Writing for Charity

[Lisa Lickel]

Meet Susan Miura

Susan’s first short story, “The Cotton Candy Man” comes out in February in an anthology titled Missing. Proceeds from the anthology will benefit organizations that search for missing people.

Susan, welcome. First, tell us a little about yourself, especially your lengthy public relations background and your writing journey to this point.

When I became a reporter for the high school newspaper, I knew I’d found my future. One week after college graduation, I was hired as a reporter for the local paper. After a year I followed another dream and moved to New Mexico, where I worked for a television station and learned script writing. During this time I also freelanced for a newspaper. In both positions I wrote features on a wide range of subjects, from women in prison and open-heart surgery to the wild mustang round-up and the hot air balloon festival. But my life out there started moving in directions that...let’s just say weren’t in my best interest. I moved back to be with my family and reconnect with God. My old editor hired me back at the newspaper, where I stayed until I realized that a job in public relations would provide more money, more benefits and better hours. I did the corporate thing for 12 years, learned computer skills, traveled to conferences, got married and had two beautiful babies. Eventually I landed in my current position as Public Relations Coordinator for the Schaumburg Township District Library, where my responsibilities include plenty of writing, editing and photography. Additionally, I review books for FaithfulReader.com.

Susan, you also do a lot of writing for newspapers. How has your day work influenced your writing? Do you find yourself crossing between journalism and fiction? Which do you prefer?
Nowadays my newspaper writing is limited to press releases and columns promoting library events and services. However…many of the stories I wrote and characters I met as a journalist seep into my fiction. A newspaper career forced me to learn a little bit about many different subjects: politics, the economy, police work, various religions, business, people in general. All of these weave their way into my stories. Journalism definitely helped improve my research skills, which has served me well as a fiction writer, and provided the opportunity to interview people from all walks of life. It’s difficult to say which I’d prefer, sort of like trying to decide between lobster or a Godiva truffle.

Tell us about this intriguing anthology. How did you learn about it and what made you decide to participate?
My coworker, a teen librarian and close friend, was involved in compiling the stories and asked me to contribute. I found the topic fascinating and loved knowing the profits would go to a great cause. As a reporter, I had done a three-part series on missing children, which really opened my eyes to a world I had not previously thought about. As soon as she asked me to consider writing for it, a story started forming in my head, sort of consuming me until I got it onto paper.


What can you tell us about “Cotton Candy Man”?
It is far different than anything else I’ve written. My previous fiction has all been YA. This story is a little darker, and though it is an adult story, it is written from the perspective of a 7-year old girl who gets abducted from a carnival. The bad guy uses all the typical tricks to gain her trust, then quickly changes her appearance as soon as he gets her alone. The idea sprang from the missing persons series I wrote and a horrible real life experience in which I lost my 3-year old niece at a carnival. She was found in 10 minutes, but the gut-wrenching terror of losing her never left me, even after 20 years. The little girl in my story is not as lucky, but she knows God is watching and never loses her faith. As a mom, I just couldn’t let anything too horrible happen to her, though.

How long have you been a member of ACFW? How have you used the organization to help your writing?
January marks my one-year anniversary as an ACFW member. I joined because my agent was going to the conference and I wanted to meet him in person. I truly believe this was a God-led decision, though I didn’t realize it at the time. Because of the ACFW, “I have people!.” You know… people who get it, people who understand the need to write, the desire to use their talent to honor God, the strange phenomenon of stories and dialog that bounce around inside your head. I have a wonderful family and great friends, but only Christian writers really “get” Christian writers. Of course I can’t leave out all the benefits of attending the conference and all I learned from the workshops, as well as the opportunity to meet with editors. Three editors are now each looking at two of my manuscripts because of those meetings!

Tell us about submitting work to the Genesis contest. What category did you choose and why, and what steps did you take for submission. How did you feel about your work after you pressed the “send” button? Your story, “Show Me a Sign,” finaled. What does that mean to you?
I chose YA because that is primarily what I write. Show Me a Sign was already completed…or so I thought. It has undergone major surgery since then and I’m very pleased with the results. I like YA because 1) you have to keep the action going to keep teens interested, and 2) teens need to hear God’s Word in ways they can relate to and apply to their lives. I really enjoy those two challenges. As for the steps, I just read the rules about a thousand times and followed them line by line. Then I pressed “send” and put it in God’s hands. After the first round of judging, I used the judges comments, as well as suggestions from Patti Lacy (who has been incredibly helpful with this manuscript) and made some changes, then sent it back for the final round.

Do you have a favorite genre to write in? and why? Can you tell a little about your current projects?
As I mentioned, I favor YA and currently have two manuscripts being considered by publishers. Healer is about a very normal 16-year old girl who discovers she has the spiritual gift of healing. Show Me a Sign begins with a 17-year old boy being questioned by the FBI about a kidnapping. He was looking forward to his first date with the victim just before she disappeared. I’ve also co-written a poetry book with my sister titled Bunnies in the Snow. Each poem focuses on a different animal and explains how they stay warm in winter or harsh climates. I love that book and can just imagine how it would look with the right photos or illustrations to accompany the poems. My current project is my first adult novel. Surviving Carmelita begins with a horrible tragedy. The main character cannot cope with it and flees to the Florida Keys, where coincidentally, my family vacationed last summer.

What are the most important things you’ve done for yourself so far in traveling the publication road? What advice do you have for others who are in a similar position to yours?
I pray before I write, asking God for guidance, talent, words that honor Him, more talent, and publishers who think I’m the Stephanie Meyer of the Christian fiction world. (OK, I don’t actually pray for that last one, but I do fantasize about it.)
I use a wide variety of successful authors as my teachers, learning from reading and paying attention to details. Some shine at storytelling, some at character development or imagery. I also learned so much from having several chapters of Healer critiqued by author Lisa Samson, who is someone that shines at pretty much everything when it comes to writing.
I think having a variety of people review your manuscript is invaluable. My husband pays attention to the crime scenes, my kids make sure the teen characters speak and act realistically, my co-worker and brother have a great eye for typos and inconsistencies, and my sister and an author/friend look at the whole picture. Oh…and I can’t forget my parents. They tell me everything I write is wonderful. Sure, it may not improve my writing skills, but it’s always nice to have a fan club!
Advice #1) Get your manuscripts critiqued by a professional. It’s OK to spend a day or two appalled because they didn’t like something you thought was “perfect,” but then get over yourself and open your mind to the possibility that it might be a valid suggestion. Advice #2: Incorporate your experiences into the story. I have a multicultural family, so my characters have a variety of ethnic backgrounds. I use my travels, SCUBA diving, cooking, being a mom, working in an office, joys and heartbreaks…just about anything! Last advice: Make sure your information is accurate. If you’re writing a medical scene, crime scene, a teen scene, etc., have an expert in that area take a glance at it. I wrote about two boys fighting in the high school locker room, and both my husband and son laughed at some of the mistakes I made.

What do you like to read for fun?
Actually, I have the privilege of combining fun with work because of the book review job, but mostly I like YA. I have to confess I love the Twilight series – SM did a great job of packaging everything a teen girl could possibly want in a book. I’m also a Harry Potter fan. Lisa Sampson’s Hollywood Nobody series is excellent too. It’s great for teen girls or slightly immature older women like myself! I like travel magazines too, especially this time of year.


Susan and family attend Willow Creek Church , one of the largest non-denominational congregations in the United States . Tell us about how you fit in and how Willow Creek influences your life and careers.
First I want to say I’m really disappointed about some of the prejudice out there regarding large churches like Willow Creek. I can’t even begin to quantify how much I’ve learned about salvation, the Bible, the depth of God’s love, his desires for our lives, the power of prayer…I could go on indefinitely. The size of the church was overwhelming when I first attended 20 years ago, but after the second visit, my husband and I knew we’d found our church home. I’ve been a Sunday school leader there for approximately 18 years, taking off some time when both kids were born. The impact on my life has been miraculous, incredible, sometimes unexpected. I see the world through a different window than I did 20 years ago. I understand my faith with so much more clarity now, to a point where I can communicate about topics like salvation, creation vs. evolution, grace, etc., both verbally and in writing. It has made me want to do more to serve God, motivated me to read the Bible, changed the way I view and treat others, and just plain challenged me to be a better person –a God-honoring person. I mess up on a regular basis, of course, but at least I keep trying. All in all, Willow Creek has had a powerful impact on my life. In fact, I’d say if a church does not have a powerful impact on your life, you need to find a new church.

How can we buy Missing?
Missing will be released in February. You can purchase it online from Echelon Press by going to www.echelonpress.com and clicking on the “Buy Direct Here” button, or purchase it from Amazon.com or the Centuries and Sleuths bookstore in Forest Park, IL. There will be book signings at the Schaumburg Township District Library in Schaumburg, IL, as well as Centuries and Sleuths. When I find out which other bookstores are carrying it, I will post it on the ACFW loop.

Thank you again, Susan, for sharing your time and talent.

Thanks so much for the opportunity!