Visit with Susane Colasanti

www.susanecolasanti.com

Today we're visiting with Susane Colasanti, author of WHEN IT HAPPENS, TAKE ME THERE, WAITING FOR YOU, and the upcoming SOMETHING LIKE FATE, which is scheduled to be released by Viking on 5/4/10!



Best friends Lani and Erin couldn’t be more different. Lani’s reserved and thoughtful; Erin’s bubbly and outgoing. Lani likes to do her own thing; Erin prefers an entourage. There’s no possible way they could be interested in the same guy.

So when Erin starts dating Jason, Lani can’t believe she feels such a deep connection with him—and it may be mutual. The more Lani fights it, the more certain she feels that it’s her fate to be with Jason. But what do you do when the love of your life is the one person you can’t have?

I had the chance to ask Susane a few questions about her writing and her life - enjoy!

1) If you could bring any character from one of your books to life, who would it be and why?

Danny Trager from TAKE ME THERE amazes me. I don’t know anyone like him in real life, but I wish I did. I really admire his confidence. If I were that confident back in high school, my experience probably wouldn’t have been such a traumatic one. Danny stands up for what he believes in and doesn’t take any mess. He’s not afraid of what other people think. And he’s an old soul.

2) Your own six-word memoir.

Survived pain, helped others overcome theirs

3) Twitter your newest or upcoming release in 140 characters or less.

SOMETHING LIKE FATE: What if your soul mate is your best friend’s boyfriend?

4) You have the chance to spend the day with any character from one of your favorite books. Who would you choose and why?

Harriet M. Welsch from HARRIET THE SPY. She’s incredible. That girl pulled off a high-risk spy route on the Upper East. Although it would be fun to visit with Harriet as her 11-year-old self, in the real world she’d be about 57 now, which I think would be a more interesting version of Harriet to have an egg cream with. She could tell me all about her spy routes and I would get to find out what her grownup life was like.

5) What was your favorite book growing up as a teen?

THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton. I was completely obsessed with that book. I watched the movie so many times I pretty much had all of the dialogue memorized. I could totally relate to how Ponyboy felt like he would always be on the fringe. The way that book helped me through my own tough times sparked a desire to write my own book one day, one that would hopefully help teens feel less alone the way THE OUTSIDERS helped me. I even slept with it under my pillow and am proud to say I still have that original copy. Now a more recent edition of THE OUTSIDERS sits on the shelf next to my own books, all published by Viking. It’s a daily reminder that dreams can become reality if you work hard enough to make them happen.

6) When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I knew that I wanted to be a science teacher when I was 12. A few years later, I started thinking about writing a book for children or teens. But I thought since I was already going to be a teacher I couldn’t be an author because you only get to pick one career. Then when I was in grad school I was like, “Wait. Why can’t I do both?” So I did both for a while. Which was fun times, but also exhausting times. Some people are able to do it all – have a family, a full-time job, and a writing life. I am not one of those people. After almost ten years of teaching high school Earth Science and Physics, I decided to resign so I could focus entirely on writing books. Now I’m a full-time author and loving it.

7) Your favorite subject in high school – and your least favorite.

Science was always my favorite. I love working with equations, watching the cool demos, doing experiments. The way science helps us understand our world and relates to everything we encounter in our daily lives fascinates me. My favorite science classes were the ones where my teachers really made the lessons come alive. In contrast, I never liked my history classes. Studying for history tests was always the worst. I’d have this towering stack of index cards with endless names and dates and places to memorize. Total snore.

8) The one book everyone in the world should read.

THE LITTLE PRINCE by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It reminds us about the things that matter most.

9) Your five favorite reads from 2009 (books you read during the year; they do not have to have been published during 2009).

WINTERGIRLS by Laurie Halse Anderson is one of the most incredible books I’ve ever read. I think it should be required reading in all high school English classes.

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU by Jonathan Tropper. I’ve been a big fan of Jonathan’s writing since his first book was published. It’s such a thrill to see that he’s finally getting the attention he deserves.

LOOKS by Madeleine George. I love Madeleine’s writing style, how she evokes such powerful emotions. This book is amazing.

I AM THE MESSENGER by Markus Zusak. The story has a sort of Pay It Forward theme that I really enjoyed. Intense, honest reading.

THE TREASURE MAP OF BOYS by E. Lockhart. Love.

10) The 2010 release you’re most looking forward to reading.

THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson, which I’ve actually already read. This book blew me away. Jandy’s writing is breathtakingly beautiful. I had the honor of blurbing this book and am expecting it to be adored by tons of enthusiastic readers.

11) You have the chance to go back and change a scene from one of your previous releases. What book would you choose, what scene would you change, and how would you alter it?

It’s a challenge to pick only one! Every time I have to read parts of my books, I see so many flaws I want to fix. There’s a part in WHEN IT HAPPENS when Tobey is thinking about Sara and he says something about getting her on his bed in a rougher way than I wanted to write. My editor at the time (who is no longer my editor) felt strongly that I should put the line in. So I did, even though I’ve regretted it all along. If I could, I would go back and remove that line. Her argument was that Tobey had to be more “boy-like,” but there really are boys out there who’ve got the three S’s going on (sweet, sensitive, and straight). Tobey is one of them.

12) You’ve invented a new national holiday. What is it called, and what does it celebrate? (Plus, would we get the day off of school and work??)

Creative Visualization Day. This day would be dedicated to creating your ideal life. Everyone would be required to write down what they want their life to look like in one year, five years, and ten years. Then, everyone would decide on what steps they’d take to attain those goals. But that’s not all! Other activities on this day include cleaning and organizing your home. It’s hard to soar if a dusty, cluttered living space is pulling you down. It’s also important to clear out any negative thinking habits you may have. Negative thinking emits bad energy, even if you don’t vocalize your thoughts. This is because negative thought patterns shape actions, and some of these actions become habits that provide a limiting force. And yes, we would definitely get the day off. It would be a perfect day to get started with this ongoing process.

13) What is your astrological sign? How closely does it match your personality?

I’m a classic Taurus. I’m very sensitive and opinionated. If I believe in something strongly, you will definitely know. Daily routines comfort me. Taurus is an Earth sign, so my connection to the planet, being a vegetarian since college, and my dedication to green living all apply. Also, I’m all about the little things, which is something else Taureans have in common: finding great joy in simple pleasures.

14) What is your ultimate vacation destination?

Last September, I went to Santorini. I’d heard that Santorini is the most beautiful place on Earth, so I could not wait to get there. It was even more spectacular than I’d anticipated. Returning one day would be awesome. For the most part, I’m into a low-key vacay experience. Going someplace warm and sunny so I can lounge around all day at the pool with a good book is pure bliss. In the evening, I like to walk around and investigate the town. So the ultimate vacay spot would involve a luxury hotel (I love W Hotels) with an insane infinity pool in a tropical location with interesting things to do. Miami Beach is fun because of all the art deco. And I feel really connected to Southern California. The energy there is so peaceful.

15) If you weren’t an author, what job would you be doing?

I would love to be a professional organizer. I'm an organization enthusiast. My philosophy is that home and office spaces should feel like a Zen retreat. Our physical surroundings influence our emotional state, which in turn influences our productivity. I like designing minimal, streamlined systems so everything has its own special place. Taking someone else's messy space and whipping it into shape is my idea of fun. During college and grad school, I did office work as a personal assistant. I always looked forward to going to work if someone's office was a disaster area that I had to organize. So I think it would be super fun to clean out people's closets and set up a system that works for them. I'm also drawn to the fields of architecture, urban planning, and interior design.

16) A movie is being made of ONE of your books. Which book is it, and who will star as the main characters?

WHEN IT HAPPENS must be made into a movie. While I was writing it, I pictured every scene as a movie scene. Hopefully, my readers have picked up on that quality. Back when I was working on early drafts, I wanted Evan Rachel Wood and Tobey Maguire to play the main characters. But now they’re too old. Well, Evan could still pull it off, so I’d vote for either her or Kristen Stewart (based on her outstanding performances in Speak and The Safety of Objects). As for my new Tobey…please send me your ideas!

17) Someone tells you that you’ll never publish another book that you write. Do you still keep writing?

No. I write books for the people who read them, not for myself. If my books were no longer going to be published, I would have to find another way to reach out to teens. I could go back to teaching or become a guidance counselor. Oh, and maybe organize people’s offices on the side.

18) A group of teens ask you the best way to become a published writer. How do you answer the question?

Imagine your ideal life. Now create it.

**Thanks so much to Susane for visiting with us today! Be sure to visit her at her website, listed above, or find her at her Blog, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, or email her directly at friendly.neighbor_at_hotmail.com.

Make sure to leave any comments or questions you have for Susane in the comments section, as she'll be stopping by throughout the day to see what we're discussing. She's also graciously offered up a prize for three separate posters today; a copy of WAITING FOR YOU, WHEN IT HAPPENS, and TAKE ME THERE - so post away!