Susan was born in 1968, grew up in Virginia, and was educated at home by pioneering parents, back when home education was still unheard of. She learned Latin at age ten, worked as a professional musician while still in high school, and wrote three (unpublished!) novels before she turned sixteen. In high school and college, she has toured with a travelling drama group; galloped racehorses at a Virginia racetrack for spending money; taught horseback riding; worked in ghostwriting and newspaper ad sales; learned enough Korean to teach a Korean four-year-old Sunday school; and served as librarian and reading tutor for the Rita Welsh Adult Literacy Center in Williamsburg.
Susan spends most of her time writing in her restored chicken shed and running her four companies (Well-Trained Mind Press, Well-Trained Mind Academy, The Bed & Breakfast at Peace Hill, and Books & Sheep, Inc.). She lectures regularly on writing, education and history, and serves on the board of three wonderful enterprises—The Clemente Course in the Humanities, Comment Magazine, and Education & Culture: A Critical Review.
For fun, Susan trains draft horses, tends livestock, reads, and cooks. She is learning how to ice skate and enjoys yoga. She has been married to Peter since 1990; they have three sons and a daughter, a daughter-in-law and one granddaughter.
