3 Ways Susan Beatty Shares About Courage in Her Writing

I first met Susan K. Beatty when I signed up for a writing critique group over four years ago and was matched to her and a couple of other delightful writers, too. There are currently four of us in our monthly “Serious Scribblers,” and we support each other with projects and writing deadlines in between. Susan’s writing is contemporary and faith-based, and she writes about difficult times, exploring the intersection of faith, grit, courage, and forgiveness in her flash-fiction devotions, novelettes, and novels. After you’ve read “3 Ways Susan K. Beatty Shares About Courage in Her Writing,” enjoy my interview with her, and then you’ll want to jump right into her writing, too!

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Susan K. Beatty Shares Her Writing and New Novelette, Isobel’s Mission of Courage.

3 Ways Susan K. Beatty Shares About Courage in Her Writing

1. Susan’s “Faces of Courage” series, which includes two prequel novelettes (Isobel’s Mission of Courage and House of Courage) and her novel, Faces of Courage (to be published in May, 2021), was inspired by her daughter’s battle with breast cancer, which began ten years ago, and her courage as she dug deep into her faith. “What better way to encourage people, whatever they are facing, than to write stories that show courage at the intersection of faith and grit?” Her first two novelettes and her upcoming novel all deal with breast cancer at various levels, and her future works deal with other issues that force readers to look for their own courage. 
2. In each of her writing update newsletters (sign up for them at https://www.susankbeatty.com/), Susan included a flash-fiction devotional and short story. She has gathered these, along with new material, into Courage for Your Everyday Life – A Faces of Courage Flash Fictional Devotional, releasing on December 1 and available for pre-order now. She is writing a new series about her “courage heroes” to be included in her newsletter.
3. Her novelette, Isobel’s Mission of Courage, was published in September! I’ve read it and recommend it as an inspirational story. View Susan reading a chapter of it in YouTube.

My Interview with Susan Beatty

Me: Tell us a bit of what Isobel’s Mission of Courage is about.

Susan: God had hardwired mission work into Isobel’s DNA. So what’s He doing bringing a homeless woman into her life … to help her? Recovering from surgery and chemotherapy means Isobel has little time or energy to spend on anything or anyone else, but when she sees a homeless woman hanging around her neighborhood, she can’t just ignore the need.

Homeless and ticked off at God, Noolie might just be the last person Isobel would ever imagine helping her, but Isobel needs it. Can she muster the courage to face her needs and allow a woman with nothing to meet them?

Me: Share a little about your novel, Faces of Courage, to be released in May, 2021.

Susan: This novel shows how one woman deals with a difficult past, an increasingly abusive husband, and a cancer diagnosis. Can she delve even deeper into her soul to find the courage to fight this battle? Will her husband stand by her or will she need to go it alone? Will she find her courage at the intersection of faith and grit?

Me: I know readers want to know you better. What’s your life like outside of your writing schedule? What fun things tickle your fancy?

Susan: In my spare time, I love to read, watch British TV, and try new restaurants (although that’s currently curtailed). Our family participates in cancer fundraisers and loves classic cars and motorsports, and we also enjoy camping. I love my family and have four children, five grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, plus a former foster son and his wife and two children.

What’s Next?

Susan has a lot of exciting news to share with you!

• She just received her new book cover for Faces of Courage, to be published in May 2021, and it’s beautiful (yes, I’ve seen it!).
• Courage for Your Everyday Life: A Faces of Courage Flash Fiction Devotional, available now for pre-order and release on December 1, is a flash fiction devotional that shares stories of characters who need courage in everyday life situations—situations that may look like what you or someone you know is going through. 
• She is busily working on a second novel (untitled) about an abandoned daughter and the father who left her. Does he have the courage to own up to his transgressions and ask for forgiveness? And does the daughter have the courage necessary to grant forgiveness? (To be released in 2022.)

Meet Susan K. Beatty, faith-filled author

About Susan Beatty

Susan K. Beatty is in her third career—from journalist to homeschool tech writer to her life-long dream as a novelist. After thirty-five years of serving as a leader in statewide and national homeschooling, she retired to focus on writing fiction. She is proof you can start a new writing career later in life. Susan published her first published fiction in September 2019 and is continuing to release other novelettes. Her first novel, Faces of Courage, will be released in May 2021. Susan is the author of the California Homeschool Manual (in her second career), was the assistant director of the SoCal Christian Writers’ Conference, and is the president of her local ACFW-OC Chapter.

Where can readers find you online?

Website: https://www.susankbeatty.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SusanKBeattyAuthor/

https://www.amazon.com/author/susankbeatty 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19509173.Susan_K_Beatty

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/susan-k-beatty
https://www.facebook.com/groups/11697755032183

Where can readers purchase your writing?  

Susan’s novelette, Isobel’s Mission of Courage, and Courage for Your Everyday Life: A Faces of Courage Flash Fiction Devotional make inspirational Christmas gifts, and they’re available now!

Thanks for joining us, Susan, and we’re looking forward to the release of your upcoming novel, Faces of Courage, next year! And I hope you feel lots of prayers of healing heading your way for both your daughter and you!–Nancy

Now, back to you, the wise reader! (Yes, you!)

We all face hard times. It’s inspiring to hear how others have done it, and I know YOU have something valuable to share on this topic. Describe a time you had to dig deep for courage you didn’t think you had. Please share your advice for us in the blog comments, so we can learn from you and your experiences.–thank you! Nancy