Discover more about

Susan Crawford

and her debut novel

Saving Justice

Redbud Press

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A book character that sticks in my mind is…

Hadassah from Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series. Not trying to be overly dramatic here, but she completely revolutionized my walk with the Lord. Her relationship with Jesus was so personal and intimate, and she loved the people in her life so beautifully. It was a new way of thinking for me at the time. By the end of the series, I realized I had viewed Christianity as a list of rules to be followed, but Hadassah showed me that it is simply about knowing Jesus. He’s all that matters.

I first read the series nearly 20 years ago, and I’ve re-read it several times since because it impacted me so deeply.

The last book that made me cry was…

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.

The last book that made me laugh out loud was…

Meant to be Mine by Becky Wade. The banter between main characters Ty and Celia is hilarious and sizzling with tension. I’m pretty sure there were a couple of times I even spoke out loud to them. Things like, “Oooohh, she told you!” when Celia said something especially witty and sarcastic to Ty.

The first person who encouraged me to pursue my writing was…

My husband, Ron. He’s not a big fan of books and reading and such, so it kinda baffles him as to why I would want to be a writer, but he’s all for chasing dreams. When I said, “I think I want to write a novel,” his response was, “Then you should do it.” And then he went above and beyond to support me in practical ways—getting the kids out of the house for a bit, picking up dinner, doing laundry—to give me the space to actually write.

If I wasn’t a writer, I would be…

Still searching for what I want to be when I grow up. I’m 42 years old and have tried several different things, but nothing felt like the perfect fit until I started writing a few years ago.

I write stories because…

I believe in the power of story to connect us to each other and to the heart of God.

Saving Justice

After losing her brother to gang-related violence, elementary schoolteacher Kinley Reid is on a mission to help her at-risk students. When one of them, Justice, is caught in an act of vandalism, she intervenes.

Entrepreneur Nash McGuire has gone to great lengths to overcome the poverty he grew up in. When working on a renovation project in his old neighborhood he collides with a juvenile delinquent and his do-gooder teacher.

Kinley believes Justice can overcome the influence of his environment; Nash knows the odds and has little patience with Kinley’s naivety. But as the boy’s mandatory community service forces Justice and Kinley into Nash’s life, he can’t help but discover a boy searching for love and purpose–a boy very much like he once was.

Then Justice is accused of another crime. And Kinley’s stubborn belief in the boy’s innocence is just too much for Nash to accept…

My latest novel can be described by these 5 adjectives…

Real-life. Hopeful. Urban. Romantic. Sweet.

My main character is… 

Kinley Reid is a spunky, compassionate schoolteacher in a poverty-stricken neighborhood. She deeply loves her students and will do just about anything to help them succeed.

Nash McGuire is reserved, but fiercely protective. He’s also a bit of a neat freak–he likes to keep his life in order because he grew up in poverty and never wants to live that way again. He’s worked hard to become successful, but he’s still haunted by his past.

My main characters resemble….

The pictures!

My story’s spiritual theme is…

Bringing light to dark places, loving the people God puts in our lives, and redemption from the brokenness of the past.

The most recent movie or tv show I loved was…

The Blacklist. My daughter and I recently discovered it and we can’t get enough. The criminal cases are fascinating, but my favorite part is the multi-dimensional character they’ve created in Raymond Reddington. Such a great anti-hero.

The story I’m currently working on is…

Book 2 in the Heart of the City series, which will be out later this year. It features Cade McGuire, who’s an ex-con with a broken past, but he finds grace, redemption, and something completely unexpected in a feisty blonde politician named Darby Phillips.

I might go all fan girl if I met…

Any of my favorite authors. I actually make a total fan-girl fool of myself every year at the ACFW conference. Last year, I gushed over Becky Wade, Jody Hedlund, Robin Lee Hatcher, and Brandilyn Collins, just to name a few. The year before that, I may have stalked Frank Peretti.

A long held dream of mine is…

To be a contestant on a game show. From my living room, I’m pretty awesome at Wheel of Fortune. I don’t know if my skills would carry over into the actual game, though.

Thanks Susan!

Susan Crawford is an author of inspirational contemporary romance, published by Redbud Press. Before publication, her debut novel Saving Justice was named a finalist in the 2014 Genesis writing contest. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, My Book Therapy, and president of OKC Christian Fiction Writers. Susan lives in Oklahoma, where she happily crams writing in between being a wife, mom, and small business owner. Visit her online at www.susancrawfordbooks.com to sign up for her email newsletter and be the first to hear about her writing news and upcoming releases.

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