Author Susan Furber read from her work and spoke to students at Daemen University about the writing and publishing process on Monday afternoon.
More than two dozen students filled the Alumni Lounge in the Yurtchuk Student Center as Furber read from her newest novel, “We Were Very Merry,” which was published earlier this year.
The Grand Island native told the students she wrote her first novel, “The Essence of an Hour,” when she was just 19 years old and in college. She explained how it took a lot of work and several years to get the book published.
“You have to believe in yourself, and it’s really, really hard,” Furber said. “I think that’s the most difficult thing about writing. It’s not what’s the plot going to be, not the characters. it’s actually just having the ability to believe in your own mind to keep going and to keep saying, ‘this is important.’”
“It was great to have a successful, published author from our community take the time to share her experiences and advice,” said Hamish Dalley, the chair of the English department. “Susan stressed the importance of routine, revision, and reading for anyone wanting to be a writer. She is a wonderful example of how an education in the humanities can open up a world of possibilities.’
Furber has lived in London for the last 11 years, where she is an editor and has worked for various publishers on a range of titles from Shakespeare studies to self-help books.