RITA FINALIST SUSAN FOX "gets lost"

FLY AWAY WITH ME

Blue Moon Harbor #1

Known for its rugged beauty and eccentric residents, tiny Blue Moon Harbor is big on love...

For busy lawyer Eden Blaine, a trip to a Pacific Northwest island she’s never even heard of is far from a vacation. Eden’s ailing mother has tasked her with finding her long-lost aunt, who once had ties to a commune on the island.  Still reeling from a breakup with her longtime boyfriend, romance is the last thing Eden is looking for. But her gorgeous seaplane pilot has her wondering if a carefree rebound fling is exactly what she needs…

Aaron Gabriel has no illusions about happily ever after. His troubled childhood made sure of that. But he does appreciate a pretty woman’s company, and Eden is the exact combination of smart and sexy that turns him on. Still, as he helps her search for her missing aunt, the casual relationship he imagined quickly becomes something much more passionate—and much harder to give up. Can two people determined to ignore romance recognize that their heated connection is the kind of love destined to last?

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SUSAN FOX is a Pacific Northwester with homes in Victoria and Vancouver, British Columbia. She has degrees in law and psychology, and has had a variety of careers, including perennial student, computer consultant, and legal editor. Fiction writer is by far her favorite, giving her an outlet to demonstrate her belief in the power of love, friendship, and a sense of humor.

Susan’s "Love Somebody Like You" was a 2016 finalist for Romance Writers of America®’s prestigious RITA® award. Her books have won the National Readers’ Choice Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Booksellers Best Award, the Book Buyers Best Award, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, the Aspen Gold Readers Choice, the Golden Quill, the More Than Magic, the Lories, the Beacon, and the Laurel Wreath. "Sex Drive" was a Cosmopolitan Red-Hot Read.

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THE Q&A

ANGI: How often to you get lost in a story?

SUSAN: As a reader, every day, more than once. I’ve been addicted to fiction since I was a tiny kid. I’m an only child and books were my wonderful companions as well as my ticket to adventure, emotion, and insights. Some writers read analytically, dissecting how a great author does what she does, or why a mediocre book doesn’t really work. Not me. I read for pure pleasure. I love it when the author carries me away into the world of her characters and story. I hate it when things jar me out of the story – like inconsistencies or typos. As an author, I also get lost in my own story sometimes when I’m writing. That’s when it’s the most fun: when I’m not consciously thinking about it, just feeling it flow through my fingers on the keyboard.

ANGI: Favorite date night…fancy or at home?

SUSAN:  I choose fancy, and at home. Is that allowed? I don’t want to have to drive or walk to or from the venue. But nor do I want to do any work! I also don’t want anyone else around, just the two of us with complete privacy. Am I picky, or what? LOL. So, here’s the plan. Someone will come in and clean the house and prepare a fantastic meal, they’ll disappear while we enjoy excellent food and wine, and then they’ll quietly sneak back into the kitchen and clean up the mess while we put on some music and dance in the front room, or perhaps wander down to the beach for a moonlight stroll.

ANGI: What’s your favorite cartoon character?

SUSAN:  Snoopy from Peanuts. He invented the happy dance, didn’t he? And he does it better than anyone else. Besides, I love the image of him on the roof of his doghouse, with his typewriter, starting another “It was a dark and stormy night” story. He’s my cartoon soulmate!

ANGI: What’s your favorite thing about your book’s hero?

SUSAN:  In the beginning, it’s how totally devoted Aaron is to his younger sister Miranda (a single mom) and her little girl. They had a horrendous upbringing, first with a mom who was a drug addict and prostitute, then (after she died) with her parents, who made it entirely clear the grandchildren weren’t welcome or loved. All through everything, Aaron has protected Miranda – even though she’s a proud young woman who hates accepting assistance and frequently butts heads with him. But he loves her, and he persists, and he’s always there for her and little Ariana. So, even though Aaron’s cynical enough to believe that love is not in the cards for him, and he acts like a carefree confirmed bachelor, he’s a guy who is capable of long-term commitment and is deserving of love. I also like the way that, as his and Eden’s feelings for each other develop way past the short-term holiday fling they both intended, he pushes past his deeply ingrained fears and goes after the girl!

ANGI: High Heels or Hiking Boots?

SUSAN:  Neither! Comfort, all the way, and as little confinement as possible for my feet. High heels kill my feet (not to mention my fragile back and hips). Hiking boots are way too heavy and make me feel lead-footed. If I’m going to walk, I like my airy little Skechers or a pair of Merrill or Teva walking sandals. For dressy wear, I’ve been known to don a pair of heels and I admit I like how they look, and the fact that they add a couple of inches to my 5'2", but you can bet I’ll be kicking them off at the first opportunity.

ANGI: What’s your favorite movie of all time?

SUSAN:  I love “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I’d been crazy about the book before I saw the movie, and I think they did a really good job with the movie, of doing justice to the book. I love the characters and story, and I’m crazy about both Atticus Finch and Gregory Peck. I think Atticus is an excellent model for a hero, and in fact he’s the basic inspiration for my heroes. And I suppose, in a way, both he and Scout inspire my heroines as well. I don’t like bold, alpha-type heroes or heroines. I like flawed human beings who have strong values, who stand up for what they believe in, who struggle to be better people – and who do it in a quiet, understated, but highly effective way.

ANGI: What’s your perfect day?

SUSAN:  Great weather – warm and sunny – and beautiful scenery. Probably by the ocean. A villa in Greece would be nice. LOL. Getting up early to greet the fresh morning, having a long, lazy, delicious breakfast outside as I enjoy the scenery, smell the flowers, and read a good book. Then a long walk, a little photography, a relaxed lunch with a good friend, also outside, with wine and interesting conversation. In the afternoon, some time at my computer working on my latest story – and being in that zone where I’m lost in the story. Where the characters are talking to me, directing the action, and I’m happily typing along. Later on, a relaxed dinner (outside – with wine – are you sensing a theme?) with my guy. Afterward, maybe sitting outside and reading and/or going for a stroll on the beach. Going to bed fairly early, with the windows open to let in a gentle breeze scented with flowers and the ocean.

ANGI: Salad or soup?

SUSAN:  Salad in summer; soup in winter. I actually mostly eat salad for lunch all year round, because it’s so easy to make. I’m lazy about making soup, and I don’t care for most of the tinned or packaged ones. But there’s nothing better on a chilly day than a lovely bowl of home-made soup paired with fresh bread!

 

ANGI: Champagne or Soda?

SUSAN:  Champagne, totally. I love bubbles. Actually, it doesn’t even have to be champagne. Non-French bubbly, Prosecco, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, anything like that will make me very happy. In fact, my way of celebrating small successes (like completing a manuscript, or getting a fabulous review) is by drinking a mini bottle of Henkell Trocken. At lunch!

ANGI: Geek or Jock?

SUSAN:  Dreamer. The one with her head in a good novel, not paying the slightest bit of attention to either the geeks or the jocks.

ANGI: Favorite inspiration

SUSAN: For my writing, my best inspiration is my characters. In the beginning, I’m inspired to get to know them, and then once I know them pretty well I let them inspire what happens next in the book. As for inspiration in life, I guess it’s people like Atticus Finch, doing their best to be decent human beings and to do their small bit to make the world a better place. I hope I do that myself, by writing stories that feature diverse characters and complex issues. Stories that, hopefully, not only entertain but inspire emotion and sometimes even insights and revelations. I love it when a reader tells me that one of my books has helped her figure out a problem in her life or find the courage to take a bold step forward. Or when someone says how much she loves reading about a heroine who is like her (e.g., has an illness like bipolar disorder or multiple sclerosis, and still finds the love of her life). 

ANGI: The most daring thing you’ve ever done… Care to share?

SUSAN:  I’d say it’s the first time I volunteered to make a public presentation. I’m an introvert and when I was younger, I was terrified about speaking in front of a group of people. But I had a job that kind of expected it of me, so I forced myself to do it. Fortunately, I had a good buddy who was going through the same thing, so we offered each other support – and then we went out afterwards and had several drinks! I can’t say we were fabulous at those first presentations, but we faced the fear and we survived. Now, I’ve presented numerous workshops and done other public speaking, and it certainly gets easier with practice.

ANGI’s GOTTA ASK:  What’s your favorite pair of shoes & why?

SUSAN’S GOTTA ANSWER:  I’m a summer girl and I’d live barefoot if I possibly could. Failing that, my favorite shoes are the lightest and most comfortable ones. So I’ll choose these Teva sandals. I love the multicolored straps!

  

UP NEXT for SUSAN

CHRISTMAS KISSES

An anthology with Fern Michaels, Jules Bennett & Leah Marie Brown

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SUSAN’S PREVIOUS RELEASES

on her website including the beginning of her award-winning

CARIBOU CROSSING series

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SUSAN is giving away an autographed print copy of Fly Away With Me

IF MAILING: North America ONLY or International ??

Angi Morgan

Get Lost on Facebook   @GetLostInAStory  #GetLostStories

AND OUR NEW Facebook Group: The Readers’ Spot

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SUSAN WANTS TO KNOW:  I’ve talked a bit about what makes someone heroic in my eyes. Now I’d like to know what all of you find heroic – both in fiction and in real life.