I vividly remember the moment you found out she’d put it on her credit card, Jennie. I was on that call as a prospective student. It told me that if an incredible woman like her would invest in this programme in that way, I needed to invest my savings. And I remember tearing up when minutes later she spoke of the meaning of stories for her, of the injustice stories can fight. I signed up to become a book coach immediately after. She was vital in the course of my life in that way and was always so kind about my work.
We need her and her activism now more than ever and it breaks my heart that she isn’t here. The world needs her dammit! Her family does!
My condolences to you, Jennie. I know you lost a dear friend. And our community lost a fierce advocate for the power of storytelling. I miss her and her words already. X
I'm gutted by the news. I've been working with Susan on my manuscript, and the idea for a new one, only 2 weeks ago. Nothing was going to stop her. She was a warrior and an inspiration. She knew how to give feedback that made sense, she understood what I was trying to accomplish like no one else. She knew how to lift you up when you felt overwhelmed. When she admitted in her blog that things had taken a turn for the worse, I sent her an email telling her how grateful I was - am - for having worked with her, and what a fabulous coach she was. Thank goodness I did it then.
She was one of the first people I met 20 some years ago when I moved to Prescott. She had already transformed the arts scene in Prescott and gone up against the good ol' boys in the city council (and she was only in her 20s then!) We were in a writing group together, and then we had a connection through Prescott College, and of course through Author Accelerator. Her mom, Kathy, was in my yoga teacher training class. Everyone in the arts in Prescott knew Susan -- her drive, her intellect, her fierce commitment to social justice and equity. I will miss her so much.
Such a beautiful tribute, Jennie. There is something about a person who is so full of life and whose light burns so brightly, even in the midst of illness, that it’s hard for those of us who love them to even imagine they could not go on living. I’ve experienced a loss like that. I think those are the people who continue to teach us even after they are gone…because their words and actions were so impactful when they were here that they are forever burned into our hearts and minds. May Susan’s memory be a blessing to all who knew her, whether in person or through her writing and teaching.
Oh, Jennie! I have no words... other than sitting in tears, stuck at "I did not think she would die". Disbelief! She was such a fierce intellect and inspiration. I had the privilege of having her as my personal writing coach and it was uncanny how she just knew the story that I had unwritten inside me more than I did. She exacted nothing but the best out of your work. I even had the chance for my daughter and me to meet with her a few years back when we visited Santa Fe. A gem of a person who has left this world too early. She has left an impact on so many in a way that is rare to find these days. She will be missed so much.
This is so beautifully put. And you are so right -- she had an incredible impact. I'm glad some of it was on you and your daughter. Thanks for sharing these thoughts.
About 18 months back, I was excited to take one of Susan’s workshops. I had scrolled through her website and was impressed with her courses, especially how she combined the best of her MFA with the structure of Author Accelerator. At last, the evening arrived…she was amazing. She had this uncanny ability to read just a few paragraphs of someone’s story and instantly see its heart. Then, with a few thoughtful questions, she’d guide the writer toward their story’s true north. And she did it all with so much kindness and care—it was like watching a mother love on her baby. If only we were all that genuine, insightful, and kind.
I was one of her clients, and I can say that she was a simply brilliant editor and coach. I worked with her for three years and by the end, I'd written the novel I'd always dreamed I could write. (I can't yet say "published" -- I'm still going through the query process.)
Every note I received from her had incisive critiques and (even more importantly) actionable strategies for strengthening my work. Our biweekly calls were 25 minutes long, and she was all business: I’d get 25 minutes, maybe 27, but no more—so I learned to prepare and prioritize. After every call I knew exactly what I needed to do, which gave me the energy for yet more hours at the keyboard. She helped me figure out what the novel was really about, which enabled me to strip out everything that didn’t contribute, like a sculptor chipping away the stone that wasn’t the statue.
I had no idea she had cancer. How many of those calls were from a hospital bed? How much did she have to steel herself to read, and think, and talk?
She told me over and over what wasn’t working, but toward the end she wrote, “You have fought your way here to the goblin city, and now the forces that have stood between you and your vision for this novel have no power over you.” And that’s when I knew I was done.
Rest in peace, Susan DeFreitas. You were a fine novelist yourself, and I’m so sorry you didn’t have time for more.
Thanks for sharing this beautiful tribute, Jennie. Susan touched so many lives and made writers feel seen and appreciated. I am honored to call her a friend. I noticed Lidia Yuknavich shared a Go Fund Me for Susan's family and sweet son Calder. Here's the link in case anyone wants to share the love: https://gofund.me/702a45b0
I am so very shocked and saddened by the news of Susan's passing, Jennie. I was just on a call she did with Savannah Gilbo, where she came to us with her beautiful shaved head. She was so generous with her time and knowledge—for free. Like you, I was sure her light would never be extinguished. I'm so glad I got to know her just a little bit. What a huge loss to you and all the people Susan touched.
May Susan’s legacy be continuously read. She was one of handful BIPOC book coaches in the business and focused on social activism in writing. I really admired her drive and sincerity.
Thank you, Jennie, for posting this beautiful tribute to Susan. I love how so many people use the adjective "fierce" when describing her. She was fiercely uncompromising and fiercely compassionate, fiercely professional, and fiercely tender. She understood the human heart and its many beautiful and nuanced zigs and zags. Her thumbnail psychological assessments were astounding! She knew my characters better than I knew them! She was Yoda and Carl Jung, she was E.B. White and Zadie Smith. Her bullshit detector was calibrated to the most sensitive, absolute highest frequency. No false notes were allowed! I will miss her dearly -- her sly humor, her pitch-perfect edits, her canny insights into human nature. And her gorgeous, smiling, great big presence. Susan, you were loved by so many. Susan, you will be greatly missed. With love, Amy
Thank you Courtney. It's been such a strange and sad time. I know you have gathered a large group of people together virtually, and it is (most days) so powerful and uplifting and awesome to be in community with people who are scattered all over the world. It always feels like it's solved some kind of existential problem: find your people, no matter where they are! But then something like this happens and no one is grieving together. No one is bringing anyone a casserole or sitting down for a cup of tea. So then it feels like -- wait, is our community REAL?? I don't know if you know what I mean....but I am thinking maybe you do?
In other news, I hope to attend your event at AWP. I recorded a virtual panel (on how the skills we learn as humanities major can translate powerfully to being an entrepreneur in the publishing space) so I won't be presenting in person but I'll be there. And I obviously care enormously about book coaching! I was so glad to see your panel topic.
I know so many in that writing community were close to her. I hope you are all okay. (And I hear you have connected with the amazing Sun Kagami/Sunni Brown. That's wonderful!)
Oh my God! I feel cold all over. I was a patreon for Susan DeFreitas long ago and I was so excited every month to get a story from her once a month. Sometimes I loved her stories so much I would send her a personal note and she always took the time to write me back. She was such a hard worker, so passionate, such an amazing light.
Jennie, unfortunately I never met Susan and only knew her from her fabulous guest posts for Jane Friedman. Her passing comes as a jolting shock.
Her advice was alway clear, down to earth, and wonderfully actionable. I could immediately apply it to whatever I was working on. I can only imagine how great she must have been in person.
Sorry for your personal loss and for the loss to the writing community at large that she helped so much.
I vividly remember the moment you found out she’d put it on her credit card, Jennie. I was on that call as a prospective student. It told me that if an incredible woman like her would invest in this programme in that way, I needed to invest my savings. And I remember tearing up when minutes later she spoke of the meaning of stories for her, of the injustice stories can fight. I signed up to become a book coach immediately after. She was vital in the course of my life in that way and was always so kind about my work.
We need her and her activism now more than ever and it breaks my heart that she isn’t here. The world needs her dammit! Her family does!
My condolences to you, Jennie. I know you lost a dear friend. And our community lost a fierce advocate for the power of storytelling. I miss her and her words already. X
I'm gutted by the news. I've been working with Susan on my manuscript, and the idea for a new one, only 2 weeks ago. Nothing was going to stop her. She was a warrior and an inspiration. She knew how to give feedback that made sense, she understood what I was trying to accomplish like no one else. She knew how to lift you up when you felt overwhelmed. When she admitted in her blog that things had taken a turn for the worse, I sent her an email telling her how grateful I was - am - for having worked with her, and what a fabulous coach she was. Thank goodness I did it then.
I will miss her very much.
Oh that must be so hard -- SO hard. I'm sorry for your loss and so glad she got to hear those words from you.
She was one of the first people I met 20 some years ago when I moved to Prescott. She had already transformed the arts scene in Prescott and gone up against the good ol' boys in the city council (and she was only in her 20s then!) We were in a writing group together, and then we had a connection through Prescott College, and of course through Author Accelerator. Her mom, Kathy, was in my yoga teacher training class. Everyone in the arts in Prescott knew Susan -- her drive, her intellect, her fierce commitment to social justice and equity. I will miss her so much.
I didn't know you had this history. That's very cool.
Such a beautiful tribute, Jennie. There is something about a person who is so full of life and whose light burns so brightly, even in the midst of illness, that it’s hard for those of us who love them to even imagine they could not go on living. I’ve experienced a loss like that. I think those are the people who continue to teach us even after they are gone…because their words and actions were so impactful when they were here that they are forever burned into our hearts and minds. May Susan’s memory be a blessing to all who knew her, whether in person or through her writing and teaching.
Oh, Jennie! I have no words... other than sitting in tears, stuck at "I did not think she would die". Disbelief! She was such a fierce intellect and inspiration. I had the privilege of having her as my personal writing coach and it was uncanny how she just knew the story that I had unwritten inside me more than I did. She exacted nothing but the best out of your work. I even had the chance for my daughter and me to meet with her a few years back when we visited Santa Fe. A gem of a person who has left this world too early. She has left an impact on so many in a way that is rare to find these days. She will be missed so much.
This is so beautifully put. And you are so right -- she had an incredible impact. I'm glad some of it was on you and your daughter. Thanks for sharing these thoughts.
About 18 months back, I was excited to take one of Susan’s workshops. I had scrolled through her website and was impressed with her courses, especially how she combined the best of her MFA with the structure of Author Accelerator. At last, the evening arrived…she was amazing. She had this uncanny ability to read just a few paragraphs of someone’s story and instantly see its heart. Then, with a few thoughtful questions, she’d guide the writer toward their story’s true north. And she did it all with so much kindness and care—it was like watching a mother love on her baby. If only we were all that genuine, insightful, and kind.
Amen!
I was one of her clients, and I can say that she was a simply brilliant editor and coach. I worked with her for three years and by the end, I'd written the novel I'd always dreamed I could write. (I can't yet say "published" -- I'm still going through the query process.)
Every note I received from her had incisive critiques and (even more importantly) actionable strategies for strengthening my work. Our biweekly calls were 25 minutes long, and she was all business: I’d get 25 minutes, maybe 27, but no more—so I learned to prepare and prioritize. After every call I knew exactly what I needed to do, which gave me the energy for yet more hours at the keyboard. She helped me figure out what the novel was really about, which enabled me to strip out everything that didn’t contribute, like a sculptor chipping away the stone that wasn’t the statue.
I had no idea she had cancer. How many of those calls were from a hospital bed? How much did she have to steel herself to read, and think, and talk?
She told me over and over what wasn’t working, but toward the end she wrote, “You have fought your way here to the goblin city, and now the forces that have stood between you and your vision for this novel have no power over you.” And that’s when I knew I was done.
Rest in peace, Susan DeFreitas. You were a fine novelist yourself, and I’m so sorry you didn’t have time for more.
What a beautiful description of what it is like to work with a coach. I hope your querying process is going well. Keep me posted!
Thanks for sharing this beautiful tribute, Jennie. Susan touched so many lives and made writers feel seen and appreciated. I am honored to call her a friend. I noticed Lidia Yuknavich shared a Go Fund Me for Susan's family and sweet son Calder. Here's the link in case anyone wants to share the love: https://gofund.me/702a45b0
I am so very shocked and saddened by the news of Susan's passing, Jennie. I was just on a call she did with Savannah Gilbo, where she came to us with her beautiful shaved head. She was so generous with her time and knowledge—for free. Like you, I was sure her light would never be extinguished. I'm so glad I got to know her just a little bit. What a huge loss to you and all the people Susan touched.
I'm glad you got to know her too!
May Susan’s legacy be continuously read. She was one of handful BIPOC book coaches in the business and focused on social activism in writing. I really admired her drive and sincerity.
Thank you, Jennie, for posting this beautiful tribute to Susan. I love how so many people use the adjective "fierce" when describing her. She was fiercely uncompromising and fiercely compassionate, fiercely professional, and fiercely tender. She understood the human heart and its many beautiful and nuanced zigs and zags. Her thumbnail psychological assessments were astounding! She knew my characters better than I knew them! She was Yoda and Carl Jung, she was E.B. White and Zadie Smith. Her bullshit detector was calibrated to the most sensitive, absolute highest frequency. No false notes were allowed! I will miss her dearly -- her sly humor, her pitch-perfect edits, her canny insights into human nature. And her gorgeous, smiling, great big presence. Susan, you were loved by so many. Susan, you will be greatly missed. With love, Amy
You captured exactly what I was trying to say about Susan... this is perfect and lovely. Thank you for sharing it.
What a moving tribute. I'm so sorry for your loss-- and ours!
Thank you Courtney. It's been such a strange and sad time. I know you have gathered a large group of people together virtually, and it is (most days) so powerful and uplifting and awesome to be in community with people who are scattered all over the world. It always feels like it's solved some kind of existential problem: find your people, no matter where they are! But then something like this happens and no one is grieving together. No one is bringing anyone a casserole or sitting down for a cup of tea. So then it feels like -- wait, is our community REAL?? I don't know if you know what I mean....but I am thinking maybe you do?
In other news, I hope to attend your event at AWP. I recorded a virtual panel (on how the skills we learn as humanities major can translate powerfully to being an entrepreneur in the publishing space) so I won't be presenting in person but I'll be there. And I obviously care enormously about book coaching! I was so glad to see your panel topic.
Susan—such a beloved member of the writing community here in Portland, where she spent a good deal of time. Her energy and drive was unmatched.
I know so many in that writing community were close to her. I hope you are all okay. (And I hear you have connected with the amazing Sun Kagami/Sunni Brown. That's wonderful!)
Oh my God! I feel cold all over. I was a patreon for Susan DeFreitas long ago and I was so excited every month to get a story from her once a month. Sometimes I loved her stories so much I would send her a personal note and she always took the time to write me back. She was such a hard worker, so passionate, such an amazing light.
Jennie, unfortunately I never met Susan and only knew her from her fabulous guest posts for Jane Friedman. Her passing comes as a jolting shock.
Her advice was alway clear, down to earth, and wonderfully actionable. I could immediately apply it to whatever I was working on. I can only imagine how great she must have been in person.
Sorry for your personal loss and for the loss to the writing community at large that she helped so much.
This is a beautiful tribute to an incredible woman and coach that Susan was. She is missed terribly by everyone who knew her.