Interview with Susan Pope Sloan 2025

This is book 4 in your Civil War series. How exciting! What message do you hope your readers take away from this story that differs from the previous three?

The first three books revolve around the women who were arrested in Georgia (in 1864) and sent north on Sherman’s orders. This one picks up at the end of the war and delves into the aftermath as the South begins to recover from the devastation.


You had a long career in technical writing. How challenging was it to make the jump to creative fiction, and how long did it take you from the decision to write your first story until you had researched enough to create a viable novel?

Switching from technical writing to fiction meant letting go of a few rules, such as always using conjunctions between clauses. It also required adapting to new common practices, such as no semicolons or parentheses in fiction. My first story, which is still unpublished, was a biblical novel that I researched and wrote in less than a year. That was many years ago. For the first book in my Civil War series, I spent several months on the research before I wrote my first draft—and kept researching as questions popped up during the writing.


Your former career in technical writing no doubt required a lot of research to maintain accuracy. You set your fictional stories during the Civil War near where you currently live, but sometimes, further research is needed. What literary pilgrimages (if any) have you taken for book research? What was your favorite and what did you discover or learn?

Soon after I started writing Rescuing Rose, I visited the site of the mill where the women worked in Roswell, Georgia. That town is a couple hours north of my home, and I wanted to be able to see the primary setting. It just happens that my hometown was also a mill town until the late 20th century, so I’d grown up in a similar culture, and my grandparents worked in two of the local mills.

More recently, on a visit with my son and his family in Michigan, we toured Greenfield Village where several 19th-century homes are on display, and I got pictures of actual furnishings. My favorite, though, was the house we toured in Newnan, Georgia, which is part of the setting for the fifth book in the series, Redeeming Rupert.

As writers, we often must be careful of our word count. Sometimes, that means snipping bits of what we write during the revision process. You already have some cut scenes from several of your books on your website. How did you decide what to edit OUT of this current book?

After my editor pointed out something that didn’t work for the story, I rewrote a good portion of Seeking Simon. I had to cut Daviana (the heroine) from Simon’s visit to Alabama, which involved her meeting his family and witnessing his reaction to encountering the girl he’d left behind when he went north. Ripping out scenes is painful, but in this case, it made the story stronger. (Note to beginning writers: the editor is usually right.)


What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

Hands-down, attending a writers’ conference. Closely related is getting involved in a critique group. These are investments that help writers improve their craft and introduce them to people in the industry who can give them the feedback and guidance they need to succeed.


Readers love reviewing books they’ve read, and we authors can’t resist checking those reviews. Some of them can sting a bit, but the good ones find a special place in our hearts. You already have nearly 100 reviews on your books. Do you have any feedback from a specific reader that had a significant impact on you? What was it?

I usually just skim the reviews so I won’t get either depressed or impressed with myself. One reader said, referring to Seeking Simon, “This was the story I needed.” That hit my heart because sometimes we wonder whether all the work accomplishes anything, and it’s refreshing to learn that it connected with someone.


Not only do you have this historical fiction series, but you also write stories for your grandchildren. Do those stories have any defining characters, or do you write more to cover a specific subject? What story is a favorite of your grandchildren?

I’ve not done much of this lately, so I need to poll the boys and see what they think. The first one was written to help one boy get over his fear of mascots and clowns. That would likely be the favorite as it involves a lion cub much like Simba.

You are quite active in your local Toastmasters and Word Weavers groups. I’m sure there are several reasons you love them, but what is a key aspect that keeps you involved? How do you feel you enhance these groups, and how do they benefit you as well?

I was a member of four different Toastmasters clubs over the span of 14 years and only recently pulled away because it was difficult to be in multiple groups and keep up with my writing. That was a hard decision because of the many friendships and lessons I learned. Toastmasters taught me how to give feedback and how to run a meeting as well as how to craft a speech. I can highly recommend joining Toastmasters for anyone.
I only discovered Word Weavers in 2017—wish it had been sooner! In that group, I can focus on sharpening my writing skills, meet other writers, and stay up to date on industry news. I feel that it’s important to “give back” and pass on what we’ve learned to others. Both Toastmasters and Word Weavers allow someone to receive and to give back as we progress in our own journey.


You have a few nonfiction books on starting and maintaining a Christmas Caroling ministry in the church. Other than your love of history and language, how did this also become a passion?

I was introduced to the caroling ministry in 1999 when a new couple came to my church. Having grown up in a singing family, I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t part of a singing group. In our caroling group, we dress in Victorian costume and sing only the traditional songs from that era—so that corresponds with my love of history. We also share stories about some of the songs—both history and language in story form. More than anything, we carry the gospel to places that often get left out, such as nursing homes, hospitals, museums, and detention centers. Even though we reorganized it as a business, it’s still a ministry that allows our people to connect with others in the best love story of all time: Christ came to redeem us.


If you had to do something differently as a youth or young adult to become a better writer, what would you do?

I would be more consistent in my writing and get involved with groups to help me grow as a writer. Although writing is a lonely occupation, we need the advice and perspective of others to help us grow our skills.


Finish this statement: In the future, I will…

do my best to help others achieve their goals by offering encouragement and thoughtful advice, sharing what I’ve learned along the way.


What is next for you in your fiction career?

My grandsons want to be featured in a story, so I’m thinking about trying a contemporary romance that involves boys their age. I hope I can pull it off.


Thanks for sharing with us, Susan!


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"Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having an active imagination and a flair for the dramatic. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning author and speaker who works as a homeschool mom and independent contractor, helping others become their best from the inside out. She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, in Kentucky. They have a daughter and son, and 2 cats. She has sold over 25 books so far, three of which have won annual reader's choice awards. She is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. (www.tiffanyamberstockton.com)
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