When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I actually did not know that until much later in life, when an opportunity was presented to me last year from the team at Wiley.

Who were the authors that influenced you as a youth, and in what ways?

While I appreciated many different authors and book genres growing up, I really appreciated authors that could convey complex thoughts and ideas concisely and in simple, straighforward language. It’s truly a hard skill to master. In that regard, I found myself reading a lot of works by O. Henry, Louisa May Alcott and John Steinbeck.

How did it feel when you got to hold your very first advanced copy of your book?

It was a very surreal, but tender moment. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the distribution center that had my book was closed, so I had no idea of when I would actually have the book in my hands. I had to cancel my book signing at Barnes & Noble in New York City that was scheduled on the book’s release day, and I was also struggling with some personal challenges – also due to COVID-19.  To say I was in low spirits is an understatement.
When the copies of the book unexpectedly arrived at my house at the end of March, my heart almost stopped. While I knew on an intellectual level that my writing journey was finished, it didn’t feel real or complete until it was in my hand. I know that many authors film that moment to share with others, but I decided to keep that moment private for me and my husband. We felt with all the effort and trials we had gone through in the past year, we earned the right to have that moment to ourselves.

What was the inspiration behind your book?

My book is based largely on my experiences transitioning into a tech career with no formal technical training and working a number of years in administrative/operations roles in the financial services industry.

What was your publishing journey like?

I was contacted by an acquisitions editor at Wiley, who read an interview I had done for a professional award I had received. He reached out to me on LinkedIn and asked if I was interested in writing a book to inspire other women of color to pursue tech careers, based largely on my own experiences. I really didn’t know what to make of it at first but decided to learn more and reached out to him.

What advice do you have for aspiring young novelists?

Write and write often. Writing is a like any other skill; it gets better with time and practice. Also, don’t wait for a piece of writing to be “perfect” before sharing it with others. Doing so may mean the world never having the opportunity to read your great works, or providing critical, constructive feedback that may help improve your writing in the long run.

If you could have any superpower, which would you choose?

The power to fly, which may have come about from all of my days of reading superhero comics. I’d love the idea to be able to travel anywhere I’d want, without spending a lot of money, having to sit through traffic, or dealing with flight delays.

Where is your favorite travel destination?

Paris. It is truly a beautiful city. The architecture, the food, atmosphere… it’s just really hard not to fall in love with Paris.

When you’re not writing, what are your favorite hobbies?

I spend a lot of my down time performing community service for various organizations that help women and people of color pursue tech careers – primarily through P-TECH and Black Girls Code. If I have a lot of time to myself, lately I enjoy reading a lot of business non-fiction and graphic novels, and I also enjoy playing video games, mostly role playing games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake and strategy games like Civilization VI.

Where can people find you online?

My personal website is www.susannetedrick.com, and the book’s website is www.webelongintech.com.

Thank you for joining me for Writer Wednesdays!

If you are a writer/author of any genre and would like to pitch yourself for an interview, please email me at info@alexismariechute.com

Catch you next week!

Happy writing,

   –   Alexis Marie Chute