An Interview With Susan Markham
Today's interview comes from the talented and ever delightful Susan Markham. I have known Susan for twenty three years and its a pleasure to have her on the blog. Susan's writing is informative and witty and downright clever. Her song writing is beautifully poetic and emotive. Here is Susan's interview.
Please introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about you.
Hello! My name is Susan, I’m 38 years old and I love reading and the joy it brings! I’m a Human Resources professional by trade, but I am drawn to creativity through writing and creating music. I have lived in Inverell, Brisbane, Canada and the UK and I love to explore so will move overseas again in the future.
When did you discover your penchant for writing?
I started writing music in 2011 and I wrote my book in 2013 when I moved to Canada. I had time to focus and deliver what I had been thinking about for some years, which was penning my professional experiences and sharing them with people based on my 10 years’ HR experience at that point in time.
What do you like to write about and why?
I wrote about my own workplace experiences in my book 101 HR Hot Tips: Handy Secrets for Success in the Workplace from my profession in Human Resources and witnessing some shoddy behaviours and issues from people that could have been handled so much more effectively. I thought I would document my non-fiction experiences in a self-help guide for people to help them get and keep their dream job. I also policy and training materials for employers on occasions, and I have written 36 songs.
Where do you derive your inspiration from?
As above – it’s all based on real people and real stories. Mind you I’ve changed some names. If writing policy, it is based around the culture of the organisation and the theme of how they would like their policies to be written.
How does writing make you feel?
It differs depending on what I’m writing. When I write a song and complete it, I feel a sense of satisfaction and completion. When I was writing my book, it was such an enjoyable process to reflect on my learnings in a professional space and put them to paper.
Who is your favourite Author and why?
Shan L. Scott is my favourite author! Firstly, she is one of my favourite people. We’ve had a lot of laughs over the years and she’s so easy going – I can trust that she’ll always be there and have a good time. In an author sense, I love the Second Sight series. It’s a new genre for me but I found it engaging and the characters are so well thought out. I can’t wait for the third instalment to come out! I also love her poetry book Small Truths.
I also love Marian Keyes. Her books are so funny, but they always have an underlying serious theme, such as addiction, domestic violence and death. Close second would be Jodi Picoult for the same reasons, and it always ends up in the courtroom or with a twist.
If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be?
Back yourself! I would probably tell that to my current self too!
Do you have any other artistic/creative interests/talents?
I like to write music as I mentioned above. I’ve painted a picture once too that I copied from another one I saw in NYC and it’s hanging on my wall.
What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
I have only written one, and it was based on my personal experiences. I did have to support some of my experiences with facts such as employment law, statistics and other people’s quotes that I had to conduct some research for.
What is your favourite piece of writing that you have written?
Hmm it’s hard to say. If I had to pick one it would probably be my song Where I Belong which I wrote on the beach in Vancouver when I was a little homesick for Australia. It’s about growing up in the New England area and the bonds that tie us to each other and to our great country.
Website and Social Media Information
Twitter: @author_slcarson and @suzee_mack
Instagram: @suzee_mack
Facebook: SuZee Mack
Website: www.hrhottips.com
