Teacher Feature: Susannah Conway

Anyone who has ever met Susannah Conway can attest that her warmth, intense passion and open heart pulls you in close.  No wonder then, her e-courses have set the gold standard and helped thousands of people use their camera and a notebook to explore their lives more deeply.

Susannah first taught at squam in September 2010 and we are thriled she will be bringing her magic to the beach for our squam by the sea gathering next October.

It's pretty hard to keep up with this woman who has not one but two books coming out this Spring and regularly travels from her home in Bath to London, to San Francisco-- most recently to Morroco.  And yet, she keeps with perfect sweetness a steady stream of polaroids that she shares with us at her website, but we caught up with her recently to ask a few questions in an effort to get to know even more about her.

Where were you born?  

I was born in a hospital in Surrey, England.

What was your favorite dessert as a kid, and what is your favorite now? 

Hmmm. I can't remember a specific dessert but I know I liked sweet milky rice pudding with strawberry jam (US translation: jelly) and a sweet and sickly dessert called Angel Delight -- it came in a powder that you whisked into milk and let it set in the fridge till it became a gloopy mess, kinda like a low-fi blancmange. I think they still sell it.

These days I'd normally choose a bit of dark chocolate over a dessert, but I'm quite partial to my mum's apple pie with custard or a slice of the chocolate espresso tarte with figs and cream they offer in Jamie's. Bloody marvellous!

What is the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon?   

For where I am in my life right now it's either doing something fun with my 21-month-old nephew, meeting friends for lunch and a lazy look round the shops, or chilling at home with music, laptop and endless mugs of coffee.

Who is a hero in your life?

My sister. She is amazing.

What are three of your most favorite scents?

Only three? I am a scent addict. I keep a selection of scents by me when I'm working and spritz them all day, mixing and matching as the whim takes me.

Smell is really important to me, and I find fragrances so inspiring when I'm writing -- must be a synesthesia thing? Anyway, my three favourite scents right now are Tibetan Mountain Temple by Pacifica, French Lime Blossom by Jo Malone and Alice by Sweet Anthem. My three favourite smells are my nephew's hair, freshly ground coffee beans and fish 'n' chips with lots of vinegar :).

What song or Cd is currently getting a lot of play time at your house? 

Everything on this mix

Is there a place you dream about living one day?  

I'm torn between an apartment in New York City and a cottage by the sea in England. Maybe I can do both? *putting it out there*

Thank you lovely lady!  Can't wait to see you at the beach!

bisous, e