One of the people I've had the pleasure of getting to know over the past 12 months is author Susan Harris. Based in Canada, her books are beautiful tomes of information and stories, ones which can be used in every day life. She kindly agreed to an interview so, without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to the wonderful Susan!
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Hi Susan!
RG- Thank you for agreeing to talk to
me. I really appreciate it!
SH - My pleasure,Rae.
RG-You live a really interesting life
and now live in Canada. Tell us a little about yourself and your
life.
SH- I was born in the idyllic island
of Trinidad, and moved to Canada 15 years ago. I'm married and have
one daughter, and with the cats, we live on the prairies of
Saskatchewan. I was a teacher for 12 years and later worked in Human
Resources and project management. Over the last few months I've
become a full time writer and speaker- and it has been rewarding,
hectic and fun.
RG- You have two books out at the
moment, Golden Apples in Silver Settings and Little Copper
Pennies. They're both beautifully written and really inspiring.
What inspired you to write them? Where did the ideas come?
SH-I actually have three books:
First, Golden Apples in Silver
Settings: Having been a Christian speaker for some time now, I
wanted to celebrate a legacy of 20 years. I’ve also always wanted
to write a book, so I merged the two together. I had kept some notes
on the talks I did, so it was easy to compile them into a book. God’s
word never changes, and I thought that words that blessed people
years ago will bless them today. The title was inspired from Proverbs
25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of
silver (KJV). The silver settings are interpreted as the geographic
locations where I spoke.
Second, Little Copper Pennies:
Celebrating the life of the Canadian one-cent piece (1858-2013).
As a (former) teacher, I was in the
habit of making up stories to bring across abstract concepts to
students. As a mom, I entertained my daughter with tales and
imagination. So when I heard the news that the penny was going to be
eliminated, I immediately thought: “If this penny could speak, what
would it say of the 155 years it has been in existence?” And the
stories began. I interviewed people and got the once-upon-a-time
worth of the purchasing power of the penny, used my own experiences,
and added history and factual information for an educational
component.
Third, Little Copper Pennies for
Kids. When I shared my manuscript for Little Copper Pennies to a
teacher -librarian friend she commented: "Let me put a bug in
your ear. Have you considered a picture book for children?" I
thought about it, ran with the idead, and that book was published on
December 7 last year.
RG- I really love Little Copper
Pennies and am saddened by the loss of the Canadian penny (even
though I'm from the UK!). It feels as though a piece of history is
being wiped out. What provoked you to write the book? Do you think
it's right to phase out the penny? Do you feel a sense of loss at its
demise?
SH- The main reason for eliminating
the penny is that it is a liability on the balance sheet. It cost
1.06 cents to make a penny which is worth 1.00 cents. So the sheer
economics of the penny, coupled with the fact that billions of
pennies are hoarded by citizens are good reasons. Others include the
environmental impact through recycling the coins and the time and
cost by institutions to process pennies. I feel a sense of sadness at
the removal of the penny. It was created in 1858 to introduce the
decimal system, so it is truly historic. I am fond of it but I
recognize that an ending to all fine things must be (and it gave me
two books!)
RG- You held a retirement party for the
penny. How did that go?! What did you all get up to?
SH- The penny retirement party was
fun filled and nostalgic. Though the stormy weather and the flu bug
deterred a few, we had a scrumptious buffet dinner, followed by a
game of penny toss. It was neat to see adults have so much fun as
each tried to get their five pennies to the dish. The prize was penny
candy (now worth 25 cents each). There was a "guess the number
of pennies" and the prize was a coin folder that holds small
cents (the size of the penny was reduced in 1920. I showed a
PowerPoint presentation with some highlights from my appearances to
schools, and images of significant pennies from 1858-2012. There were
two speeches including greetings from the member of Parliament for my
locale. I finished by reading the Eulogy found in Chapter 16 of
Little Copper Pennies. Many described the evening as historic.
RG- What inspired you to become a
writer?
SH- I read avidly as a child and
youth, and my English teacher at high school would often read my
compositions to the class. I guess the seeds were germinated in those
years. People enjoyed hearing me speak, and it boosted my confidence
that they might likely enjoy my writing too.
RG- You work really hard on the
promotional side, something many people struggle with. Where do you
get your ideas from? What drives you in your work? What advice would
you give to other authors?
SH- I am driven and self-motivated.
I use my experience in project management to scale my timeline and
work within deadlines. It is imperative to have deadlines, milestones
and measurable objectives in any project, and I am cognizant of these
in my work. I've outlined in practical terms how to do this in
Chapter 2 of my book "Golden Apples in Silver Settings".
The chapter is called "Turning dreams into Reality". I'd
advise authors to create a detailed plan and have someone hold them
accountable to it. Treat your writing seriously. Write first and edit
later. Don't let the editorial aspect block your creativity. Keep a
notebook and pencil handy to jot down thoughts when inspiration hits.
Look for freshness in mundane topics around you. Join a group to get
encouragement from other author. (I'm accepting friends on Facebook
and followers on Twitter.)
RG- What advice would you give to new
authors, particularly those who are looking for publishers or agents?
SH- E-readers offer a fresh,
untapped world to authors who are rejected by publishing houses and
agents. I'd say try your hand at an ebook and get known. Call your
local television station and newspapers. These media likes to
showcase local talent and you can get publicity there. Then try again
with the agents.
RG- You really are a beacon of hope,
light and inspiration, something which this world desperately needs
right now. What message would you give to the world?
SH- My inspiration and hope comes
from God, and the faith I have that He will open doors for me that no
one can shut. I'd advise anyone to include God in their plans,
knowing that those plans are for good and not for evil, to give a
future and a hope. Keep the company of optimistic people, and always
be an encourager to the not-so-happy ones.
RG- Finally, where can we find you
online?
SH- Find me and my books at
www.susanharris.ca, littlecopperpennies.com, Amazon
On Facebook at Goldensusanharris. On
Twitter @Susanharris20
RG- Thank you for taking the time out
to talk to me, Susan! Take care, and speak to you soon!
SH - Thanks Rae.
Hi Rae, thanks for posting the interview. I only saw it today (May 4) as I searching on Google for a video clip of an interview I did with CTV Canada...It's always a delight to connect with you and now with your bloggers. I'll be checking in again. Cheers.
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