Today I have Su Williams on my blog as part of the ASMSG Electorate Blog Hop, a lucky choice since I adore her novel Dream Weaver. (Scroll al the way down for the link to our rafflecopter!)

Here is my Interview with Sue:

Tell us a little about yourself as writer and a person. What is your writing routine like – our daily routine and the process?

Thank you for hosting me here Christoph! Well, I live in the sometimes white/sometimes green Pacific Northwest with my husband Ben, and two of my four children, Aundraic, Jack, Josiah and Sarah. Our home is an ever changing menagerie of critters that now includes 2 cranky cats, an adorable crested gecko and my teddy puppy beagle. I’ve been writing most of my life—poems and short stories—but only tried my hand at a novel in the last 6 years. It has been a long journey of learning for me.

Did anyone influence you / encourage you to become a writer?

My favorite authors—Marissa Meyer, Stephanie Meyer, Lisa McMann and Maggie Stiefvater influenced me to take on the challenge of writing a novel. And my family, especially my parents, have encouraged me to chase after this crazy dream.

What do your family say about your books / your taking so much time up writing?

My family has been pretty supportive. We’ve all learned what kind of time it takes to create a single book and present it to the world. My husband gave me a standing ovation after reading my second book Rock Star; and my mom and dad are my constant champions…word of mouth IS the greatest advertisement, ya know.

When did you decided to write for young adults and in the paranormal genre?

I find even as an ‘adult’ I prefer to read young adult books. And I’ve always been drawn by the whole vampire, werewolf, magic kind of world.

How long does it take you to write and publish a book?

I’m not sure I can give a fair answer to that. Dream Weaver took me 5 years. I knew absolutely nothing about how to do it. So I took that time write, learn, edit, learn, go to conferences and learn and edit some more. Rock Star took me maybe a year. And Private Eye should be done within 6 months. I guess the more you learn the less time it takes you to write a good story. But I tend to be a perfectionist and put out the best quality of work I’m capable of.

What would you do if you did not write, so you have any other ambitions and creative outlets?

Shrivel up and die…oh you said if I didn’t write, not if I couldn’t write. I’d get an amazing camera and take pictures.

What is the easiest about writing and what is the hardest?

I guess I might rank it like this: Easiest – writing. Not as much fun – editing. Hardest – promotion.

Would you say there is a message in your books beyond the story?

A lot of people toss around the term PTSD but don’t truly understand it. I’m not an expert by any means but PTSD has been a big part of my adult life. In a way, I guess I wanted people to understand the disorder better and show people who suffer from it that there’s light at the end of the tunnel…ya just gotta keep moving toward it.

Do you find it is well received and picked up by the reviewers?

For the most part, yes. Dream Weaver holds a 4.4 star rating on Amazon; and Rock Star a 5. But there are always going to be people out there that don’t get it or like it.

What do you like most about your characters?

I love that this ‘journey’ hasn’t simply been their story. It’s been a learning adventure for me. From sleep stages and brain waves to historical facts of England in the 1750’s and America in the 1770’s and early 1900’s, the research has been interesting and bonded me to my characters a lot more closely. Even if the reader never knows that background, I still have my private scoop on each of them.

Which one is your favourite?

Ya know, you’d think it was either of my main characters. But I’m actually more attached to a secondary character Sabre James the most. Sabre’s a bit of bad boy, a lot of an ass. It’s fun to write for him.

Who would play the characters in a film?

Emari Sweet – Haley Ramm

Nickolas Benedetti – Jackson Rathbone

Sabre James – Matthew Gray Gubler

Ivy Summer – Elle Fanning (Elle actually favorited an Oscars tweet I posted!)

Jesse DeLaRosa – JD Pardo

What are your next projects? Tell us about your other books.

The final book in the Dream Weaver series is in the works now. I have twist on a zombie story that I’m percolating on and plan to pick my tattoo artist’s brain about ideas (he’s an avid zombie fan and apocalypse enthusiast); and an anecdotal short story collection of when I was a kid and stories my parents have told me called Sunshine and Daisies.

What is your life like? What do you do for pleasure and work when you are not writing?

I LOVE to take pictures. My favorites are landscapes and normal objects from abnormal angles. Guess I like to look at the world a little differently than most.

What are your favourite books/ films/ albums?

BOOKS: The Shiver series by Maggie Steifvater; Jonathan Maberry’s Rot & Ruin series; Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead; Dead to You and the Wake/Fade/Gone series by Lisa McMann.

MOVIES: Bruce Almighty, Warm Bodies, Red Dawn, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure…

TV: The Walking Dead, Revolution, Criminal Minds, Law & Order SVU

MUSIC: Evanescence, ACDC, Metallica, James Durbin, Good Charlotte, Bon Jovi, Halestorm…I could go on and on.

What are your views on independent publishing?

Independent publishing is an amazing invention and I’m glad to have the resource. I believe every indie author should strive to put out the BEST material they can…even if that means they have to do what I did and spend years learning how to do it.

Can you recommend any indie books/ authors?

I NEVER pass up a chance to give a shout out to my favorite indie author, Sam Whitehouse. Sam is a young writer from Great Britain that writes magically about magical worlds. I’ve loved him from the moment I read the first words he posted on Goodreads. Also, I love Kandy Kay Scaramuzzo and her horse Pie’s book. Pie: An Old Brown Horse…is written from the horse’s POV and tells the life story of 39 year old ranch horse.

What would your friends tell us if we asked for your best and your oddest qualities?

Who has time for friends as a writer??? LOL. No, they’d probably say…I’m a faithful friend and a HUGE dork.

What would you say are you best and oddest qualities?

Personally, I think my tenacity is my best quality. I tend to be pretty longsuffering and stick with stuff even if it sucks. My oddity? I have a fascination with a local cemetery. And one grave in particular…that gave me the backstory for my character Nick.

What (not who!) would you take to a remote island?