Interview with Author Susane Colasanti

Today Susane Colasanti has stopped by to give us her thoughts on SoulMates and why writing about them is her life's work. Take it away, Susane!


GC: What do you think constitutes a soul mate, and what makes you love to write about the possibility? 

Susane Colasanti, Author of Take Me There

SC: A soul mate is someone you feel an instant, undeniable connection with. You’ve just met and yet you feel like you’ve known them forever. And yes, soul mates are real. I’ve met two of my own so far. I’m obsessed with the concept of soul mates. Every one of my books focuses on soul mates because I want to inspire my readers to find an incredible love. Everyone deserves to be happy. No one should settle for less than they desire. When you’re with a soul mate, that person makes you feel like you can do anything. They inspire you to be the best version of yourself. It’s just an overwhelming energy that I’m always excited to write about.


GC: Who do you think is smarter in love, boys, girls, or do you think we are all fools in love? 


SC: We’re only fools when we try to convince ourselves that the person we’re with is the right person for us even when we know they’re not (been there). Or when we settle because we think we won’t ever find what we’re looking for (been there, too). When we’re honest with ourselves about what we want and respect ourselves enough to find it, we’re not being fools at all. The most important thing to remember is that you can’t be in a healthy relationship if you don’t like who you are. That generally takes a while to learn. In the meantime, we all make silly decisions and rack up regrets. But that’s just part of this whole love thing. And the effect of hormones, of course. Hormones made teenage me do the most mortifying things ever!


GC: What was your favorite aspect of writing Take Me There in particular? What do you think makes it different than any of your other books? 


SC: The strongest difference is that Take Me There is told from the perspectives of three different characters. It was not an easy book to write and I haven’t attempted that format since. Creating three major story lines and three engaging main characters to go along with them was super challenging. My wall was covered with Post-it notes during revisions when I was trying to make sure events and details matched for each perspective. But in a weird way, that challenge was also my favorite part. And being able to share my love for New York City with my readers was awesome.


GC: What couple has been your favorite to create from any of your books? 


SC: Sara and Tobey from When It Happens. All of my couples are important to me, but Sara and Tobey hold a special place in my heart. When It Happens was inspired by some of my actual experiences during senior year. It was my first book, so all of the emotions and ideas and random details I’d been storing up since high school came flooding out while I was writing it. I wanted to say so much (actually too much – about 150 pages of the original manuscript were cut) and I think that intensity inspired a sweet love story about two people who are clearly meant to be together.

GC: What is next for you as a writer? 


SC: My fifth book, So Much Closer, comes out on May 3. It’s about a girl who follows the love of her life to New York City. The story explores what it means to change yourself for someone else, but realize who you are in the process.


GC: And finally, since this is an event about Love, could you please share your most romantic memory, or a love story that has inspired you?


SC: The whole Jim and Pam love story on The Office has really touched me. They are obvious soul mates. I love their cute inside jokes and the quirky things they have in common. Authentic characters with relatable issues are the best. Jam forever <3


Want to know more? Find Susane here... here, and also here:

Website: http://www.susanecolasanti.com
Blog: http://windowlight.livejournal.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susanecolasanti

Fan page: http://tinyurl.com/susanefan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/susanecolasanti