Published on October 09, 2025

Tales of tails: How Susan Wilson ’72 found her voice as a novelist

From a World War II love story to a medley of novels about dogs, Eastern alumna Susan Wilson ’72 has found her niche as a writer. A New York Times best-selling author of 11 novels, Wilson’s literary career blossomed when she turned to writing "dog stories."

Titles such as One Good Dog, The Dog Who Danced, and The Dog Who Saved Me marked her shift from romance to emotionally rich tales inspired by animals — a return to her childhood passion.

"The primary reason I had always wanted to be a writer was because of my childhood devotion to writers of animal stories, in particular Albert Payson Terhune," said Wilson, a graduate of Eastern’s English program. "All of the 'dog' books are really about the relationships people have with each other as well as the dogs."

After several romance novels, Wilson hit a creative wall. "I threw in the towel," she said. "I’d had a good run … but maybe I was done." Then, her agent suggested dog stories — just as the acclaimed novel The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein was gaining popularity. That was the turning point.

"There are no hard and fast rules about when, where, and how to make a work of art," said Wilson. "Some stories arrive mostly whole cloth, and many play hide and seek with me."

After two years at a community college, Wilson transferred to Eastern, where her love for literature deepened. "The faculty were consummate professionals … outstanding in their knowledge, accessibility, and desire to inspire," she recalled.

Though she once thought writers were "ordained," she eventually realized that "regular folks like me" could make it. Pursuing her dream meant juggling day jobs.

"It took almost 20 years of writing to entertain myself before I mustered up the courage to attend a writers' conference, join a group, and seek out an agent."

To aspiring writers, Wilson offers: "Write the story you want to read. And don’t assume it’s perfect. But with practice and patience, it can become pretty darn good."

Written by Noel Teter '24