Saturday, July 11, 2015

Susan Anne Mason Interview


Hi, everyone! Please welcome Susan Anne Mason!

Hi, Sue! Give us a couple sentences describing what you write.
I write historical and contemporary inspirational romance. I describe my style as “romance sprinkled with faith” because in the midst of a wonderful romance, I love to spread God’s message of hope and love.

How would you label the overall mood of your stories: dark, gritty, poignant, sensitive, heart-warming, light, witty, humorous, adventurous?
I’d like to think of my stories as heart-warming, with some emotional angst (as is often the case when falling in love), mixed with a spiritual journey, and of course, a happily-ever-after!

What is the name of your latest book? My latest book is “Irish Meadows”, an historical romance set in 1911 New York. It’s a little different in that it chronicles two distinct romances of the O’Leary sisters.

Using any celebrity, past or present, whom would you cast as your main characters? And/Or give us a description, and we can give our own casting opinions in the comments!  Well, I have four main characters (two complete romances) in this story. I’ll concentrate on the main two. For the heroine, Brianna O’Leary, I picked actress Molly Quinn, who plays the daughter in the TV series “Castle”. With her red hair and pretty features, she definitely reminds me of Brianna. And for her love interest, Gilbert Whelan, I chose the very handsome Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) for his dark hair and blue eyes! If you like Pinterest, I have a board created for “Irish Meadows”. Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out! https://www.pinterest.com/susanannemason/irish-meadows/

 

What is the theme of your story and how did you come to it? Any real-life inspiration? The main theme of my story, one that all the characters struggle with in one way or another, is that of being true to oneself. It’s something that resonated with me, as I’m sure many people can attest to, the need to follow our own heart, and stay true to our own inner moral compass, even when it disappoints other significant people in our lives.

A sneak peek into what you're working on right now? I’ll be working on galleys for book 2 in the Courage to Dream series called “A Worthy Heart” which is Adam O’Leary’s story.  And I’m in the beginning stages of the third book in the series, working title “Love’s Healing Grace”. This book will chronicle Deirdre O’Leary’s journey to love, with her brother Connor finding his life’s partner along the way!

Describe your writing space. Right now it’s my kitchen table near our bay window. It’s the cheeriest spot in the house and the one with the most light! One day, I hope to have my own office (when the children fly the nest!) and will decorate it exactly how I wish!

Bonus fun questions:
Which is your favorite hot drink to sip while reading? Tea, coffee, hot cocoa, apple cider, wassail or other?    Though I drink coffee in the morning, I normally sip tea while I’m writing (or reading). My favorite is a red African tea called Rooibos.

Favorite movie for this time of year? I love romantic comedies any time of year. One of my favorites is “You’ve Got Mail” with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Another is “Leap Year” with Amy Adams!








Author bio. 
Susan Anne Mason describes her writing style as “romance sprinkled with faith.” She particularly enjoys exploring the themes of forgiveness and redemption in her stories. Irish Meadows is her first historical novel and won the Fiction from the Heartland contest sponsored by the Mid-American Romance Author chapter of RWA.
Susan lives outside of Toronto, Ontario, with her husband, two children, and two cats. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Romance Writers of America (RWA). Learn more about Susan and her books at www.susanannemason.com.





Irish immigrant, James O’Leary, has spent his life building Irish Meadows into a thriving horse farm and is not about to let hard economic times threaten its success. He intends for his daughters to marry prosperous men—ones who will secure the family’s rightful place in society, and at the same time, guarantee the future of Irish Meadows. Both girls, however, have different visions for their futures.
Brianna and Colleen O’Leary know their father expects them to marry well. Yet despite his wishes, Brianna, the quieter sister, dreams of attending college. Vivacious Colleen, meanwhile, is happy to marry—as long as her father’s choice meets her exacting standards. When stable hand Gilbert Whelan returns from college and distant family member Rylan Montgomery stops in on his way to the seminary in Boston, the two men quickly complicate everyone’s plans. It will take every ounce of courage for both sisters to follow their hearts. And even if they do, will they inevitably find their dreams too distant to reach?

2 comments:

  1. Hi Natalie!! Thanks for having me on your blog! I hope people pop by on their busy weekend to find out a bit more about "Irish Meadows"!
    Cheers,
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi, Susan! Thank you so much for coming on the blog! I can't wait to read your book!

    ReplyDelete

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