A Mentor and Her Muse by Susan Sage

6/18/2018

Multi-volume author, Susan Sage, introduces us to her new book, a fictional memoir, A Mentor and Her Muse:
Under the guise of mentor and muse, a frustrated writer and her ambitious teenage protégé take an illicit summer road trip fraught with racial and sexual tension. This is a compelling psychological novel about social norms, artistic ambition, and obsession.

Maggie Barnett works in the media center of a school in Flint, Michigan where she meets Taezha Riverton, an aspiring teenage writer. After discovering that Maggie is also a writer, Taezha turns to her as both mentor and friend.

Alone and childless, it's not enough for Maggie to take Tae to restaurants and poetry slams. Although Tae’s mother has nothing against Maggie, she is less than thrilled when Maggie proposes to take her daughter on a summer road trip. Permission is never explicitly granted, but shortly after school is out for the summer, Maggie and Tae head for the Southeast.

I was a little wary of this book when I first got it. A book about writers, on the surface, seemed like it could wind up being self-serving. I was pleasantly surprised as I was drawn into the well-written story about an older woman dealing with a growing number of crises trying to mentor a young inner-city teenager with considerable writing talent.
Using a mix of formats, including journaling, and inner dialog, the cross-country trip turns into a series of discoveries, internal and external, for both writers. There is a mix of POVs also, that keeps things fresh. While the action is not elaborate it is well played, the scenes are skillfully set and amply described. The characters are developed quite nicely also. This book has a lot to offer.
I really enjoyed this book on more than one level. It is an excellent story.
I give A Mentor and Her Muse a score of 4.8 stars!

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Mentor-Her-Muse-Susan-Sage-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35320495-a-mentor-and-her-muse
http://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/a-mentor-and-her-muse

You can follow Susan Sage:
http://twitter.com/SusanSage
https://www.susansage1.com
https://facebook.com/Susan-SageAuthor

I have reviewed another book by the author here: www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/dancing-in-the-ring
Tags: women’s fiction, literary fiction, teaching, traveling, journey, road trip

Copyright © 2018 Mark L Schultz except for the author's introduction

42 Comments

Susan Sage link

6/19/2018 08:34:14 am

Thanks, Mark, for your great review! Much appreciated.

Mark

6/19/2018 10:44:14 am

You are very welcome. Susan, I appreciate your book, it was very interesting to read.
Thanks for joining me for this interview.
What are some of the other books you have written? Is this your latest book?

6/20/2018 04:46:30 pm

A Mentor and Her Muse is my latest book. My first novel, published in 2010, was a fantasy novel - 'Insominy.' It, too, was a road trip of sorts, though the destination was a fictitious one--Insominy--sort of a Utopia for artists, that is until things start to go wrong. Sadly, I didn't do much to promote it and now it's listed but unavailable on Amazon. I've got notes for a new book (more notes than actual writing, so far) and I'm thinking about blowing the dust off one that I wrote before Insominy. The other two that I'm alluding to are both realistic works with a touch of magic realism thrown in.

6/20/2018 05:07:44 pm

Perhaps a re-release or a rewrite of "Insominy" is in order. Maybe bundle it with Mentor as road trips of a different kind.
Where do you find inspiration for your books?
What are your earliest memories of writing, how far back does that go for you?
Is the writing in Mentor very different from your earliest writings?

Susan Sage

6/20/2018 08:06:56 pm

Some great questions, Mark...I hadn't thought about re-releasing 'Insominy' because of some sort of legality with Amazon. An attorney might be able to help me out, but I think it would be costly. And--until now--I'd never considered rewriting it, but you may have something there!

I was inspired to write 'A Mentor and Her Muse' because I had a student who was really fired up about expressing her imagination through writing. I wasn't trying to publish any of my own writing at the time, or very little, and her excitement ignited my own. Also, I asked myself to come up with a character and have her take a road trip. Where would she want to go and who would she want to take along? Usually when I write fiction, I ask myself a question or questions, and go from there. When I write poetry (which I haven't tried to publish for a few years), I've usually been inspired by a single image or dreams.

My earliest memory of writing was the summer when I was eight. I wanted to write a story about the kids who lived on my block. I drew pictures (not very good ones) of them. Clear memory of feeling frustrated because I didn't know where to begin -- of where to take the story. I only recall filling up half a page... My first poem, at eleven, was much more satisfying: Thanksgiving Day and the aromas from the kitchen and an early snow inspired it. Strangely, the poem had nothing to do with what inspired it!

Your last question perplexes me. Is the writing in my newly published book different than in my early writing? I've always sought for clarity of expression when I've written, but where I'm at--mentally--is so vastly different than where it was when I first began to write, that I'm sure the writing is very different. Also, I've read so much more that I'm sure the influence of other authors has played a role in improving my writing. As quirky as I've ever been, but also more aware of whether what I'm writing be understood by my readers. Also, I'm a little more aware of varying sentence lengths and finer points of grammar than I used to be, though grammar has never been my strong suit. Much more to ponder on this point. I do believe that some writing comes more naturally for some than it does for others. While I consider myself to be a word-herder, I don't think I was born with a gift for it. For me it's been more the case of writing draft after draft until the final one looks a little better.

6/20/2018 08:34:06 pm

Great answers Susan! I think it's very interesting about that Thanksgiving poem, what inspired it and yet not about the inspiration. I have read that smells are a powerful trigger of memories for many people.
I believe in the power of multiple drafts. Do you write them back to back or do you set them aside for a time and then return to the work later? If so, how much time to you allow to pass and does the length of time have any bearing on the quality of the next draft?
Does writing make you feel weak or strong at the end of a session and how long is a session for you on average?

6/21/2018 08:24:28 am

I've learned that I'm the sort of writer who should never even think of submitting the early draft of a poem, story, or novel. I'll usually set a piece of writing aside for at least a few months and then go back to it. If I don't feel right about it, but unsure of how to improve it, I'll repeat the process, though with shorter time intervals. Always amazed at how much I'll see that needs changing when I'm seeing with fresh eyes...I've always got several things going at once, so if I put a piece aside, there are several stories or poems to work on. Right now I'm backlogged by an embarassing number of short pieces...If I've had a good writing session, lasting at least two to three hours, I feel like I'm a bonafide writer. If I can't spit out more than a paragraph or two, I almost always develop a touch of 'imposter syndrome.' Feeling weak after a session is much more common for me than feeling strong. Do others feel strong afterward? I'd like to get the recipe for that!

Eileen link

6/20/2018 11:58:54 pm

I would have never picked Susan's book at a random bookstore, but now I am tempered to click buy in the Kindle store, thanks to the review.

From the review, I read further into the book - what it sometimes takes for a writer to become - risks including that of a teenager defying her mother.
Susan, do you have plans to write a follow-up book book from the perspective of Tae' mother? Her mixed anxieties, her young daughter leaving on a road trip, and satisfaction that though young, Tae has chosen a career path at a young age?

6/21/2018 12:11:11 am

Thanks Eileen for dropping in. I am glad you are considering the book, I was pleasantly surprised and I think you will be also.

6/21/2018 08:39:18 am

Eileen, thanks so much for your interest in my book! Also, for your thought provoking questions. No, I hadn't considered writing a sequel from Tae's mother's point of view, but now that you've mentioned it, I'll give it some thought. Dealing with a mother's ambivalence about her daughter's decision to become a writer would definitely make for an interesting book. My daughter is a writer and one day I thought I'd write about my experience in a memoir. There are some culturally sensitive issues that I raise in my novel that I'd have to wrestle with in order to pull off the kind of sequel you're suggesting, but I'm sure it could be done...Hope you're curious enough to read my novel now!

6/21/2018 10:58:13 am

I think having several projects going at the same time is a good idea. I firmly believe in the concept of Fresh Eyes. It's the main reason why I don't do beta-reading, I do my best work on a manuscript that has been completed, all the editing and rewriting is done.
You partially answered this question about writer's block above, but I will ask anyway.
Many writers struggle with writer's block. Do you encounter it in your creative endeavors, what form does it take, and how do you deal with it?

6/21/2018 02:57:03 pm

When I'm not writing, I feel blocked, even though I'm really just a person who likes to write and when she isn't writing (or hasn't written in a few days), thinks she's blocked. Does this make sense? Even though I've written on and off since I was twelve (the Thanksgiving Day poem), I've always thought, "Uh oh...now I'll never write again." I'm always pleasantly surprised to pick up the pen again. I've been kinda-sorta blocked since publishing my latest book and have been blaming the amount of time I spend on social media trying to promote it as the reason. There may be a little bit of truth to it. I'm entering what I hope will be a less distractable time in my life, but I'm writing this in a whisper because I don't want to jinx what I'm hoping will be a more productive stretch. I love to read and sometimes my love of reading spills over and inspires me to write; other times, I'm daunted by the vast number of good and exceptional books! I would love to find out the key that those prolific authors have and can't help but feel envious, even though they'd probably admit to at least sometimes feeling blocked. Right?

6/21/2018 03:19:47 pm

I have not heard of that particular form of writer's block. Very interesting. You have defeated your block many times over since you were 12, congratulations! You have always found more in the well whenever you have returned to it.
I think pretty much every author deals with writer's block at one time or another.
I am glad you are still writing, because no one can write the book you can. You are your only real competition.
Here is a light-hearted question.
If you could trade places with any of your characters for a scene or two, who would it be and which scene and why or why not?

6/22/2018 08:29:21 am

Writers are a funny lot because I think they tend to forget that they are truly only competing with themselves.Good advice, Mark, and words that I need to both remember and heed! Thanks...As far as which character I would want to trade places with -- great question! I knew immediately that it would be the teenager, Tae. Tried to pinpoint the exact scene, but had to look through book to find it. It's when Maggie and Tae are at their second stop on the road trip in Hocking Hills, Ohio. They're staying at this grand lodge. A nice place, but all the nicer for Tae because she's never stayed someplace like it before. It's night and she manages to escape Maggie and walk around outside by herself. She walks down to a lake and is exhilarated by the full moon shining on it. Life is positively magical for her at this moment, though she shortly afterward begins to worry about being watched. She feels a release from the difficult life she'd known in Flint. While I certainly wouldn't want to trade places with the hardships she knew in Flint or what will turn into the overly watchful eyes of Maggie, I envy her ability to feel the way she did that night.

6/22/2018 11:13:41 am

That was a beautiful scene. Tae is learning a new normal, a better normal.
What does your normal writing routine look like? Do try to write daily or a different frequency? Where do you like to write, the same place or different places, private or public?

6/22/2018 12:51:37 pm

I try to stick to a normal writing routine. Seems like I'm always at my best in the morning. I'll try to write for a couple hours. Always after my first cup of coffee and light breakfast. I have a small home office and a half-broken recliner that I sit in. Almost always write longhand in a spiral notebook. I'll vary it with occasionally writing on living room couch. Used to have radio on quietly in background, but usually find it too much of a distraction. Sometimes one of my two cats wanders in, but I glare at them if they so much as meow. Rarely do I write in public unless I'm sitting by myself in a park with no one nearby. Creature of habit, I guess, but [she guffaws] why break something if it's working?

6/22/2018 02:04:38 pm

Absolutely! Stick with what works for you. I know I need a fair amount of quiet to proofread. But, I can "read only" almost anywhere.
Have you used acquaintances as the foundation for a character, to the point they recognized themselves in your book? Have you used yourself as a character in your book? Why or why not?

6/22/2018 02:26:57 pm

Part of the fun in writing fiction--for me anyway--is to disguise self and others in my characters. Taezha was the most like someone I actually knew - a girl I met at a school where I worked. Even there, I changed the girl's appearance and family so that it wouldn't be identical. Maggie's sister, Caroline, had a similar personality to my older sister (my sister passed away last summer and never had the chance to read the book). Maggie, I suppose, is like a surreal version of me. Most of what she says and does is more out there, more daring, though I hate to admit, I share some of the same neurotic tendencies. I had a former boyfriend ask me if he was one of Maggie's former boyfriends...I think my response was "Yes and no." All characters I write about, unless in a memoir, are known by me in varying degrees of separation. It's enjoyable to sometimes completely fabricate them! Tyler, Tae's 'uncle' is based on no one I've ever known.

6/22/2018 02:52:39 pm

Very nice! I suspected Maggie included parts of you, Tae seemed so real also. Uncle Tyler was one I was very interested in, he is quite a character.
Do you have a writing lucky charm or kryptonite?
Do you think it important for writers to tap into the emotions of their characters, why or why not?

6/22/2018 08:28:40 pm

I've never been much of a collector, but lately I've been really into owls. I have a few of little owl statues on a desk in my office and I love looking at owl pics on Pinterest, so maybe they've become my totem or lucky charm. If I could sell more and more copies of my book, I'd especially begin viewing them as such! Yes, I think it's extremely important for authors to tap into the emotions of their characters -- in fact, to realistically portray a character, I think it's essential. The tricky bit is maybe knowing when to pull away and redirect focus.

6/22/2018 10:36:34 pm

Why do you say that is the tricky part? Is it possible to spend too much time in a character's emotions? How do you think that affects the reader? How does it affect you?
How old were you when you first realized the power of words? Did it spur you to write then or did the impetus to write appear later in your life?

6/23/2018 09:20:49 am

More great questions, Mark! Definitely thought provoking ones, too...Will do my best to answer them. When I wrote about "the tricky part was knowing when to pull away from a character's emotions and redirect," I was referring to knowing that your readers are following along and--hopefully--feeling enough empathy for your character so that you, the author, can take the wheel and move into the next scene or the heart and mind of another character...I'm sure some readers find Maggie's long journal segment in the beginning of the book to be a little, well, long. I wrote it that way for a reason: I wanted readers to, if not like her, at least to understand her and what made her commit the crime. For those readers who enjoy psychological fiction, I think the rather lengthy segment works, but for those who want a complete show-but-don't-tell story, one more action-based -- this may not be the book for them. That being said, I think after this part, the plot begins to pick up. At least I hope so. I know when I read, I enjoy, not only understanding characters, but in a sense becoming them as I read. This way we can lead many lifetimes, as well as our own!

Dinner table conversation was an important part of my childhood. My parents loved nothing more than to sit at the table after dinner was over and discuss everything. My dad was an attorney who loved an audience -- a frustrated actor. I grew up in the 1960s in Detroit and became quickly aware of the city's racial tension. I learned that communication and specifically what and how we say it matters a great deal.This coupled with my love of poetry provided the impetus for me to write at a young age. Isn't there a saying about those who write are the ones who struggle at it the most? Maybe this is because our inner critics are always working overtime. Mine for sure is!

6/23/2018 10:33:17 am

Thank you for explaining about the time spent in emotions, being just a reader I recognize what you are taking about now. I can see how that is a fine line easily missed.
I love that your dad was a lawyer and frustrated actor. Did he ever do any theater on the side?
Did his occupation have any bearing on you as a developing writer?
Do you think you could write courtroom based drama? Would you make it serious or humorous?

6/23/2018 11:36:25 am

My dad used to do a little community theater on the side though his first avocation was probably singing barbershop quartet music. He performed in on stage competitions for several years. He was a complete ham! I think he probably did best in the courtroom, but I loved how expressive he was. His occupation fostered my development as a writer in that I've always been curious about people and--like you, Mark--I love asking questions. My dad would frequently give my sisters and I the third degree, which, as teenagers, we weren't overly fond of. If I were to write courtroom drama, I think I could only do it in a humorous way. I think we're so inundated with courtroom drama in movies and in TV shows, it gets a little stale. I don't think it would be easy to write one, but given my background, maybe one day I'll try.

6/23/2018 12:26:40 pm

I think I would have enjoyed knowing your dad. I do get a little lawyering, as I live next door to a lawyer. He makes me laugh a lot.
Speaking of laughter, that is one of my favorite things! I love to read across many genres, and any book that makes me laugh is icing on the cake! I encourage you to write that court room comedy!
Do you have any author friends and how have they helped you in your writing career?
Do you have beta-readers or critique partners?
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?

6/23/2018 01:17:51 pm

I've been really blessed to have a few good friends who are authors. Also, I belong to a writing group called Instructors as Writers. We used to meet more often than we do now which makes me kind of sad. For several years we'd get together for summer workshops at a community college in my area. At a certain point in development, most authors should share their work with each other. Maybe not only their writing, but the joys and frustrations (some days too many of the latter). I have a couple of friends who are beta-readers and have been terrific! I'm okay at it, but they're way better. One, an English teacher, read through an early draft of the novel. It helped a great deal. Best piece of advice ever given to me by another writer was back in college. I told her that I worried about my fear of a life-long writing block. Her response: "Once you're a writer, you're always a writer."

6/23/2018 03:05:24 pm

I think that is good advice! It sounds like you have a good team you can depend on. I think every author needs a team like that.
What are common traps beginning writers fall into?
Do you think listening to music, watching movies, and reading books are helpful to a writer or not, and why?

6/24/2018 08:06:30 am

Beginning writers--especially when they're in there teens--might feel like they don't need to read much, or at least not much beyond the kinds of books they've already read. They aren't necessarily good at exposing themselves to a range of books...I know I was this way at first, and something tells me that I would've developed more quickly as a writer had I early on exposed myself to all the various kinds of fiction and non-fiction. Maybe I'm wrong and the main thing is to be a passionate reader first and foremost! Music, movies, books -- all contribute to becoming a writer, for sure, because they all help expand a person's perspective. The arts, in general, heighten your sensitivity level. Equally important, I thnk, is to get out in nature and take walks, preferably by yourself. To put yourself in situations which force you to be reflective...

6/24/2018 10:05:44 am

I think you are onto something, Susan, reading widely can only help to provide a good foundation for a writer.
What are two or three books every beginning writer must read, in your opinion?
Is there a book you read that greatly changed your opinion about a particular genre?

6/24/2018 03:28:55 pm

My three recommended books for beginning writers are: 'Bird by Bird,' by Anne LaMott; 'On Writing,' by Stephen King, and lastly, 'Writing Down the Bones,' by Natalie Goldberg. I especially found LaMott's and King's books to have lots of great tips and suggestions. The Goldberg one may not be as much of an introductory one, but it's definitely worthwhile. A novel that changed by opinion of a genre was probably a series of novels about a fictitious detective, Amelia Peabody by Elizabeth Peters. I never much cared for mysteries but these are charming and at times just plain funny!

6/24/2018 07:41:43 pm

You are the fifth or sixth writer to recommend "On Writing", by Stephen King. I think I am going to have to get it.
Was the Amelia series a part of the cozy murder genre? I have read a few and really enjoyed them quite a bit.
Why do most authors write in 3rd person POV instead of 2nd or 1st?
What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your first book?

6/25/2018 08:50:44 am

I'm sure you'll find merit in King's book, Mark. Yes, the Peabody series are considered to be 'cozies' because there's nothing to graphic regarding the murders. Glad to hear you've read a few of them! I think most writers prefer 3rd person because it can give readers a broader perspective of the world they've created. That being said, I've been under the impression that 1st person narratives had become more popular these days due to the general acceptance of unreliable narrators.What I learned after writing my first novel is that editing is an art -- and one I'm afraid I'm not that great in. Writers always need another pair of eyes, preferably expert eyes. So, sadly, my first one wasn't well-edited. Also, I knew little about marketing back in 2010. I'm still a newbie, but I know enough now to realize that there's quite a learning curve that authors have to learn if they want to get their work 'out there.' That being said, I don't at all regret having written 'Insominy.'

6/25/2018 10:45:08 am

First person POV is very popular with me. I love the intimacy and the close connection it provides. One of the biggest problems can be head-hopping, if the speaker is not clearly identified.
Editing is science and art, there are so many points of disagreement about various minutiae. There is a learning curve for editing that can seem very steep at the beginning, like any other skill.
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
Does writing have a healing or spiritual aspect for you?

6/25/2018 11:17:09 am

You're so right about 1st person POV providing intimacy. And yes, as an editor, "head hopping," as you describe it would get rather frustrating unless a writer an incredibly strong writer...Deciding on which POV to use has been my biggest issue in writing fiction. You guessed it (if you did)! I've been two or three drafts in and then have decided to switch it. Also, passive voice has sometimes posed an issue...Writing definitely has a healing and spiritual aspect for me! I feel much better at the end of the day if I've had a decent session. Getting to inhabit the world of my characters allows me a sometimes a necessary escape from the complexities of my own life, as I'm sure is the case for many.

6/25/2018 12:58:35 pm

One of my clients solved the head hopping problem, she writes each chapter from the POV of one person, most of the chapters are consecutive. Occasionally, concurrently, for an important scene. It works quite well, in my opinion. Most of her chapters are fairly short.
Where would your work be if you didn't have real people to base your characters on?
Is it difficult to balance writing and personal relationships?

6/25/2018 01:06:53 pm

I like your one client's approach. Must be a pretty good writer to be able to a convincing job switching voices. Not always easy...Keeping chapters short might be part of the key. Thanks for the suggestion, Mark.

If I didn't have real people to base my characters on, I guess I'd just make them up from acquaintances, strangers seen only once. Maybe I'd take traits from someone I'd read about or seen in movies and combine them with others...

Yes, balancing writing and personal relationships can be difficult. I don't write as well when things aren't going well in my personal life. Makes me wonder how others juggle it...I try to live a pretty routine existence in order to get writing done, but the problem of too much routine is that we get tired of it, right?

6/25/2018 01:32:09 pm

Judging from the slew of comments on twitter, many authors struggle with the balance, some better than others. Having young children in the house can amplify that problem, because the littles require a good deal of attention.
Did you remove any large sections from "Mentor" and why?
Are there any other passions in your life, things you are passionate about besides writing?

6/25/2018 08:20:00 pm

Well, I have no 'littles' in the house -- not even grand 'littles,' so you'd think there should be nothing to disrupt my writing, but--alas--I've always been a little like 'Princess and the Pea'!

My editor removed one fairly large section that he found a little overly dramatic. After I thought about it, I could see his point. Maggie's initial diary segment was quite a bit longer, but I initially shortened it. Also, my ending--when Taezha returns to Flint at Christmas--was also longer, but again, my editor chopped a few pages off it. There were paragraphs here and there that got the chopping block, too, both during initial edits and later ones.

What else am I passionate about in my life besides writing? My family...Also, even though I'm now semi-retired from working in schools, I still feel such a vested interest in young people, especially young people living in poverty, that I know, after a few months off this summer, I'll find a way to get back in there and fight for them, even if not in a public school setting.

6/25/2018 08:39:30 pm

The princess and the pea, that's good!
It's interesting how much goes in and what comes out sometimes to make a story hard to put down. My wife and I used to do foster care part time, I appreciate your desire to help kids.
Earlier, you mentioned poetry in passing. Do you still write any, if so, what kind? What inspires you to write poetry? Do you have a favorite poet?

6/26/2018 08:34:38 am

I've written quite hundreds of poems and have published about a dozen of them in various magazines and journals. In the past few years, I've slowed down due to novel writing. I mostly write blank verse. Many influences. Main ones have been Whitman, Plath, and Sexton. Used to read it more often than I now do, too, though I still enjoy it. I love to begin my mornings sipping coffee and reading a poem. Alas, sometimes I forget to do so. Reading poetry has always inspired me to write it!

6/26/2018 10:19:59 am

Very nice about the poetry. You are a versatile writer.
I hope you can find a way to rewrite or re-release "Insominy", and you continue with the other projects.
This has been fun, I have another interview beginning today. Perhaps we can pick this up later. We can reply to other questions and comments that come in down the road also.
Thanks again, Susan, and best wishes for continued success.

6/26/2018 11:05:47 am

Mark, thank you SO much for the book review and for letting me take part in your guest blog! I truly enjoyed your great questions and would be happy to pick this up whenever convenient for you. Wishing you all the best!!

A Mentor and Her Muse by Susan Sage

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