#GrowYourWriting Creator Interview: Suzanne Elson

Welcome to the #GrowYourWriting 2025 Creator Interviews blog series. I’m thrilled to feature talented kidlit creators this year and spotlight their beautiful work and inspiring journeys. 

Our April featured creator is Suzanne Elson. Suzanne’s debut Middle Grade Haunted Pond (Oh MG! Press) debuted in March 2025. Suzanne’s debut picture book, Calm Down Counting (DCCED) also launched in March 2025, in both English and French. Suzanne’s twenty-plus year career as an ESL teacher has allowed for an easy transition to classroom visits.  

Happily married for over thirty years, with three adult sons and two beautiful grandbabies, (and one more on the way!), Suzanne’s passion for camping remains undiminished. Born in Scotland, Suzanne currently resides near London, Canada.

1 – What inspired you to pursue a career in children’s literature, and when did you start creating?

I started writing in highschool, and continued in University while completing my BA in English Literature. I had several poems and short stories published at that time, then paused to raise my 3 sons. I rekindled the love of writing over the pandemic, and now write full-time. The reason for my switch to children’s literature was I wanted to write stories for my 3 year-old grandson.

2 – Can you tell us more about your journey from ideas to publication?

It has been a long road to success as most writers will attest. I have a crazy, active imagination, so there is never a shortage of ideas. It’s the revising and bouncing ideas off my many AMAZING critique partners that I’ve made along the way that is the trying part. But I am always learning, researching and submitting. I have submitted my work to just about everywhere. Query Tracker is an amazing tool, so is MSWL. It’s a full-time job, for sure, and success definitely doesn’t happen overnight.

3 – What part of the process, from the first draft to submissions, do you find the most challenging, and how do you overcome that?

I love love love the initial stage – the blank canvas. I can’t get enough of the initial stages of prepping and researching. That makes me giddy.

What I do not like is the revising stage. I find it a bit daunting to go through a MG novel and revise it from the beginning, as that is not a creative stage for me. I overcome it by putting it away for a while, then looking at it again with fresh eyes, because that allows you to be objective with your own work. I also have many amazing critique partners who know to be hard on me. That’s what I like. Fluffy sentences don’t move my work forward 🙂

4 – Who are your favorite children’s authors and illustrators that have inspired your work?

Truth be told, I’m old school. I’m not someone who studies current books that much. I know most people do. I still read Robert Munsch and Dr. Seuss to my grandkids, because they capture my heart. I do have mentor texts for my middle grade, though, but honestly, I still like the classics, like R.L Stine.

5 – What advice would you like to give aspiring kidlit creators looking to grow their writing?

Try a critique group, or two. Take workshops or classes, or whatever you can afford. Join the Twitter writing community, or a social media of your choice. And write always. And read. And critique. And don’t ever stop believing in yourself.

6 – What’s next for you as a creator?

Well, I’m pretty excited to share that I just finished writing the sequel to Haunted Pond, called Haunted Voyage. It is presently with a few beta reading friends, and my query letter is with a few critique partners. Once that baby is ready to be jet out into the literary world, I have plans to start a chapter book series. I am just at the very rough plotting stage right now. but I’m super excited about that! It will be a nice change to try another new genre.

Oh my goodness, I almost forgot. I have just been accepted as a volunteer judge for Rate Your Story. This is now my chance to give back to the kidlit community!

And, wow, how could I forgot – I signed three contracts for picture books that will be out in the summer of 2026. We are still at the matching me with an illustrator stage. It is a fairly new publisher, PB and Yay, but I feel I am in very good hands, and am so thankful to share more of my books with the world.

Are you participating in the #GrowYourWriting Challenge this year? Suzanne has some advice to share on how to earn the CULTIVATE CONNECTIONS badge.

 Before I morphed into middle grade, I only wrote picture books. I did take creative writing classes, and participated in many Twitter contests/pitch parties, which definitely improved my writing. I do watch many videos online, but I cannot recall all of them, as it’s just me researching what I am needing at that time. Several agents and editors have been instrumental in sharing their expertise, plus more established writers than me have also. I am blown away by the support of the kidlit community.

I don’t like to set daily word counts unless I have a deadline. I prefer to wait until I am completely consumed by the ravenous need to write, then I stay up all night and do so. But I do put it away when that feeling dwindles, as I don’t ever want my writing to become a chore.If I had to sum everything up, I would have to say my cp’s are where I learn the most. I am blown away, not only by their immediate yes to help me, but every one of them at one point or another, knows more than me. And for that, I am forever grateful.

Guess What? It’s giveaway time! Suzanne has graciously offered to host a giveaway for one lucky winner for a free copy of Calm Down Counting

To enter, leave a comment on this blog post below. The entry period closes on April 29, 2025, at 12am PST. One Winner will be announced on April 30, 2025.