Suzanna J. Linton

I am always fascinated by stories of writers who from a young age knew they were born to write. Suzanna J. Linton is one of those people … but I will let HER tell the story of how she got started!

Melanie Rockett: Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

Suzanna J. Linton: I grew up in the rural South. I don’t know if many people appreciate that anymore, but to give it some perspective: we didn’t go grocery shopping, we took day trips to the nearest town once a week for supplies; there was only one family practice in the area, so going to see the doctor took all day; it was thirty minutes to the nearest hospital and an hour to the nearest good hospital.

I grew up fishing in the swamp, swimming in a lake, and eating such things like rattlesnake, deer, and squirrel. I also grew up hearing stories and devouring books because, other than the five channels on the television and our backyard, these were my only sources of entertainment. Quite naturally, I grew up to be a storyteller and obtained a bachelor’s degree in Professional Writing.

Melanie Rockett: Your newest book, Clara’s Return will be released on May 13th. Since it is the sequel to Clara, why don’t we start with a short synopsis of who Clara is and about the Medieval fantasy world she lives in?

Suzanna J. Linton: Clara began life as a poor village girl who gets sold into slavery. What distinguishes her between other girls of the same fate is that she can see the future and that she is mute. When she acts on a vision and saves her master’s life, she’s thrown into noble circles, not as an equal but as a commodity to be controlled.

She lives in a kingdom called Lorst, which has the ocean to the west, mountains to the north and east, and plains to the south. Lorst’s throne was taken by a sorcerer, which provokes a civil war. When Clara saves her master, she’s pulled into that civil war. She begins to discover the real roots of the war and finds something horrifying. What first began as the average civil war becomes a struggle over Clara’s soul.

Melanie Rockett: Your fans have eagerly been awaiting the release of Clara’s Return. What new adventures will Clara face?

Suzanna J. Linton: Clara is now on a quest to uncover her own origins. She wants to understand why she was sold and why she looks different from her countrymen. But as she goes on her quest, a new threat arises in the form of a traitor. The king, who is a man she’s come to care for deeply, is struggling to maintain order. It looks as if Lorst may finally fall and Clara fears there is nothing she can do to stop it.

Melanie Rockett: I am fascinated by the different methods writers use to get their books from their imaginations into print. I know of one writer who writes for five minutes a day, while others write for hours on end. How do YOU go about creating your novels? Do you have a routine you follow, a word count you stick to, or do you only write when inspiration strikes? I’d love it if you could share a bit about how you work!

Suzanna J. Linton: If I only wrote when inspiration struck, I would never finish anything! I try to write 1,500 words every afternoon when I’m in the midst of creating a novel.

As far as routines go, I sometimes make myself a cup of tea and close my Internet browser. It’s not much of a ritual but it’s enough to tell my brain, “Okay. We’re switching gears now!”

Melanie Rockett: Are you planning on making Clara a trilogy?

Suzanna J. Linton: Clara may become a trilogy. I don’t know. The possibility exists, I’ll say that much.

Melanie Rockett: I love Clara and love following a character through all their adventures. I’ll put my vote in right now for a trilogy (and maybe more!).

Here’s a short trailer for Clara’s Return