SUZANNE
Suzanne Redfearn is the #1 Amazon bestselling author of six novels: Where Butterflies Wander, Moment In Time, Hadley & Grace, In an Instant, No Ordinary Life, and Hush Little Baby. Her books have been translated into twenty-four languages and have been recognized by RT Reviews, Target Recommends, Goodreads, Publisher’s Marketplace, and Kirkus Reviews. She has been awarded Best New Fiction from Best Book Awards and has been a Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist.
Born and raised on the east coast, Suzanne moved to California when she was fifteen. Currently, she lives in Laguna Beach with her husband where they own two restaurants: Lumberyard and Slice Pizza & Beer. In addition to being an author, Suzanne is an architect specializing in residential and commercial design. When not writing, Suzanne enjoys doing anything and everything with her family—skiing, golf, tennis, pickleball, hiking, board games, and watching reality TV. She is an avid baseball fan. Her team is the Angels.
BOOK REPORT FACTS
BORN: March 25th
WHERE: Livingston, NJ
FAMILY: Two brothers--one older, one younger
MARRIED: Yes
KIDS: Two, a son and a daughter
PETS: An evil cat named Motley
JOBS: McDonald's cashier, server, cookie company owner, copywriter, marketing manager, graphic designer, architect, shoelace inventor, author
GEOGRAPHY
(0-1) Livingston, New Jersey
(1-8) Glenns Falls, New York
(8-10) Concord, Michigan
(10-11) East Lansing, Michigan
(11-12) Concord, Michigan
(12-13) Cherry Hill, New Jersey
(13-15) Medford Lakes, New Jersey
(15-19) Santa Barbara, California
(19-21) Long Beach, California
(21-28) Huntington Beach, California
(28-now) Laguna Beach, California
BOOKS I LOVED AS A KID THAT MADE
ME WANT TO BE A WRITER:
Anything written by Judy Blume, S E Hinton,
Shel Silverstein or Dr. Seuss
WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO BESIDES WRITE?
Invent something that changes the world
FIVE THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT ME:
1. One of my bucket list goals is to see a game at every
Major League Baseball park with my daughter. There are
thirty stadiums in eighteen states and Canada. So far, we've been to ten.
2. I love Sudoku. There's something incredibly satisfying in figuring it out. I love the absoluteness of getting something perfectly right (so unlike writing, where nothing is ever perfect).
3. I was on a game show called Brain Surge with my daughter. We won the first round, then got flushed down the Brain Drain in the next round.
4. I invented shoelaces called Wonder Laces. They were "the better shoelace--healthier for your feet, more comfortable, and they have six times the knot strength of normal shoelaces."
5. My secret guilty pleasure is watching reality television with my kids. I especially like Survivor.
DID YOU ALWAYS WANT TO BE A WRITER?
I had no idea I wanted to be a writer. After a night out with a girlfriend, I sat at my computer to jot down an idea that had occurred to me that evening and which I thought might make a good story. The words poured out of me faster than I could type, and I stayed up half the night as the plot and characters carried me away on an incredible, unexpected journey. Seven months later, I had my first novel, and I was hooked. The writing was terrible, and it took a long time to develop the craft so the writing didn't get in the way with the story. But that first novel got me my agent, and my fifth novel, Hush Little Baby, got published.
HOW MUCH OF YOUR WRITING IS BASED ON
YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE?
A lot of it. Be careful what you say around me. My friends and family are starting to realize, if they say something interesting, there’s a good chance it will end up in one of my stories.
WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES?
I am a geek and a dabbler. Everything interests me, so I am constantly trying new things and getting half good at them before getting distracted by something else. I dabble in painting, gardening, pickleball, golf, and making all sorts of things from light fixtures to bracelets and fly swatters. I am also one of those annoying people that actually stops to read the information signs on monuments and landmarks. I can’t help it. Minutia fascinates me.
WHAT IS YOUR WORKING ENVIRONMENT LIKE?
I spend each morning writing at different cafes in my area. I like the ambient noise, and it's great for picking up interesting tidbits and conversations. In the afternoon, I work at home and bounce ideas off my cat. Sometimes she even listens, which is very encouraging.
SINCE BECOMING AN AUTHOR, WHAT LESSONS
HAVE YOU LEARNED?
Patience and perseverance, everything happens slower than you think and you can’t give up because you never know when the stars are going to align. Sometimes pipe dreams really do come true.
HOLIDAYS, BEACH OR MOUNTAINS?
Either. I live at the beach, but there are a thousand other beaches in the world I would love to visit. I also love to ski, so mountain vacations in the winter are definitely my cup of hot chocolate.
COUNTRY OR CITY?
City. The energy, the architecture, the restaurants!
SHY OR EASY GOING?
Easy going and getting less shy with age.
SERIOUS OR FUNNY?
Always looking for the funny.
TRAVELER OR NOT?
Traveler. So many places to see and not enough time.
LEADER OF THE GROUP OR NOT?
Not a leader, but also not a follower. Typically, I go
my own way.
WHAT’S THE ONE QUESTION NO ONE EVER ASKS AND YOU WISH THEY WOULD?
Can you sing Gilligan Island’s theme song? I can. "Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip..."
FAVORITE...
WORD: Serendipity
TV SHOW: Survivor
MOVIE: Forrest Gump
BOOK: The Power of One
MUSIC: Classic rock, alternative, blues... It’s all good. Bruce Springsteen, CCR, Amos Lee, Adele, Bonnie Rait, and Stevie Nicks are among my favorites.
FOOD: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives -- places off the beaten path turning out good grub.
CITY: San Francisco
MOTTO: "Shoot for the moon and if you miss you will still be among the stars." Les Brown