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ICE OUT by Susan Speranza
www.lesliejohansennack.com
Q: Why did you write this book?
A: Writers write for many reasons. My reasons are often personal. I weave stories that will help me understand the world we live in and the people in it. I am not a very accepting person when things are imposed upon me. Yet I understand that in order to live well, I have to accept whatever comes my way. But how does a person accept the unacceptable? That is one of the central questions of ICE OUT. Francesca’s life is perfect, she has a wonderful husband, beautiful daughter, lovely home, flourishing career. It vanishes in a moment, and she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. What does she do then? And how does she accept and forgive? Can she?
Q: What do you hope people will take away from this book?
A: ICE OUT is a story can be read on several levels. It can be read just as it appears – a story of an accident and a betrayal. But it can -- and perhaps should be -- read on a deeper level. The story is an allegory for the journey we all must go through when we are trying to come to terms with something terrible. In the beginning we deny what is happening, and we are angry. Then we get depressed and despair and only after we have gone through a period of grief, do we come to some acceptance and forgiveness. Only then can we let go. Grief is like wandering around in a dark forest, we keep searching for the light or for a new day. But only when we let go and accept what is and forgive whatever or whomever imposed this upon us are we able to go on, to wake to a new day.
There are many clues along the way, the reader should pay attention to everything, as everything in the story is important. For example, time is of great importance. Most of the story takes place in ten minutes. The entire story takes place in one night. Paying attention to these details helps the reader to access the deeper level which I hope many readers will choose to do.
Q: What drew you to this cross-genre of magical realism matched with literary suspense fiction?
A: I’ve always been attracted to fairy tales, fantasy, and allegory. These are wonderful devices a writer can employ to tell a dramatic and meaningful story. In many ways, ICE OUT has a fairy tale-like quality to it. In the more realistic first part, which is Francesca’s story, she doesn’t seem quite real, neither does her “perfect” life.
Q: Tell us about your writing process.
A: When I am in between works, I don’t formally write. Instead, I read, specific books I can learn from, observing techniques that other writers have used, getting ideas about form and structure. I think about how the ideas I have can best be put into a framework. I prefer to think of my writing as not just mere storytelling, but also as art. The form a story takes is the framework upon which to hang the ideas at the core of any story and together they bring a story up to the level of art.
Before I ever write the first sentence of a book, I think through all this first. The writing is the easy part and goes quickly once I have this worked out.
What about the writing/editing/publishing process has been the most surprising to you so far?
What has most astounded me is how twenty people can proofread a manuscript and still not find that typo! The publishing process is always stressful because every publisher and every author proceeds with the assumption there is a market for the book about to launch. But truly no agent, publisher or author can really predict which book will click with the public and which will not. To me, success as a published author (which is different from success as an author) is akin to buying a lottery ticket. You have to be in it to win it, but it is largely luck that brings success. Theodor Geisel is one of many examples. His first book was rejected by 30 – 43 publishers (by his own varying account). One day, he was walking down a New York City street with the manuscript in hand (he claimed he was going to burn it) when he bumped into an old acquaintance who worked for a publishing company. The rest is history. I often wonder, what if he chose to walk down another street? The world would never have known Dr. Seuss.
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