History Inspires Author Susan Leigh Furlong
Today I welcome fellow Rose, Susan Leigh Furlong. She talks about how family history inspires her historical romances.
Is there an event in your life that affected you as a writer?
I have always been an avid reader of all types of books, mystery, epic, suspense, historical, biography, etc., but I refused to read romance. I always looked down my nose at that genre until I won a copy of Jude Deveraux’s Velvet Song from a local bookstore. I loved it! I started reading more romance, historical and contemporary, and never looked back. I also have written children’s stories, historical non-fiction, skits, and full-length plays, but now I write almost exclusively in the romance genre, and I love it!f
Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published
Several years ago I wrote In Her Shadow, a romance inspired by actual events in my grandparents’ lives. My grandmother died when my father was four years old, leaving my grandfather with three small children to raise while he worked for the railroad twelve hours a day, seven days a week. Since daycare was unheard of then, he went through a series of housekeepers, but often left the children to fend for themselves. This prompted me to write about a widower in the early 1900’s with two small children who hires a housekeeper from an ad in the paper. They fall in love, but complications arise when his former wife’s family seek to destroy our hero and forcibly take custody of the children. I really enjoyed adding the true facts/touches from my family history that no one knows but me.
Have you written non-fiction or children’s books? How has that influenced your fiction writing?
Arcadia Publishing published two non-fiction books of mine with 200 antique photos in each about the history of my small town in Ohio in 2012 and 2014. I had been writing historical articles for the local newspaper about tidbits and people I found in the local history museum files, and this led me to write and direct two plays about the town, presented by local actors in script-in-hand style. I wandered through hundreds of old photos, most unlabeled, and read handwritten family histories. I always knew I loved history, but I learned I love doing the research even though old books, etc. make me sneeze and cough, but Google has been a great help for that. I now wander around historical eras looking for odd/interesting facts as starting points for my plots. I also use my travels to Scotland to envision the actual settings and the cultural aspects. On one trip I even got to visit a castle that belonged to my long ago Scottish ancestors! You can’t make this stuff up, but you can write about it!
What is your favorite chapter to write and why?
One of my favorite parts of my books is the last chapter that lets the reader know what happened to the characters after the story ended. Whenever I read a book, I am always curious as to how the rest of the characters’ lives would go, and I like to think that my characters have lives beyond the chapters I write. In Steadfast Will I Be, we find out that Robin and Suannoch led full lives and had many children and grandchildren. In By Promise Made we learn what happened to each of the Countryside Players and the child, Mary. After the adventures in Keeper of My Dreams, the Haliburtons find ways to recover from their experiences with the pirates and build strong family ties.
What would one of your characters say about your writing a book?
Hugh Cullane from By Promise Made would probably have the most to say. He’s a glib, charming, full-of-himself rogue who would expound on my words. He’d say things like “Ye ne’er used the words ‘extraordinarily handsome’ when ye described me and ye should. Ye need to add more about the scores of lasses who fall for my incredible charms. Overall, I am a man like no other!”
Hugh’s sister, Leena Cullane from Keeper of My Dreams, would say, “I have a brother named ‘Hugh,’ but he has a face that warthogs would envy. We all love him, but as for him being a man like no other, we all say, ‘Praise the Lord for that!’ “
Keeper of My Dreams
by Susan Leigh Furlong
Gunpowder and love, both explosive.
A gun can kill. A heart can save.
Reid Haliburton, a skilled gunsmith, wants to control who uses his revolutionary handgun until a vicious pirate decides the gun will be his. The price of refusing is Reid’s life and those of his three young sons. Reid’s only chance to save his sons is to send them away and face the pirate’s wrath alone.
Leena Cullane Adair is stunned to find three lads hiding in her cart, and, although she only met their father a week ago, he holds her heart and her dreams, and she will do whatever it takes to keep him and his sons alive.
Susan Leigh Furlong’s Books are Available from
AMAZON | B&N | BOOKS2READ
Learn More about Susan Leigh Furlong
Website https://www.susanlfurlong.com/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SusanLeighFurlong/
Twitter https://twitter.com/FurlongLeigh
Email: SusanLeighFurlongwriter@gmail.com
A fascinating interview. Fun to learn the behind-the-scenes inspirations for your writing. And I hope the book that hasn’t been published yet, finds a home.
Susan, thank you for sharing the background to your work! What a legacy you’re leaving! And I love that you write historical items for the newspaper! Best of luck and continued happy, happy writing!
Thanks for sharing, Susan.
Thank you for being my guest. Good luck with your new release.
It was wonderful getting to know you, Susan! My favorite by Jude Deveraux is A Knight in Shining Armor. Wishing you continued success!
Wow! This author sounds awesome. I think she’d be a very fascinating friend. Thank you for telling us about your career, Susan, this was a very interesting read!