After a fatal hit-and-run devastates their close-knit community, author Caroline Beasley and high school senior Ethan Shawver find themselves at a crossroads as their lives intertwine in unexpected ways. Both are left reeling as they try to make sense of the tragedy that has irrevocably changed their families forever.
Caroline struggles
with the dark implications of her son's role in the crash, feeling the weight
of guilt and despair. Meanwhile, Ethan grapples with the sudden loss of his
mother and stumbles upon a disturbing secret that threatens to upend everything
he believes.
As they each search
for truth and healing, they must confront their deepest fears and regrets to
find a way forward.
Wild Women Authors is pleased to feature debut author Susan Poole and Out of the Crash, a contemporary women’s fiction novel, and current release out of the Wild Rose Press. Up first is attorney turned motivational speaker and advocate Caroline Beasley who will go first.
We
appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule, Caroline. Let’s begin
with what made you turn from your first career as an attorney to that of author
and motivational speaker? Like most
things in my life, I wasn’t particularly strategic about making choices about
my profession. I attended law school immediately after graduating with a
bachelor’s degree in psychology, primarily because I wasn’t sure what else to
do. My parents encouraged me to apply to law school in the first place, so when
I got accepted, I figured that must be a sign, so I enrolled.
While I loved the intellectual
stimulation that accompanies law school, it’s no surprise that I never felt
passionate about the actual practice of law after passing the New York State
bar exam. The study of law is far more interesting than the actual practice of
law, and once I had children, I dedicated myself to being a stay-at-home mom.
When my kids were a bit older, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I threw
myself into my treatment and recovery, eventually writing a book about my
journey, which became a bestseller and led to my second career as a highly
sought-after speaker and advocate for others battling breast cancer.
Once again, I allowed my circumstances
to dictate my career path rather than choosing it for myself.
Knowing
what you know now, if you had it to do over again, would you stick with being a
lawyer or do something different? That's
a tough one. While I don't regret all the good that I did in helping others by
sharing my breast cancer journey so openly, if I had to do it over again, I'd
pay closer attention to my gut instincts. Somewhere along the way, I lost sight
of what I truly wanted – heeding the desires and needs of others and neglecting
myself. I wish I had dared to say 'no' more often and to place more emphasis on
finding a better work-life balance.
What
is your biggest fear? I fear that the
pendulum has swung too far in the wrong direction and that my hyper-focus on
the breast cancer community has done irreparable harm to my relationships with
the people I love most in this world. Now that my son is on trial for vehicular
manslaughter, possibly facing prison time, I'm desperately afraid that I can't
do anything to help him. And even if I could, I fear he, and the rest of our
family, won't trust me to be there the way that I should.
Who
is your favorite fictional character and why? Olivia Benson from Law & Order SVU. She's never
afraid to speak her mind, and while she, too, has dedicated her life to
advocating for others, she prioritizes her son and always seems to be there for
him when he needs her.
What
is the best piece of advice you ever received? "Be present" – a term I embraced after
taking my first yoga class, ironically thanks to my son's defense attorney,
Valerie, who epitomizes my polar opposite. Val is also a breast cancer patient,
but she's not angry about it or afraid of hiding how hard it is—both of which
I'm guilty of. She wears her heart on her sleeve and graciously accepts help
from others, which is something I'm working on and definitely learned from her.
"Being present" means more than just living in the moment. It also
requires letting others in and accepting vulnerability.
Thank you, Caroline. Now we’d like to chat with Susan.
Which writer or
character[s], from either books or movies, or both, have had a major impact on
your writing? Jodi Picoult has had a
significant influence on my writing. Through my debut novel, and other
unpublished works, I've tried to emulate her style in exploring moral dilemmas
and complex family dynamics. I appreciate the way she doesn't always pick
sides, instead giving readers a chance to view things differently and often
from alternate perspectives.
Life
is rarely just "black" or "white." Sometimes, I think
today's society—and especially the news media—tries to pigeonhole our thinking
into "right" versus "wrong," which can be very damaging to
those on the "wrong" side of public opinion. In writing Out of the
Crash, I wanted readers to wonder, "What would I do if my child's
negligence had caused someone else's death?" "If I thought he/she was
in the wrong, would I accept the punishment that accompanies the crime?"
At
the same time, I never wanted to minimize the damage caused to the victim and
her family. That's why I had to tell this story in a dual POV. Neither family
was spared pain and anguish; they simply suffered in different ways. The
question of forgiveness also arises on both sides of the equation, and we see
how all the characters impacted by the tragedy grapple with it.
With regard to research,
where did you start for this novel? Did that lead you down different paths,
thereby changing the original concept? The
inspiration for this novel came from a pair of biking accidents that occurred
in my hometown. I witnessed community members jumping to conclusions about the
alleged guilty parties and saw how damaging those early judgments were to the
families involved. I mashed up the facts and fictionalized the scenarios into
one, hoping to provide a voice for everyone "at fault" or
"falsely accused."
This
definitely led me down some winding paths. I researched the state laws involved
in a hit-and-run crash, including the best possible defenses that can be raised
on behalf of an accused offender. From there, I saw an opportunity to interject
a major plot twist. While the original concept for the story remained
consistent from the beginning to the end, the trajectory of the courtroom drama
definitely took a turn.
Another
significant development was the growing interconnection between the families on
both sides of the tragedy. I didn't see that coming when I started writing.
Still, as I developed my characters further, I thought it would be more
interesting if there were more at stake than simple justice, which led to the
decision to create a budding relationship between other members of the opposing
families—much like a Hatfields vs. McCoys or Romeo vs. Juliet scenario.
Tell us a bit about your
publisher. How did you hear about them; what influenced you to submit to them? My publisher is The Wild Rose Press. I heard about
them through my involvement with the Women's Fiction Writers Association (WFWA)
and actually had the opportunity to pitch Out of the Crash to two of
their editors at a WFWA conference in Chicago.
How is the submission
process? I did some research and
learned of their longstanding existence and excellent reputation. They
requested three chapters of my manuscript during the conference pitch, but I
waited a few months to ensure those chapters were well-polished. After
submitting the requested materials in April 2024, I was asked to submit a full
manuscript. By the end of July, I received an offer, which I weighed against
another offer before deciding that Wild Rose was the best choice for me.
What is the turn-around
time from date of query to date of release? My release date turned out to be almost exactly one year later, and I
really appreciated how smooth the process was with Wild Rose throughout that
time. Their expectations and anticipated timelines were clearly communicated,
and I'm grateful to be part of such a supportive community.
What are you reading right
now? Broken Country by Clare
Leslie Hall
What's next for you? My debut novel, Out of the Crash, releases on
July 28th, which happens to be my birthday, so we'll definitely be celebrating.
I'm also working on another work of women's fiction, currently titled Iris
Inked. It's about an unlikely friendship between a middle-aged widow and a
twenty-something aspiring social media influencer, who bond while taping
YouTube videos about the older woman's various tattoos. Think Fannie Flagg’s Fried
Green Tomatoes with a contemporary twist.
To learn more about Susan Poole, go to:
Instagram: @susanpooleauthor
Facebook: author.susan.poole
X: @SHPooleWrites
Medium blog:
https://shppoole.medium.com
To purchase Out of the Crash, go to:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/susanpoole
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/out-of-the-crash-susan-poole/1147395104?ean=9781509260515
iTunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/out-of-the-crash/id6745760039
