Meet Susan Rebecca White | writer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Susan Rebecca White and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Susan Rebecca, Let’s talk about principles and values – what matters to you most?
The value that matters the most to me is truth telling. It’s ironic, because I write fiction — made up stories — but I use my fiction to try and tell better, more true narratives about our lives as Americans, and in my case, as a southerner. There are just so many false, damaging narratives out there, narratives that cap our humanity. I’m interested in truer stories about who we are.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am primarily a fiction writer, but I write essays as well. I am white and southern and write about the contemporary South. I am wary of southern mythology — the idea that the South is this charming place of moonlight and magnolias and “noble” ideas of the Lost Cause. The myth of white, southern womanhood is too often tied up with racism and oppression. I’m interested in digging out the truer stories, the better metaphors. From a theological perspective, I believe that all of our destinies are intertwined, and that, as Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer says, “Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.” I want my stories to be nuanced and rich and filled with both grace and great characters, and I want them to ultimately be about liberation — the liberation of the human spirit from dominating forces.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This should be fun to answer given how stir crazy I am after a year of pandemic-enforced isolation. All I want to do right now is be out and about! Let’s say my best friend is visiting in the spring: I would definitely take her to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens to see the thousands of bulbs in bloom, and the flowering trees and orchid exhibits. We would grab lunch or an early dinner at the snack bar connected to Longleaf, the Botanical Garden’s restaurant, and eat our food at one of the little tables dotted along the gardens. We would take our bikes to the Michelle Obama trail and ride along the mostly flat path, stopping to pick blackberries along the way, and being careful of snakes in the bushes! We might pick up Mellow Mushroom pizza on our way home, and I would get the gluten free Cosmic Karma pizza, with spinach, pesto, sundried tomatoes and goat cheese. We would get soft serve at Big Softie in Summerhill. I don’t eat much gluten, so if we wanted our treats more in the form of cookies, we’d go to Hell Yeah Gluten Free bakery in Inman Park. Or we could stop at Candler Park market for frozen treats (they sell King of Pops, Jeni’s ice cream, and other yummy goodies.) We’d visit the little pond at the Carter Center and watch the ducks. We’d go walk along the belt line, but not on the weekend, as it gets too crowded then. We’d eat inventive, veggie-forward dishes at 8-Arm. We’d go check out what’s growing at the Wylde Center in Decatur. I’m sure there’s something we’d do inside, too, but after a year of pandemic living, I’m all about open spaces, nature, and frozen treats.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am buoyed by so many people — there’s my writing group, with whom I’ve been meeting for over a decade. We read each other’s work in process. It’s such a great group, because we are all friends and enjoy each other’s company, but we are absolutely honest in our critiques. It’s not like we are trying to go for the jugular–it’s not cruel–but we don’t sugarcoat our reactions to each other’s work. It’s so helpful. My novels are so much better because of Jessica Handler, Peter McDade, Beth Gylys, and Sheri Joseph. And then there’s Joshilyn Jackson, novelist extraordinaire and friend. She is so smart about how story works, and she always helps guide me through the tricky parts of whatever book I’m writing. There’s Katharine Powell Roman, my best friend since college, who greeted me with enthusiasm and excitement from the first moment we met, and who has remained someone always “in my corner” since then. There’s my husband, Sam, always willing to engage in conversation about politics, art, history. He keeps me thinking, he’s so fun, and he is the best copy-editor I know. We also share in the responsibility of raising our son and keeping our house somewhat clean and tidy. He’s a true partner. There are my parents and my in-laws, all of whom have been so supportive of my books, and all of whom play an active role in my son’s life, having him over for sleepovers (now that they are vaccinated!) and spending good, quality time with him during which I can work. Giving him that “grandparent” love that is so special to kids. There are authors both past and present who took the time to put words on the page, to create stories and characters that live with me still. There are thinkers and cultural critics who make me think about the world in new ways — two podcasts that have been influencing me a lot lately are Still Processing and Pantsuit Politics. And there’s my church, North Decatur Presbyterian, filled with thoughtful, kind, fun people looking to make the world a better place. They are my extended family.

Website: www.susanrebeccawhite.com

Instagram: @susanrebeccawhite

Image Credits
author photo by Jennifer Riggs at https://www.jkriggsphoto.com/ Other images submitted to the author by friends.