Susan
Arakawa
Susan is a writer with a global perspective stemming from her extensive international experience and her more than 20-year career as an English as a Second Language instructor in Los Angeles. Her recent experience working for a Native American tribe inspired her series pilot, entitled, “Gila Bend,” a southwestern story.
Her master's thesis was a historical fiction novel, entitled, Westwinds, which was based on an ancient Chinese story of palace intrigue and adventure.
The story follows the pursuits of Wang Zhaojun, a royal concubine, who is married off to a Mongolian prince in order to secure peace between China and Mongolia. Susan completed three years of research for the novel, and it was a culmination of her experiences while teaching in the Peoples' Republic of China from 1983 to 1986.
A recipient of the McKnight Fellowship for Screenwriting for her first feature-length script, “Mankai,” Susan enjoys writing cultural “mash-ups,” blending her love for language and travel into compelling stories. Originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, she now calls the central coast of California home where she lives with her husband and cat, Mochi, in a small Danish-infused town in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley.
Photography: Anthony Mongiello
Hair & Makeup: Melanie Ortiz