This interview was first posted at www.breenibooks.com. Thank you to Sabrina for sharing this with us!!

Susan Helene Gottfried is the author of Trevor's Song , an edgy debut novel about a rock band forced to the realization that fame cannot shield them from the ills that plague the common man. Trevor, Mitchell, Daniel and Eric make up ShapeShifter, a band in the prime of its success. One member's denial silently threatens to rip apart the man, the band, and friendships that took a lifetime to cement. Check out Susan's website or her blog with some really neat outtakes that you won't find in the published edition of Trevor's Song

What is the inspiration behind Trevor's Song?
The short answer is a rock star's wedding ring. I was watching VH1 one night back in early 2000 and I noticed the wedding band on this rocker dude whose music I'd followed for a good fifteen or more years. And I thought, "WHO would marry HIM?"

From there, my mind started wandering, and Mitchell and Kerri were born. As I started to figure out what their story is (to this day, I'm struggling to tell it right), I realized that I also could envision the prequel -- which was Trevor's Song.

I wrote Trevor's Song, revised it, and then decided that since the other wasn't 100% yet, I'd market Trevor instead. That eliminated the whole prequel problem.
   
How do you think the average reader will be able to relate to the concerns of a rock group, as celebrity typically denotes a certain detachment from reality?
Well, that's part of the point I'm making. Mitchell and Kerri are pretty normal, down-to-Earth people. Some of my friends who've worked for bands in various capacities, and certainly my own experiences in radio and stage crew, have shown me that yeah, this isn't as rare as you'd think. It's not exactly common, especially at the stage of fame that ShapeShifter achieves, but it's not unheard of.

Plus, don't we all wish we could be part of that world? By keeping my characters real, we can all be part, at least while you're reading my fiction.

At one time in your life, you worked with a pretty famous metal band. In what specific ways have you used that experience in Trevor's Song?

Believe it or not, but the #1 thing I learned from all that was to only present your best, nothing less. Ever. It seems perfectly obvious, but when you think about it, even something like deciding to use a heavy-weight t-shirt versus a regular weight shirt makes an impact. Fans look for the heavy-weight shirts and complain when they don't get them. (Then again, fans complain about everything, so you're damned if you do and damned if you don't and doubly damned if you only think about things.)

If you're looking for me to say things like, "I learned what it's like to be on a tour bus for a week with a band," well… I learned that before the volunteer years with the Pretty Famous Metal Band. Between radio, retail, and stage crew, I experienced first-hand many of the little details that make my world so real. That experience also lets me ask the right questions of the right people, too.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
Well, I always point to the day I was in the mall with my father and I asked him what a Top Ten Fiction display was all about. When he explained it, I knew that was what I was going to do. But I knew, the way I knew I'd marry The Tour Manager. On a deep, gut level, I've always known, even before that moment in the mall, what I was put here to do.

What steps have you taken in your life to move you closer to your writing aspirations?

I guess this is where I brag about having two degrees in creative writing (BA from Pitt in English Writing and MFA from Bowling Green State (Ohio) in creative writing) while avoiding most of the classic works of literature.

But I've done more than that, obviously. There are the professional organizations I've joined, the writer's workshops I've been part of, the Meet-and-Greet, of course.

Then there are the things you can't see: turning down a bunch of jobs at a number of record labels because I wanted to write. The constant churning in my brain: how would this fit into a scene? Which of my characters would go to this type of restaurant? Who has kids and would hang out at the Science Center all day? What sorts of exhibits would entrance them?

A lot of the commentors on the Meet-and-Greet mention the attention to detail I've created for my characters. This is why; Trevor and the gang are never far from my thoughts. This sort of detail is second-nature to me.

What aspect of your writing process do you find most rewarding?
It used to be editing and watching the story take shape. Crafting words. But now it's watching all you guys react to outtakes on the Meet-and-Greet. Watching you develop the same emotional investments into the characters that I've got. Taking the ideas you give me and creating new characters or situations -- or details.

That interaction is incredible. I can't wait to get Trevor's Song into your hands so we can discuss it in more depth. I'm holding so much back; you'll be amazed when I can finally bring it all to you.

What aspect of your writing process do you find most difficult?
Lately, sitting and churning that first draft out. I've got a lot of pulls on me these days -- material for the Meet-and-Greet, hobbies, my family. And I have scarily little time to write. In eighteen more months, though, I expect to have the length of the school day to spend writing. I already can't wait. I've always been prolific and the return of that daily chunk of time will be amazing.

What do you hope Trevor's Song accomplishes?
Trevor hopes for superstardom, of course. But that goes with who Trevor Wolff is and why he's so much fun.

As for me, I want to reach people who don't ordinarily read. Or who don't ordinarily read books about rock stars. Or who avoid books about people who get sick and hide the truth from the people around them.

I want to reach women, in particular, who do most of the reading in our society, and let them dream for a little bit about what their lives would be like if they'd fallen in with the rock stars we'd dreamed about when we were young and MTV actually showed music videos. When there was that mystique around a star, and when we longed to be part of the orbit of a man who looked good in leather pants and wasn't afraid to wear them.

I hope that Trevor's Song is the start of a long, successful publishing career.

      Ten titles on Susan Helene Gottfried's bookshelf:

    * The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green by Joshua Braff
    * The Rabbi's Cat by Joann Sfar
    * Fat Kid Rules the World by KL Going
    * Tender by Mark Childress
    * And These Shoes Keep Walking Back to You by Kathy Kamen Goldmark
    * The Heebie-Jeebies at CBGBS's by Steven Lee Beeber
    * Too Weird for Ziggy by Sylvie Simonds
    * The River Midnight by Lilian Nattel
    * Queenmaker by India Edghill
    * Budding Prospects by T. Coraghessan Boyle

Thanks so much, Susan!