Q: Is there an overarching theme that you see for 2004?
Susan Miller: 2004 will be remarkable in that it will bring an unusual amount of harmony among the planets. The result is a stable year that will allow us to regroup, build on what we started in 2003, as well as to strengthen our confidence.

Q: How Should Readers Use ÏThe Year Ahead 2004?Ó
Susan Miller: I would love readers to know that ÏThe Year Ahead 2004Ó is not meant to be a seasonal book that should only be read at the beginning of the year. The universe doesnÌt work on our timetable of January 1Ûit commences events on its own schedule. For example, in 2004, the most critical monthsÛthe ones where you will see the most startling developmentsÛwill be in September and October.

I always recommend that readers first do a read through to get an overview of the look and feel of the upcoming year. Then, write into your calendar certain dates and periods that that interest you.

Throughout the year, supplement your data with my monthly updates from my website, Astrology Zone∆ which are provided free. If you add this in depth information to the information already provided in the book you have a dynamite combination. You can look both near and far at once.

Q: If you know your rising sign (also called ascendant) you should read for that sign too?
Susan Miller: Absolutely! If you are new to astrology, you may have heard friends talk about their Ïrising signÓ or ÏascendantÓ (two words that are used for the same concept).

Once you know your rising sign, you should always read the forecasts for that sign AND your Sun sign, for a full 180 degree view of your outlook. I might add that knowing your ascendant helps you understand your personality in more detail too.

By definition, the rising sign is the sign of the constellation that was rising on earthÌs horizon at the exact moment of your birth, taking into account the precise longitude and latitude. You can only know your rising sign if you cast a horoscope for yourself, using the exact time (to the minute), place and date of your birth. Astrologers need that information because we convert every birthday to Greenwich Mean Time. Converting to GMT allows for a common denominatorÛit is as if everyone were born in the same spot on earth, and hence, the mathematical distance between you and the planets above would be the same for you as it is for everyone.

To find out your rising sign, you can go to various astrological Internet sites that will do the calculation for you for free. Or you can order your chart--one that is gracefully designed and suitable for framing--on my site, Astrology Zone∆, for a small fee.

The rising sign describes how others see you when they first meet you. The rising sign also suggests of oneÌs future profession often quite reliably. (There are other parts of the chart that also factor into career as well.)

The rising sign is important because it reveals parts of your personality that would not be necessarily evident in your Sun sign. In that respect, the rising sign would explain you might feel you are not completely true to your birth sign. (If you were born at dawn, you would have the same rising sign as your Sun sign.) Also with the addition of a rising sign, astrologers can more accurately predict upcoming cycles and likely events.

For many people, considering the way their chart splays out, the rising sign turns out to be even more important than their Sun sign.

Q: What do you want readers to take away from THE YEAR AHEAD 2004?
Susan Miller: I would love readers to be energized, excited and inspired about their year ahead after reading my book. Finding a new idea is like finding money on the street. ItÌs a wonderful feeling, and I hope I can impart several new ideas to my readers about new goals and plans to make in the coming year.

We often are too critical of ourselves, and assume only other people are capable of achieving lofty goals. But astrology tells us thatÌs not necessarily true. We are ALL capable of greatness. We do this by acknowledging our talents, and being willing to stretch, learn, grow and take risks.

Having your chart done provides you with a map for the coming months. Astrology is ideal for planning actions, because it is essentially a study of cycles. Some planetary cycles are rare (coming perhaps once in a lifetime) while others occur more frequently.

No matter when they occur, you have the option of either taking advantage of a good cycle or sitting it out, and waiting for another one. Life is a series of creative choices that we make, and in so doing reveals something about our character.

During tough times, reading about upcoming trends we can help us marshal our defenses. During easy times, astrology urges us to avoid complacency. If aspects are really stellar, we are urged to confidently take a chanceÛthe universe is on our side!

We tend to learn more from adversity than times of ease. We also learn more about our true nature then too, for under stress, we have no extra energy to try to keep up appearances. We are who we are, and presenting that honest face to the world can be quite liberating.

Once you have an astrological weather report, you will know which parts of your journey will be smooth and which parts will be bumpyÛquite an advantage because you can plan accordingly. ÏYear Ahead 2004Ó is very detailed and will give you a complete outlook.

Here is a critical point I hope readers will remember:

I cannot predict what you will decide to do, for astrology is not about predestination. I can predict the pressures and opportunities that you will feel. In the end, what you decide t is up to you. We each have free will and must take full responsibility for our lives. That is the beauty of astrology, for it allows us to help ourselves in a way that is in keeping with our individual style, goals and values.

Q: How are you different from other astrologers?
Susan Miller: I can only speak about my own workÛthere are many good people working in the field.

People tell me that I have a very warm, encouraging style, and it makes me so happy to hear that! I try! I see myself as the readerÌs buddy, and together we will plot out their year together.

Also, when I see difficulties coming up, I feel it is not OK for me to simply flag those adverse trends. I feel I should suggest specific ways the reader might want to deal with those problems. In that sense, I look for the key areas of benefit in the chart that will help the reader out of the brier patch, so to speak.

If the chart is really spectacular, I want to coax readers to expand their horizons!

Also, I always try to put the reader into the context of the year they are entering by reviewing that recent past in detail. By doing that I hopefully am able to impart insight about what was gained during that former year. After all, each year we trade one year of our lives for those experiencesÛit is worth meditating about!

My discussion of your previous year occurs in the section called the ÏBig Picture OverviewÓ found at the start of each signÌs chapter in ÏThe Year Ahead 2004.Ó To me, that is perhaps the most critical part of the book. In some ways, is the hardest part to write. I have to put myself in the readerÌs shoes and even try to BECOME the reader at that moment---to see the world from their eyes.

What we learned and experienced in the recent past will influence our moods, fears, expectations and our approach to life in the coming year. Those past experiences, rightly or wrongly, will have an effect on how we filter our reality, especially in the near future.

If itÌs been hard, such as things were for Gemini, Sagittarius, Virgo and Pisces from 2001-to mid-2003, I need to encourage the reader to be optimistic and not allow past disappointments to weigh them down. By reviewing specifics of the past, I can show them I know and sympathize with where they are coming from.

All astrologers use the same scientific mathematical data to base their forecasts, but what astrologers make of what they see differs subjectively. Astrology requires an interpretation of rich symbolism, as reflected in the mathematics that forms the foundation of astrology.

Once you find an astrologer who resonates with you, chances are, she or he always will always speak to you in a very personal way. Stick with that astrologer!

Q: Is there one sign that you think has a better astrological forecast than others for 2004, a sign where you might say, "This is YOUR year?"
Susan Miller: The celestial favorite in 2004 will be Virgo, and it gives me great pleasure to announce that, as Virgo suffered over the past few years (2001-2003), particularly in their career. Last year, 2003, required an emotional adjustment in a romantic or other close relationship as well. Now the universe will do a ÏcorrectionÓ and put Virgo on top of the mountain.

Later in the year, beginning in late September 2004, Libra will receive the crown from Virgo, and LibraÌs good fortune will run through much of 2005. As Libra enters 2004, this signÌs situation is not entirely easy, as they are being challenged on many fronts that I detail in the book. It is often the case that when a sign is hammered for a long time, there is a rebalancing of energies, and it can be quite dramatic when it occurs. That is what is about to happen to Libra later this year.

Q: In addition to your columns in the Sunday New York Daily News and in Self magazine, (and one soon to start in Cosmo Girl) and shorter works, you have now written five full-length books about astrology. As you say you write all of your own material, can you share with us how you manage a schedule to research and write this material?
Susan Miller: Friends who know me know I am very disciplined about what I need to accomplish each day. I stay on a fairly tough work schedule. I arise at 5 AM, and go immediately to the gym to work out every alternate day for three hours. For the days in between those long workout days, I do one hour of cardio. After that, I am at my desk and its writing, writing, writing for me.

I end the day at about midnight---and often later. I am blessed in that I donÌt need much sleep! I never need alarm clocks, even when I travel between time zones. (My father was that way too. We both seemed to be up all the time, which was great, because we had each other to talk to!)

When I travel for business or pleasure, I know I will have to write for at least a little while every day. I donÌt work with researchersÛI do all my own calculations and of course, my own writing. Because deadlines keep rolling, I will need to schedule some full 18-hour days of writing at the hotel too. This will have to be scheduled ahead of time, at carefully decided intervals on the itinerary. Because I am writing so much and my schedule so tightly packed, I tend to stay at very nice hotels, ones that have plenty of services like a dry cleaner, a good concierge, room service and so forth, because using time well is always so critically important to me.

I do have a staff, however, as I need nine people to help me run the web site. I employ two engineers, a designer, a publicist, a first and second editor, two assistants, several caring reader support people who can read the reader mail and help me respond, and so forth.

I donÌt want to give the impression that I donÌt have funÛI do! (Laughing.) Lots of it! I am blessed with two great daughters who are recently out of college. My whole family lives in New York City tooÛin fact, we all live within a few zip codes! I also am blessed with many close friends.

I love living in Manhattan---my city of birth---because I love the stimulation. There is always so much do, and the ease of access (without the need to commute) canÌt be beat.

Q: How difficult is it to write books that challenge readers familiar with astrology while at the same time introduce astrology to readers who may not be familiar with the subject?
Susan Miller: I donÌt think it is too hard to do if you keep the focus on what is most importantÛthe information you are trying to convey. I am known for not using technical astrological terms because I feel it becomes a distraction. Nevertheless I always give the providence of the planetary aspects I write about, for I feel it is very important to detail precisely which planetary aspects I am basing my observations.

For example, I may write in a future book, ÏVenus and Neptune will waltz across a star-studded sky on February 14, 2005, and it will be a sight to behold! Venus will wear her most shimmering, glamorous gown and glitter brightly in the evening sky! Surely, this will be night for candlelight, for walking under the honeysuckle and for exchanging rings and promises.Ó Astrologers will say to themselves, ÏI bet Susan means these two planets will form a conjunction on that night.Ó Those readers almost always have planetary tables that they can use to look up the exact aspect.

Lay people will say, ÏWow, whatever it is, that sounds good to meÛI had better go out on that night.Ó Both groups would be exactly rightÛI am communicating to both technical and non-technical people at the same time. I know technical language, of course, but choose not to use it because it interferes too much with the mood I am trying to convey.

I feel we need a little more poetry in our lives, donÌt you agree?

Q: Astrologyzone.com is the popular astrology site that you founded. Please share with us some history about the site's creation.
Susan Miller: Never in a million years did I expect to go public with my knowledge of astrology. After college I went into publishing, and later, became an agent for commercial photographers. I was at the top of my field and loved my work. My friends at Warner Books knew I knew astrology because I used to read for them on their birthdays, as my gift to them. Also whenever one of my friends at Warner Books had a dilemma, they would call me and I would try to help them. I was on a lot of editorÌs automatic dials!

One day a friend at Warner Books offered me the chance to write a column for the Time Warner website, then called Pathfinder. On December 14, 1995, I posted my first forecast for Astrology Zone∆. Time Warner had expected a short daily or weekly column but I wanted to write a long monthly column. I presented my ideas with such enthusiasm that, even though I flew into the face of prevailing web wisdom (Ïwrite short, write often and write astrology for womenÓ) the executives approved my ideas. Instead of that prevailing thinking, I wanted to write long pieces on a monthly basis. Also the reader in my mind was a man, not a woman. I knew a woman would read what a man read, but not vice versa, so I decided to write in a non-gender kind of way. I got my ideas approved, and I was off and running.

In March 1999, Time Warner was soon to merge with AOL, and I was told that Pathfinder would close. In response to that news, I switched my exclusive license of Astrology Zone∆ to The Walt Disney Company's GO.com (1999-2001). When GO.com closed in 2001, Disney executives moved Astrology Zone∆ to ABC.com, another Disney property to fulfill the rest of my contract.

On September 10, 2001 I moved Astrology Zone∆ to my own servers and hired my own team to run the website under my own company banner, Susan Miller Omni Media, Inc.

Today Astrology Zone∆ website serves 15 million page views and has 6 million unique (unduplicated) viewers each month.

The siteÌs message board attracts an astounding one million posts a month. Readers can opt to subscribe to my free monthly e-newsletter---more than 750,000 have done so.

Q: In what ways --- both good and bad --- do you feel the Internet affected astrology?
Susan Miller: I believe so deeply in the power of the Internet that I would be hard pressed to say ANYTHING bad about it. I love the ease of access of information that the net gives to one and all, no matter what the readerÌs nationality, religion, orientation, background or income. On that latter point, economic strata, the Internet is a level playing fieldÛa highly democratic median--for it gives the same access to information to all people. I love that concept.

A big plus about the Internet is that it affords readers privacy, so someone who might be too shy to buy a horoscope magazine on the newsstand will be able to find a an astrological forecast on line quite easily. This easy access has helped astrologyÌs proliferationÛpeople are seeing first hand that astrology works. As they get even more familiar with astrology I think readers will gravitate to the sites that offer them the advice they find most helpful.

Information is so plentiful on the Internet I suppose it is wise to first check the source of that informationÛis it accurate? When you consult an astrologer, you are inviting that astrologer into your life so to speak, and so obviously, you need to be selective. Look for a byline and check the writerÌs qualifications. This would be true no matter what subject you are researching of course, not only astrology.

I am an accredited professional astrologer and I belong to all the major astrological organizations. Some sites are written not by one astrologer but a team. In that case, you wonÌt see those bylines, so it is hard to know who wrote what. But do try to get to know a little something about the person whose advice you are reading.

Q: What stereotypes about astrology would you like to dispel?
Susan Miller: A big misconception is that astrology is the same as the other Ïnew ageÓ arts such as tarot, card reading, tealeaves and so forth. Astrology is grounded in mathematics and ancient text. Astrology is not fortune telling nor is astrology based on the assumption that events are predestined. We have free will and as such we must take responsibility for the choices we make.

Another misconception about astrology is that your Sun sign is all that matters. Nothing could be further from the truth! We are a combination of the placements of Mercury, Mars, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and the Sun and Moon in a natal chart, and each of those planets contribute to personality development. Those other planets also factor into the forecasts that come up as well.
Also, as we talked about earlier, the rising sign is just as important as your Sun sign---this explains why people of the same sign are not true to their sign. When I am writing a mass column, I canÌt know all the planetary positions of my readers, but if they read for their rising sign as well as their sun sign, then they will have 75% of what they need to know about the coming periodÛthe rising sign is THAT important. It is the next best thing to having a personal astrologer. I am very specific in all my writing, and even name certain birthdays has being highlighted, while others in the sign will not.

Finally, some people assume that astrology can tell you everything there is to know about the compatibility between two people, all in one session. I have friends who ask astrologers to do a chart before they go out on a date with a new person. I think that is a wrong approach. Go out, enjoy the person you are with. Use your intuition!

If you want to know about compatibility, seek advice AFTER you have come to know that person better, and ask one specific question. Make sure it is the question you truly want to ask. For that way, you will get a better reading. Also, know that it is not considered ethical for an astrologer to read the chart of someone without that person present. So if you want to know more about your spouse or boyfriend/ girlfriend, for example, be sure to invite that person along!
 
Q: As an author, columnist, and creator of Astrologyzone.com, you undoubtedly receive a lot of reader mail. What is one of your most memorable letters or emails from a reader, and what makes this correspondence so special?
Susan Miller: There are many touching letters. One in particular was from a reader who was writing to comment about a forecast I had posted for Cancer, in which I had mentioned that family troubles might surface that month. Cancer rules the family, and while turbulence within the family can be very hard for any sign to deal with, this is particularly true for Cancer. I was trying to prepare the Cancer readers so that they could be forearmed.

A lovely female Cancer reader wrote to say that she was from India, and that she had been in an arranged marriage that turned out to be disastrous. Years earlier she had decided to divorce, even though her father threatened to disown her at the time. The marriage was very sad from the very start, but her father felt divorce brought disgrace upon the family.

That monthÛit was at year end, holiday timeÛher family had gathered together to celebrate, but this readerÌs father, as he went around the table praising his children, told this reader she would never be welcome in the family again. He told her this in a particularly hurtful way.

This woman, who had her PhD, had already moved to the United States, and had married another Indian man after her divorce, a man who also held similar distinguished university degrees and who had taken a job of considerable responsibility in a major software company, working engineering. Together they lived in Seattle, and she said, they had two children. This woman was obviously torn between two cultures, and reflected the changing role of Indian women in modern society. Her letter was written so beautifully and honestly that it brought me to tears.

I wrote back expressing my deepest sympathy for her plight. I remember writing that I felt that we owe our parents our love no matter what the circumstances, for they have given us life. Still, I admitted that parents are human and sometimes make mistakes. We must forgive them. After we are grown we are not obligated to follow our parentÌs advice, and lamented that although we would love to have their blessings on our lifeÌs decisions, it is not always possible. I understood how much this lack of harmony within her family life was troubling her. I felt so sorry that there was not more I could say.

Years later, I was at a very crowded book signing in Seattle. There was a very long line. At some point an adorable little girl of about four years old came up to me with her mother. In the back of the room, the childÌs father waited, and watched her baby brother who was asleep in the stroller. When I saw the little girl I just had to play with her, and I even put her on my lap. Finally, I laughed and said, ÏI guess I should get back to business and sign your book! Please let me know your name so I can do this properly.Ó The childÌs pretty mother smiled and identified herself as the reader who had written to me years earlier. I gasped and immediately stood up to hug her. She had been in my mind, on and off for years. I could never forget her letter, and now I was getting a chance to actually meet her! I introduced everyone in the room as a reader who had written the most unforgettable letter to me, and left it at that. The father came over, smiling, and took a picture of us.

I looked at this beautiful family and said to myself, ÏIf her father could only see what I am seeing now, he would be so proud of his daughter.Ó As it turned out, sadly, she told me that day that her father never found it in his heart to forgive her, and never even wanted to meet his grandchildren. Again tears came to my eyes. There was something about this reader that was simply unforgettable.

This amazingly strong reader continues to inspire me. She had found the strength to do what she needed to do to go on with her life. Her strength and love for her husband and children was so very obvious. I felt her well-balanced approach to family was particularly remarkable because she did not have the more normal model to go from that most of us have from our families. To me, she has achieved greatness, for she has completely forgiven her father. She has not given up hope that someday their relationship will mend.

I get many reader letters that inspire me and touch me deeply. I feel grateful that readers are willing to their stories with me.
 
Q: When did you first become interested in astrology?
Susan Miller: Many people ask me that question, for no one really starts out saying, when I grow up, I will be an astrologer!

My mother taught me astrology. She is an astrological scholarÛshe does not do readings for others outside the family but collects information and debates it with other knowledgeable astrologers. (She is still quite private about her interest in astrology.)

Originally, in the early 1940Ìs when no one was into astrology, my mother took a six-year correspondence class from an esteemed astrological group in California where she submitted homework on a regular basis to be corrected. She studied with some of the most distinguished teachers in the field. My motherÌs sister (my aunt) had suggested the course because the two were looking for something they could do together after my mother moved to New York City, leaving the rest of the family in the small down she had grown up in. Her interest and subsequent study of astrology all happened years before I was born.

In truth, my mother didnÌt want me to learn astrology. She would say, ÏLet me do your chart for you, Susan. You donÌt need to know this.Ó

I was persistent, however, because at the time I was 14 and was dealing with a very debilitating health ordeal. I had been in the hospital for eleven months to correct a birth defect, which the doctors were successful at fixing. However, my operation had not gone completely as planned, and I was left paralyzed from the knee down on the left side. Hence, I had entered the hospital for one serious problem but had exchanged it for different serious problem.

My doctor, who was the chief of staff, felt he could regenerate the nerve and restore my legÌs functionality but it would require two years of physical therapy. The sessions would be longÛhe suggested six hours of physical therapy a day, which included electrical stimulation of the nerveÛwith no guarantees. (Doctors tend not to guarantee success on any front, ever, of course.)

This all would require that I not attend my local high school but to do home study. I had already done home study for one year, and was looking at two more years at home. After looking into things, my mother and I learned that in effect, I would have to teach myself my high school work because the Board of Education could only send a teacher to my house for two hours a week. After being in the hospital close to a year, my parents could not afford tutors. Still, I was ready to do whatever it took to walk again (and to wear high heels someday) and I also refused to take time off and be Ïleft backÓ in school. I had the energy to cope with the crisis, but I was naturally wanted desperately to know if I had a good chance to walk normally again!

I wrote to DellÌs Horoscope Magazine with my question and to my surprise, the editor printed my letter and chart. Her assessment was very optimisticÛindeed, she did think I would walk again and that all that I was about to go through would be worth the effort. (As an aside, the editor turned out to be rightÛtoday my left leg is near perfect.)

I didnÌt understand all the technical terms this editor used in her answer to me, so I wanted to learn astrology. She had made reference in her article to some tantalizing astrological detail that I didnÌt understand. I figured my mother would teach me and was unprepared for her resistance to doing so.

After several months of my pleading, my mother finally agreed to teach me, but only on one conditionÛI would have to promise to study with her for the next 12 years and not breathe a word of my knowledge of astrology to a soul outside the family, not until she said I was competent to charts. It was clear that learning astrology would take years of study. Was I ready for that? I knew I was! During the time I was so sick with my leg, I couldnÌt walk, so I certainly had time to read and study while I was in bed!

My mother was concerned that I would study with her a year or two and assume that I learned enough to begin reading my own chart and those of friends. She told me that while reading a natal chart, the astrologer has the power of suggestion over the client, so I had better know what I was talking aboutÛand that takes time.

My mother also feared that even if I was right about what I was seeing in a chart, I may not be sophisticated enough to express myself properly to others. After all, I was young. In other words, I might say the right thing but in the wrong way and create a misconception in the personÌs mind whose chart I was reading that could last a lifetime. As she would say to me many times, ÏToo little knowledge is dangerous!Ó

Although I didnÌt fully understand my motherÌs concerns back then, I do now. I am grateful my mother took such a serious attitude to my initiation to astrology. I kept my promise to study quietly with my mother for over a dozen years, which was a wise idea on both our parts. I didnÌt join clubs at the time (was bedridden, so there was no way to do that). She and I studied all the time together, one-on-one. We are still very close and still debate certain aspects together. It is always fun.

After high school, I graduated from New York University with a B.S. degree in economics and business studies, and worked in publishing and advertising. As you see, I never expected to tell the world I knew astrology.

I know that I had to live through many cycles and life experiences before I was able to give insight to others. In my twenties I could have never had the wisdom I do now. Life is a wonderful laboratory, and we learn not only from our own experiences but by watching those of the people around us too.
 
Q: Were there astrologers who influenced you as you were growing up?
Susan Miller: When I was a teenager, I canÌt remember any one writer whose work stood out in my mindÛI enjoyed reading all the writers. (My mother had many astrology books.)

Later I fell in love with Patrik WalkerÌs astrology column in the New York Post and in Town & Country Magazine. Patrik had a very philosophical style that resonated with me. At the time I didnÌt know I would later become a professional astrologer. Like most people I read his column for pure pleasure. I think the gift Patrik Walker gave me is that it was important to put a strong sense of oneÌs own individual style into their work. I could always identify PatrikÌs voiceÛit never sounded like anyone elseÌsÛand I loved that.
 
Q: In addition to "Read my books, visit my website," what advice do you give to those who are interested in studying astrology?
Susan Miller: That sounds so commercial! I never would say that! (Laughing.)

I would suggest a reader start by subscribing to astrological magazine. If you are new to astrology, choose one that is easy to understand. I think it is a good idea to have astrological material coming into your mailbox regularly each month. Continuity is vital when you are learning a new subject, because it allows you to build on what you just learned. Still, whatever you read should be enjoyable and possibly entertaining, but not drudgeryÛthe right magazine would fit the bill.

Next, you might also choose to sign up for an astrological convention. I particularly love this option, because within the four or five days of the conference, a student can learn so much. You can choose classes from a wide variety of subjects and levels (including ones for beginners). I feel that the Ïtotal emersionÓ approach accelerates learning. Also, at a convention, you are likely to make new friends, and thatÌs great, for later you would have someone to talk to about your new interest, so vital when you learn a technical subject like astrology.

Another terrific way to learn is to join one of the fine astrological clubs that are based in cities all over the world. Clubs offer fascinating lectures and classes throughout the year on a monthly basis.

In America, I like the National Council for Geo-Cosmic Research, a club that has chapters in dozens of large cities. DonÌt assume clubs are only for die-heart enthusiastsÛthey are for everyone, even those who have only a casual interest in astrology. The NCGR also gives conventions and seminars throughout the year and the teachers are fabulous.

Finally, on Barnes & NobleÌs website, I teach a basic introductory course on astrology that includes eight lessons that are given over five weeks. The classes are completely free. (Barnes & Noble has many courses, on many subjects. Just go to www.barnesandnobleuniversity.com)

My classroom is virtual one so there is no one set time that the students have to ÏbeÓ present there. The students can come by to read the material I have written for the class (it all can be printed out) whenever it is convenient for the student, even at 2 AM, as the Internet is never closed!

Later, the student can then choose to post questions on the dedicated class message board. Each of my eight lessons has a separate message board, so students can progress at their own pace. The message boards remain up for two weeks after the class ends, so students have ample time to read the answers at their leisure.

I canÌt teach a student everything there is to know in one five-week class, but itÌs a great start. The class helps students understand how astrology is structured and how astrologers go about making their predictions. After taking the class, my students are able to get far more out of their favorite astrological column. So far, I estimate I have taught 175,000 students on the Barnes & Noble University since I began teaching there in June 2001.

Q: Can you share with us details about your current work(s) in progress?
Susan Miller: Bless your heart; I never talk about works in progress! I always try to surprise my readers. So sorryÛno word ever on that! But stay tunedÛthere is always SOMETHING in progress, and hopefully it will be a book that will delight my readers!