Lost Hope: Overcoming Sadness, Fear, Depression and Despair by Suzy Mitchell Collin

7/30/2023

Multi-volume, multi-genre author Suzy Collin introduces us to her book about finding hope, “Lost Hope”:
We all face adversity, trials and suffering. Grief is universal. We can either be defeated or run into God's arms and immeasurably deepen our faith. The key to overcoming trials lies in which path we choose.
We are most open to God during times of trial when we recognize our need for Him.
The answers to all questions are found in God's Word, His simple, direct and perfect instructions for us in any situation. The Bible is a roadmap to recovery, healing and triumph. It is the only roadmap to a successful, peaceful life, presenting answers for how to accept any circumstance.
This book presents the gospel of "opposites," the tenets of Christ's ways vs. the ways of our world and the need for a re-awakening to discover God's perfect plan.
Lost Hope has four faces: Sadness, Fear, Depression and Despair. The story does not have to end there. The path for recovery and overcoming is the path that takes us in to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. Pain can be the very entry point when we run into His awaiting arms. The choice is ours to make.

I love hearing the testimonies of people who have been healed and comforted by God. I have received my own unmerited share of healing and comfort from God. HE is truly wonderful and these stories set in the real lives of these women are for our encouragement and blessing.

The author also shares the basics of having a personal relationship with God and the means to growing spiritually in a daily walk with Jesus our Savior.

Get ready to receive blessings from God and ask the Holy Spirit to explain what you don't understand.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Hope-Overcoming-Sadness-Depression
https://www.goodreads.com/-lost-hope-suzy collin

You can follow the author:
http://suzymitchellcollin.com

Copyright @ 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

85 Comments

Suzy Mitchell Collin link

7/31/2023 03:28:27 pm

I love that Mark gets it. The Holy Spirit will illuminate anything a reader does not understand. When one writes a story to illuminate the glory of God, some may not understand. I get that. My hope is that even just one person will be comforted or be inspired to go deeper with our Lord.
This is especially needed when challenge or trial is present.

Mark

7/31/2023 03:37:48 pm

Thank you, Suzy. Your book is very significant because we all have challenges and trials.

First question.

Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Suzy Collin link

7/31/2023 04:03:38 pm

Hmmm. What would describe me best is that I love to serve others. Starting with motherhood which is the best servant teacher (who wants to change poopie diapers?). Marriage is another category of service. If you come to my home for a meal, I will first pray for you while I am cooking it and happily present your favorite thing (if I cannot do that, my chef husband will). I enjoy thinking about what others need and love to think of creative ways to meet those needs. That is why I wrote this book. If I can help others in any way, that is what makes me most content and fulfilled. I am an annoying optimist and will always find the best in you or in any situation. I love life and I love people but God is always my first love. Always and forever.

Mark

7/31/2023 04:32:09 pm

We will get along famously; I love to eat good food!

Helping others and being a useful tool in Father's hands is a wonderful way to live and serve.

New questions.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?

What kind of work do you do if you are a part-time writer? Feel free to skip that question, if you would rather not answer.

Suzy Collin link

7/31/2023 04:48:02 pm

I am a full-time artist/writer. I spend my days either writing or painting. I should spend more time cleaning the house! Neither one of those time consuming projects (writing, painting) results in any financial gain because I am too busy pursuing creative endeavors to promote myself. I need a promoter/agent. I want to spend my days writing or painting and sometimes it is hard to decipher which one to do first. Creativity is a blessing and a curse.
Even when I sleep, I am dreaming of plots for a book. It's not easy being me.
Come for dinner, Mark. What is your favorite meal?

Mark

7/31/2023 07:24:06 pm

You are in the same predicament that so many other creatives find themselves in. With over a million books published each year, for more than 20 years, the market is severely over-crowded. If an author doesn't devote some regular time for marketing and book promotion, their books will struggle to be noticed by readers and sales will suffer. Spending time on marketing takes away from the creative and fulfilling pursuits.

There is no easy answer. Unless an author has lots of money to spend on marketing, they have to do it themselves. Many independent authors sell fewer than 500 copies of their books. For many of those no more than 100 copies. If an author wants to beat the averages they must take the creative hat off and don the business hat. The books become products, the author is the brand and knowing that marketing is not a sprint it is more like an ultra-marathon.

If an author takes the responsibility for their success, they must develop a plan to get their books in front of as many people as possible. That will require at least an hour or two every week. We will talk more about some of those possibilities down the road.

New questions.

How has writing changed your life?

Suzy Collin link

7/31/2023 07:57:01 pm

Oh Boy. you are pricking my Achilles Heel. The only reason I want to promote this book is that I am promoting it for God, not myself. I suffer from magical thinking, that it will happen despite my inactivity. That's why I have you! What is the question again?
Writing has not changed my life. I was born with a pencil ( birth was a bit more challenging, Sorry, Mom). I either wrote or drew. I made and designed clothes for my own paper dolls since I could walk. I used to make my own cards as a child. My sister showed me one that she recently found that I sent her when I was only ten. It was a Christmas card and I could not even spell Christmas! I need to keep that in mind to keep me humble. I spelled Christmas as Cristmas! Sorry, Jesus.
Writing and painting are what I must do to be sane. And even that could be argued. I have always liked how the Brits describe a crazy person. "They are daft, you know." I admit it. I am daft. And I do not apologize. What's the next question?

Mark

8/1/2023 07:28:57 am

I understand. The tension of promotional responsibility is real. Do you leave it completely in Father's hands, trusting Him and the Holy Spirit to bring this book to those who need it or do you take time and money to get this book in view of as many people as possible? If you are certain the Father wants you to write another book then that is what you will do; leave the marketing to Him and write and paint some more.

Doll clothes and Christmas cards make great stories and certainly verify your creative impulses.

I was selling greeting cards door to door when I was 10.

Many authors have said they must write otherwise the voices in their head get too noisy.

New questions.

How many drafts did your book go through before publishing?

Your cover is unique. You painted the picture. But why did you add the semi-transparent band and double the title, subtitle and your name?

Mary L Scholl

8/9/2023 02:23:25 pm

I remember those sell greeting card kits off the back of comic books to earn fabulous prizes!

Mark

8/9/2023 03:17:05 pm

I think that is where I got the idea from.

Thanks for dropping in, Mary. I hope you are well.

Suzy Collin link

8/1/2023 09:50:49 am

When I write, I will get down the rough draft initially. After that, I will go back and refine, refine, edit and edit. This is a process so numerous that it is hard to say 10 drafts, 20 drafts. How about three hundred drafts?

The cover was designed by Brian Smith. He has done other covers for me and he is very talented. He took my painting that illustrated a poem I wrote about capturing the moment when the four women at the cross were about to go to the tomb to anoint the body of their Savior, believing He was dead. That moment captured why we lose hope. We can't see what is around the corner and we become stuck in the moment, unaware.

As far as the ribbon surrounding the painting, that was Brian's work as was the title and subtitle. I asked him why the color purple and he replied that it was because pink is the color known to represent breast cancer! While it was not pink, I just fell in love with his colors and the purple brought out the sky in the painting.

I don't know what you mean by doubling the title, etc. That is not what the printed book looks like. I better go check the Kindle version, huh? My husband formatted the book and he helps so much but sometimes we call ourselves "The Two Stooges."

And yes, I totally agree that we must trust God to get this book out to as many as possible but I also know that we must do as much as we can to make that happen. Maybe that's why He sent you!

Mary Lu Scholl

8/9/2023 02:25:30 pm

The ribbon is a beautiful, striking contrast on the cover.

Mark

8/9/2023 03:17:41 pm

I agree, it's a great touch.

Mark

8/1/2023 10:38:30 am

The first draft has but one purpose and that is to get the book out of your head. too many new writers expend a great deal of energy and time trying to create a perfect first draft and they wind up losing touch with their muse and some don't finish because they get discouraged.

I like that purple ribbon. It's a nice contrast to the painting. I like the style of the painting also, it reminds me of a pre-Rennaissance style, bordering on iconic.

Brian is talented. Does he have a website or Twitter account? Feel free to share those with us.

You responded quickly to my comment about the semi-transparent band. Brian has loaded the new cover on Amazon. As soon as that appears I will change out the cover on my website.

New question.

At first glance, the cover seems obvious, but I frequently miss a detail or two. What do the elements on the cover represent?

Suzy Collin link

8/1/2023 11:12:04 am

Yes, Brian Smith is a very talented graphic artist. Check him out at Grease Graphics.

Thanks for asking about the cover. This is one of my favorite paintings. The oil paint is thick and layered, the terrain is rough and stark. The women represent what I call the Four Faces of Lost Hope: Sadness, Fear, Depression and Despair.

It is a representative painting and by that I mean that the figures are painted with suggestion of form (notice the hands have no fingers).

The faces are the emotional thrust of the painting, the main representations of Lost Hope. The sky is turbulent, representative of the turbulent broken hearts of the women who thought they were embarking on the saddest mission of their lives. That turbulence is also suggestive of our own hearts when suffering comes upon us. Brian's ribbon sets it off perfectly.

I am currently working on making this painting and others available on the web site. It will be a matte copy, probably 8x11 and sent without a mat or frame to keep the cost down. All copies of paintings will be reasonably priced and sent in a tube to shrink shipping costs. I sold a lot of matted copies of the face of Christ on the cross in Connecticut and that is one of the ones I will have up on the website, although none of the paintings will be matted. I can recommend colors for mats and frames if asked.

Mark

8/1/2023 01:20:25 pm

Lost hope, broken hearts and crushed dreams are a part of the fallen world we live in. Whether by our own choices or the choices of others, consequences always arise.

I like that. The texture of the oil paint adds to the message of the painting. Having those pictures available will be a blessing for many.

New questions.

Was it hard to come up with the title?

What was the process?

Suzy Collin link

8/1/2023 02:03:29 pm

Coming up with a title was quite difficult. I knew the title had to be about losing hope but also about overcoming that loss, that trials are not insurmountable. That's a lot to say in a short title. That was why I used the subtitle.

I researched titles already taken and Lost Hope was everywhere. That's also why I used the subtitle. I didn't want the title to be misleading but the pivotal reason for writing this book was to admit that for a short time, I did lose hope after the initial shock of hearing I had breast cancer. So Lost Hope it had to be, to identify with and offer inspiration to those who are in the same dark place of navigating any kind of trial.

If you had predicted that I would lose hope at any point in my life, I would have laughed at you. My faith has been the sustaining force in my life. So for me to lose hope and trust in God was a substantial shock, more so than the shocking diagnosis. True, it was short-lived, but it was the impetus for sharing in the hope that others might be lifted from their own dark places.

As I sat down to write this, I saw a picture of Suzanne Sommers on the news with the headline that her breast cancer had returned. I am well aware that the same fate could await me. The difference is I am no longer frightened by that possibility. God carried me up the last mountain. I have no fear of another. He will carry me again. He has taught me how to overcome sadness, fear, depression and despair by increasing my trust in Him.

Mark

8/1/2023 03:32:47 pm

Titles are important! Sometimes it is the first thing that people see and if the title doesn't grab them immediately, they are likely to move on. That is where the importance of the cover comes in. Being larger and more complicated than a few words the eye is naturally attracted to it.

Cancer of any kind is very scary. You described your experience eloquently. The operation of your faith made a big difference then and will again. I have no doubt that you spent many hours in prayer in that time and probably still do.

New questions.

What other books and genres have you written?

Is this your newest book?

Will you be writing more?

Suzy Collin link

8/1/2023 04:35:25 pm

First, I have to add something to my last comment: I left out the most important part of the process of choosing a book title: PRAYER! Copious amounts of it! Duh!

My first book was a humorous spoof on the process of dieting: "The Joyful Life of a Diet Dropout." I made cartoons to illustrate each principle. For example, the cover was of a lady on a scale with one foot in the air, as if that was going to make her lighter. I don't think that is any longer in print. I hope not. It was just a short, silly book of which I am not proud.

My second book was a non-fiction portrayal of an injustice committed by the Department of Children and Families in Connecticut. A gay coupled had adopted three sets of unwanted children who were stuck in the system (a total of nine children). Ten thriving years passed when one of the original boys made an accusation against one of the fathers that he had been sexually molested. I interviewed innumerable involved professionals regarding this accusation and found that it was false. I was part of the legal team for both of the men. This book is a story of incredible injustice and incompetence. It is the saddest thing I could ever write. I devoted five years of my life to this case and writing this book. It is called "Dismantled: The Family on Williams Street East." After DCF suddenly took the children in 2011, I wrote the book from multiple interviews with one of the fathers who has never seen his beloved children again. He remains one of my best friends.

The next book was a mystery: "The Russian River" which takes place in Guerneville, Ca. One of my sons lives in San Francisco so I am familiar with the area. This one is about a young girl who finds out she is losing her hearing and goes to the Russian River to end her life. She meets a reclusive psychiatrist who may or may not be a murderer. What the heck. She falls in love anyway.

The next book was "On the Hunt for God." It is a non-fiction book about spiritual principles that assist us in finding a deeper relationship with God and is an exposition on "The Beatitudes" as well as other biblical principles. Good stuff about sin and how we choose to keep ourselves from growing in God.

On the way to writing a lovely romance novel, Cancer introduced a detour. "Lost Hope" is the detour.

I am back to finishing the romance novel, "Three Strikes Thomasina" which is about a girl (Tommy) who has three tries at a marriage ceremony and never makes it to the altar. I am having so much fun writing this.

I also have to finish another mystery I started a while ago, "Murder in Arbor Lakes" which is a story about where we live. There may or may not have been a murder and I am not divulging any more relevant details. Some residents here want to be named in the book. It's a fun murder romp, if there is such a thing. Claudine deBontemp (the daughter of a disgraced countess) migrates to the USA from Belgium and meets a stodgy Connecticut widower after she had to suddenly flee from New York City. I wonder why! Such a fun write.

I also intend, after finishing these latest two, to rewrite "Dismantled." The audience I was aiming for was professionals who cared for children in any way and to aid in the legislative process with people trying to facilitate change in DCF (which never happened). I would like to rewrite it with another audience in mind which means I will forego a lot of the salacious police reports, etc. and just tell the sad story without a lot of the gory details.

I guess I might as well give up painting. Too many books to get done. I spent six months on the latest painting and haven't finished it yet.

Such problems, right?

Mark

8/1/2023 05:38:15 pm

Your creativity in writing has taken you many different places. Non-fiction, fiction, and inspirational. I am impressed.

What happened to that family was terrible.

I lived in San Francisco for several years; I met my wife there, we married and our first child was born in San Francisco. While I never made it to the Russian River, many of my friends did.

Romance and mystery are very popular genres. I do hope you finish those books.

New questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

If so, will you be doing more in the future?

Suzy Collin link

8/1/2023 06:20:35 pm

Yuk. Public speaking is not in my wheelhouse. I hate, hate, hate to be the center of public attention. My sister was Ms. Senior Connecticut and goaded me to get into the latest contest. My reply was that if I had to stand in front of an audience, it would be with a paper bag over my head. It is a distasteful proposition.

Perhaps it has something to do with my mother, who nightly attended local bars, brought me along, starting at age four, and stood me up on the bar and had me sing songs for an inebriated, appreciative audience. Then, when we had company at home, she would drag me out and make me do an impression of Marilyn Monroe. I am scarred.

The strange thing is that when I have had to speak (I was the emcee of many events in my career (I even had to speak on the radio) and then recently as Clubhouse manager at Arbor Lakes), it was hard to get the microphone away from me. I wish I understood my complicated self. I am an enigma. Why did you have to ask this question?

Mark

8/2/2023 08:18:54 am

A little bit of self-revelation can be a good thing. You are not alone, most people report that public speaking is one of their top fears. Most people are afraid of looking foolish in public and that they won't know enough about the topic.

Many years ago, I learned a valuable secret about public speaking. Be the expert. Don't speak publicly about something unless you are the expert. You already know that instinctively because you did so well at those other speaking events.

When you hold a book signing people will come to hear you speak, they know you are the expert about your book. They will hang on every word you speak.

Thank you for honestly answering my questions.

New questions.

Have you entered any writing contests?

Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Suzy Collin link

8/2/2023 08:30:41 am

This will likely be my shortest answer:
Entered writing contests? No.
Won awards? No.
The only accolades I have accumulated were in academia: from grade school thru the masters program, teachers and professors gave me top grades on any writing submitted.

Mark

8/2/2023 10:11:49 am

Yes, very short! Congratulations on those academic accolades.

Writers all have different reasons for entering writing contests. Many of those contests have length requirements because each entry must be read and judged by a person. Some writers refuse to enter contests for fear that the contests might be a scam. That is a legitimate fear. Here is some information that will help you make a wise decision. Use this copy-and-paste link or hit the search box below to learn more: Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests Anne Allen is one oof my favorite bloggers.

New questions.

I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?

Why did you choose that exclusive venue?

Suzy Collin link

8/2/2023 01:40:10 pm

Signing up for that was an error that has been corrected thanks to a wonderful fellow who caught that mistake!
Book sales are lagging except for many neighbors in our community who have read the book and some have left affirming reviews on Amazon which I truly appreciate. We are entering into the wider marketing phase right now.

My author friend and neighbor, Max Furek, tells me he is selling lots of books through promoting his latest work on podcasts. I plan to investigate if spiritual podcasts exist as well as ads on Amazon. I am open to suggestions!

Mark

8/2/2023 02:55:14 pm

I recommend not putting all of your eggs in one basket even if it is a big one called Amazon. There are lots of people who are Amazon-phobic. They will not shop there at all and there are lots of other platforms that sell books. It is smart to be on Amazon and as many other platforms as possible.

Very few authors sell as many books as they hope or expect. There are so many wonderful books that languish for lack of visibility.

Podcasts are a good idea, there are lots of podcasters of all stripes including Christian and many of them are looking for authors to interview. It might be wise to listen to as many podcasts as you can for more information.

If you were on Twitter, I would suggest you look at the lists I have on my Twitter page. My lists are full of people on Twitter who provide services to authors including reviews, promotions, and book-tubers, people who have channels on YouTube and talk about books. There are a lot of Christians on Twitter also.

New questions.

Have you ever gone through the query process?

Were you seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers and why did you choose that path?

Suzy Collin link

8/2/2023 03:39:26 pm

Yes, over the years I have tried extensively to use the query process to solicit permission to submit manuscripts after countless hours/days/months/years/decades/centuries of researching publishers and agents.

I have researched and queried agents and have come away thinking it is just as hard to get an agent as it is a publisher.

I have spent many frustrating hours and rarely even get a "Your book sounds wonderful but it is just not a match for us."

I've spent a lot of time writing and rewriting query letters. I could write a book on how to do a poor job at it, apparently. Maybe I will put that on You Tube: "How to Screw Up A Query Letter to Publishers and Agents" or "Mistakes to Avoid in Writing a Query Letter."

I attended workshops on how to write a query letter. The man who was a published author (at a premier publishing house) told us to start assembling a friend list of 5000 on Facebook. I did that and have a lot of author friends. That and $2 won't get me a cup of coffee. I'm a tea drinker anyway.

I spent months (again) sliding down that query letter rabbit hole for "Lost Hope." We self-published this book as a last resort.

I am also frustrated with how little percentage the author's return is from the sale of a book with a publisher. That does not seem fair.

Do I sound jaded? Well, yup. I guess I have the right. Color me Jade.

Mark

8/2/2023 05:29:44 pm

Your experience mirrors that of so many other authors. It has always been hard to connect with a publisher or an agent, many publishers don't accept direct submissions. Publishers have a primary goal of making a profit and staying in business. A book is merely a means to that end for them.

The traditional publishing industry has undergone an extreme contraction since the advent of Amazon publishing books for anyone. Amazon destroyed the traditional publishing apple cart, and the industry has never recovered. Publishers of all sizes have disappeared one way or another, there are only 4 or 5 big publishers left. These publishers are existing on the thinnest of profit margins and many are only 1 or 2 failures away from closing the doors. Every book has to be a big seller for them to stay in business. They are very risk averse now.

Agents know this all too well. They cannot afford to take chances also. They don't get paid until a contract is signed. Then they get a percentage of everything. The picture is very bleak for them also.

If the publisher pays an advance, it will not be very large unless the publisher is supremely confident the book will sell well. That advance has to be paid back through book sales.

Even if an author brings a fully edited manuscript with a beautiful cover the publisher is likely to ignore all of that and run the book through all of their departments. The publisher might ask for a new title, a different cover, even a rewrite of the story. They are within their rights to do so since the author signed a contract giving the publisher a license to publish the book, unless the author negotiated those specific items. The publisher can even decide to wait a year or more to publish if he thinks the book will sell better.

I do not think that traditional publishing is in an author's best interest. As you noted, the royalties are very small. The publisher might maximize the expenses to keep as much of the money as possible.

All of the above applies to an honest publisher. There are lots of dishonest publishers also, not only will they take as much money as they can, they might also steal the author's intellectual property rights. Then the author loses all control of the book they labored over.

You are jaded and I am cynical.

New questions.

Have you self-published all of your books?

If not, what caused you to switch?

Suzy Collin link

8/2/2023 06:45:51 pm

You are cynical and I am jaded. One and the same! Two peas in a pod.

I have self-published everything but the first one, "Joyful Life of a Diet Dropout" which was published by Tate Publishing (I believe that they are no longer in business unless it is under another name.) It was a small book that cost us $4000. I later found out that the publisher was on the danger list for authors.

My first attempt at writing a book was an abject failure that cost a lot of money.

I tried, in subsequent manuscripts, to find an agent or a publishing company in a destructed landscape like a bombed city scattered with publishers going out of business.

You describe the current publishing landscape with exact precision.

When I queried places for my last book, "Lost Hope" I found that you are correct. The publishers I looked at wanted only Christian authors who had a doctorate or were related to Billy Graham.

Sadly, I have neither of those qualifications. And I do not have enough time or interest left in my wonderful life to work towards a doctorate.

As of today, I have sold 76 books (plus maybe 20 I have sold in my community not on the Amazon count.). I am approaching 100!

I have to look at it positively. Keep going and trying, do what we can. And pray that God will bless those who read it and show us a way if He wants people to read this book. Tilting at windmills is great literature. I love the story of Don Quixote! Did I spell that wrong?

Mark

8/2/2023 07:44:34 pm

Sorry to hear that you were likely ripped off with that first book. Tate sounds like a vanity publisher at best. Many of the scammers change names frequently.

Here is another copy-and-paste link from one of my favorite bloggers. https://accrispin.blogspot.com/2021/01/writer-beware-2020-in-review-not-that.html She covers this field in depth.

100 books sold is not bad at all. Yes, you have to keep plugging along. The more you write, the more books you will sell over the long run.

You spelled it right.

New questions.

Is there a book that causes strong emotions to come up no matter how many times you read it?

Do you ever read a book more than once?

If so, which one?

Suzy Collin link

8/3/2023 08:17:09 am

There is a book that I read most days that causes strong emotions. It is the Holy Bible! I can read the same things over and over and never tire of it, never fail to be affected and deeply stimulated.

The Bible saved my life because it was where I began the journey of realization of how Jesus Christ, God and the Holy Spirit love me and all His children.

That journey continues as well as my need to keep reading, attempting to follow Him and living in the joy if it all.

In high school, I was always in Honors English classes. There I started to read the classics. Out of high school, I developed a love for Agatha Christie and Ian Fleming. Have read all of those in print. I love a good mystery with twists and turns. I loved the library in those days.

In college, (which I did not start until age 34) I had many literature classes which were my favorites besides art classes. I once was invited to join a small group of students (because of my GPA) that studied history from the cave era to modern time and that involved study of literature. I learned so much from that study. I learned of what I called "The Golden Thread" which is God's hand through it all.

So, I guess you could say I have always been reading something. What impresses and stays with me most is poetry. My favorite class in college was "Painting and Literature." My favorite poem which always continues to impress me is "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. I think that poem has influenced me more than any other and it continues to.

I have written a lot of poetry and some of it is illustrated by paintings.

Mark

8/3/2023 10:11:16 am

I agree with you about the Bible. So much of real life is explained in the Bible. It is a source of encouragement and comfort for me also.

I loved my English classes when I could read. The rest of the time not so much. I lived in a small town, my high school graduating class was 52 students.

New questions.

Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

If you could ask every person, who has read one of your books, only one question what would you ask them?

Suzy Collin link

8/3/2023 10:47:12 am

That's easy. My favorite is Lost Hope: Overcoming Sadness, Fear, Depression and Despair.

The reasons are many. First, it has been the highest honor for me to have a chance to give God glory. That is my fervent goal.

And for much of my life, I wanted glory for myself. Attending university, my goal was to be the best psychologist in Connecticut. I envisioned myself as the one who could help people that no one else could help!

How ashamed I am of that! Yes, I wanted more than anything to help people but I wanted to stand in for Jesus, be the savior.

I bow my head in shame. Yes, I was a lot younger but still, if sin has scales which I suppose it does, my sin is right up there. It is said that the greatest sin is pride and okay, my hand is up. That was me.

I suppose, in a way, I wrote this book as a public apology to God. Today, I bask in His unfailing forgiveness.

The ironic thing was that people knew that I was going for a degree in counseling and quite a few started coming for help before I was done with the Psychology degree.

I helped a few dozen people who were very grateful, but guess what? I began to realize that counseling was not what God was calling me to do. It took too much out of me. I cared too much. I really do like to sleep and the problems I listened to kept me awake at night.
So, I went back to my first love, serving the elderly. And that has given me much joy. I have met and served tons of earth angels!

In sum, writing this book was a catharsis and a redemptive process as a byproduct of shouting about God's goodness and faithfulness. I want to point everybody to Him and not to me. I came to this place of peace only because of His grace. All of Him, none of me.

I have learned humility and I highly recommend it.

The second reason I love this book so much is that it may help people. This is exactly my motivation as it was in the beginning of this life journey. Only this time, my motivation has been cleansed.

That leads into the question of: If I could ask people anything about reading this book is also an easy answer. "Did reading this help you in any way?" Second question I always ask, "Did it keep your interest?"

I guess you can tell at this point that I can be a rambler. My apologies.

Mark

8/3/2023 12:39:50 pm

No apology needed for rambling. I love a good, long answer. Sometimes I go long also.

I am not surprised you chose this book as your favorite. I appreciate your honesty in talking about the process you have been through.

The questions you ask are good.

New question.

How do you handle bad reviews?

Suzy Collin link

8/3/2023 01:10:24 pm

I like to hear about how people feel about my books. There have been a few less than flattering comments and I find them helpful. I will think through a critical response and incorporate it in future work or disregard the comment if I reason that it is not accurate.

You can learn a lot from criticism if you don't take it as an attack on your worth.

In "Dismantled: The Family on Williams Street East", a reader criticized that I included police reports as written. I disagreed with that because it was a true story and I could not edit out the truth. But I still appreciated the feedback and it gave me a chance to explain the reason for writing it the way I had.

Most comments have been very positive, especially on "Lost Hope."
I haven't heard a bad reaction yet but I'm sure I will if sales continue.
People are different and are entitled to their own reactions.

When I was writing a blog several years back on "On the Hunt for God," I received feedback and several were intentionally hurtful, although most were positive. I reacted to the insult by praying for the individuals who most certainly were in a bad place. That is what I dislike about social media. People in bad places try to get you to join them.

When I was young, I suffered from "PP." I call that state of mind "People Pleasing." I would do anything people asked of me just to please them. I was addicted to the opinion of others as if that could define my worth. I have long recovered from that insanity.

Today, I have learned that freedom. I would prefer to be liked but if that doesn't happen, you have the same freedom to have your own opinions as I do. It's a nice place to live.

Mark

8/3/2023 03:44:11 pm

Not all negative comments are bad as you have learned. I love your plan to pray for those who are struggling.

I use that same strategy when I am driving and some blind nincompoop cuts me off in traffic. I am kidding about the blind nincompoop. I am not kidding about praying for the other person and their safety. I do pray for other drivers a lot. There are visitors from all over the world in Orlando, Florida. They bring their driving habits with them. As a fellow Florida resident, you probably know that central Florida has the highest rates for car insurance in the nation. The visitors from all over are part of that problem.

People pleasing is a real problem and is severely out of balance for so many. It's true that everyone wants to be loved and accepted for who they are, this is a basic human emotional need. We are supposed to be able to feel safe with our family and close friends. So many families are fractured now, and the safe places are gone. Even the church is not always the safe place it is supposed to be.

New question.

Since a copyright in America lasts for 75 years after the author's passing, do you have a plan for all of your books in your estate?

Suzy Collin link

8/3/2023 04:12:29 pm

I liked your comments although I am pretty confident that part of the problem with drivers in Florida is Floridian drivers! Have you ever driven in New York City or Washington DC? Not much of a difference. Something to avoid when possible.

I hate to say that I agree with you about the disintegration of families and church. No greater disaster exists.

As far as the question of have I come up with a plan for royalties after I am gone? Great question, not so great an answer.

As a perpetual optimist, I should be considering this. But I am so used to being a failure as a writer, I am ashamed to say I have not. We have wills and all that, but time is growing shorter and shorter with each passing day and I should be aware of this as a responsibility.

Most of the time, my thinking is that Jesus is coming soon but this could easily be a false belief. But you know, I admit that I am no prophet and should plan for the future if there is one.

I do not mean to be gloom and doom because that is not me. I am the opposite. But the world has changed. Right now, I am watching a former president traveling to court to be indicted. This is history in the making that I do not want to admit is happening. Not indicating any political stance because there is enough of that. Just saying this should never be, however it has come to be. So sad, so completely out of the realm of how we grew up as to be science fiction. But you are right. Time to be responsible.

Mark

8/3/2023 06:25:55 pm

There are bad drivers everywhere. No argument about that. What is really funny is that most drivers think they are above average or the median. That can only be true for the upper half.

Every generation thinks that Jesus is coming back now. People have been setting dates and coming up wrong for 2,000 years. We live under great tension; Jesus is coming soon but we don't know when. We must be prepared if he comes back tomorrow and if he doesn't.

Your intellectual property is part of your estate. More than one creative person has had their work become very popular after their death.

The current political climate and events are unprecedented in the last century. Great evil is afoot and becoming bolder.

New question.

Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters? I normally reserve this question for novelists, I ask it now because you have written novels and are writing more.

Suzy Collin link

8/3/2023 07:56:26 pm

I love this question! My favorite part of writing fiction is to develop the characters. I know this will sound crazy but these characters become almost actual people to me. It as if I know them and they are family.

I am writing a murder mystery, "Murder in Arbor Lakes." I had to totally upend the plot because I became so enamored with the characters.

Would Claudine deBontemp commit murders? Would the supremely moral man she became involved with commit murder? I couldn't do it to either of them. It just was such an insult to their characters. I had to find another way, which will remain a mystery in itself.

When I wrote the romance novel, "The Russian River, " the same thing happened. These characters were real to me. Everything I wrote about them was like it was happening to my family or best friends.

I am now finishing another romance novel, "Three Strikes Thomasina" which is the same deal. I believe in these people. I want them to succeed. I want them to overcome the bad stuff. They seem to exist outside of my mind.

If I have any strength as a writer, it is in character development. I can do that because I really believe they exist, if only in my mind.

I know that makes me seem daft (the Brit term for crazy) and I most likely am.

I spend time a good deal of time in the beginning of a novel developing the characters which comes from experience, people I have known, people I wish I had known, or my own experience or emotions. I flesh them out and they become real. I can even see their faces and know how they will respond to events.

I know people will read that and be sure of my mental incompetence but I can only say, honestly, that I am sorry to finish a manuscript when I don't know anymore about how my fictional friends will fare. If I write about them no more, where will they go? Who will determine their fate? In reality, I know that they have no fate other than what I have written.

It is both beautiful and sad to let them go.
Now you know the truth, that I am certifiable.

Mark

8/3/2023 08:27:11 pm

Character development can make or break a story! No doubt about that. I love well-drawn characters, they become real to me and I think about them after closing the book. Maybe that means we are both daft.

Rick Hall is a guest blogger and a client. I have reviewed a book of his. He wrote an interesting blog psychologically congruent characters and developed a website for the purpose of the same. Here is a copy-and-paste link or hit the search box below: https://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/character-creation

New questions.

Have you ever done NaNoWriMo, National November Writing Month?

If you have, what kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

Suzy Collin link

8/3/2023 08:38:00 pm

This is the easiest answer ever.
No.
Hope you have a restful, peaceful, regenerating night's sleep! I think you are still recovering from my last answer! cannot blame you for that!

Mark

8/4/2023 07:50:14 am

Good morning and thank you for the good wishes.

NaNoWriMo is a competition, against procrastination. The goal is to write 50,000 words of a first draft in 30 days. 1667 words a day during the month of November. It's strictly on the honor system. Many writers join groups designed to make it fun and for mutual support. It is a big production on Twitter and probably other social media platforms.

New questions.

Are you an under-writer or an over-writer?

When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

Suzy Collin link

8/4/2023 08:09:47 am

I am not an over-writer or an under-writer. I am a math-writer.
I add and subtract over and over.
Sometimes I will take out a whole section months after I write it. Sometimes I will add another section.
It goes back and forth until it seems right. To me, a manuscript is like a rough diamond that must be polished and polished until it shines.
I frequently will put a manuscript aside for months, go back to it and change things up, even major parts of the plot.
I have a few readers who help with that and I will often take their suggestions to "shine" either grammar usage or plot problems that may be confusing to them.

Mark

8/4/2023 11:28:51 am

A math-writer sounds very technical! I love your description of the process. It matches that of many other writers. A first-draft manuscript is exactly that, a diamond freshly dug out of the ground. Uncut and unpolished.

Setting a manuscript aside for several months and using beta readers are good ideas and help to make a better book.

New questions.

If you cut big parts, do you save them?

Do you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?

Suzy Collin link

8/4/2023 12:08:21 pm

It is rare for me to change a plot radically. But I have reversed directions for one of the characters. I have done this rarely in the non-fiction books but have done that mostly in fiction.

If I cut a section, I do not save it. I don't really cut action, dialogue or whole chapters as much as refine each one.

For instance, the book I am writing now, "Three Strikes Thomasina," I took out a whole section about the father of Thomasina that a beta reader found too racy, I guess you would say. The change in direction improved the book.

I don't write sexy stuff and I never use swear words in my writing. I will allude to intimacy but don't get too deeply into that. I have read too many romance novels that go into too much detail for my liking.The romance I prefer to elevate is more driven by character traits, emotions and plot events.

In real life, I have never found the need to swear. There are too many words available to us that are more explanatory than today's narrow vernacular which I view as an unfortunate deterioration of our language.

Mark

8/4/2023 02:01:16 pm

When it comes to sexy stuff, I am a firm believer in less is more. What we conjure up in our minds is almost always better than what is completely described.

Overly described scenes and actions are common mistakes of new writers. For example, describing every action that a character makes to leave the house and drive a car somewhere makes me want to scream. The less telling the better. Readers are very familiar with common actions and events, if the author writes as little as possible about those things the readers will fill in the rest and this will bind them closer to the story. If a writer specifies a Dodge Ram pickup and the reader prefers another brand of pickup the reader has been nudged out of the story a little bit. I am assuming that brand makes no difference in the plot.

New questions.

In fiction. Have you ever used yourself as a starting point for a character in a story?

Would family or friends recognize you in the story?

Suzy Collin link

8/4/2023 03:32:13 pm

Actually, I have become too old to use myself as a starting point in my stories. I tell stories of younger women. I am not at all ashamed of my age. I have not participated in worrying or noticing it very much. But I think readers identify more with younger characters with their lives ahead of them. That is just more interesting.

I do use my own experiences to flesh out characters and even incorporate places and events that I had myself or known about through being involved with family and/or friends.

The only details that reveal my history are really in the non-fiction "Lost Hope" just released. It was difficult to write most of that because my history was laden with challenges. There are things I will not write about if I am aware that the knowledge of some things are better left unsaid to protect against hurting someone.

Maybe now that I have revealed more of my life history, people might recognize me in the stories but I doubt it.

I tend to conjure up bizarre, complicated plots. Now should I admit that my life is bizarre and complicated? It used to be, perhaps, at least complicated. Now, my life is a open book. (A bad joke.)

I think any writer is formed by their life history to some extent and it is a natural phenomenon for their experiences to form opinions and even bias to color and influence their writing.

Mark

8/4/2023 05:37:17 pm

We boomers are aging, and we form a significant part of the population. Stories that include characters our age might appeal to quite a few readers. The main character in the previous book review was retired from the army. He was not an action hero his strength was cerebral, he had an ability to connect the dots between things that seemed unrelated. Many of the characters were middle aged or older. I loved it.

Leaving some things unsaid is wisdom.

I completely agree with your last statement.

New question.

If you used a close friend or family member in a novel, would you tell them or make sure that they wouldn't recognize themselves in the story?

Suzy Collin link

8/4/2023 06:09:53 pm

I would not make it that obvious that I was talking about someone in particular but go out of my way to throw in some juicy, irrelevant details that would make them doubt a personal reference.

After I finish "Three Strikes Thomasina" which will be very soon, the next fiction novel, a mystery/love story is "Murder in Arbor Lakes?" which is about a retired male and female who migrate to Florida to live in a 55+ community which is where we currently live.

So I am not sticking to youngsters aka whippersnappers! These two main characters have had so many life experiences to deepen their fascination. Many here in our community have asked to have their names included. One fellow wanted to be the detective but he has moved so I'm not sure if I will keep him in that role. What do you think?

Such fun! Such a romp. I can't wait to finish it. Retirement does not change much of who we always have been except most of us need a knee replacement.

After that, I will revisit "Dismantled, Family on Williams St. East."
That is also about older folks. One of the fathers (my great friend) has just turned 60. The original story was written shortly after the children were taken by DCF in 2011 in Connecticut.

More than a decade has passed and it will be interesting for readers to find out what has happened to all the people in this story since that time.

So, it depends where my imagination takes me! It can be anywhere. It can't be predicted. I have dreams that are plots of movies. It is so interesting to sleep. Like going to a nightly cinema, only it's free.
Life is so good.

Mark

8/4/2023 07:29:43 pm

While I am not a writer, I can pass on an experience shared with me by another author.

Being part of a large, extended family, many family members were excited to be immortalized in print. He was happy to oblige. Smooth sailing until the story took a dark turn and the family member this character was fashioned after took great offense. Because, "I would not do such a thing." That was a thorny issue for quite a while in that family.

You have some exciting stuff lined up.

New question.

Switching back to "Lost Hope" for a moment.

You included quite a bit of scripture in your book. Why is that?

Suzy Collin link

8/4/2023 08:22:36 pm

I included a lot of scripture in "On the Hunt for God" as well as "Lost Hope."

I believe that there are a lot of people unfamiliar with the Bible. My hope and intention was to help those with little or no knowledge introduced to the stunning truths and life altering instructions that are contained there.

For those with knowledge, scripture was of use to prove the points I was trying to illuminate. Scripture is a sure path to deeper knowledge of God's love for us which many people do not understand.

And primarily, the words of scripture are so far and above any I could ever think of writing. They are inspired of the Holy Spirit and I have learned and memorized many verses that have kept me afloat all these many years.

I am personally familiar with the transformation that happens from study of God's word. I have experienced the journey of transformation and fell in love with scripture because of the incredible impact on my life.

To share that with those in need of the same transformation was of utmost importance to me.

Perhaps my interpretations can be strong at times, but I believe that God's word cannot and must not be watered down or sugar coated by that with which society is comfortable.

I guess, in summation, I would say that I hoped to share my passion for God's instructions to those who need to learn it and live it, as I still do.

Mark

8/5/2023 07:56:05 am

The scriptures are most powerful when energized by the Holy Spirit. Asking Him to make scripture understandable is the beginning of transformation. I tried to read the Bible many times as a youth, starting in Genesis or Mark I never got more than a few pages because it didn't make any sense to me until the Holy Spirit brought illumination.

New questions.

You shared the stories of three other people in your book.

How did you choose them?

Did you edit their stories with their permission?

Suzy Collin link

8/5/2023 08:41:03 am

The three other women in my book are amazing people. They are all in my age range, so they are all retired. Two were close friends and the other was someone with whom I do business and was marginally familiar with her difficult life journey.

The only qualification in my mind was that the stories had to be about overcoming in situations faced other than my own. I did not want the book to become that narrow, with only people who had overcome cancer.

The story of Dolores Hines was unknown to me in great detail. She still lives in Connecticut and Pat was her boss as the Director of Dietary in a large senior complex where I also was the Director of Programs. (That is where I met Pat. We were married in the chapel there.)

I knew her as one of the most spiritual persons I had ever met which is why I was honored to choose her.

She is a minister. She is Godmother to our son, Benjamin. Because of our geographical distance, I interviewed her over the phone many times. She kept part of her history out of the story which I respect and did myself. I wrote her story of overcoming myself (using her words as much as possible) and sent it to her for editing. Some things are better left unsaid.She used her real name.

Pat Cooney is a best friend and neighbor. She is a favorite of mine. I knew her difficult journey with her husband's health issues and ultimately his death. She had written a testimony of how her challenges drew her closer to God. When we visit, God's intervention in our lives is our main topic. There was not much need for editing. She wrote it quite well. She used her real name.

Lily Moran is the one I know least but I asked her because her story was so compelling. She, too did not want parts of her life shared and did not want her real name used. I also used the interview process with her and then let her edit her part of the manuscript.

There was one other friend and neighbor I interviewed quite a few times who would have been a great addition to the book but at the end, after consideration, she declined to have her story included.
I was disappointed because her story added a lot. But if she was not comfortable, of course I honored that.

There were many other people whom I could have asked but I only wanted four to represent the Four Faces of Sadness, Fear, Depression and Despair. And since I was one, there was room for three more.

I believe that those choices were led by the Holy Spirit.

Mark

8/5/2023 10:10:55 am

Thank you for those insights. Including personal stories such as those is very delicate. I think you handled them quite well.

New questions.

Back to your fiction writing.

What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?

Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?

Suzy Collin link

8/5/2023 11:06:02 am

I don't think I have any preference for antagonist vs. protagonist. I see them as both having strengths and weakness.

Your question touches on the most satisfying component of writing for me. First, when I have the idea of the character, I start them off in my mind with a face and body type. I begin by wondering who they really are and why they are the way they are.

It is only then that I begin to flesh out and refine the plot. What is going to happen to them in this book? How will they respond to what is before them as I write? I am going to give them some life curve balls. I've got to know what their emotions and actions are going to be.

I want the reader to know how they think, the emotions they feel, the skeletons in their closets and why they act the way they do. Nature vs. Nurture sort of idea. I want the reader to love the protagonist and have mercy on and understanding for the antagonist which is still another form of love.

That is why I spend time developing the character traits in depth. I need to show the reader why the characters think the way they do given the future events and challenges inherent in what is about to happen.

Okay, this will sound strange and I probably shouldn't reveal this, but when I start writing and especially when I get into it more deeply, these characters come alive in my mind. I just have to follow where they lead me. They become real. I think of them a lot, even if I am not writing.

I actually am aware that I have created them. Really. But then, at some point when I am deeply into the story, I am only writing what I know they will think and do.

This sometimes happens to me when I paint. It seems that there is something under the white of the canvas, something there that I only have to brush over to reveal.

Speaking of revealing, why am I revealing this to you? I know this truth of my creative process could get me locked up. If that happens, I hope they will give me a computer and paper to write on and some paints, brushes and canvases.

What will happen next is somewhere stored in my heart and brain. I have characters in my head that seem to want to come out on paper.

There is a woman I knew as a friend who was borderline IQ. I loved her. Her name was Rachel. She was murdered and it is a fascinating story which I would fictionalize.

Then there is a sassy, petite girl in her thirties from the Bronx. She inherits a small fortune and moves to San Francisco, (I like writing about SF, one of my favorite places on this earth.) She gets a job as a bus driver In SF, they call the busline "the Bart") and runs a secret ring of do-gooders who help poor people for free. She is known as "The Godmother" because she breaks all rules to help those in need. Don't ask me how I got that one.

As I said before, it is not easy being me. I take all these characters around with me wherever I go. Even after I finish a story, I still think about them sometimes.

Please don't call for a Wellness Check.

Mark

8/5/2023 01:13:17 pm

I love your perspective about your antagonist and protagonist. In a well-written story, the antagonist thinks he is the hero and celebrates when he can frustrate the protagonist. The celebration is usually short-lived.

I find it very interesting that you start with a character and build a plot around the character. I don't recall hearing another author use that method. Most start with a plot as far as I know.

It makes sense to me that the characters come alive because in a good story, the characters come alive for me also. Many authors allow the characters to lead the way when they get loud enough.

Things must have changed, when I lived in San Francisco the public transit system was known as the Muni and included the cable cars that everyone loves so much. BART was an acronym for Bay Area Rapid Transit. That will be an interesting story.

No wellness check is needed, you are no crazier than I am. ;-)

New questions.

Which is more important to a story pace or flow?

How do you control it?

Suzy Collin link

8/5/2023 01:43:38 pm

I didn't mean to say I don't start with a plot. I do, but it is a loose concept until the characters flesh out.

My SF son always refers to traveling on "the bart" which to him is a bus. So you may be right. Will get that straight when writing on that story begins.

A cute story about cable cars. My son KC who now lives in SF was a bit older than two when he first stayed in the city on a vacation. He could not pronounce his "Ka" sounds. He was enamored with the cable cars but pronounced them "Table Tars." I still call them that and he is in his forties now. Some things never change!

I think what is most important in a story is flow. That will sink a book faster that pace, I think.

That is what I always first ask the beta readers. Does it flow? Is it choppy? Do chapters seem related and make sense, easing in consecutively or is it confusing? Does it keep your interest?

I usually use two strong strands of character development, one for protagonist and other for antagonist and I try to be fair and similar for time spent on each one.

So, sometimes it can seem choppy when I go from one to the other. At those times, I will use a definer in the chapter heading. That is to inform the reader that a change is coming. Other than those times, I use only chapter numbers.

For me, pace is quicker in some places than others. In the early development, pace is slower to give the reader time to get in touch with the character. Then it speeds up and can slow down again when an event is crucial to the story line.

Mark

8/5/2023 03:17:26 pm

My turn for a cute story. I met my mother's father when I was probably three. I couldn't say grandpa, so I called him Pama. I called him that into my 20s. Table tars is pretty darn cute also.

You make a good case for how important flow is to a story. You're right, the pace needs to vary so the readers can get a chance to breath between intense scenes.

New question.

What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?

Suzy Collin link

8/5/2023 04:04:36 pm

I love Pama! Stinkin cute.

My daughter, Lisa, when she was small, also could not say grandpa so she renamed him KAKU which lasted many years for the other two kids. He always loved that name, though. Use your imagination to solve what his name was when my first son, Ricky, shortened it! So embarrasing.

Also, KC with his inability to say the "Ka" sound, called himself Tacy. Tacy loves Table Tars. Thankfully, that did not last.

I always look forward to the moments I can carve out of the day to write or paint. Lately, it has been mostly write. When I sit down, I will often reread and refine the old before I start on the new. But not always. Sometimes, I have something new that has to be written right then.

It depends on where I am in the manuscript. If it is at the beginning, I will write like crazy just to get it down. But at the end of the manuscript, I slow down and write with more intention, more carefully and thoughtfully.

Maybe I don't really want to finish because at the end, I am getting ready to say goodbye to my friends and that starts a nostalgic state of mind.

So, at the beginning, I am gangbusters and at the end, I am saying, "Is this really almost over?" Maybe I ought to edit one more time.
Hard to let go, right?

When I am ready to edit for the last few hundred times, I will really take my time.

We just bought a new back supportive chair yesterday. I now am excited that I can sit here longer than normal before my back starts yelping. I love this new chair. I had a lazyboy which made me lazy. I should have suspected why they name chairs that.

Part of my routine was being limited by the time I could spend comfortably before asking Pat for a back massage. I wonder if that is why he didn't care what the chair cost yesterday.

Mark

8/5/2023 06:03:12 pm

Karl comes to mind. Maybe Cassius. Kid-originated names are very cute.

Getting that first draft out of your head is a great idea! Otherwise, it won't become the story it could have been.

I am not surprised you would want to linger. It makes perfect sense to me.

That chair sounds like heaven! I could use a new chair also.

New question.

Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

Suzy Collin link

8/5/2023 06:27:11 pm

I am glad that you didn't figure out the shortened nickname. Let's leave it at that.

As far as writing, it is always the muse. The muse, the muse, the muse. I can get off track with that sometimes but I usually come to my senses and realize I wrote something nonsensical when I regain my reentry to earth.

The story just seems to be there and it is my job to uncover it and not mess the whole thing up. It is largely an assignment of uncovering an out-of-body experience when I am in the moment. It is easy and unforced. It just comes like a soft wave that I ride to the shore, typing all the way.

And no, I have never taken drugs.

As far as the new chair, now is the time. Office Max has a perfect chair on sale (for only a bit longer). Save $100. This chair ($320 regular price) is spectacular. It is called WorkPro 1000. Recommend highly.

Mark

8/5/2023 07:37:09 pm

The muse! Many authors struggle with their muse.

One author told me she keeps a pad of paper and a pen on her nightstand because her muse visits her almost every night at 2:30 in the morning. She wrote furiously to record all that the muse showed her. Sometimes she could even read her notes the next morning.

Another author shared with me how her muse visits her regularly in the middle of her shower. No matter how hard she tried to remember the download, most of the time she had very little to record by the time she got out of the shower. I suggested she buy a Fisher Space pen because it can write underwater. I also recommended she buy a notepad with waterproof paper. She welcomed the ideas.

Your experience sounds so much easier.

Thank you for the tip on the chair.

New question.

Did your writing process change much from your early books to your current book or did it stay the same?

Suzy Collin link

8/5/2023 08:01:56 pm

My early books occupy a small storage room in my mind but I am glad I have no record of them. I remember the main points. I remember the characters and the plots. But I know that I had a lot to learn and would totally rewrite them if I even had the desire to. The stories were sound and good but I have learned so much.

Someone said that you will not write a good book until your fifth one. I believe that.

As far as the muse is concerned, mine does not visit at times. It is an entity that stays and comes with me as I sit down to write. I wake up at night also with plots but I don't write them down. I think that if it is important and credible, it will come back to me.

I have at times taken notes if I am on the road and something comes to me. But usually, I compartmentalize what I do and rest in knowing that the right thing will come later, when I am not busy and give full attention. I don't get anxiety over it. I am usually a fairly relaxed person and take things as they come.

I would say that there is no relation to how I wrote in the early days. I have learned a lot just by continuing to do it. I am more focused and find it much easier to write and relax with it.

It seems part of me now and it didn't seem that way when I began. I think I began writing in earnest more than fifteen years ago in the sense of wanting to publish something. I had no idea about so many things then. That is still the case,sorry to say. I may be okay at writing but the other parts of publishing just do not hold my interest or fit with my abilities.

I have zero technical abilities. When I see or listen to instructions on how to put things together, I have no clue. My brain is developed on one side only, I think it is the right. I don't even remember all that anymore after all those many, many classes!

But the point is, if you are called to write, just start doing it. Keep doing it! You will get better and some day it will be like something you just have to do, like breathing!

Mark

8/6/2023 07:29:49 am

It certainly is true, the more you write the better your writing will get. Especially if you have editing and proofreading done. It has been said that if you want to be a good writer read lots of books.

Writing is like any other creative process, it's part talent and part technical skill. If you don't understand the intricacies of your chosen craft then your work, the end result, will suffer, it will be mediocre rather than a masterpiece. Writing a book has a lot of moving parts and there is always more than one way to tell a story.

Writing that first book seems quite arduous to a new writer. After publishing that book and nothing happens the new author realizes that they must wear a business hat and suddenly book writing seems easy.

You are blessed to have a husband who can help with the business side of writing.

Great advice. Just do it.

New question.

Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?

Suzy Collin link

8/6/2023 08:45:52 am

I also counsel anyone who asks me what to do to be a writer that they must first be a reader. There are many popular mystery writers today with different levels of skills. I enjoy all of them. The top of that list for me is Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly.

I know I will never be the next Ernestine Hemingway. (Yes, I spelled that right!)

I also know that I would change some things about the just released book simply because that it part of what I do. I could go back and find better words, better thoughts until the world ends. But I can't do that. At some point, I say "Okay, That's the best I can do."

As for being blessed to have my husband who takes care of the formatting and helps with the business end, I am well aware and thank God for him. The writing is easy compared to what he does. And even more amazing, he taught himself on You Tube. I consider us a team.

Mark

8/6/2023 11:21:49 am

Yes! There is a point where the book has to leave the safe confines of home and go out into the world. Otherwise, no one would get to read the book. A book is meant to be shared.

You are not alone, many writers want to do exactly the same thing, change out a word here or there to make it a little bit better. Some writers are so afraid to publish they want to do just one more round of edits. Over and over. The book never gets to market.

There is so much good stuff on YouTube. I am not allowed to be on YouTube because I disappear down that rabbit hole for hours.

Both of you make a good team.

New question.

What do you do to launch a new book when it is first published?

Suzy Collin link

8/6/2023 11:49:54 am

We read a book "The Authors Guide to Marketing Books on Amazon" by Rob Eager. Great book.

He suggested assembling a Launch Team where 100 people buy your book and then do a review on Amazon.

It is completely foreign for me to ask anyone to buy something. I have rarely sold my paintings. Once, an attorney friend of ours came over for dinner. Getting ready to leave, he took two paintings off the wall in the dining room and wrote me out a check for almost $3000! I said they were not for sale and tried to get them out of his hands. We had a tug of war.

My husband intervened. He took the check and said, "Suzy, Suzy. Give them up. You can paint replicas." So, I let him take the paintings away. The replicas I have painted are not as good as the first ones. I still am sorry I gave them up, even with the generous price he paid.

So, the prospect of calling 100 people to ask this favor was daunting but I did it! I reasoned that I was doing it for God to perhaps help others who were suffering.

I assembled a Launch Team of 110. The response of people was humbling. So many said they were honored to help. Two were annoyed that I asked and said no.

The problem was that some of the people who said they would do it either changed their minds or forgot. I sent out thank you notes. But I have sold about that many books.

If you sell 100 or more books AND get the reviews after those sales, Amazon bumps you up to a higher level of exposure. I did not make the 100 reviews YET.

Mark

8/6/2023 02:03:00 pm

The launch team is a great idea. Quite hard to do by cold calling. You made an amazing start!

Since book marketing is the never-ending story, a good long-term strategy is to build a fan base and get people to sign up for your newsletter on your website. I know, more time and money. Offer an exclusive short, side story linked to their favorite book of yours in exchange for an email address. In the newsletter, talk about writing progress, promotion team opportunities and give them a peak into your life. You can hold contests to decide on a book title of four you suggest, character names also. You can hold a contest for cross platform promotions with screenshots or links to you if you are on that platform. An autographed copy of one of your books would be a wonderful prize for a fan with the most promotions.

Several years ago, an author talked about how she took a proof copy of her newest book on a scenic hike and edited it even when it rained. She offered that copy as a promotion contest prize and had big results.

A lot of blogs have been written about building a fan base.

New question.

Have you ever participated in a book blog tour, why or why not?

Do This, Not That – Blog Tours https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2020/06/do-this-not-that-blog-tours Another copy-and-paste link.

Suzy Collin link

8/6/2023 02:09:12 pm

I have never heard of that. What is it?

I discontinued writing my blog "On the Hunt for God" when I started writing the latest book. I have been thinking about starting that again or do you recommend a blog and a newsletter on the website?

Mark

8/6/2023 03:39:28 pm

A book blog tour, if I recall correctly, is you virtually visiting several different bloggers, one at a time. What I have seen is the blogger sends the author a list of questions, five to ten questions on average. You write out your answers and send it back to the blogger. They post the Q and A on their website as an interview with the author. Some bloggers are now on YouTube and doing video interviews, sometimes live more often not. They will interview the author using Skype or Zoom and edit it to their satisfaction. Sometimes they provide the questions in advance. Sometimes they want a hard copy of the book to show on camera.

I think starting a blog about your books and writing is a good idea. I have seen some authors post the first few sentences of their blogs on their Amazon author page with links to their website for the full blog. That page is free advertising as far as I know.

I think having your own website is very important. It gives people a place to go separate from the common sales platforms. It keeps you from being too dependent on those platforms. Platforms come and go.

Having your own newsletter is important also. Getting the email addresses is gold in the promotion business. You can build your base of fans that way. I recommend subscribing to a bunch of different newsletters in different genres to see what others are already doing.

New questions.

What kind of marketing has worked the best and the least for you for this book?

Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

Suzy Collin link

8/6/2023 04:01:21 pm

Thank you for your clear explanation about book blog tours. Will definitely add this to the list of "things to do."

We are really just getting started with promoting this recently released book. The last book, we had ads on Amazon with poor results. The blog produced some but was disappointing in that regard. I found out later that it usually takes two years for a blog to become successful. I discontinued it right before that limit. I did have hundreds of hits normally and even up to 2K one time.

At that time I discontinued it, health problems were on the horizon and I was unable to find my normal energy.

We signed up with a book promotion site that is connected to all social media several weeks ago. No results yet.

As far as finding you, Paula Brayley, president of Citrus Writers recommended you. She has been a great help and I thanked her yesterday for giving us your name.

I realize from your questions that you are highly competent and have a wealth of experience in the field of writing. I consider myself very blessed to have found you.

Mark

8/6/2023 04:45:57 pm

Ill health trumps so much of normal life. It's so easy to take it for granted until your health weakens.

Amazon ads are a very difficult nut to crack. There are a number of bloggers who study that stuff and they have realized that Amazon changes the algorithms regularly. What works one week may not work the next. It requires a lot of adjustment and money of course. Bidding for clicks is only a step or two above playing the lottery. There is no guarantee of results and Amazon rakes in the cash. Amazon is not the only platform that does this. A few authors do well, and many don't.

Paula is a nice person. I enjoyed speaking to the group. Mary Scholl extended the original invitation to me.

New questions.

Do you have a classical author or poet you admire?

What popular modern authors have influenced you?

Suzy Collin link

8/6/2023 05:36:40 pm

Oh there are so many! They have changed over the years, of course. I used to read all of Arthur Conan Doyle to Mary Higgins Clark. Agatha Christie was my very favorite as is the character of Hercule Poirot. I have all the episodes on CD that were aired on PBS. I love that mustached man! David Suchet was the best Poirot by far.

I think I have been so influenced by Poirot using "the gray cells." I also put my hands behind my back when I am thinking. I used to fancy myself as a detective and actually really considered opening a detective agency. I am very suspicious and question everything which I see as an asset.

But my husband violently disagreed and pronounced that I would be the "Inspector Clouseau" detective sort (Peter Sellers in Pink Panther) and that kind of discouraged me from that scheme because deep down, I knew he was right.

Today, my favorite mystery writer is Harlan Coben or Michael Connelly. Jodi Picoult is too cerebral for me. I don't like having to read sentences twice. She must be a lot smarter than I am.

For Christian books, I love Beth Moore, Max Lucado, Rick Warren, A.W. Tozer, Larry Crabb and of course, C.S. Lewis

For poetry, hands down the Irish poet (I am also of Irish descent) William Butler Yeats. His writing transports me to places I've never been, to depths I've never known. Also, Robert Frost is my favorite American poet.

I studied the classics in college and I can't pick one out of the vast collection. They all influenced me, I'm sure. On a good day, I might have understood Shakespeare but I must have not had many good days.

I liked Plato, St. Augustine, Dante, Beowolf, and so many others. My brother Tom and I used to discuss the classics and we both shared a love for Yeats. My dear brother has passed on.

Here is a poem by Yeats (1865-1939) that he sent me in his own hand in 1987:
The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all aglimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

Mark

8/6/2023 06:47:43 pm

My wife and I agree with you about David Suchet. He plays that role so well. We are both big fans of C. S. Lewis also. Between us, we have read all of those Christian authors.

That is a beautiful poem. Yeats was very talented.

Poetry is a bit of a mystery for me. It is composed of so few words that it gives the appearance of being empty of meaning. Yet, when I read poetry, it moves me in very unexpected ways. It's hard to explain.

New questions.

Do you have any advice for the aspiring writer or artist?

What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?

Suzy Collin link

8/6/2023 07:47:38 pm

We use Microsoft Word for everything. I asked Pat why he uses that and he said, "Because it's all I have. I'm comfortable with it."

I love to encourage anyone but especially aspiring authors and painters. Who knows who will be the next Earnestine Hemingway, the next Mary Cassatt?

I would tell the writers, read, read, read. Reads lots of different kinds of books to discover where your passion lies. And then when the feeling comes that you are ready to write, write down some experiences you have had in your life and describe the feelings you remember. Write about some memories of people who stand out to you and write why they do. That will help in character development later.

Start by writing a short story, say no more than 5000 words. Write about a trip you took or a person you met whom you will never forget. Write anything that interests you and then put it down for a few days or weeks.

Come back to it and you will be able to tell if it is any good. If you have a person you trust to be honest, have that person read what you wrote. Remember that it is better to get an honest reaction than just empty accolades to make you feel good. Get that point across to the reader and then accept the outcome.

Then start editing. You could come up with something entirely different. When I started writing in earnest, I had already learned a lot from writings I did in high school and college. I started out with a plot I thought of and then started developing the characters. I used people I knew, family and friends to flesh them out and define them.

Some people start with short stories they send to magazines or contests. I did not do that. I tend to be long winded (can you tell?) so short stories are not my forte.

In the first few years, I wrote several manuscripts (fiction) that were marginally bad but marginally good. I would not want you to read them.

The point is, don't stop. Keep going. You will get better with each thing you write. Don't get discouraged by the state of the publishing world. Figure out what you need to write and that will all be there later to worry about.

The main thing is that I want to say, believe in yourself. Writing and Painting are lonely paths and only you will be on it. For both roads, it will take time and love for words and beauty. And for yourself and those who will read what you have written or painted. If you have something to say, then you must say it. Don't listen to anyone who would deter you. If it is in you, it is a calling of God. You must follow. There is no other choice

The same advice would be for the aspiring artist. Paint. Paint. Paint. Paint over canvasses that don't come out right. They won't always come out right but the great thing is you can cover over the canvas as much as you want. Paint buildup will only improve your art.

Have the courage to show your art and even try to sell it. Painters (myself included) have a strange way of thinking that their work is an extension of themselves, like an arm or leg. It is not. It should be shared with the world.

You will get better with each piece. Try painting the old masters, paintings that appeal to you. This is the greatest advice I can give. Start with a line drawing. Then do a shading study. Then do a color study. Then paint it and try to use similar brush strokes. You can get really good images to copy in art books.

For instance, my favorite artist is Mary Cassatt. An American Impressionist who lived in France around 100 yrs ago. I have several of her books and I have painted many of my favorites. This is where I have learned the most about painting.

I have had private classes,classes in college but the best way to learn is by trying to paint the works you admire. The best thing about painting or writing is that you forget you are supposed to eat. You are transported to a place where food is not necessary. Go there.

Mark

8/6/2023 08:11:33 pm

Other than operating system software, Microsoft Word might be one of the most popular pieces of software in the world. It has around 20 different versions of English as well as dozens of foreign languages and dialects. It is also used on PCs and Apple Mac computers.

That is great advice for the aspiring artist or writer.

In writing, getting to the complete first draft is a very solitary experience. Since the story exists only in one person's head only one person can write it down. After another draft or two the beginning writer should get a few beta readers, fresh eyes can do a lot to improve a story and smooth out the rough spots. A few more drafts, perhaps a fellow writer would serve as a critique partner and an editor can be brought in. The circle is expanding. After all of the editing and rewriting is done, another pair of fresh eyes can prove to be quite valuable. Expand the circle again to enlist a proofreader. That person needs to have an eagle eye to polish a good manuscript into a thing of beauty.

By now, the beginning writer may have 10 people or more involved in the shaping and polishing of the story. We haven't even talked about formatting or a cover. The self-publisher will need all of those.

New question.

I know there are many ways to build the outline. Do you do it all on the computer or do you get analog in the beginning, perhaps with sticky notes or note cards?

Suzy Collin link

8/7/2023 09:38:48 am

I do everything on the computer until I get three quarters done or so. Then I print out the manuscript and start the edit on that. I do often have thoughts to write when watching movies at night. I will write something down on scrap paper to use the next day.

Sometimes my eyes get tired on the computer and I will find more mistakes when I see the words in print. I can look at the same words over and over and not see errors but they jump out when I look at the printed words.

Most, not all, of the time I get the manuscript to a beta reader when I am about half way through.

I want to correct something I said last night, that "writing and painting are lonely. That was the wrong word that implies something sad. You just said the right word in your last comment. "Solitary."

You are right about the expanding circle when solitary gives way to others who will influence the work. That is more indicative of writing than painting.

Painting is more solitary. You are your own critic and finisher. Solitary does not mean lonely in any sense. Both are immensely fulfilling, satisfying, joyful ways to create.

Mark

8/7/2023 11:02:17 am

Printing the manuscript is a great idea when editing. Our brains cause us to not see the errors when we have been going over and over the manuscript. I have no doubt that when you read some material for the first time any errors stand out like a sore thumb. Our brains seem to be wired to spot the errors, especially if we do a lot of reading. Here are a few more ideas about tricking your brain into thinking it is looking at fresh material. Apply these to what you see on your computer, and you may not need to print the book out. Change the page orientation from portrait to landscape. Change the background color. Change the type font, color and size. Most up to date word processing software has a read it aloud feature available. You can have the computer or a friend read the manuscript to you. You can also read the manuscript backward, one paragraph at a time from the end.

I understand tired eyes quite well. A year or two ago I set up a blue-light or night-time filter on my computer, it was in the Display settings, The filter didn't have a always on feature. I scheduled it to run all day and shut down at 2:55 AM, it restarts at 3:00 AM. It made my display look funny for a few minutes, but I became accustomed to it quickly. I did the same thing for my phone. My eyes do much better now.

Solitary is an appropriate word.

New questions.

Do you have a defined space for writing at home, or do you prefer to write in a coffee-shop?

Do you listen to music or have the TV on when writing, or do you need quiet?

Suzy Collin link

8/7/2023 01:26:24 pm

The next time we go out to lunch and there is a sign on the door "Be patient. We are short handed," I will pay more attention. Good sandwich, though.

I write on the computer in the office. No TV on in the other room. And although I love music, I am distracted by sound. It there is too much noise, I will close the pocket door. Or tell you hasta la vista, baby!

Mark

8/7/2023 01:38:13 pm

I try to remain patient because every restaurant in the area seems to be looking for staff. Some restaurants close their drive thru when necessary.

I think I do my best work when it's quiet. I am able to block out most noise and distractions unless I am supervising the almost-8- and almost-10-years-old granddaughters. Then I have to remain aware of what is going on.

I enjoy Christian music and worship songs quite a bit but that can interfere with my concentration also. Thus, I am working in silence usually.

New question.

Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?

Suzy Collin link

8/7/2023 02:55:43 pm

Dialogue is easiest for me to write in fiction. I get so immersed in the characters that I know what they are going to say. I just have to get it down on paper.

When I write fiction dialogue, it is like I am watching a movie. I picture the characters in a scene. It is so interesting how that just happens. I am best at writing a narrative about both main characters and how they interact with dialogue or what they are thinking.

I enjoy how during dialogue, one character is getting a meaning about what the other one is saying that is so off the mark. I think life is like that and we should have a manual to help us decipher real meanings of words by others.

Maybe I should try screenwriting. Maybe I should write the manual.

I am much better at communicating without fancy words than I used to be. When my kids were little, they often asked me what a word meant that I used. I used to tell them to look it up. They never did.

Then comes narration of the story. Then comes action as far as what is easiest to write.

Mark

8/7/2023 03:03:59 pm

I love how easy that process is for you.

Art does imitate life. So often, people misunderstand what another person is saying. It happens for many reasons and is the source of many conflicts.

Yes, a manual or translation device would be most helpful.

I was one of the few kids who enjoyed looking words up in the dictionary. We had a gigantic, exhaustive, Webster's dictionary; it was several inches thick. It had lots of tiny illustrations. I could spend an hour in that thing.

Last question.

Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?

Suzy Collin link

8/7/2023 03:35:24 pm

That's a hard question. The five senses are all essential. Taste, Smell, Sight, Hearing and Touch. How to leave one out for a full life or a full story? None of them are really hard to write about.

To answer your question about writing, I would emphasize sight and hearing over smell and taste. In writing about a romance, touch is also right up there with sight and hearing.

In the story I am finishing now, the couple goes to Cape Cod to eat lobsters and whole belly clams, so you have taste there. This is a section for foodies, like myself and husband, but eating delicious food is not essential to the story.

I love how Thomasina talks with her mouth full and food drizzles down her chin. She burps, too which touches on hearing and needing an overhaul on manners which is taste in another way.

But! I could write a whole book on why Pizza from Connecticut at Pepe's Pizza is the BEST pizza, what it smells like, what it looks like, what it feels like to touch it and gobble it and why it tastes the absolute crazy best. It is a sense triumph. I have the front of the pizza box on the side of our refrigerator, held there with magnets.
But I'm not obsessed or anything.

Mark

8/7/2023 03:45:58 pm

Sight and hearing are the most used senses without a doubt. Also, the easiest to write about in the minds of almost every writer. Some are quite perplexed when it comes to writing about taste or smell.

Thomasina sounds like a person who eats a lot like me. In private, not in public.

I do love pizza! So convenient and with all the major food groups together, if you order the everything-on-it pizza. My personal favorite. Glad to hear you are not obsessed.

I have another promotion starting so this one must come to an end. You have been a fabulous guest and I am honored to have had this chat with you. I am quite excited that you are writing more also.

Until next time, keep on writing.

Suzy Collin link

8/7/2023 04:26:50 pm

Wow! The end is here! It has been such an interesting week answering your questions which are the best I've ever been asked.

Thank you for being so kind and generous with your comments. You have a gift of wisdom and encouragement aligned with your intellectual prowess. I feel honored to have had this experience.

I may have learned something about my own writing just by having to answer your questions. Thanks for that, also.

I would like to end with one of the favorite poems I wrote after a trip to Plymouth, Massachusetts that touches on three of the senses: Smell (the ocean air) Sight (watching this beautiful creature,) Hearing (the thundering, exploding water and the clap of his incredible tail.)

ODE TO THE DANCING WHALE

We came that day hoping for but a glimpse of you
A satin black barnacled back bursting into view
We scanned the rolling horizon
Keeping mystery upon mystery
Here and there a blow hole erupts on our watery landscape
And we make haste to you
A tease of your wondrous tail and you are gone
To the depths we cannot know
Content to wait, to just be near
Knowing somehow you are here
Then bursting in a soaring breach
Your home becomes the sky
We cannot move, we've lost our speech
Could you really jump that high?
And so to prove our minds are small
We watch you rise and twist and fall
Shuddering water Shattering spray
You seem content to dance all day
No mortal ever gave God glory
The way the whale did in this story
So thank you lovely dancing whale
For thundering praise without a word
No greater praise has yet been heard

Lost Hope: Overcoming Sadness, Fear, Depression and Despair by Suzy Mitchell Collin

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