Chanting of Muses: S.R.Claridge

My name is Susan Claridge and I write under the name, S.R.Claridge. I'm a mom, a wife, a daughter, a sister, a niece, an in-law and friend; but no matter what hat I wear, I’m always the same simply, complicated woman beneath. I love autumn, moonlight and Grey Goose Vodka martinis with bleu cheese olives. I believe Friday nights were made for Mexican food and margaritas and Sunday mornings warrant an extra-spicy Bloody Mary. I love Jesus and know that any good in me comes from God. I believe in the power of prayer, in the freedom of forgiveness and that people can change. I have a terrible temper and a tender heart, and somehow they balance. At times I may appear teetering on the edge, but I'd rather walk dangerously where there's a view than let life pass me by. Relationships intrigue me and so does the loyalty of Mafia families, which is why I chose these topics for my novels.

Where are you from?

I'm originally from St. Louis, Missouri, but I¹ve lived in Missouri, Kansas, California, Florida and Colorado.

Tell us your latest news.
My seventh novel was just released last month. It is a political cult suspense entitled, House of Lies. I¹m very excited about this book and have already begun working on the sequel. It is receiving rave reviews and being likened to Dan Brown¹s, The DaVinci Code.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Though the story is fiction, there is an underlying message that encourages readers to investigate any group before blindly becoming involved. Just because something looks harmless on the outside doesn¹t mean there aren¹t dangerous roots beneath.

Book Blurb:

A strange message sets Skylar Wilson on a perilous journey to save her sister from a deadly cult. Searching for answers, Skylar discovers that the cult stretches far beyond its pseudo-evangelical, House of Prayer veil, penetrating the upper echelon of the United States government and pushing a lethal international agenda. To expose the truth, she must first unravel the lies, each one leading her down a trail of deadly scandals and mysterious deaths. For this nightmare to end, Skylar will have to take her sister back to where it all began.

If someone wrote a book about your life, what would they title it?
Fast Lane

What is the ultimate dream vacation?
A cruise with my husband to exotic places around the world.

What person in history would you most like to meet?
Jesus. I have lots of questions and I¹d love to share some wine and chat one-on-one for a while.

If you could design a refrigerator magnet, what would it say?
In the words of Dr. Seuss, it would say: "Don't cry because it's overŠ. Smile because it happened."

BOOKS
No Easy Way (debut novel; nominated for The Molly Award from the HODRW 2010)
Tetterbaum’s Truth (book 1 in the Just Call Me Angel series)
Traitors Among Us (book 2 in the Just Call Me Angel series)
Russian Uprising (book 3 in the Just Call Me Angel series)
Death Trap (book 4 in the Just Call Me Angel series)
Petals of Blood (short story; Pushcart Prize Nomination 2013)
House of Lies (political/cult suspense, to be released October 2012)