Susie Spikol
Author Interview - Susie Spikol
Author of The Book of Fairies
Meet the Earth, Air, Fire, and Water fairies! From rainbows in bubbles to dandelion seeds on the wind, come meet the wee folk who enchant our everyday world. Wake with dainty Auroras who paint the sky each dawn. Let the rascally wind fairies dance up some mischief in your life and open your heart to the dear Brownies who keep your home tidy and your garden growing.
Search for secret fairy signs in snowflakes and the sparkle of a stone. Find out which animals are best friends to each fairy, which fairies have dragon blood in their veins, and how to spot these charming beings in your neighborhood. Which enchanted fairy are you most like?
Author Interview - Susie Spikol
Author I draw inspiration from:
I love the wonderful storyteller and author, Kate DiCamillo. I’m crazy about The Tale of Despereaux. No matter how many times I read about the brave little mouse, Despereaux, and his journey, I cry, laugh, cry again, and promise myself never to give up hope, just like Despereaux.
Author Interview - Susie Spikol | Author I Draw Inspiration From
Favorite place to read a book:
I used to love reading books high up in a cherry tree in my backyard when I was a kid. Now I don’t have a cherry tree, but I love to sling my hammock between two trees and settle in for a day of reading.
Book character I’d like to be stuck in an elevator with:
I’d love to be stuck in an elevator with Octavia, one of the giant Pacific octopuses from Sy Montgomery’s incredible book, The Soul of an Octopus.
How do you imagine that scenario playing out?
Well, it would have to be a special elevator, where Octavia could be safe and comfortable. I would be in a wetsuit with my SCUBA gear on. She would definitely be curious about me and reach her tentacles out to greet me. I would be so honored to shake her arms, and I just know she’d be so happy to meet such a fan that she would change color from purply brown to a blushing pink color.
Author Interview - Susie Spikol | Book Character I’d Like to be Stuck in an Elevator With
The moment I knew I wanted to become an author:
In second grade, when I wrote a book that fit in my little hands, about a caterpillar I was friends with. I loved telling the story and thought this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook:
There is nothing like a brand-new hardback book. I am especially fond of opening it up and hearing the spine crackle. I love how you can read the newest books out there, but I don’t like how heavy and unwieldy hardback books are.
I’m a paperback book fan. They are more portable than hardbacks, and you don’t need a special device to read them on. They smell great when you open them, especially new ones, and my favorite thing to do is pass on a fabulous paperback read to a friend. It makes me feel like I’m sharing a treasure!
Ebooks have their time and place for me. I like how they have their own built-in light. As an insomniac, I sometimes love to read an ebook under my covers, like I’m in my own private little blanket fort.
Audiobooks, I don’t spend much time with these. I like to read more than listen unless it is a live storytelling event and then I’m all in!
The last book I read:
North Woods by Daniel Mason. I loved this book! The writing was lush, gorgeous, and heart-filled. I especially enjoyed how he wrote about nature and the passage of time. There were ghosts in the story, and that really surprised me. At first, I didn’t like it, but in the end, it really made me think about how our stories and lives linger in the places we live long after we are gone.
Author Interview - Susie Spikol | The Last Book I Read
Pen & paper or computer:
I use my computer mostly, but I often take a journal with me outside to capture things I’m seeing both in writing and drawing. My journal is a bit like where I store all my seeds for future stories, and my computer is where I tend to them.
Book character I think I’d be best friends with:
I would very much like to count Wilbur the Pig from Charlotte’s Web by EB White as one of my dearest friends. He is kind, gentle, and compassionate, just the type of friend or pig I would like in my life.
Author Interview - Susie Spikol | Book Character I’d be Best Friends With
If I weren’t an author, I’d be a:
A field biologist who specializes in the study of small mammals, like star-nosed moles and shrews. My current work as a naturalist at a nature center sometimes gives me the opportunity to work with field biologists, and I’m always so into it! I love animals and nature and spending time outside! And as for the small mammals, I am really interested in the important and often overlooked role these tiny fuzzy animals play in our local ecosystem.
Favorite decade in fashion history:
My grandmother’s era, the 1920s. I have photos of my grandma Lily, dressed to the nines, in a flashy 1920s flapper dress, and then some great pictures of her in knickers, smoking cigars, and fishing! She always looked so chic and sassy.
Place I’d most like to travel:
I want to travel to the Archipelago, the magical world in Katherine Rundell’s stunning book Impossible Creatures. I have always been searching for the mystical beings of stories and fairy tales and the idea of visiting a world full of every possible magical creature ever mentioned would be a dream come true for me!
My signature drink:
Cloud and Mist Green Tea! I live for it!
Favorite artist:
My favorite artist is the children’s book illustrator Garth Williams, who illustrated such classics as Charlotte’s Web, The Little House series, Cricket in Times Square, and The Rescuers. I love the charming pen and ink illustrations that brought many of my favorite childhood reads to life for me.
Number one on my bucket list:
Something I’m looking forward to doing is traveling to Yellowstone to see and hear wolves. One of these days, I’m going to make this happen. I want to hear their wild howls under starlight!
Find more from the author:
About Susie Spikol:
Author Interview with Susie Spikol
Susie Spikol is a naturalist at the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock, New Hampshire. A lifelong animal lover, Susie now helps people of all ages connect with the natural world. She is the author of The Animal Adventurer’s Guide (Roost Books, 2022) and Forest Magic for Kids: How to Find Fairies, Make a Secret Fort, and Cook Up an Elfin Picnic (Gibbs Smith, 2025). You can find her at www.susiespikol.com.
