About Susan

HI! I'm so glad you came to visit my site! Feel free to email me. I try to respond personally to each contact with readers and other writers.

I'm a native of central Maine, and grew up on a small farm with a wonderful mom and dad, three sisters and a brother. Most of my books take place in small towns, many of them in Maine.

My husband, Jim, and I moved to his birth state, Oregon, for a while after we were married, but decided to move back to Maine and be near my family. We're so glad we did. It allowed our six children to grow up feeling close to their cousins and grandparents, and some of Jim's family have even moved to Maine!

Our children are all home-schooled. The two youngest are still learning at home. Jim recently retired from his vocation as an editor at a daily newspaper, and we’ve moved from Maine to Kentucky.

I've always loved reading, history, and horses. These things come together in several of my historical books. My young adult novel, Sarah's Long Ride, also spotlights horses and the rugged sport of endurance riding, as does the contemporary romance Trail to Justice. I took a vocational course in horseshoeing after earning a bachelor's degree in history. I don't shoe horses anymore, but the experience has come in handy in writing my books.

Another longtime hobby of mine is genealogy, which has led me down many fascinating paths. I'm proud to be a DAR member! Some of Jim's and my quirkier ancestors have inspired fictional characters.

Jim does freelance editing as well. In addition to his 20 years experience at the newspaper, he's edited all my novels before they go out, and he helped edit Primitive Archer Magazine for several years. He has recently edited several novels for Summerside Press. To contact Jim about editing your manuscript, Email Jim. He also has a side business, Ironwood Archery, for traditional archers. His invention, Reparrows, has caught on. Visit his Website (or Google "Reparrows") to see how clever he is

For many years I worked for the Central Maine Morning Sentinel as a freelancer. This experience was a great help in developing fictional characters and writing realistic scenes. I also published nonfiction articles in several magazines and had several short stories appear in Woman's World, Grit, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2004—named Heartsong Presents Favorite New Author of 2004. Protecting Amy was named second favorite historical book of the year by Heartsong readers.
• 2006—The Prisoner's Wife was named favorite historical of the year among Heartsong readers.
• 2007—The Prisoner's Wife won the short historical category of both American Christian Fiction Writers' Book of the Year Contest and the Inspirational Readers' Choice Contest, sponsored by the Faith Hope & Love chapter of Romance Writers of America.
• 2007—Wyoming Hoofbeats placed third in the inspirational category of the More than Magic Contest.
• 2007—Feather placed third in the general fiction category of American Christian Fiction Writers' Book of the Year Contest.
• 2007—The Lumberjack's Lady was named second favorite historical book of the year by Heartsong Presents readers. Susan was among the top 10 favorite authors.
• 2007—Frasier Island was the October selection of Books-A-Million's Faithpoint Book Club.
• 2007—Finding Marie was a selection of the Crossings Book Club.
• 2008—The Lumberjack's Lady won the short historical category of the Inspirational Readers' Choice Contest sponsored by the Faith Hope & Love chapter of Romance Writers of America.
• 2008—Sarah's Long Ride was a finalist in the young adult category of American Christian Fiction Writers' Book of the Year Contest.
• 2008—The three books of the White Mountain Brides series (Return to Love, A New Joy, and Abiding Peace) were named editor JoAnne Simmons's favorites of all historical Heartsong Presents books of 2008 on the Edit Café blog.
• November, 2008—Snowbound Colorado Christmas, including Susan's novella "Almost Home," was #15 on the Christian Book Distributors top 20 fiction list at www.christianbook.com.
• January, 2009—Susan was #5 on the Heartsong readers' list of top ten favorite authors for 2008. A New Joy made the top-10 list of Heartsong readers' favorite historicals of the year, and two of Susan's covers (Return to Love and A New Joy) were among the top 10 favorites.
• February, 2009—Inside Story was a selection of the Crossings Book Club.
• July, 2009—"Almost Home," in the Snowbound Colorado Christmas collection, placed second in the 2009 Inspirational Readers' Choice Contest, novella category.
• August, 2009—Always Ready was named one of editor Joanne Simmons's top five favorite contemporary Heartsongs of the year.
• August, 2009—Hearts in the Crosshairs was rated four-and-a-half stars by Romantic Times Book Reviews
• September, 2009—Return to Love was a finalist in the ACFW's Book of the Year contest.
• December, 2009—The Sheriff’s Surrender was a top pick in inspirational fiction in Romantic Times Book Reviews’ December issue and rated 4-1/2 stars.
• January, 2010—Susan was named second in the list of ten Favorite Authors of the Year among Heartsong Presents readers, and two of her covers (Trail to Justice and Always Ready) made the favorites lists too.
• January, 2010—Hearts in the Crosshairs was nominated for the Reviewers' Choice Award at Romantic Times Book Reviews.
• June, 2010, The Gunsmith’s Gallantry was rated 4-1/2 stars by Romantic Times Book Reviews.
• August, 2010, The Crimson Cipher was named a Top Pick and rated 4-1/2 stars by Romantic Times Book Reviews in the August issue.