Susan Isaacs

My first novel, 'Compromising Positions,' was a whodunit. The protagonist was a Long Island Jewish housewife who turns private investigator. But she was Jewish the way I was: lighting Sabbath candles but envying her Protestant and Catholic friends' December decorating options.

december friends long way

Being a novelist is the adult version of a kid creating a make-believe world. But unlike a child, a writer of fiction has to come up with a structured story, one that has as much meaning for others as it has for her.

meaning story child world

There is no 'right' way to begin a novel, but for me, plot has to wait. The character comes first.

wait me character way

It's not that I'm apolitical... In my youth, I was a freelance political speechwriter, which taught me a lot about writing fiction, I must add.

me youth political writing

Could there be a cowgirl in my future? You know, I never know what character is going to come and tap me on the shoulder and say, 'Hey, tell my story.' So maybe the next one will have boots.

me you future character

There are days where I lose track of time, of place, of everything else, because I've been transported to another universe.

lose place universe time

I wanted to be a cowgirl... But, you know, it was pointed out to me that, you know, growing up in Brooklyn, there wasn't much opportunity... for cowgirlery.

me you growing-up opportunity

Everyone has early fiction fantasies, but it wasn't until my second child Betsy was born that I allowed the urge to write a novel bubble up.

everyone bubble child born

It's no coincidence that I began writing the day my daughter started school. I knew everything I knew before I began to write, but I was raising two children and didn't have the time to get to the typewriter.

day daughter time children

I can only write about two or three pages of fiction a day.

only day i-can three

I've had lots of commercial success. I've also had some terrible reviews and some wonderful reviews.

some terrible success wonderful

I am married to a happy camper. He's a criminal lawyer who thinks people are inherently good and will befriend him. His father, at 93, is the same way.

i-am good father people

I have such admiration for Whoopi Goldberg as an actress and a general smart person.

actress person admiration smart

I see myself as writing biographies, the complete story of someone's life.

story someone myself life

Style is not my long suit, but I'm really fascinated by it.

suit really style long

I love being a grandparent. I'm one of those you want to avoid - I pull out the iPhone and say, 'Hey, wanna see my camera roll?'

iphone camera you love

As for writing novels - it's what I've done for 30 some-odd years. I can't suddenly say I'm going to take up golf. I need something in my life. As long as I can write a coherent sentence, I'll keep at it.

my-life golf life long

Our culture is so celebrity-obsessed that for individuals to show they matter, they need to display their intimacy to fame.

need matter fame culture

As soon as someone is coming from New York, I automatically think I have to get dressed up.

new someone think new-york

With my middle-class metabolism, the suburbs were where I always wanted to be.

were where always suburbs