Susan M. Wingate

 

Susan writes novels, short stories, essays, poetry, and plays. She lives in Washington State with her husband, Bob, and writes full time. In 1997, she moved from Phoenix, Arizona where she was born and raised and where her sister and many of her aunts, uncles, and cousins still reside. Much of Susan's writing is set in the southwest U.S.

The mystery, Of THE LAW, is the story about small town life on Dahl Island. Harvey Flemings is the Police Chief of the town there. He becomes embroiled in a maze of deceit, adulterous encounters, bribery and, murder – a couple of them. Failure to bring to justice the corrupt Leona Malouf (the wealthiest woman in the community) colors Harvey's every thought. Despite the impermeable legal fortress she has surrounding her, Harvey vows to end Leona's run of terror. Doing so, he enters into a world of sinister thought. The very element he's fought against his entire life grabs hold of his moral collar and will not let go. Will he win his fight against evil? Or, will he be destroyed? Of THE LAW looks at the darker side of humanity.

Her second novel, A LONELY PLACE, is a story about a woman trying to find the true meaning of family. Georgette Carlisle, twenty-five when she arrived in the rustic town of Sunnydale, Arizona, now tells her story (aged "forty something"), a story of life, love, death, grief, pain, loneliness, and redemption with the most unexpected people.

Susan has also begun writing her third book-length piece called THE LAST MAHARAJAN. The life of a Lebanese woman, Kasa Hasafa, unfolds revealing her true past here in the U.S. and in Lebanon. Kasa recalls seeing an accidental drowning of a young girl in the mid-1960s. The story delves into losses experienced throughout Kasa's life and her ability to self-protect through denial, fighting, and escape. THE LAST MAHARAJAN is a meaningful account that mirrors significant moments in Kasa's past with events she sees happening in her world today.  Visit Susan online at www.susanwingate.com

 

PageOneLit.com:  Where did you grow up and was reading and writing a part of your life? Who were your earliest influences and why?

 

Susan M. Wingate: I was born in Phoenix and raised by two people who loved the arts. My mother is a fine artist and paints in oils mostly and my father received his degree in English with a minor in Speech from Arizona State University. He used to write all the time and I always tried to emulate him. When I was a child, I read a bunch of Nancy Drew novels but Black Beauty was my favorite story. I remember writing a story for a fourth grade assignment about a horse that was lost and (ultimately) found again – a real tear-jerker. The teacher told me it was too “schmaltzy.” I read a lot of the classics as a teenager. Being involved in drama and theatre, I read plays – Shakespeare, Shaw, Williams, Chekhov, Brecht – all the greats. For entertainment value, I read Edgar Allan Poe. Also, movies have always played a big part in my life and still do today. I’ll watch four movies back-to-back a couple of times a week when I can, when I’m not working. But, to answer the question, who influenced me the most to write, I’d have to say it was my father.

PageOneLit.com:  Why do you write? 

 

Susan M. Wingate: I have to write. There’s no other choice for me. I decided to pursue writing seriously about twelve years ago and have been writing full-time since 2004.

PageOneLit.com:   In your new book "Of THE LAW"  -- Your story/plot seems to take a peek at a darker side of humanity. Was this premeditated?

 

Susan M. Wingate: Yes. For me, writing a novel takes months of contemplation before I get that, “Aha!” feeling about the way it will turn out – the who, what, when, where, how and mostly, the why, of the story. My first novel, OF THE LAW, took a good eight years to finish. It took this long for a number of reasons. I’d never taken a formal creative writing course when I started it and had no clue how to develop a story, let alone a novel. I didn’t know the meaning of the word “plot” until I began taking my writing more seriously. As I studied, an understanding how to formulate a book-length piece of fiction crystallized and, once this became evident, I was on my way. I’ve since written a second novel and I’m currently working on my third. Although, I have to thank the tons of help I received from Michael Collins. He picked me up as one of his mentoring students and was a key factor in seeing the story, OF THE LAW, to its completion.

 

PageOneLit.com:  Harvey Fleming is a very interesting character -- Who is Harvey Fleming? Talk a little about developing this character.

 

Susan M. Wingate: I love Harvey. He developed out of a discussion with Michael Collins. I had originally written the story in third person with a female narrator but her tone was shallow to me. As you know, the story begins and ends in first person. I had the body of the story but felt my narrator was weak. It felt wrong for the narrator to be a woman, it felt equally wrong to be written in third person, even though it had started out that way and, so, I toyed with the idea of creating a man for the job. As soon as the thought of a male narrator entered my mind, I knew it was the right choice. While I played around with a first person narrator, the male narrative voice jumped out at me and I saw him physically. When that happened, I knew how he would sound when he talked, what he would say, and why. And, because I saw the physical aspects of him, I knew how he would walk and how he would sit – everything. Harvey was the perfect candidate for the position of Police Chief for me.

 

PageOneLit.com:   For your novel, "Of THE LAW" - Was there any research? If so discuss.

 

Susan M. Wingate: Tons! By the way (I’ll have you know), I’ve read way too many books, articles, and cases on lust murderers. The person I credit with finding this sort of material to read is Robert K. Ressler. Mr. Ressler was a special agent with the FBI. His credentials run down my leg and up again. All-in-all, I have a three foot stack of paper I’ve read specifically for this story. I keep all of my research contained in order by story.

 

Another person who helped me out about the law enforcement aspect of the story is a man by the name of Bill Cumming. He’s currently the Sheriff for San Juan County. Some of the information he gave me would stop your heart it’s so sad. My interview with Mr. Cumming differed diametrically to the interviews with Mr. Ressler. Mr. Cumming talked personally about some of the cases where, in my interviews with Mr. Ressler, he talked only about the technical aspects of the crimes.

PageOneLit.com:   How is "Of THE LAW"  different from other adult mysteries?

 

Susan M. Wingate: Well, OF THE LAW breaks some rules and yet it reads a lot like an old Erle Stanley Gardner mystery. In today’s world, writers are always told they must try to find a unique story, and that’s great. But, as children, we’re taught to study the classics in art and learn from them, use what they’ve done. Boy, what they did worked then – it still does – and should work just as well in the market today. Why not study the greats – take all you can get from them because they did remarkable things. They broke rules too, especially Edgar Allan Poe, he’s STILL breaking rules – posthumously, that is. Whenever I’m stuck, when I feel I’m not sure how to get from “A” to “B”, I go back to the classics.

 

However, to go back to your question, I’m not one to be okay with someone telling me that publishers don’t like unhappy endings because the vast readership doesn’t. Sometimes a happy ending is exactly what the story calls for but other times it’s not, read Camus, for crying out loud! It seems he didn’t believe in happy endings at all. And, to this I say, “Good for him.” I guess OF THE LAW is different because I’m not going to let public opinion dictate to me how I’ll proceed in my art.

 

PageOneLit.com:   "Of THE LAW"   would make a great film -- If you could cast the film who would you select to play the lead roles and why?

Susan M. Wingate: I’m sitting here laughing. Honestly, I just wanted to finish the story – it took forever. So, I haven’t thought that OF THE LAW may possibly end up in the form of a film but I’m happy you think so. Still, I’ll try to pick some actors for the parts (you have to understand I’m still chuckling).

 

Okay, fine. For Harvey… oh, heavens! I don’t know. Now, I’m going to worry that I should’ve thought about this well before now and what an idiot I am that I haven’t. See, you’re dealing with a writer here. By our nature, we’re a bit psychotic, which makes me think of my poor husband and what he has to go through with me on a day-to-day basis and, now, I’m thinking about my poor mother and what she had to deal with when I was growing up. So, you see, you’re question about the movie, well, it troubles me, doesn’t it?

 

How about this, William Pederson (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) to play the part of Harvey. I’m actually quite in love with him, him and Frank Sinatra – still. Hey, if the book gets optioned for a movie, I’ll get back with you.


 

PageOneLit.com:  What did you learn from writing "Of THE LAW" ?

 

Susan M. Wingate: So many things but, from a writing perspective, I learned what a huge commitment it is. It’s a commitment of time and energy. Your focus must constantly remain on the story. The time you spend on any given novel must be as stringent in routine as if you had a job in an office. You get up early in the morning like everyone else and you go to work. In the evening, at six o’clock you can stop but only after you’ve put in a full day’s work, everyday – just like any other job.

 
PageOneLit.com:  What's next?

 

Susan M. Wingate: Currently, I’m working on my third book-length piece of fiction. This one’s not a mystery. I’m about halfway complete with my first draft.

 

 

PageOneLit.com:  What was the last book you read?
 

Susan M. Wingate: Kurt Vonnegut’s, A MAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY, I finished reading it the night he died. When I woke up to the online news about his death, it stopped me in my tracks.

PageOneLit.com:   Do you have any hobbies? What are they? How do they enhance your writing?
 

Susan M. Wingate: I do! I have a slew of animals that keep me busy. I read all the time, paint, sing, and I walk my dogs to stay fit, plus, I love to cook. The painting is an incredible tool and enhances my writing by giving me visuals and textures from which to draw. The dogs and cats are just plain kooky and I find myself laughing at their many antics throughout the day. But, right now, I’ve agreed to direct an original one-act play by a playwright who lives here in our community and I’m looking forward to that very much.