I believe most of us carry a story inside that needs to be written down, a story that leaves readers lingering on the final page with a feeling of sadness mixed with satisfaction that all of us who love books understand. Susan Zurenda has such a story \u2013 one that stayed with her through her happy, busy years as a teacher, mother, wife and now book publicist with Magic Time Literary Publicity. The difference between Susan and the rest of us, is she brought her story to life in the enchanting novel, Bells for Eli.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wrote a short story that won the South Carolina Fiction Project Award that was the genesis for the novel. I always wanted to flesh it out, but when I was teaching and raising children and caring for ailing parents, I didn\u2019t have big blocks of time to write,\u201d Susan told me as we talked about her new novel. \u201cMy first cousin, Danny, swallowed Red Devil lye left in a Coke bottle when he was three,\u201d the first-time novelist said, continuing with the story that inspired Bells for Eli. \u201cBack then, they used the lye to blow up balloons. It was Danny\u2019s birthday. I wanted to explore how an incident like that, just one misstep, can change the entire trajectory of a life and the lives of those around him.\u201d Susan added that Danny was a little older and lived several states away, but the story of his accident was one she heard growing up. Eli and Danny\u2019s only similarity is the tragic accident that shaped their lives.<\/p>\n
With positive reviews already published in Publishers Weekly and Chapter 16, Susan\u2019s novel is well on its way. \u201cA lot of things that happen in the book world are a result of skillful marketing, but not these journals. I\u2019m very honored,\u201d she shared as we began to chat about her new novel.<\/p>\n
The day we spoke, Susan was preparing to leave for her first book tour as the author, not the author\u2019s publicist, and I asked her to tell me about it. \u201cI am excited and a little nervous about the book tour.\u201d Laughing a little, she continued, \u201cI taught school for 33 years, so I am accustomed to being in front of people. The difference is my high school and college students were captive audiences. Now I come charged with the responsibility of keeping my audiences interested!\u201d<\/p>\n
This busy writer will appear at over 50 events in eight states during her tour. Her husband, while retired, still teaches part time at Converse and Methodist Colleges in Spartanburg, so he won\u2019t be joining her at every stop, but will be present for one very special event. When she arrives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Susan is looking forward to a private party given for her by the two first cousins to whom Bells for Eli is dedicated. \u201cThese are Danny\u2019s sisters,\u201d Susan explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy book is in the category of literary fiction so a number of people have asked me what I want readers to take away from the book; what do I want them to think about when they finish?\u201d Susan began when I asked her about the motivation behind her writing. \u201cF. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a letter to Ernest Hemingway that reads, \u2018The purpose of a work of fiction is to appeal to the lingering aftereffects in the reader\u2019s mind.\u2019 That\u2019s my purpose. I hope my characters\u2019 lives might resonate with readers after the novel ends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re living in a time where books have become the thing \u2013 there are so many book clubs, and so many books being written.\u201d As we ended our chat, Susan added, \u201cAlmost everyone I know is in a book club. News programs, like the Today Show, have book recommendations, and I believe all of the media personalities promoting books have something to do with the popularity of reading. It\u2019s a great thing they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
After the tour is over, Susan will return home to Spartanburg, and resume her everyday life. \u201cOur children are grown, but we have two Boston terriers that we treat like children,\u201d she told me laughing. And, in the evenings, while most of us are engrossed in the latest episode of our favorite television show, Susan will probably be reading. \u201cI don\u2019t really watch television, except for Jeopardy. I think it\u2019s because when the children were little, and I was teaching, there was never enough time, and that\u2019s the one thing I thought I could easily give up.\u201d Books are, and will continue to be, Susan\u2019s passion. \u201cIt\u2019s fun to be a part of the book world.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meet Susan on May 7th, when she will speak at Coffee with the Authors, in the North Myrtle Beach Library at 10am. Later that day, at 2pm, she will give a presentation at the Books and Bites event at My Sister\u2019s Books in Pawley\u2019s Island. On August 18, Susan will return to the Grand Strand to speak and sign books at Bookends in North Myrtle Beach.<\/p>\n
For more information,visit www.susanzurenda.com.<\/p>\n
Some events listed may have been postponedor canceled. Please check with event organizer for updates.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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