Funday Friday! Featuring.... Susane Colasanti!

Hey everybody! I got another author interview for you guys! This time, it is the wonderful Susane Colasanti! Here it is:


1. Where did you get the idea for Take Me There? Something Like Fate?

"The main story line of Take Me There actually came to me in a dream. In fact, a lot of major plot ideas reveal themselves to me in dreams. I had this dream about a boy and a girl who had been best friends for a while. Then one night, everything changes. When I woke up, I knew what should happen between Rhiannon and James. Since I was still a teacher while I was writing Take Me There, some of the school scenes were inspired by funny things I had seen or overheard at school. Most importantly, I wanted to write a novel that took place in New York City so I could try to capture how amazing it is here and share the energy with my readers.

I’ve always been interested in the concept of fate. I believe that we’re the architects of our own destiny, but I also believe that the Universe works in powerful ways. In Something Like Fate, I explore some of the questions I’ve been asking for years. How much does fate control our lives? If we follow one path instead of another, will we still arrive at the same endpoint? How can we explain things like major coincidences, deja vu, and that incredible sense of connection we immediately feel with some people? I also wanted to explore the conflict of falling in love with someone you know you shouldn’t be with. In Something Like Fate, a girl falls in love with her best friend’s boyfriend. She really believes that this boy is her destiny. Forbidden love is hot."

2. Have you always been good at writing/ wanted to be a writer?

"When I was 12 years old, I knew I wanted to be a science teacher. I remember being around 16 and thinking of writing a children’s book. But I’d already decided to be a teacher, so I didn’t consider writing as a career choice. However, I’ve always loved writing. Reading and writing have always been seriously important to me.

In high school, I wished for teen novels that would tell the story from both the girl’s and boy’s perspectives. I promised myself that if I ever wrote a book, I would tell both sides of the story. This inspired me to think about writing When It Happens. When I was in grad school, I started writing the first draft. Life is a wild thing – you never know where it’s going to take you. I wasn’t planning to resign from teaching and become a full-time author, but I’m so grateful for this amazing opportunity."

3. If you could work with any other author, who would it be?

"It would be cool to write a dual-perspective book with another author. I think collaborating is an excellent way to assure that each voice sounds unique. If Louise Fitzhugh were still with us, I’d be so incredibly honored to work with her. I totally worshipped Harriet the Spy back in elementary school. I even carried a spy notebook around for years."

4. Are there any parts of your books that are based on events in your own life?

"When It Happens was inspired by experiences I had during senior year of high school. I think that every first book is autobiographical to some extent. It’s the first opportunity for an author to pour out all of the experiences and emotions that she’s been carrying around her whole life. Naturally, some of those things are used to shape a first book. Every one of my books contains details from real life, though. That’s what hopefully makes the stories feel real."

5. How long did it take to find an agent/publish your book after finishing the manuscript?

"Like all manuscripts, the first draft of When It Happens was rejected by several publishers before finding its home at Penguin. I submitted that manuscript in 2001 and the hardcover edition was published in 2006. The book went through about nine revisions before I wrote the final version in 2005.

I didn’t have an agent until I was about to submit Take Me There. My agent is actually a friend of my publisher, so thankfully I didn’t have to do much searching for one. She agreed to sign me not long after my publisher put us in contact with each other."

6. What advice would you give to people who "run out of creativity" when writing?

"If someone is feeling like they don’t know where to go with their writing, they’re probably not feeling passionate about their story. When you have passion for what you’re writing, the story unfolds. This is not to say that we don’t all have our good writing days and bad writing days. Just that if you love what you’re writing, it’s impossible to run out of creativity."

7. What's your favorite part of a book?

"When the first sentence pulls me in and I’m like, “Dude, I totally have to read this.” If a book grabs me right away, I know it’s going to be an awesome read."

8. Favorite song?

“Clarity” by John Mayer

9. If you were going to be stuck on a deserted island, which book, movie, food, and person(s) would you take?

"Book – The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Movie – Garden State (but I would smuggle in Office Space and Election)
Food – cupcakes with pink icing and vintage sprinkles
Person(s)* – all of my friends, my bf, David Letterman (to tell jokes), Jodi Picoult (to tell stories), the entire Mummenschanz performance troupe (for entertainment), and Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks’s character in Cast Away)

*Assuming I would only be stuck there for a little while. I wouldn’t want to drag everyone else down with me."

10. Five of your favorite things?

"Sparkly city lights, The Office, nostalgia, old-school board games, positive energy"


There you have it! Miss Susane Colasanti. Her newest book, Something Like Fate, will becoming out in May and it sounds amazing! If you like Susane's books or have questions or anything at all, you can reach her at these following sites:

Website: http://www.susanecolasanti.com
Blog: http://windowlight.livejournal.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susanecolasanti
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/susanecolasanti
Twitter: http://twitter.com/susanecolasanti

Hope you guys enjoy!