Author Uncovered: Susane Colasanti (Author Interview)

Hey guys! This is my fourth Secret Agent Uncovered interview and it's with Susane Colasanti! She is the author of Waiting for You, Take Me There, and When it Happens. Hope you like this interview!








Her Books:


Did you always want to become an author?
I was a high school Physics and Earth Science teacher for almost ten years. So I have a hardcore science background. However, becoming an author had been a fantasy of mine since I was about 16. I really wanted to be a science teacher and work with teens directly, so the author thing was never a serious career plan. But I carried that dream in my heart. When I was in grad school, I started writing the first draft of When It Happens. That first draft wasn’t completed until I had been teaching for a few years. At that point, I had a very strong feeling that it would be published. I wasn’t planning to leave teaching, though. It wasn’t until Take Me There was published that I had the opportunity to be a full-time author. It was an amazing opportunity that I had to take!

Who or what was your inspiration for Waiting for You?
When I was a teen, it felt like I was always waiting. I was waiting for my real life to begin, waiting for something exciting to happen, and waiting for my future boyfriend to find me. The waiting was excruciating. So I knew I wanted to write about how it feels when the things you want most in life are things that never happen, when you feel stuck in some endless limbo. I also wanted to reach out to readers who are dealing with depression or anxiety disorders. I was a depressed teen. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re all alone in the world. It’s such a horrible feeling. By writing Waiting for You, I was hoping that my readers would feel less alone. I wanted to give them hope that life really can get better, no matter how bad it is now.

How does it feel like, knowing your books are on those bookshelves in a bookstore?
Freaking awesome! It’s also weird because while I know that my books are in bookstores, it’s still hard to believe. When I have a dream for so long and that dream finally becomes reality, part of me still feels like I’m dreaming. It’s an amazing feeling to know that teens are picking up my books, looking through them, maybe even reading them. And if they do read them, maybe my books can help make their lives a bit better in some way. That’s my wish.

Did you base any of your characters on real people?
I did. Tobey from When It Happens was inspired by my actual high school boyfriend. I wanted readers to know that boys like Tobey really do exist. He gives us hope that soul mates are out there! Since When It Happens was my first book, it contained the most characters inspired by real people. Laila and Maggie were also inspired by friends of mine. The characters in Take Me There and Waiting for You were based more on composite images of my imagination. I think that all characters who feel real are based on real people to some extent.

What are your ten most favorite things?
New York City, fresh fruit and vegetables, books, The Office, green architecture, archival scrapbooking, Gelly Roll pens, board games, cupcakes, and positive energy.

What is your typical day?
I’ve always been a night person. In high school, it was so hard for me to wake up because I’ve always loved staying up late. Even when I was a teacher and actually wanted to go to school, getting up in pitch darkness was a drag. Now that I can set my own schedule, I decided to embrace my circadian rhythm. Therefore, I do not wake up early. I usually spend the morning online, go to the gym, and then write in the afternoon. When I’m on deadline, my schedule is more like this: work for at least 12 hours, sleep, repeat until finished.

What is your favorite type of drink?
I enjoy icy, blended things in the summer. My neighborhood diner makes this blended mint lemonade that is so refreshing. And my favorite coffeehouse makes the best granita ever. It’s a blended coffee drink (decaf for me) with three different levels of frothy deliciousness. I could drink a granita every single day. But I’m not that decadent. I mostly drink water.

Do you have any upcoming books?
Of course! My fourth book, Something Like Fate, will be released on May 13, 2010. I’m writing book five now.

Her Sites:
Website: http://www.susanecolasanti.com
Blog: http://windowlight.livejournal.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susanecolasanti
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/susanecolasanti
Twitter: http://twitter.com/susanecolasanti

Thanks Susane! It's great having you as a Secret Agent!