Author Susan Burdorf has been spending time in Havenwood Falls with her book Old Wounds.
NASHVILLE — We’ve been following the ongoing story of the invasion of authors on Havenwood Falls. While these authors have made an agreement with the Court of the Sun and the Moon to write only fiction, evidence shows they’re crossing the line into true events. The Court and the Luna Coven claim to have done their best to stop this injustice to our rights to privacy, but the authors are more powerful than even our strongest. One keystroke on their magic keyboards can allegedly make any one of us–even all of us–cease to exist.
To better understand these creators, we are sitting down with each one in an exclusive interview. Today, we introduce Susan Burdorf, author of Old Wounds about our very own Rusty Higgins and the newcomer he discovered in the woods. The book released on Aug. 4.
What inspired this particular storyline?
I love exploring the complicated stories between lovers of different backgrounds, and I have never done a shifter story before. I am looking forward to exploring more of their relationship in future books within the Havenwood Falls world.
What made you choose these particular creatures?
I have always been fascinated by the idea of a shifter-wolf that is not a werewolf.
What’s your favorite line?
“By the moon.” Rusty will be saying this a lot in future books. He is very driven by the moon in his impulses and needs. I want to take this further in the future.
What did you enjoy most about writing this story?
I liked being one of the first books that helped create the Havenwood Falls world, which is a constantly changing landscape of stories and characters. I hope to delve further into the HF world in the future, and if I am lucky enough to do so I will definitely draw more of the town and its people into the story.
Have you ever lived in a place like Havenwood Falls? How does Havenwood Falls compare to where you call home?
Growing up, I lived in the suburbs outside of Buffalo, NY. Our town was your typical suburb. We had parades, fireworks, and town picnics. It was fun, but nothing like the magical world of Havenwood Falls. Where I am now is a little more festival and party oriented in that they really draw the community into the town’s square at least once a month with some kind of celebration. I rarely attend the events, though, because I am usually writing! But I DO make sure to get to the local cemetery every October to celebrate their Civil War tour and talk about the “residents” in the cemetery. There are a lot of famous people buried around here, and that surprised me. When you can live in a place that is rich with history you need to be aware of it.
What made you decide to write a Havenwood Falls story?
I was intrigued by the challenge and the idea that you have so many authors (all of whom I admire for a multitude of reasons that are too numerous to mention here) and so many characters and you can create a world that is uniquely your own and yet belongs to everyone. And, I used to play those SIMS games and it fascinated me to think I could put together my own town!
If you lived in Havenwood Falls, what kind of creature would you be and why?
I would either be a witch (a good one, of course) who made soaps and lotions and potions in her back shed because I would love to be able to utter a spell and fix all the problems. Or I would be an Angel, and mostly just because I would want to be able to fly.
What has been the most surprising aspect of writing in this Shared World?
What surprised me, and it shouldn’t have because I knew from the start it would be a challenge, was figuring out what other authors’ characters I needed to “borrow” to populate my story. This was difficult because when I was writing my story, the other authors hadn’t even developed their characters yet, so I had to limit my reach into Havenwood Falls and yet bring forth a story readers wanted to spend time with. I hope the readers like Rusty and Sherry and I promise there will be more about them if it is in the cards.
Would you do a project like this again?
YES! I think I would approach it differently, though. Ask a lot more questions and not be shy about making suggestions and adding more characters of my own instead of limiting myself.
According to insider Kristie Cook, not only does Ms. Burdorf want to do this project again, she is contracted to write another story, releasing April 2018. Ms. Burdorf will be holding a Live Q&A session with the Havenwood Falls Book Club this evening at 7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. local MT). Attendees can further question her on Old Wounds, as well as her other books and writing.
About Old Wounds
Betrayed by love, Sherry Grimes flees the city seeking solace in an unfamiliar place that calls to her from deep in the mountains. But her search for comfort goes awry when she’s chased by a wolf through the forest, falls, and blacks out. She awakens in a strange room with a mysterious and foreboding, yet undeniably sexy man by her side. So much for finding solitude. But despite the craziness that brought and keeps her in the small eccentric town, she discovers herself drawn into the magic that’s Havenwood Falls.
Russell Higgins had long ago given up the idea of finding the one he could trust his secrets to until he met Sherry. One look at the feisty woman with a broken heart and he finds himself defying his pack and his own ideas of his perfect mate. What he can’t deny is the wolf inside claiming the human as his.
Bradley Monahan wants Sherry back, and he would do anything to make that happen. Even fight the mysteries of a town that doesn’t forgive transgressions.
While love may heal old wounds, it’s the fresh ones that Sherry must overcome to find her way back home. Wherever that may be.
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About Susan Burdorf
Susan Burdorf is a lover of anything sparkly… and hot cocoa, preferably with extra whipped cream. If not parked on the couch writing she can be found hiking the trails near her Tennessee home while on the hunt for waterfalls. Susan can be reached on a variety of social media outlets such as twitter at @sburdorf; or Facebook at www.facebook.com/susanburdorfauthor. She encourages fan interaction and is available for school visits.
