Interview with Christian Author, Susan Braun

Today, I'm thrilled to have fellow Christian author, Susan Braun, as my guest.  She'll be answering a few questions and telling us about her new book.  Let the interview begin!

1. For the sake of all my new readers, take a few minutes to tell us a little about yourself.

I am a former elementary school teacher, and now I’m the mom of three tween/teen daughters and a freelance writer. I blog each weekday at Girls in White Dresses, and I’ve written five books that are available at Amazon. Fun fact: our family has two rabbits, a hedgehog, and a chinchilla.

2. You're here today to talk about your new book, Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge: A Biography for Children. What inspired you to write such a book?

I’ve been fascinated by the royal family since Princess Diana came onto the scene in 1980. When I was a high school senior, I had to write a research paper. It was a big deal, and the “hot” topic for papers among my friends seemed to anorexia. I told my teacher I wanted to write my paper about the royal romance of Prince Charles and Princess Diana. He was not impressed! However, I was pleased when he ended up liking my paper and asking if he could make a copy. It appears that the royals could charm even a grumpy old man. 

3. Why did you choose to write a biography for children rather than for adults?

The more I write, the more I try to find niches that fit both my passions and a need in the market. I found quite a few biographies of Kate Middleton for adults, but for children all I could find were a few picture books. My biography is around 50 pages, and it’s aimed at a girl around fifth grade level. It offers enough information about Kate that the reader will be able to do a report on her, or just learn more about her for her own interest. Of course, there are several color photos as well – this is a book about one of the world’s best-dressed ladies, after all!

4. How many other books have you written and what type of books are they (children's, non-fiction, fantasy, etc.)?

I wrote my first book, I Love to Tell the Story, as a way of documenting many of my childhood memories for my own kids. It tells about my life growing up Baptist. I’d read so many books about people who grew up in Christian families and then felt the need to trash their upbringing. I wanted to show that a happy childhood in a Christian family is not only possible, but common. Then, I wrote Sophie, Pay Attention and A Dog Called Naaman. They’re e-books for early readers based on modern-day characters in situations similar to those of Bible characters. Finally, I wrote a biography of “Mad” King Ludwig (another historical figure who intrigues me) for young adults.

5. What would you say is the most difficult part about being a writer?

It’s such a step of faith. As a writer, we put hours and hours of real effort into getting our work out into the world. After all that, will the public discover and appreciate our writing? It’s a constant effort, and it’s never a sure thing.

6. Do you think it's more difficult for Christian writers to “get their work out there” than it is for non-Christian writers?

Well, both Christian and non-Christian authors must deal with publicity, and that’s something we could work at all day long! However, Christian writers probably do have a bit more of a challenge, because a growing portion of the population doesn’t identify itself as Christian. All we can do is our best, and leave the results up to the Lord.

7. What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I enjoy reading, playing piano and organ, and giving piano lessons. I also like spending time with my daughters and pets, and during nice weather I like to garden.

8. What knowledge or inspiration do you hope your readers will attain while reading this biography of Kate Middleton?

I began writing this book because I felt girls would enjoy reading about a real-life princess (or actually, duchess). But as I researched Kate, I found several things about her worth emulating. She has tremendous patience and determination. She was bullied as a child at school, yet she persevered. She dated Prince William for almost a decade with no assurance they would eventually marry, but she always handled herself with dignity, modesty, and class.

9. Are there any other juicy tidbits you'd like to share with the readers today?

I found it interesting that Kate’s mom in many ways seemed to be the power behind Kate. For instance, Kate planned to attend a different college, but her mother encouraged her to attend St Andrews because that’s where Prince William was going. Obviously, that worked out well!

10. Where can people find you online, and how can they purchase your book?

I blog at Girls in White Dresses each weekday. I also write frequently about the British royals at Yahoo Voices. You can follow all my writing adventures on my Facebook writing page. All my books can be purchased at Amazon.

Thanks, Dana, for being such a great friend. I love that we have so much in common, and although we’ve never met, I feel that we “know” each other pretty well . Friendship with people like you is one of the best things about the internet!