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An Interview With Clemens Suter

Tell us a bit about yourself. What would you like us to know about you?

I am the author of the novel Two Journeys. I have traveled a lot, lived in many countries. Since then I settled down in Germany, in an old farmhouse. I have a PhD in biology - but my main job (next to writing) is in marketing.

What are you doing now? (Career? Married? Single? Children? Pets?)

Marketing - family with dog.

What is your favourite food?

Italian pasta, especially spaghetti arrabiata.

What is your favourite colour?

Dark yellow.

What is your favourite sound?

Silence I guess. It never gets boring. But it should eb interupted with some good music occasionaly, or some heated conversations and the sound of planes taking off.

Who is your favourite person?

My wife.

What is your favourite place?

At the table that we put in the innercourt of our old farm house.

What is your favourite memory?

The day I got married - and the days my sons were born.

What is your favourite article of clothing?

My old sailor's sweater that I bought in Brittany. I usually wear it when I write.

What is your favourite word?

Fiddlesticks.

What is your favourite writers' quote and why?

"In the end everything will be OK. If it isn't OK, it isn't the end."

What is your most favourite quality about yourself?

I am driven. I won't give up.

What is the least favourite quality about yourself?

I am fast. Too fast for most I guess.

If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would it be and why?

Siberia. It's quiet and very cold this time of year.

What inspires you to write and why?

I am full of words, texts, ideas, stories - and they need to get out.

What is your favourite book and why?

"I Claudius" by Robert Graves. Extremely good language, powerful research of the Roman era, great characters.

What is your favourite genre and why?

Crime - although I am not a crime author myself. In the best crime stories, the crime in the novel is merely the hook for a dramatic characterization of the protagonists and landscapes. They allow you to dive into other people's lives.

List your three favourite authors (any genre) and why?

Jack Vance (Science Fiction)
John D. McDonald (Crime)
Robert Graves (Literature)

What do you think makes a writer successful?

Depends on what "successful" means. If it means having a few good books published: then having a vision, being able to criticize yourself, staying true to your own work and to yourself are certainly the most important.
If "successful" means that "you sell a lot of books and make money", none of the above counts - then the measure of success is the amount of money that you make.

Whta is it that makes you successful as a writer?

Two things: keeping the momentum - getting out of bed at 5 in the morning and simply putting words down on paper. And: being my own, most critical reviewer.

What are your goals as a writer?

Getting the book done. I am writing for myself, these are the stories that I like to read. Having said that - the entire marketing and publishing is very exciting too. It is a full-time passtime.

What is the best tip you can give to fellow writers?

If you want to be a writer - don't try it. If you are a writer - don't stop it.

What do you hope to provide your readers with through your writing?

A different view on life. Things are not what they seem; we may think our lives, our society, our politics are all very relevant, but are they? Humans have been on this planet for at the most 2 million years, and I suspect we will have been gone again in 2 million more - should have an impact on our lives, on our perception, on our actions.

List your three favourite online writer-resource sites and why (include URLS).

If you have published a book, tell us about your publishing success (title, publishing date and company, where it is available to purcahse).

Two Journeys was published in August 2009, with Booksurge. It is available through most major Internet selling channels. It is running well: it is being sold at a very steady rate, peaking around Christmas and Thanksgiving. The reviews are very strong too.

How long did it take you to write your book(s)?

The book is 600+ pages, 130.000 words - still it took me only about 6 months to get it down on paper. I was suprised by that. The editing process took about six iterations and 8 months more.

What would you do differently if you could repeat the same publishing experience?

I would chosse a different cover for my book. As I am currently writing the next novel, I have limuted time to take care of that now.

What have you learned about the publishing world?

Writing and publishing books is fun! It is nice to see that people actually continue to buy books, to read stories. Publishing is business too, highly competitive with low margins; that adds to the excitement.

This is your chance to 'Talk Back' to your readers. What would you like to say to them?

Read my book. You won't regret it.

What's the one thing that you want them to know about your writing?

Read my stories and let them sink in. Enjoy your life, it's the only life you have.

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