Susan Quilty

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Susan Quilty is an indie author who writes novels featuring strong women in unusual circumstances, often with a sci-fi, fantasy, or psychological twist.

She is currently writing The Psychic Traveler Society, a young adult series. The first two books in the series (Healers and Thieves, Family and Foes) are available now.

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Susan Quilty I don't like the term "writer's block." There are times in any story where I need to walk away before I can write more. For me, that's just part of th…moreI don't like the term "writer's block." There are times in any story where I need to walk away before I can write more. For me, that's just part of the process. There are days when the story flows and days when it stagnates.

When I hit a point where the ideas (or words) aren't flowing freely, I know it's time to take a break. I've learned from experience: Whatever idea has me stuck will work itself out with time, but it's unlikely to respond to force.

However, walking away doesn't mean that I stop writing completely.

I typically have multiple books (or other writing projects) in the works. If I feel stuck on one story, I can switch to another for a while. Usually, that means setting aside my dominant project to work on the outline or rough drafts of another.

The first four chapters of Healers and Thieves were written during a break from To the Left of Death. Some scattered scenes from To the Left of Death were written during a break from The Insistence of Memory. And so on...

The key, for me, is to trust that the tricky idea will sort itself out.

Besides working on other projects, I also give myself plenty of time to quietly sketch, knit, meditate, etc. I know the story is churning somewhere deep in my mind. Those quiet activities are a great invitation for those thoughts to break through with the Aha! moment that gets me back to work. (less)
Average rating: 4.21 · 92 ratings · 17 reviews · 8 distinct works
Inside Joss' Dollhouse: Fro...

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3.82 avg rating — 179 ratings — published 2010 — 5 editions
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The Insistence of Memory

4.57 avg rating — 14 ratings7 editions
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Healers and Thieves (The Ps...

4.64 avg rating — 11 ratings5 editions
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To the Left of Death

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 7 ratings4 editions
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Family and Foes (The Psychi...

4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings4 editions
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Audrey & Esther Geekify Gre...

4.40 avg rating — 5 ratings
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Elders and Aliens (The Psyc...

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings2 editions
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Freely Written Vol. 1

it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings2 editions
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More books by Susan Quilty…

Freely Written Stories – August 2024

Author commentary on stories featured on my Freely Written podcast in August 2024: Condesplaining and Migraine.

At the end of each month, I’ll shed some light on my writing adventures.

If you’re new to Freely Written, this podcast offers very short stories written from a chosen prompt with no planning and very little editing. These stories are an exercise in letting go of perfection and embracing sp

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Published on August 31, 2024 05:10

Susan’s Recent Updates

Susan Quilty wrote a new blog post

Freely Written Stories – August 2024

Author commentary on stories featured on my Freely Written podcast in August 2024: Condesplaining and Migraine.At the end of each month, I’ll shed som Read more of this blog post »
Susan rated a book it was ok
Cut and Thirst by Margaret Atwood
Cut and Thirst
by Margaret Atwood (Goodreads Author)
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I tend to love Margaret Atwood’s writing but this short story wasn’t my cup of tea. It read like a rough draft to me.
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UnWholly by Neal Shusterman
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Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Klara and the Sun
by Kazuo Ishiguro (Goodreads Author)
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I wanted to love this book. I liked being dropped into Klara’s quiet contemplation and piecing together the world from her limited perspective. Initially. Then it went on too long. Things that were meant to be a twist fell flat because they were clea ...more
Susan rated a book really liked it
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Unwind (Unwind, #1)
by Neal Shusterman (Goodreads Author)
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After Annie by Anna Quindlen
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This book isn’t for everyone. That’s true of any book, but I was keenly aware of that idea as the story went on. There is a plodding heaviness that some may find boring, but that’s largely what I loved about this book. Grief is plodding through life, ...more
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City of Spores by Austin Shirey
City of Spores
by Austin Shirey (Goodreads Author)
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You had me at fungus infused city… um, what? Weird but true. This mushroom-dusted setting with its spore soaked air instantly drew me in. Fungus everywhere? Mushroom mimics? The general WTF of it all had me wanting to know more. Then there’s an outca ...more
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Susan rated a book did not like it
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
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I almost gave this 2 stars because I try to rate books for what they are, even if they end up not being my personal preference… but this book just didn’t work for me on any level. Strong premise that doesn’t deliver.

Woman slips back 200 years, has t
...more
Susan rated a book really liked it
After Annie by Anna Quindlen
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This book isn’t for everyone. That’s true of any book, but I was keenly aware of that idea as the story went on. There is a plodding heaviness that some may find boring, but that’s largely what I loved about this book. Grief is plodding through life, ...more
More of Susan's books…
Margaret Atwood
“Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.”
Margaret Atwood

J.D. Salinger
“An artist's only concern is to shoot for some kind of perfection, and on his own terms, not anyone else's.”
J.D. Salinger, Franny and Zooey
tags: art

“The business of life is the acquisition of memories. In the end that's all there is.”
Carson of Downton Abbey.

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