Author Q&A: Susan Wingate

Today we’re interviewing multigenre author Susan Wingate.

Wingate is the #1 Amazon bestseller and award-winning author of The Deer Effect, the Bobby's Diner series, Drowning, and, most recently, How The Deer Moon Hungers (out July 15).

Her writing spans the genres mystery/thriller, family drama, inspirational and Christian fiction, YA fantasy, and memoir. 

SADYE: Tell us something about your writing process that’s unusual or that you haven’t revealed before.

SUSAN: I must have tea first thing in the morning when I write, but before I open up my Word document to write, I meditate in prayer and contemplation about everything I’m thankful for.

And I’m thankful for a lot! A heart of thankfulness nearly always brightens my work product whether I’m writing dark horror or inspirational pieces.

If I can’t meditate in thankfulness, my whole day seems off. I even feel a little cranky those days and, please…you don’t want to see me cranky. I’m a real pain in the butt. LOL.

SADYE: Which of your characters would you most and least like to trade places with? 

SUSAN: My latest novel, How The Deer Moon Hungers, is possibly my favorite story I’ve ever written because it is a sister story about MacKenzie Fraser and her seven-year-old sister named Tessa.

Near the beginning, Tessa dies and it’s a story of how Mac copes with the loss and all the problems that come with the loss of a family member.

Because of all she goes through, I would least like to trade places with her.

Who I would most like to trade places with is Hannah in The Deer Effect whose adult self dies at the beginning of the story but who re-enters the story as her child spirit self.

Plus, she has a friend in the spirit realm who is a deer! So, how could I not want to be Hannah, right? I love deer.

SADYE: What has been the most touching or memorable piece of reader feedback you’ve received? 

SUSAN: This is an easy one because it happened recently on Facebook.

I had posted on a local page called “What’s Up Friday Harbor?” that How The Deer Moon Hungers was available for pre-order and that it was set in our town of Friday Harbor.

People were so kind and actually purchased several pre-order copies. After each person stated they’d purchased a copy, I wrote them, “Thank you! I hope you like the story.”

To this, one woman stated, “Oh, I’m sure I will. I love all your books.” We live in a small town and I didn’t think anyone was reading my work! LOL.

But when she said this, and then seeing how many copies people ordered on Amazon that day, I realized how wrong I had been. That people in our town were reading my books.

Well, my heart was full to learn this. I’ve been floating ever since.

SADYE: What message or theme would you like readers to take away from your work?

SUSAN: I hope readers will take from my stories that although most of my writing deals with serious and sometimes sad topics, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.

That’s such a cliché thing to write, but I never want a reader to think there’s no hope. If we have any belief system, we know implicitly that there is always hope.

As a Christian my hope is bound within my faith. I write hope into each of my stories whether they are darker stories or lighter ones.

Without hope, we have nothing.

SADYE: What experience in your past or general aspect of your life has most affected your writing? 

SUSAN: Life has a way of putting perspective into our minds. If this, then that. If not this, then what?

Over the last five years, I’ve lost my mother to Alzheimer’s disease, several cats who I loved dearly, and three dogs, of whom Robert was the latest loss. He left us exactly a year ago.

Robert was my heartthrob. During the time between my mother’s death and Robert’s, my husband has developed dementia.

Some days I feel like a pack animal with tons of weight on my back. Mostly, I feel hopeful. That I will have my time here until it’s over and then, I hope I will be rejoined with those loved ones I have lost.

I guess this is why one of the recurring themes in my writing is hope. That during my life, no matter what gets thrown at me, I will get through it.

I hope people glean this from my stories.

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Learn more about Susan Wingate on her website, where her books can also be purchased; like her on Facebook; and follow her on Twitter and Instagram. 

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