekeeper, etc. Anything I could say to dilute that psychologically pungent
word: writer. After all, I wasn't really a writer. Real writers were published. And then a miracle happened, my book RAKES AND RADISHES was
picked up by Carina Press. This was it! I could look someone straight in the eye
and say "I'm a writer, dammit!" But I couldn't. In fact, the more writerish I
became, the less and less I wanted to admit it. I used to imagine that saying
you're a writer would be akin to being at a fancy party, holding your martini
glass in that breezy, metro manner and casually mentioning, "Oh, I'm a writer,"
to which your now duly impressed conversation partner would respond "How very
fascinating." But, in reality, they are more likely to say, "Have you considered
seeing a doctor for this condition?" After all, writer is just a way to describe
a condition of spending hours in front of a computer, gaining weight, destroying
your posture, and giving away your life so that your fictional characters might
live wild, passionate existences in exotic locations. Even now that I have an actual paper bound book titled WICKED LITTLE SECRETS by
Susanna Ives sitting on my bookshelf, I still have a difficult time admitting
the writer part in casual conversation. But it's different now. I prefer to keep
the knowledge to myself. I don't want others to know about my little
hypergraphia issue. I prefer to quietly watch and note the speech patterns of
the person ahead of me in the checkout line or how the hot air burns my lungs on
a summer afternoon. Many decades ago, I spent a summer at a prestigious acting camp. The lead drama
teacher asked the simple question, "What do actors do?" This was such a trick
question. Well, I fell for it and came up with the best philosophical brilliance
that my naïve sixteen-year-old brain could muster. After suffering through all
our elegant answers, she gave the answer none of us had gotten. What do actors
do? They act. What do writers do? They write. Plain and simple. That said, here's the wonderful blurb from that shiny new book on my shelf, WICKED LITTLE
SECRETS—the fruit of hours spent in front of the computer being all
writerly. It's Not Easy Being Good... Vivacious Vivienne Taylor has finally won her family's approval by getting
engaged to the wealthy and upright John Vandergrift. But when threatened by a
vicious blackmail scheme, it is to her childhood friend that Vivienne turns; the
deliciously wicked Viscount Dashiell.
When Being Wicked is so Much More Exciting... Lord Dashiell
promised himself long ago that his friendship with Vivienne would be the one
relationship with a woman that he wouldn't ruin. He agrees to help her just to
keep the little hothead safe, but soon finds that Vivienne has grown up to be
very, very dangerous to all of Dash's best intentions. One commenter will win a copy of WICKED LITTLE SECRETS
Comments
31 comments posted.
Re: Susanna Ives | My Confessions ... Wicked Little Secrets
the book sounds really good thanks for the giveaway i will be
checking this book out
(Denise Smith 12:02pm December 13, 2013)
Would love to win and read.
(Jane Squires 12:40pm December 13, 2013)
Sounds like a good read, would love to read more of the backstory!
(Darci Paice 2:22am December 13, 2013)
Love the cover and can't wait to read this book. It is now on my list!!!
(Bonnie Capuano 8:49am December 13, 2013)
Thnaks for the giveaway. Love to win this one.
(Barbara Wells 8:54am December 13, 2013)
I would love to read this book. Keeping my fingers crossed!
(Melanie Backus 9:11am December 13, 2013)
Thank for all the kind words about WICKED LITTLE SECRETS! It's
a fun ride through Victorian London.
(Susanna Ives 10:52am December 13, 2013)
Sorry, that should be "thanks" not "thank". Ugh!
(Susanna Ives 10:54am December 13, 2013)
Because you write, I wouldn't hide the fact from anyone. In fact, I would be proud of the fact!! I would give my eye teeth if I had the guts to take the book inside my head, and put pen to paper, but because I was discouraged years ago, I just can't bring myself to do it. Your book sounds like a great read, and I'm looking forward to adding it to my list of books for this Winter!! Congratulations on another accomplishment, and what I'm sure is going to be a real page-turner!! Have a wonderful Christmas and New Years!!
(Peggy Roberson 11:02am December 13, 2013)
Peggy, I have to believe that you are so much bigger than that
earlier discouragement. Write the story, write it for you and
with joy! Thank you for the lovely holiday wishes. May you
have a lovely Christmas and New Years, as well.
(Susanna Ives 12:00pm December 13, 2013)
family duty and backstabbing...who would not love this book..
cant wait to read it.
(Tina Ullrich 12:13pm December 13, 2013)
I'd like to read this book. Thanks for giving us a chance to win a copy.
(Anna Speed 12:43pm December 13, 2013)
Sounds like a good book. Have a happy Holiday season!!!
(Vicki Hancock 1:32pm December 13, 2013)
Being able to express your thoughts with the written word is not easy task. I would love to be able to say, " I am a writer."
(Sheila True 2:41pm December 13, 2013)
I love the historical romances I'm looking forward to reading this one. Thanks
Penney
(Penney Wilfort 2:51pm December 13, 2013)
Loved the excerpt. Will be on my Christmas list. Best of luck with writing--you are a writer!! Merry Christmas!
(Sharon Extine 2:56pm December 13, 2013)
And I love that writers, write. :)
(Theresa Norris 3:31pm December 13, 2013)
Historicals are so much fun---and this one sounds great.
(Sue Farrell 3:55pm December 13, 2013)
Thanks for having this giveaway. Look forward to reading this book.
(Carol Woodruff 4:20pm December 13, 2013)
The book sounds great. Thanks for the chance to win a copy.
(Marcy Shuler 5:18pm December 13, 2013)
Oh I love historicals... love the sound of this book!
(Colleen Conklin 6:01pm December 13, 2013)
OMG! That's one beautiful cover! Thanks for the contest!
(Linda Townsend 7:24pm December 13, 2013)
I love reading Historicals. Your book sounds great. Thanks for a chance to win.
(Linda Hall 7:43pm December 13, 2013)
Thanks for the interview. It shows that everybody has to begin somewhere and that it is not a given.
(Kai Wong 8:39pm December 13, 2013)
I love that title! Certainly sounds like fun!
(Diane Sallans 9:28pm December 13, 2013)
The book sounds good and what a lovely cover. Congratulations, writer lady. ;-)
(Lisa Hutson 11:19pm December 13, 2013)
Oh, thank you everyone for your sweet words. I hope you have a
fabulous holiday season filled with comfort, joy, and good
books!
(Susanna Ives 2:41pm December 14, 2013)
Your book sounds great! Thank you for the chance
(Vickie Schultz 6:44pm December 14, 2013)
I love finding new to me authors and their books. This one sounds awesome. I can't wait to read it. Thanks for the giveaway.
(Martha Lawson 9:26pm December 14, 2013)
The book sounds great, and I love the cover, too!
(Janie McGaugh 11:46pm December 14, 2013)
This sounds like such a great read.
(Mary Preston 5:39am December 15, 2013)
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