We extend a warm welcome to Susy Smith for joining bookpleasures.com. Get ready for an enthralling conversation with an author who possesses the rare ability to breathe life into the pages she touches.

Stay tuned for this captivating dialogue that is sure to leave you spellbound.

Susy's Bachelor's degree in English and her unwavering passion for literature have made her a noteworthy presence in the literary community.

With her experience as a language teacher for the Kanza Tribe, she adds cultural richness and authenticity to her writing.

The release of her first novel, Asylum, marked a significant milestone in Susy's literary journey.

This gripping tale captured the attention of readers and critics alike, and to no surprise, it won the prestigious 2020 Writer Con contest in the novel category.

Her ability to weave intricate plots, create interesting characters, and evoke powerful emotions has cemented her place as a rising star in the literary world.

Norm: Good day Susy. I'd like to extend a warm welcome to you for being part of our interview today.

Many readers may not be familiar with the Kanza Tribe. Could you share some lesser-known facts about the tribe that you find interesting or significant?

Susy: Hawé! Khe dazhi? Kaáⁿze blíⁿ. Wazházhe blíⁿ. Yegáha, áⁿzo blíⁿ.

Hello! How are you? I am Kaw and I am Osage. I am happy to be here.

One lesser-known fact is that Kansas garners its name from the Kaáⁿze Tribe. Our original homeland was around Council Grove, Kansas until treaties forced us onto a small reservation in Oklahoma.

Also the name Topeka means “a good place to dig potatoes.”

Our language is in danger of extinction, so I take the work I do for the Tribe seriously. 

Norm: In what way has your work and experience with the Kanza Tribe affected your writing as a curriculum specialist?

Are there any specific aspects of their culture or history that you have incorporated into your books?

Susy: I think when I write I’m conscious of getting the facts correct. History has portrayed Native Americans in the light of their experience. Not ours.

So when anyone attempts to write about Native American tribes, it is paramount they get our perspective. Our truth.

Because of that reason, I am reticent in putting anything native or cultural in my novels. I wasn’t raised native. I was raised “white.” I haven’t the knowledge to correctly interpret our culture.

Yet. But, I’m getting there.

Norm: Your Asylum book series explores the theme of societal collapse and survival. What inspired you to delve into this dystopian world?

How does your dystopian world compare to other popular dystopian works?

Susy: After 911, everything changed. The way people perceived their world changed. That bright, shiny, security bubble popped, and nothing seemed secure or safe anymore.

I believe that’s the root of what began my journey into a world where every necessity (or what we think is a necessity) was ripped away.

I think my dystopian world is like the Hunger Games, in that, both characters find themselves embroiled in a political power struggle. I didn’t delve into anything fantastical.

It’s all very realistic. In that manner, they’re different.

Norm: With the release of the second book in the Asylum series, Ascendant, could you give us a glimpse into what readers can expect from this installment?

Are there any new themes or developments that you would like to highlight?

Susy: In the second book, Ascendant, Lacy and Jace are ruthlessly used at the hands of her evil uncle, Senator Thomas Monroe, who wants to take over the United States. 

He will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Because of that, Lacy finds herself kidnapped and thrust into a human trafficking ring in Mexico City. The novel is fast-paced and thrilling to the very last page.

In the author’s note, I placed information about human trafficking if any readers wanted to learn more. It is a problem that I don’t think people really think about. I live along the I-35 corridor, and it is a problem. In Oklahoma. 

Norm: We understand you found inspiration in The Walking Dead. Could you tell us more about how this show influenced your writing and the themes you explored in your books?

Susy: Although there are no zombies in my novels, you will find that society has collapsed in much the same way. I love The Walking Dead sets and how they show the absolute desolation of towns and cities.

When describing the towns in my novels, I kept that in mind. I hope readers can feel how desolate things are in Lacy’s world.

Norm: Growing up in a small town in Oklahoma, how has your upbringing and the sense of community influenced your writing? In what ways does your small-town background shape the stories you tell in your books?

Susy: I’m not a city girl. I never have been. I tried living in Oklahoma City after high school. I moved there for college and lasted a year. I will always set my novels in small towns because I understand them.

In small towns, everyone knows everyone or at least has heard of them. The sense of community is something bigger cities lack, I think.

I hope I can capture the small town hospitality and the friendliness of others and their willingness to help others in need.

Norm: Why is it important for people to think critically about potential societal changes and be prepared, as depicted in your "Asylum" series?

Do you have any thoughts on how individuals can be better prepared for such scenarios without delving into political positions?

Susy: The more others think for themselves, the better off all of us will be as a whole. I’m not a political writer. I don’t care what side you take on the political field.

My job, as a writer, is to point out potential problems for others to think about. What the individual does with the information is up to them. 

Norm: Where can our readers find out more about you and the Asylum Series?

Susy: You can find out more about the Asylum Series at MY WEBSITE or on Facebook. I’d love to hear from readers!

Norm: What is next for Susy Smith?

Susy: I’m currently working on the third installment in the Asylum Series. I’m not sure if I’ll wrap it up with this one or continue. It’s in the wind.

Norm: As we wrap up this interview, is there any message or advice you would like to share with aspiring writers or fans of your work?

Susy: To all the writers out there I’d just say, keep writing. You can’t finish anything if you don’t start. Then continue. Even if it’s two sentences, a paragraph, whatever. Keep going. If you do that, you’ll be surprised to find you can actually finish!