Susan Quilty's Blog

This was my second year as an author at Eat Local Read Local, Loudoun County’s annual local author book fair. The October weather was lovely (warm in the sun!), and I was in good company with over 70 local authors, including some I’ve gotten to know better through previous events.

Two author friends were conveniently located near me: J. Denison Reed and Austin Shirey. You can visit LCPL’s event site to see all of the authors who were there: Eat Local Read Local.

While the turnout was a little quie...

Have you listened to Freely Written, my short-story podcast? You can find it here: Freely Written or wherever you listen to podcasts. It features very short stories (about 10 minutes) that are free-written from prompts with no planning and very little editing. I simply sit down with a chosen prompt and write whatever comes to mind. Any genre, any style. Though I do keep them family-friendly.

With well over 100 episodes, there are many short stories to explore. Since they are written without plann...

We recently visited my dad to celebrate his 90th birthday. 90 years. When I think about my own life, 90 years seems like such a long time. Yet, my dad fits the expression “90 years young.”

My dad and stepmother will say they are slowing down, while still living in their own home and taking care of themselves as they always have. There are some inevitable health issues and challenges in getting around, but using a cane seems like a minor concession to living through 9 decades!

It was lovely to see ...

You loved a book, you want to support the author, but do you write a review? I get it. Even knowing their importance, I don’t make time to write book reviews as often as I could.

Often, we put too much pressure on ourselves to write a great review. We want to be thoughtful and witty. We may want to be entertaining. There’s nothing wrong with that. Well-written reviews are fun to read, especially when you’ve finished a book and want to compare others’ opinions.

Yet, book reviews do not have to be e...

It’s time to treat yourself to some new reads at another Blend Book Fair!

While there are many places you can buy coffee, Blend Coffee Bar is well worth a visit. This small business really makes an effort to support the local community. They host a wide variety of events, including book fairs, open mic nights, trivia nights, and more.

They also have sandwiches, sweets, and fantastic coffee!

Stop by the Blend Book Fair to say hello, grab an iced coffee, and meet dozens of local authors. Te...

Summer author events in Virginia are hot, but a shady tent and chilled rosé kept us happy at Williams Gap Book Fair.

This was our first visit to Williams Gap Vineyard, and we’re looking forward to a return visit. Set in Round Hill, the winery features beautiful indoor and outdoor spaces, and a great selection of wines.

The staff was also outstanding, creating a lively event with bright music and a steady stream of shoppers. I wish I’d gotten a picture of some happy customers curled up with their n...

Another spring, another Spring Lot Con! I only attend a handful of author events each year, and Spring Lot Con is a special one.

As much as I love to meet potential new readers–and hopefully sell some books–Spring Lot Con at Comic Logic is where I have a chance to catch up with friends. Unlike my other author events, Lot Con is a mini-convention that features a range of art, collectibles, books, comic books (of course!), and more.

There’s also a Fall Lot Con, with costumes and candy, though I’m ra...

There are so many wonderful words that you hardly ever hear in casual conversation. When I was in high school, I remember an English teacher talking about $50 words, meaning words that are meant to sound fancy but usually come off as pretentious. I guess that’s a sign of inflation, as it’s been said that Mark Twain once said, “Don’t use a five-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do.”

I’m always torn on that idea about vocabulary. While I don’t want to be pretentious, I love words and love hav...

Author commentary on stories featured on my Freely Written podcast in March 2025: Lucky Break and Autopen.

At the end of each month, I’ll shed some light on my writing adventures.

If you’re new to Freely Written, this podcast offers very short stories written from a chosen prompt with no planning and very little editing. These stories are an exercise in letting go of perfection and embracing spontaneous creativity. You may even be inspired to write a story of your own!

Episodes are released every o...

For over 20 years, I’ve wanted to write a dystopian novel. An idea has been gradually coming together, but now that I’m ready to write it, our reality is encroaching on the dystopian world I’ve created.

Yes, there are much worse things to worry about with this administration than the future of my next novel. We are sliding toward authoritarianism at an alarming rate. Innocent immigrants are being deported without due process. Drastic cuts are defunding health care, scientific research, education,...