We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sue Alcon O’Connor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sue, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
My eldest son passed away in 2021 from colon cancer. He had served in the military and was exposed to radioactive material while aboard a nuclear submarine. Fifteen years later, he was working in Washington, D.C., in the patent office, holding a degree in nuclear engineering. At the time of his diagnosis, he was married, with a five-year-old daughter and a two-month-old son. Our family was devastated by his loss.
As a novelist, I have a platform—and a mission. I want my voice to reach sailors, especially those in their thirties who have served on nuclear submarines. Please, get screened early. Colon cancer can happen to you. It happened to my son. Early detection can save lives and spare families unimaginable grief.
The screening is simple and painless. And here’s some advice: arrange for someone to drive you and ask them to take you out to breakfast afterward. It gives you something to look forward to—and the strategy works. Use it.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m a born-and-raised Coloradan, currently calling Littleton home, though my imagination tends to wander far beyond city limits. I’m the author of two novels—both available on Amazon—and I’m knee-deep in a third, dusting off plot twists and polishing punchlines as we speak. My books live in the realm of comedic mystery, where the bodies are fictional, the jokes come fast, and the stakes are just high enough to keep you turning pages.
All of my stories unfold in the fictional town of Patton, Colorado, a quirky little place I dreamed up on the wide-open northeastern plains. It’s the kind of town where gossip travels faster than the wind, nothing stays secret for long, and the most unexpected characters tend to be the wisest in the room. I love writing about kids and old folks—two groups that never fail to surprise me—and the magic that happens when small-town life collides with the wildly improbable.
I write because it makes me happy, plain and simple. If my stories can offer readers a laugh, a gasp, or just a moment of escape, then I’ve done my job. At the end of the day, my books are about joy—with a little mischief, a touch of mayhem, and just enough mystery to keep things interesting.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
After the death of my son, I was faced with two choices: I could wither, pull the covers over my head, and let the grief consume me—or I could dive headfirst into my writing. As someone who writes comedy, I wasn’t sure if the second option was even possible. How do you find humor when your heart is broken?
But I discovered something unexpected: writing is healing. Escaping into the fictional town I’d created—where the characters didn’t carry my pain—was nothing short of lifesaving. Somehow, the comedy still came. The words flowed, the laughter surfaced, and for a few precious hours each day, I could breathe again.
I’m so grateful I didn’t walk away from my work, even when the weight of grief made everything feel impossible. I know in my heart my son wouldn’t have wanted me to give up. Continuing to write wasn’t just a return to my career—it was a step toward hope, a way to honor him by choosing life, creativity, and connection over despair.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Writers tend to be a bit thin-skinned—we can be fragile little butterflies at times. Sharing our thoughts and stories, even through the veil of fiction, can be downright terrifying. Once our words are out in the world, they’re open to judgment, and people aren’t always gentle with their opinions. Some will love what we do, others won’t—and many won’t hesitate to say so.
Learning this early in my writing career was essential to my staying power. I had to accept that not everyone would connect with my voice, my humor, or my style—and that’s okay. Writing isn’t about pleasing everyone. It’s about being true to your own perspective and trusting that the right readers will find you. Letting go of the need for universal approval was one of the most freeing things I’ve ever done as a writer. Once you embrace that, you can finally write with courage—and joy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theboneshelter.com
- Facebook: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=11c3bf2687&attid=0.0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1832923383795650099&th=196fda1b37a58e33&view=fimg&fur=ip&permmsgid=msg-f:1832923383795650099&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-dUvy9nTmMZslHyAhEkazcWnGorya3IExvPAyWEqQIyaQMP-tsL5c1EjbdbaZh0A580GeFuEh1TMjithOyS9Y4YMXwupRMIyOBsR7jTbOQiWf0dxzGr2790gI&disp=emb&zw
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=844NQagEP7w&t=4s
- Other: You can purchase The Bone Shelter on Amazon at this link:
https://a.co/d/2VjhSynYou can purchase A Justified Murder of Crows on Amazon at this link:
https://a.co/d/2CxtOcZ
Image Credits
Cover photos by Noelle Nevins