Writers Read: Susan Furlong

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Susan Furlong

Susan Furlong is the author of the Georgia Peach Mystery series. She also contributes to the New York Times bestselling Novel Idea Mysteries under the pen name Lucy Arlington. She has worked as a freelance writer, academic writer, ghost writer, translator, high-school language arts teacher, and martial arts instructor. Raised in North Dakota, Furlong graduated from Montana State University with a double major in French and Spanish. She and her family live in central Illinois.

Her new suspense novel is Splintered Silence, the first in the Bone Gap Travellers series.

Recently I asked Furlong about what she was reading. Her reply:

I’ve just picked up a new-to-me author, Jennifer McMahon. I’d heard good things about her work and decided to give her a try. I’m glad I did. The One I Left Behind is a classic psychological thriller about a small town plagued by several gruesome serial killings. The author keeps the pace strong while seamlessly weaving in back story. Her imagery is excellent, and the premise is fascinating. Every time I read a book, I gain something new to improve my own writing; I’m learning a lot from this author.

I’m also reading Flannery O’Connor’s The Complete Stories, a collection of her short stories. Recommended by a friend, I was surprised that I hadn’t read this author sooner. Her stories are the perfect combination of satire and humor, and contain a unique mix of both Christian and violently grotesque themes. Most of her stories present morally flawed protagonist. I think this gives her writing realistic depth. And Flannery doesn’t pull any punches, which I like. She’s my new favorite writer.

Also, I’m reading the current issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. I started as a short story writer and can never get enough of short fiction, so I pick this up from the newsstand every month. I’m impressed with a story in this issue by John Gastineau, titled "A Coon Dog and Love." Gastineau’s writing is gritty, realistic and bold. His dialog skill is amazing. I’m going to be looking for more from this author.

I just submitted the second installment in the Bone Gap Traveller series to my editor. This one, titled Fractured Truth, introduces a new character, a FBI psychologist who specializes in criminal profiling. For research purposes, I picked up John E. Douglas’s Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit. Douglas, a renowned FBI investigator, gives true accounts of some of the cases he’s investigated and an inside glimpse into the minds of some seriously sadistic killers. The facts of these true cases are often more bizarre and violent than anything fictional I’ve read. This book truly explores the darkest recesses of the criminal mind. It’s a fascinating book, but don’t read it late at night.