J. Susanne Wilson
What’s your genre?
Historical Fiction
Are you published?
Self published
What inspire you to become a writer?
I’ve written since I was little. I still have one of my early stories, a short tale of an ant family who learn a valuable lesson: stay away from humans! But I started writing seriously–taking classes, reading books on craft, joining critique groups–when I couldn’t find the book I wanted to read. It was 2007 and I wanted a Robin Hood retelling, written for adults and without a focus on war. I couldn’t find one I liked, so I decided to write it myself. I will probably never complete that book, but that was the inspiration for me to seriously write with the goal of publishing.
What author do you admire and how have they inspired your writing?
I can’t get enough of Jane Austen. Her simple, elegant, witty style resonates with me.
Name three of your favorite books and their authors.
It depends on what day you ask!
What’s one thing readers should know about you?
I’ve worked on several archaeological digs. From a Roman cemetery in the Netherlands to multiple sites across Iowa and a Pueblo site in Arizona, I’ve worked to uncover lots of amazing objects!
What one piece of advice would you give a budding writer?
Your first draft is for your eyes only. Understanding this will give you the freedom to write, write, write. Don’t worry about mistakes, grammar, or anything else. Just get the words on the page and you can mold them into a story later.
Author Bio
J. Susanne Wilson is a historical fiction writer focusing on myth retellings set in Bronze Age Greece. She earned her B.A. in Ancient Civilizations from the University of Iowa with a concentration on Greek and Roman art, religion, history, and languages. Her debut novel, The Death and Life of Iphigenia, was short-listed for the 2024 Novel London Literary Prize and was published in 2025.
