Author Interview: Sue Stauffacher

Today I have the privilege of chatting with Michigan Writer, Sue Stauffacher. Her Donuthead books are favorites of mine. Welcome Sue!

Lori: What were your favorite books to read as a young person?

Sue: Secret Garden, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Lori: How does your job as a book reviewer affect your artistic process?

Sue: I don’t like to review books I don’t like because I know how it feels to get a bad review. I try to stick to the ones I can recommend. Also, it can get a little criticism-heavy at times and then I take a break from it.

Lori: We know all writers, even published ones, deal with rejection. How much rejection did you receive before your initial acceptance?

Sue: Thirty rejections on my first book and ten years between book one and book two. I am deeply acquainted with rejection

Lori: Can you tell us anything about what you’re working on now? Upcoming publications?

Sue: I have four books coming out in 2010—a series called Animal Rescue Team for Knopf about a family of urban wildlife rehabilitators. I studied Beverly Cleary’s books over and over to try to pick up her gentle humor and timing. And a picture book called Tillie the Terrible Swede, about the amazing long-distance bicycle racer of the 1890s, Tillie Anderson

Lori: Please tell us about any of your upcoming appearances.

Sue: I am focusing on writing this year…spending a lot of time as a volunteer with school kids and also volunteering in the costume shop for the ballet. Folks who want to keep track of such things in the future, can look for my newly revised web site suestauffacher.com this winter. I’ve engaged the talented folks at Winding Oak. They specialize in children’s book authors.

Lori: What books are you loving in 2009?

Sue: I just read Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork. It’s a young adult book. Really really good.

Lori: How would you feel about your book(s) being made into movies or plays? Is anything like this in the works?

Sue: The ‘exclusive right to review’ Donuthead has been sold three times : ), but so far no movie. I think I could handle it from this distance. Maybe right after publication would be hard.

Lori: Do you prefer milk chocolate or dark chocolate?

Sue: Dark chocolate, definitely

Lori: Desserts or hors d’oeuvres?

Sue: Chocolate chip cookies and seven layer cookie bars—that was an easy one!

Lori: Describe a typical day in the life of Sue Staffacher :o)

Sue: Typical day…well, write, revise, work in my massively overgrown native plant garden, work on community projects, try to be a housekeeper, a mom of two teen boys and a wife of a college professor (he’s in the writing department)

Lori: Thanks so much for taking the time to appear at Quill today, Sue. I’m looking forward to your upcoming books and, for the record, I’d love to see Donuthead as a film!