Bookpleasures.com welcomes as our guest, Suzy Beamer Bohnert. Suzy has recently written College, Covid, and Questions:  Tips and Advice for Incoming Freshmen, Undergraduates, Transfer Students, and Parents.

Growing up Suzy played sports participating in leagues, playing in gyms, and gathering the neighborhood kids to join in pickup games until the streetlights were too dim to light the sporting site. 

 She launched her writing career as a newspaper sports editor. During that job, Suzy interviewed numerous coaches, athletes, and fans about sports, putting complicated games into simple words.

Suzy is the recipient of nineteen national awards for writing excellence. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and family. 

Norm: Good day Suzy and thanks for taking part in our interview for bookpleasures.com. 

Suzy:  Back in elementary school I discovered the Weekly Reader, and many of those assignments involved writing.  That proved to be my favorite activity each day.  Throughout the school year, I looked forward to putting on paper the words in my head, and I still do.

I love to write and communicate with others, so that people learn about topics that interest them or that they want to learn more about.  That gives me great satisfaction and always will.

Suzy:  Completing my books and having people tell me that they made a difference in their lives is a great feeling. 

For example, I heard from a father who wanted to coach his daughter's basketball team, but he didn't know how to go about doing that, so he purchased a copy of my book, Game-Day Youth:  Learning Basketball's Lingo.  From the book, he learned game fundamentals, player positions and roles, and the vocabulary to use when instructing his players.  He said the book make all the difference during his first season as a coach.

Norm: What has been your greatest challenge (professionally) that you’ve overcome in getting to where you’re at today? 

Suzy: In the writing profession, you often face rejection.  For instance, someone decides not to publish your book and another pens a critical review of something you wrote.  While you could feel defeated, that's not the right mindset.  Pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and forge ahead.  Not everyone will like everything you write, but don't take that criticism personally.  Maintain confidence in your abilities and keep writing.

Norm: In your opinion, what is the most difficult part of the writing process? Please summarize your writing process. 

Suzy: Getting people to consent to do an interview with you is probably the toughest thing because people are busy, and sometimes it takes time to pin down a time and date with an interviewee.  You need the information from the interview to add new insights to your writing, so it's an important part of the process.

As for the writing process, I start out by getting ideas and doing research to see if the concept is feasible and to give me background information.  If so, I proceed with an outline of topics and come up with questions and people to interview.  Then, I write, edit, and complete the article or book.

Norm: What did you find most useful in learning to write? What was least useful or most destructive? 

Suzy: My journalism classes in high school and college were the most helpful because they taught me how to formulate and ask questions, interview people, and put those ideas into a coherent format--and to do that quickly.  Those classes also provided help in the areas of finding sources and conducting good research.

Unfortunately, there are writing classes out there that sell you on the idea that they will make you a best-selling author in record time, but they don't deliver. Writing is hard work, so invest in some classes through reputable organizations or community colleges.

Norm: What made you interested in writing about sports and sports' books? 

Suzy:  I played sports as a youth, participating on the basketball, soccer, and softball teams at my high school.  At the same school, I served as sports editor of the student newspaper.  From there, I went on to college to study journalism.  At first, I thought I would go into sports broadcasting, which is a highly competitive field.  Instead, I chose to write about sports and became a newspaper sportswriter and then a sports editor.

When covering sports for the paper, I realized a lot of people wanted to enjoy athletic contests they attended, but they didn't always know the rules or concepts.  Seeing there weren't many sources for that information, I wrote books for adults and youths on basketball, football, and baseball.

Norm: What do you think most characterizes your writing? 

Suzy: I'd like to think I put complex topics into simple language, so that everyone can understand them.

Norm: What are common mistakes authors of sports' books make? 

Suzy: Not doing enough market research to determine who your audience is when you're putting together the outline for your book and gathering and conducting interviews that don't lead to information that helps the reader.

Norm: What are your thoughts as to why people read books on sports? 

Suzy: People like to read about their favorite teams and athletes.  Others may never have been athletic--but wish they were--and marvel at the sports legends, past and present.  Some pick a specific sport and want to read about the topic, so they can make conversation at the office with a colleague or at a kid's sporting event with a neighbor.

Norm: What would you like to accomplish as an author that you have not? 

Suzy: I would like to write more books and try my hand at fiction more so than I have in the past.

Norm: Could you tell our audience a little about your most recent book, College, Covid, and Questions:  Tips and Advice for Incoming Freshmen, Undergraduates, Transfer Students, and Parents? 

Suzy: College, Covid, and Questions:  Tips and Advice for Incoming Freshmen, Undergraduates, Transfer Students, and Parents is a recently released book that addresses the unique issues and concerns of college students and parents.  

College, Covid, and Questions will help you to know:

- School essentials during coronavirus

- Considerations when buying a computer

- Technology to succeed in school

- Characteristics to look for in a tutor

- Advice on help with accommodations and services from the Center for Accessibility Services

- Advantages and disadvantages of campus meal plans

- Hints and tips when seeking an internship

- Tips to get along with roommates

- Academic advisors-your role and theirs

Simple, clear answers about coronavirus and college, classes, internships, campus dining, dorms, roommates and residence life, academic advisors and mentors, clubs, recreational activities, and getting back home.

This is the essential guide to navigating the college journey successfully in these unprecedented times.

Norm: What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them? 

Suzy: While there are a variety of books to help you get into college, there are very few that help you navigate the college scene once you receive admittance, transfer to a different university, or start attending classes on campus.  Even parents have questions to ask about the university experience because things may have changed since their days at college, or maybe they never set foot on a campus and don’t know the first thing to ask.

This book came about for this very reason.  Bewildered by the number of colleges out there and their differences, we looked for one source to answer a multitude of questions in one place.  We found SAT test practice books, college rankings and ratings, and how-to books on writing college essays, but nothing that helped with how to ask and have questions answered when you don’t know what you don’t know.

I think the book College, Covid, and Questions answers the questions people are asking.   

Norm: What are some of the references that you used while researching this book? 

Suzy: I referenced newspapers, magazines, and books.  I also spoke to university representatives, trade-association spokesmen, company and government- agency personnel, and students themselves in answering the questions.  What resulted was a guidebook for parents of prospective college students, incoming freshmen, college transfer students, and those now studying at universities. The book deals with all aspects of college, and it does answer  important questions. 

Norm: What have your other books taught you that you have been able to apply to your most recent book? 

Suzy: Plot out how you plan to research, write, and market your book.  Do your best to follow that plan.

Norm: Many people have the skills and drive to write a book, but failure to market and sell the book the right way is probably what keep a lot of people from finding success. Can you give us 2-3 strategies that have been effective for you in promoting your books? 

Suzy: I would recommend seeking out book reviews to give credibility to your book, do public speaking at different events to promote the book, and teach classes about the topic of your book.

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and your books? 

Suzy: The books are available now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, OverDrive, and Kobo in paperback and e-book. Check out my  WEBSITE.

Norm: What is next for Suzy Beamer Bohnert? 

Suzy:  I'll be writing more books and continuing to try my best to meet the needs of readers. 

Norm: As this interview comes to an end, if you could invite three sports' celebrities, living or dead, to have dinner at your home, who would they be and why? 

Suzy:   Pete Maravich, who played college basketball at LSU and averaged 44.2 points per game during three years.  Don't forget, there was no three-point line at the time.  Best college basketball player ever and, in the pros, a masterful, creative athlete on offense.  I'd ask him for tips on how to shoot and play better on offense.

Chris Evert--A consistent, classy tennis player who won at least one Grand Slam title 13 years consecutively and made it to 34 Grand Slam singles finals--the most of any pro tennis player.  I'd ask how she hit that two-handed backhand so well, because I use a two-handed backhand when I play tennis, too.

Hank Aaron--A baseball player who hit 755 home runs during his playing career with the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee is remembered as the man whose record of total home runs lasted for 30 years.  "Hammerin' Hank" also batted in 2,297 runs, had 1,477 extra-base hits, and 6,856 total bases.  Because pitchers feared him, I'd ask for hitting tips.  Although I don't play baseball, I know he could tell me how to hit a softball just as well.

Norm: Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors