#TenThingsYouMayNotKnow – About Suzanne Cottrell

/ Marcia Meara

It’s time for the first Ten Things post of 2022, and I know you’ll help me welcome my guest, author Suzanne Cottrell, who will get things off to a great start for us this year. Suzanne, the floor is yours!

Ten Things You May Not Know About Me
by Suzanne Cottrell

  1. At age 65, I completed a tree top obstacle course consisting of 41 obstacles and 5 zip lines.    The biggest challenge was stepping off the platforms for the zip lines; but once in the air, the  experiences were exhilarating.
  2. Although I did not acquire my private pilot’s license, I did fly solo in a Cessna 150 and later wrote a story, “Calm Down,” about the experience.
  3. I spent several summers as a camp counselor and swimming instructor in western New York, Wisconsin, and North Carolina.
  4. In October, 2021, I celebrated 25 years of being cancer-free. I’m a breast cancer survivor and now thriver.
  5. One afternoon I discovered a groundhog sleeping in the fork of an oak tree. I didn’t know groundhogs could climb trees. That’s another story, “Up a Tree,” yet to be published.
  6. Two treats I love to enjoy, especially on my birthday, are Boston cream pie and homemade chocolate ice cream.
  7. I love baseball. Growing up, I enjoyed attending Cincinnati Reds’ games with my maternal grandfather, who had played semi-professional baseball. Now I’m a big fan of the MinorLeague Durham Bulls, Triple-A affiliate for the Tampa Bay Rays.
  8. My sneezes come in triplets, occasionally quadruplets.
  9. As a child, I grew up in Oxford, Ohio. Since 1987, I’ve lived in rural Granville County, and my mailing address is Oxford, North Carolina. I have to be careful when addressing envelopes to friends.
  10. Some of my favorite authors are Mary Oliver (poetry), Mary Stewart and Kristin Hannah (fiction), and Sy Montgomery (nonfiction).

Author Suzanne Cottrell

Suzanne Cottrell, a buckeye by birth, lives with her husband in rural Piedmont North Carolina. An outdoor enthusiast and retired history and special ed. teacher, her interests include reading, writing, knitting, hiking, Tai Chi, yoga, and Pilates. She enjoys researching history and culture and loves nature and its sensory stimuli. She particularly likes to write and experiment with poetry and flash fiction, as well as working on collaborative projects, especially with her daughter.

Her work has appeared in numerous online and print journals and anthologies, such as the Best Emerging Poets Series, The Avocet, Poetry Quarterly, Plum Tree Tavern, Parks and Points, The Pangolin Review, Burningword Literary Journal, Three Line Poetry, Inwood Indiana Press anthologies, Personal Story Publishing Project anthologies, Proverse Hong Kong Poetry Prize Mingled Voices anthologies, Nailpolish Stories, Quail Bell Magazine, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, and Flash Fiction Magazine. She is the author of three poetry chapbooks: Gifts of the Seasons, Autumn and Winter; Gifts of the Seasons, Spring and Summer; and Scarred Resilience, published by Kelsay Books. She was the recipient of the 2017 Rebecca Lard Award for Poetry Quarterly (Prolific Press).

You can buy Suzanne’s Books by Clicking on the Covers Below

You can find Suzanne on social media here:
Website
LinkedIn
Email: cottrell_suzanne@yahoo.com

70 thoughts on “#TenThingsYouMayNotKnow – About Suzanne Cottrell”

    • Suzanne is a far, far braver person than I, Sharon! (Canoeing in waters that harbor alligators, yes. Anything that involves heights, nope. Not if I can avoid them.) 😀

      Thanks for stopping by today and taking a moment to say hello! 😀

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    • Sharon,
      Thank you; however, my adventures aren’t always injury free. On the last zip line of the tree top obstacle course, I was so excited that I had completed the rest of the course that I was not as attentive as I should have been and I suffered a severe ankle sprain upon landing. The accomplishment helped me endure several weeks in a stabilizing boot. Since turning 70, my adventures are a bit more tempered.

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  3. I do love those covers! Great news to hear that Suzanne’s gone from Survivor to Thriver, and anyone who has flown a Cessna or tried even one zipline is pretty amazing! The triple (and quadruple) sneezes made me chuckle and it’s all these little details that bring an author to life for me. Many thanks! xx

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    • I love the covers, too, Trish, especially the one for Scarred Resilience. It is very profound, in a non-obtrusive way, isn’t it? As for Ziplines and Cessnas? See my response to Sharon above. Give me snakes and gators any day over either of those. Heights aren’t my thing.

      I like the comment about the sneezes, too. My husband sneezes in triplicate and says anything beyond that is “excessive.” I have allergies, and sneeze in 7’s, nearly every time, though once in a while, I hit 9. (Which is why he’s always saying that. 😆 )

      Glad you enjoyed Suzanne’s post this morning. Thanks for stopping by, and she’ll be along later to check out the comments. 😀

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    • Trish,
      Thank you for your comments. I’m grateful for every day. Fortunately, Kelsay Books allowed me to submit three possible book covers for each poetry chapbook and to prioritize them. They made the final decision, but I was pleased with them. The cover for Scarred Resilience is extra special, because they used a photograph taken by my daughter.

      I’m glad my triplet sneezes gave you a chuckle. My husband usually does a count down. Hah, the joy of allergies. Although I’m not particular fond of heights, I can manage as long as I do a panoramic view and not look straight down. Challenging one’s fears can be life-changing.

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    • Glad you enjoyed Suzanne’s post, Jeanne, but I’m afraid I have never ONCE looked at a zip line and thought anything other than “Eeeeek!” 😄 It’s pretty cool that Suzanne is brave enough to give them a go. I’ll stick to my Florida wildlife adventures, I think. (Alligators, and snakes, and bears, Oh, My!) 😁

      Thanks for stopping by this morning! 😀

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    • Jeanne,
      Thank you for taking the time to respond. My siblings and I each have our favorite dessert for birthday celebrations rather than a traditional birthday cake, which makes each one’s birthday a little more special. Consider giving a zip line a try. Now there are zip lines that have a seated harness, but a lot of ski resorts run their lifts during the off-season for scenic rides. Go for it!

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    • My pleasure, Staci. (Still waiting for YOUR Ten Things list, you know. 😉 ) My husband is from Columbus, so I have a connection to Ohio, too, though I’ve only been there once or twice. Ziplining? Not for me. But I do admire someone who has the courage to give it a go. (Take pictures when YOU do. Then you can include them on YOUR Ten Things list. Hehehehe.)

      Thanks for stopping by today and taking a moment to say hi. 😀

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    • Staci,
      At some level, I have a connection with the places I’ve lived, so I can appreciate your connection with Ohio even though you weren’t born there. I would encourage you to give zip lining a try. The feeling is exhilarating. I did take some photos of my best friend and me as we were completing a few tree top obstacles, but I think the photos would have been a blur while zip lining. I don’t know how fast I was traveling, but that would be an interesting tidbit. I hope you’ll submit your ten things soon.

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  7. Whoa! Number 1 sounds frightening and exhilarating. I imagine the courage to do that came, in part, from being a cancer survivor. Congratulations to Suzanne on all her accomplishments.
    P.S., I love Boston Cream Pie, too! 🙂

    Thanks for introducing me to a new author, Marcia!

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    • I agree on #1, except for I’d stop after frightening. (I don’t like heights at ALL.) But obviously, Suzanne has courage by the bucketful, and it stood her in good stead in her battle with cancer, too, I’ll bet. I love that you are congratulation her on her accomplishments, Mae, and it was a real pleasure to have her share her list today.

      Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a moment to say hello! Suzanne will be along later to enjoy all her comments. 😀

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    • Mae,
      Thank you for your congratulatory comment. I’m glad to find another lover of Boston Cream Pie. I don’t know about having courage, but I do have a very positive outlook on life. I’m the eternal optimist, and my attitude continues to serve me well. I like to try new activities, but I would not consider myself a risk taker. Before trying something new, I empower myself with information. I’m trying to learn more about snakes and other wildlife that I’m not comfortable around, but I have a long way to go. Glad you stopped by today.

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      • Glad to share some info/slides, etc, on snakes, if you’re interested, Suzanne. Nothing I love more than wildlife. Not even writing. (Okay, they’re tied, actually, but you get the idea!) 😀

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    • Yes, the Cincinnati Reds had a powerful team back in the 1970s with players like Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, Lee May, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, and Dave Concepcion, to mention a few. Sparky Anderson was a special manager. Yes, I’m a Reds fan. Although River Front Stadium is a much nicer facility, I miss seeing the Reds play in Crosley Field. Like most teams, the Reds have certainly had their ups and downs.

      Wow, you remember their Saint Bernard mascot! Talk about a dog getting the royal treatment!

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  9. So happy to meet you, Suzanne. I suspect you’re more courageous than me. I think river rafting tops my list of scary/exhilarating. Thank you, Marcia, for this wonderful post. Loved it! 💗

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    • Marcia,
      I, too, enjoy river rafting as long as I’m not at risk of being tossed out of the raft. I’m not much for white water rafting. Two of my favorite river rafting trips were on the French Broad River in western NC and the Snake River in Idaho. Where have you been rafting? Now, I think a tubing river is more my speed. Glad you enjoyed my ten things.

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    • I went river rafting on the Monongahela in Pennsylvania years ago, and LOVED it, Gwen. Gosh, I hadn’t thought about that in years!

      Glad you enjoyed Suzanne’s Ten Things List, and thanks so much for stopping by today! 😀 ❤

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    • Sue,
      Thank you for your congratulatory comment. I’ve been very fortunate in so many ways. I found my breast cancer early and if there can be a “best” kind, I had it. I can’t say enough for my medical team and care.

      I enjoy watching groundhogs, as well as other rodents, as long as they stay out of our garden.

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  11. Marcia,
    Thank you for including me in this wonderful series. It’s so much fun to read others’ lists and their comments. You are far braver than me when it comes to snakes and alligators. I prefer them to stay out-of-sight although my various encounters with black racers have given me lots of writing material. Oh, I did make a paper mache alligator when I was in 4th grade.

    Thank you for keeping writers connected, as well as all your encouragement and support.

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    • You are very welcome, Suzanne. Glad to have you here and looking forward to future visits from you, as well.

      I’ve been a wildlife admirer all my life, and snakes are among my favorite animals. I give slide presentations twice a month at two local venues discussing Florida’s Fabulous Wildlife. It’s not so scary when you know which animals to be wary of and which are completely harmless, so that’s what I aim to tell folks, in addition to sharing how beautiful our birds and other critters are. (And just because I’m not afraid of them doesn’t mean I ignore common sense and put myself in harm’s way.)

      But YOU and your zipline experience are something I simply couldn’t bring myself to do, even if I were still a sweet young thing. 😄 Congratulations to you for your adventures, and for winning your battle with cancer, too. Folks are really touched and inspired by that, and rightly so!

      Thanks again for being our guest today! 🤗 ❤

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      • Marcia,
        Thank you for all your kind words. If sharing some of my experiences inspire and provide hope, I’m a happy camper. I truly believe one is never too old to pursue a passion. One may just have to go about it a little differently.

        I love that you are giving presentations on Florida’s Fabulous Wildlife. Educating people about wildlife is so critical to their survival, as well as ours. I’m more I learn about black racers, the more comfortable I am. I respect and avoid copperheads and cottonmouth moccasins. Currently, I’m working on a personal essay about a very misunderstood and unappreciated bird, the turkey vulture. They play such an important role in controlling the spread of diseases.

        Thank you again for today’s opportunity. It’s wonderful hearing from folks.

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        • We have quite a bit in common. My talk on Central Florida snakes is one of my most popular because I have some EASY tips on how to ID AT A GLANCE the only ones here to be wary of. And black racers are my buddies. We have them in our yard, and I love them. They have a wonderful habit of raising up their heads to be sure the way ahead is clear of danger. We call it periscoping, and it’s fun to see them take that quick surreptitious look around before gliding along their way. They are SUPER helpful to have around, too. Eat lots of things that carry disease, etc.

          As for vultures, we have both turkey vultures and black vultures down here, and as it happens, I do a talk on them, too. Some fascinating info about them, for sure, and yes, without them, we’d be overrun with bacteria and disease laden roadkill, etc, for sure. So nice to meet another nature lover!

          I also agree about pursuing a passion. I knew from the age of five I wanted to be a writer, but didn’t write my first book until I was 69. Now I can’t seem to stop! 😄😄😄

          Thanks again for sharing with us today! 😀

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    • Priscilla,
      I’m glad you enjoyed my ten things. Everyone has been so kind with comments. YouTube has videos on groundhogs climbing trees, who knew? I might not have believed it if I hadn’t seen one sleeping in one of our elm trees. I keep learning all kinds of interesting facts about wildlife. Turkey vultures can only hiss and grunt, because they don’t have vocal chords. I enjoy doing research. There’s so much to learn.

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  14. What a nice surprise to open my email today and find this delightful interview of Suzanne. I agree, flying through treetops is not anything I do except in dreams. Anything that involves a ball leaves me injured very quickly. Your interview was so much fun to read. Thanks for sharing, Suzanne and Marcia. I have shared on my FB timeline. ❤

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  15. Congratulations on a full and exciting life Suzanne!
    It sounds like we would get along except for the fact that my family are huge St. Louis Cardinals fans. However, I do love the movie “Bull Durham” 😊

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  17. Congratulations on being cancer free! Thank goodness!! I love everything that you shared, but I have to say – you had me at the groundhog in the tree comment. Love them. If a picture exists, I’d be grateful to see it. 🙂

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    • They are truly adorable, aren’t they, Sue? And it’s always wonderful to hear about cancer survivors/thrivers, for sure! Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a moment to say hello! 😀 ❤

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    • My husband says it’s the “correct” thing, but that anything over 3 is “excessive.” (He says that to make fun of me because I almost always sneeze in 7s or 9s, but that’s from my constant allergies.)

      I’m glad you enjoyed Suzanne’s Ten Things, Diana, and thanks so much for stopping by and taking a moment to let us know. Hope ;you’re having a great weekend. 😀 ❤

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        • Ooooh, I’m so glad you’re going to put together a Ten Things list for us. I do these every other Wednesday and have the next one (Jan 19) booked. I’ll save the following one (Feb 2) for you, so no big rush on putting it together, as long as I have it roughly a week ahead. I’m really looking forward to it!! 😀 ❤

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    • Glad you enjoyed Suzanne’s Ten Things list, Yvette. You guys are sure brave souls. I can’t even imagine ziplining, myself. Don’t like heights OR speed, really. But I’m happy you’ve been able to enjoy it.

      Thanks so much for stopping by today and taking a moment to say hello! 😀 ❤

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