| Queen of Peace High School
alumna Susan Brauer visited her alma meter to talk with two
groups of students. First, she met students in Peace’s
creative writing class to talk about Just Keep Dancing, her
autobiography she self-published. The following class
period, she joined fellow alumna to speak to students in
Physics classes about the benefits of pursuing a career in
engineering. Brauer has achieved success as an Electrical
Engineer and Section Manager with Motorola, as a first time
author and as creator of the publishing company Dreamers
Tapestry. Just Keep Dancing is a truthful account of
Brauer’s relationship with an abusive alcoholic she married
two week after her high school graduation. It tells the
reasons she stayed with him, the struggles she faced and the
story of her survival and the survival of her six sons. “I
didn’t want to write a how-to book.” Brauer says. “I wanted
to open a space in women’s hearts and brains where I could
slip my message in and change their lives in a positive
way.” She adds that she removed very little of the story in
editing, noting, “Anything I removed would be less than
honest to you, the reader.” Brauer notes that throughout grade school
and high school, she never wrote for fun and never took a
class in writing beyond the required English courses. She
always had a talent for math and science, she notes, which
ultimately led her to earn both her Bachelor’s and Master’s
Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of
Illinois at Chicago. Despite her insatiable love of reading,
Brauer comments that she never considered using that love to
become a writer. “I could write a technical thesis that was
125 pages long,” she laughs, “but I never thought I could
write about my life.” It was while she was reading a book on
writing by her favorite author, Stephan King, that Brauer
became inspired to start the work involved in becoming a
published author. “To follow your dreams, do something that
brings you closer to it every day,” she advised the
students. “Imagine what it would be like when you’re there.
Research. Talk to people. Believe it will happen because you
dream it.” Brauer began the pursuit of her dream by
recording herself speaking aloud in the car on her way to
work, and would type out her words when she got home. |
Susan Brauer speaks to students in her alma mater’s creative
writing class about the book she wrote, Just Keep Dancing.
Brauer, an electrical engineer for Motorola, later joined a
panel discussion of other Peace alumnae for a discussion
with Physics students of the benefits of an engineering
career
. |
“Writing a book is like weaving a
Tapestry,” Brauer told the writing class. “You put the ideas
and concepts together and slowly you see all the pieces come
together.” She joined women’s groups and networked with
other authors, but still had doubts about her talent. “I had
to redefine myself and my concept of who I was when I was
writing. You need to believe that what you’re doing will
mean something.”
Six years after she made the decision to become
a writer, Brauer completed her autobiography and had 3000
copies printed. She has ideas for several more books in
mind. When asked how she felt after completing the book,
Brauer commented: “Everyone has dreams they think they can’t
fulfill. Mine were singing and writing. Now, I feel like I
woke up one morning and suddenly I can sing. Every day is
like Christmas. Did it take me six years? Yes. But does that
matter? No, because book is 100% mine.” Brauer owns all
rights to her book. |
