Character Interview: Susie Speider from Susan Wingates new YA fiction ‘Spider Brains’

We’re thrilled to have here today Susie Speider from Susan Wingate’s new YA fiction, Spider Brains. Susie is a high school junior and Editor of the Ronkonkoma High School Newspaper.

It is a pleasure to have her with us today at Beyond the Books!

Thank you so for this interview, Susie.  Now that the book has been written, do you feel you were fairly portrayed or would you like to set anything straight with your readers?

I’d like to set the record straight! That woman who wrote this book clearly has never had any children of her own. I am not a nerd. I’m just uber-smart and then she goes and labels me as a nerd? Not. Gah.

Do you feel the author did a good job colorizing your personality?  If not, how would you like to have been portrayed differently?

Again, that woman must have forgotten her youth because if she had she would remember, um, duh, that fifteen year old girls don’t like their mothers around them very much and, like, I’m trying to avoid mine at all possible costs. She didn’t include that intel, did she? No.

What do you believe is your strongest trait?

My intelligence. My quick to remark and I happen to have eye-rolling down.

Worse trait?

Pfft. Right.

Do you have a love interest in the book?

Oh. Gag. Well, not really. Sort of but not LOVE. I mean, hurl. Matt is NOT my boyfriend. Although, I know he wants to be. We’ll see.

At what point of the book did you start getting nervous about the way it was going to turn out?

Well, if you remember (gah!), I turn into a spider. I mean. That’s pretty intense, don’t you think?

If you could trade places with one of the other characters in the book, which character would you really not want to be and why?

Seriously? Are you kidding? Ms. Morlson. The gag-meister-numero-uno. If God told me I had to be one of two things–Morlson or a snail, I’d strap a shell to my back so fast it would make your head swim.

How do you feel about the ending of the book without giving too much away?

What are you talking about? That woman told me this story wouldn’t end. Did she lie to me AGAIN!? Incredible. She said SPIDER BRAINS was just the first. That she had a whole series about me. I can’t believe the story ended already. I mean, there’s more to tell, ya know? I know our last meeting was something to do with going to the prom but that’s not the real ending. Gah. I tell you. Life is just full of disappointments, isn’t it.

What words of wisdom would you give your author if s/he decided to write another book with you in it?

Well, obviously we’ll be talking soon. A real meeting of the mind (snort) that will be. She needs to listen better. Take better notes and try, try, try not to nod off and make her visits to la-la land all the time.

Thank you for this interview, Suie.  Will we be seeing more of you in the future?

You can bet your sweet spider web you will. And, thank YOU for this very enlightening interview. Without it, I’d be flailing in the wind. You’re the best.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Most recently, Susan Wingate’s novels, SPIDER BRAINS and DROWNING each reached Amazon Bestseller status in 2012. DROWNING won the 2011 Forward National Literature Award for Drama. She would love for you to read her books. You can find them all under the tab on this site labeled “Books”. SUSAN has written eleven novels, two short story collections, a few plays, one screenplay and tons of poems. Her latest 2011 novel DROWNING  (contemporary women’s fiction), won 1st place in the 2011 Forward National Literature Award and also won a finalist award for the category of Women’s Fiction/Chick Lit in the 2011 International Book Awards. A vibrant public speaker, Susan offers inspiring, motivational talks about the craft of writing, publishing and marketing, and how to survive this extremely volatile (e-)Publishing industry. She presents these lectures for private groups and at writing conferences, libraries and bookstores around the country.

To get your copy of SPIDER BRAINS by Susan Wingate:http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Brains-Love-Story-ebook/dp/B007KDAS0C/ref=la_B003CMMERK_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1339336080&sr=1-6

To view all books by Susan Wingate: http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Wingate/e/B003CMMERK/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

To learn more about Susan, go to her website: http://www.susanwingate.com

Visit Susan Wingate on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/susanwingate

Like Susan Wingate on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanwingate.author

Follow Susan Wingate on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/susanwingate/susan-wingate-s-books/

ABOUT THE BOOK:

If one were to bake the story SPIDER BRAINS into a cake, they should sprinkle in Charlotte’s Web, toss in one Jellicle Cat, then stir in a little Spiderman—but as a girl and not in that goofy latex outfit! A tale of hope, transformation, transition and inspiration.

After her father’s death last year and, now, in the throes of a gnarly teacher’s whim as she thinks ahead to college (or really just dreams of getting into college), a small black arachnid bites fifteen-year-old Susie Speider on the finger. The bite sends her nights into fantastical dreams about taking revenge on a teacher who, ultimately, holds her college aspirations in the palm of her cold calloused hand. But, after Susie figures out the dreams are real, she ups the ante by visiting the teacher regularly… as the spider! And, oh, by the way! Who is that boy spider munching on flies, hiding over there in the corner? A story of loss and forgiveness, tolerance and kindness, Susie Speider deals with the death of her father while Matt Ryder–the new neighbor boy–has just lost his mother. Ultimately, SPIDER BRAINS poses some important questions about how to treat Attention-Deficit-Disorder.