I write as Sussan Kaye.  Neat. Tidy. Easy to spell. Above all easy to spell.

My given name is Sussan K. Sutphen.  I like my unusual name. There’s never another person with that name anywhere I go. But it does cause problems.

Speaker:  “Did you know you misspelled your first name? I’ve never seen Susan with two ss.”

How to respond? Depends on my mood.

Me:

1. “Neither have I.”

2. “It’s not Susan.”

3. “It’s not misspelled. Its Su-sahn. French.”

Sometimes all three.

I know when I’m the one the caller/announcer/hostess/medical assistant is looking for. The person looks at the page, starts to speak, does a double take, then says “Is there a Sssssusan Stuphen here?”

So Sussan Kaye. Plus I’ve always wanted a pen name. Another identity. Freeing, especially when writing.

I blog about books I’ve read, writing, and observations of people and experiences. I’ve completed a novella and novel (both in revision) and have an outline for a third.

I live in the greater Atlanta metro area with a husband in a house surrounded by trees. We have two hawks, Harry and Harriett, a pair of foxes, the occasional racoon, deer ambling through, woodpeckers, possums, and, of course, squirrels!