Suzanne James

Do you have any idea what the world’s biggest commodity is? If you are a writer and want a great topic to include in your story - you should? How can you build great novels without understanding the world you live in? There are amazing things to write about in your own home, in your own kitchen, on your own table.

Do you know how many Sugar Types there are?  In 2006 Brazil produced thirty million tonnes of sugar, 20% of the world’s sugar production. Brazil exported 17.7 million tonnes, 40% of the sugar traded in the world that year.

Some say that Brazil could swamp the world’s market with cheap sugar. They did so in 2002, when a bumper sugar crop sent world prices plummeting to below five cents per pound.

Ethanol, is a product of sugar cane. In fact, much of the sugar cane crop is used for ethanol production.

Can you see a thriller in this? Instead of your next romance hero being the CEO of an ambiguous American corporation, what about a mysterious plantation owner? 

My friend Anne had her first public speaking engagement today. She IMed me and said that she was scared silly. It was a small gathering at a library, only 30 minutes, but she thought it was much longer. I laughed with her. I remember some of my speaking engagments.

I know that promoting books can be hard. Anne is a well published author in libraries in the UK. She sells so well that she’s earned her advances back in the first quarter of sales. But she’s had a hard winter. Her agent was replaced by a daughter, and she hasn’t sold anything yet. Read the rest of this entry »

My friend Mirella was the first one who told me that Calum (from The Pledge) was modled after my husband. Not even I’d noticed it until she mentioned it. I always find it interesting how we create characters.

I read both her other novels. I liked Bloodstone Castle the best. The hero was very bold. I asked Mirella what she thought was most important in a hero.