We recently connected with Susan Cope and have shared our conversation below.
Susan, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
My maternal grandmother, whom we called Momo, is the source of my optimism. She did not have a false sense that the world was a wonderful place on its way to perfection. She was an historian who could see patterns of the past and future clearly. However, she also had a sense of her own calling to effect change. She was one of the first people to protest US involvement in Vietnam, long before that awareness appeared on college campuses. She was the very first person who convinced me I could and should abandon my adolescent nihilism; that I could and should contribute to the well-being of the world and its inhabitants. She was the first person I knew to live in a sustainable, ecologically conscious way.
Now, when the fate of all animals and plants hangs in the balance, I look to her memory to keep pressing for change.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
What on Earth? is my award-winning short novel Because of it’s ecological relevance, I’m eager to get it out into the world. It is suitable for readers of all ages, with a special focus on Middle Grades. The story is a journey taken by an older sister and younger brother into possible worlds of the future: MERRY and her brother MAX are visiting their old treehouse and its upstairs neighbor OWLIVER, when a shuddering jolt hurtles them on a journey to the future. Who can they trust? Is the shimmering neighbor who offers them help an artist, a fortune-teller, or a witch? What ugliness, devastation and cruelty hide beneath the sparkling surfaces and brilliant technology of the city? Are there glimmers of magic afoot? Will friends, some new, some old, be able to help? Will Merry find her own magic powers? Their lives, their neighborhood—the fate of the earth itself—all hang in the balance.
I am available for visits to schools or other groups in the Los Angeles Area as well as the Bay Area. susancopewrites@gmail.com
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Work in television network news alerted me to the environmental crisis. A climate conference at UCLA deepened my understanding. Motherhood increased my sense of urgency.
My advice for those beginning their journey is to stay open to the world. Nearly everything that happens will increase your understanding and refine your sense of direction. When there are unavoidable detours or difficult patches in the road, try not to be deflected or depressed. Your own internal GPS will guide you if you let it.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed, I return to a morning ritual. I practice deep breathing. I then meditate, wishing a gift like “ease” or “hope” first for myself, then for those I love and those who may be having difficulty, then finally for someone I do not like. If I can wish the gift for all of these people, I feel it flow through me. Of course, wishing well for someone you don’t like is HARD, but necessary.
Contact Info:
- Website: susancope.com
- Instagram: susancopewrites
- Facebook: What on Earth?
Image Credits
Maggie Taplin TM SC
