Susan Esser
Hey everybody! Susan here......

I am a native of Bettendorf, graduating in the class of 2000, alright, the class of 1988. I moved to Boston in 89 and then NJ, followed with Chicago. I was a band booking agent and booked nationwide tours as well as publicity and radio for nationally touring acts. I came back to the Quad Cities in the fall of 1999 with my husband, Kevin. We were living in his hometown of Seattle when we found out that we were pregnant with our first child, Noble. I canoodled Kevin into moving back to the QCA to have Noble so that I could be by my mother, aka- super mom and live in a wonderfully nice, yet inexpensive, suburb.

Unfortunately, things do not always work out as we would like them to and Kevin had a reoccurence of cancer and died a few months later. I gave birth to our son in April 2000 and after several months of wondering how we would survive I walked into the Novel Café. I talked to the owner, Lori Freemire, about my past as a promoter and that I wanted to do a session of speed dating so that I could meet some new friends. Here I was with a new baby and I was feeling pretty lonely. I didn't know too many people in the QCA anymore and just wanted to make some new friends.

Kevin Esser 1970-1999

I started with much encouragement from Lori and the first night was chaos! The next week went a bit smoother and the press embraced what I was doing. I had 3 newschannels show up on my third night! And then people started calling - to say that I was ill prepared for this boom is an understatement! I never could have imagined this becoming such an integral part of my life but then I never underestimate GODS plan. I just wanted to meet new friends and now it was becoming a viable business. What a blessing! I am so lucky to be able to stay home with our son and still provide finacially! God is great!

I love what I am doing and it amazes me all the people who have formed such great relationships while at the Novel Café. I tell people that I am not a dating service but an encounter promoter. I want people to know that even if they do not meet the "Love of Their Life," they have a great opportunity to touch someone's life in a positive way! I want people to give one another a chance and to explore the possiblities of expanding not only their minds, but their hearts.

After 4 years of speed dating I have to admit that I was getting a bit burned out. It is fabulous to be in the position of helping people but I had lost my vision. I took the month of April 2005 off waited for signs. Was I suppose to continue this project? Had it run its course? Well, the signs have come in. In the past 2 days I have gotten 4 calls from couples who were thanking me for facilitating their meeting and 2 couples told me of their engagements. One of the women who called me was a widow. Being a widow myself, I totally understand the big step of going out into the world and finding love again and I enjoy helping the transition go a bit smoother. This is why I do what I do. I also had grown a little agitated with people booking a session and then not showing up or calling and then acting annoyed when I called for payment. I have tried to make everyone aware that this is my only income and besides when you do not show up to a session that you are booked for, it really is a shortcome to the entire group. I always feel so responsible when the group is uneven but I have to let that go....I do my best to make groups even. I work incredibly hard every week to get a session booked, to have everyone call me back and to make sure everyone has everything that they need. I would not do this if I did not love it. I care about each and everyone of you and I know that you care about me as well. I do not do this for the money but because I feel that GOD has put me in this unique position to bring people together for a positive purpose. I am going to go forth with a new energy that I hope will be shared by you! Let's have some fun people......life is too short.