Elaine Charton
Elaine Charton Tells All
ST: Hi, Elaine Charton, welcome and thank you for visiting with us this week.
EC: Thanks for having me Sloane.
ST: Tell us about yourself.
EC: I grew up the only girl in a family with five brothers. I live in Arizona with my husband of almost 24 years and our two spoiled cats. Yerbalot aka Yerbie and Miss Lucy. Miss Lucy is the guardian of my web site. We have no children but between his sisters and my brothers we have 14 nieces and nephews and one great-nephew.
ST: With Christmas just around the corner you must be one busy lady! Let’s take a minute from your schedule and show everyone your gorgeous cover for your latest novel, EZ Lovin’.
ST: I love a man in a moustache! EZ Lovin’ looks to be an exciting read. Please tell us about it.
EC: Glad to!
Ezechial Zachariah McAllister is a true Texan from the top of his Stetson to the tip of his leather boots. Known to his friends as EZ, he works for U.S. Customs out of Boston. Abigail Fairfax is a very proper Bostonian and the owner of the newest art gallery in the city. She agrees to let EZ use her townhouse for a stakeout to try to catch an art smuggler, but letting him masquerade as her lover proves to be more than she’d bargained for. How long can Abigail resist until she succumbs to EZ’s Texas charm and the masquerade becomes real?
ST: How did you come up with the story line?
EC: Actually it was the character who came to me first. Believe it or not I had a dream of this man leaning against the wall, smiling. Imagine a Sam Elliott clone. All he said in the dream was “Evening Ma’am.” I couldn’t get him out of my mind and it went from there.
ST: And where and can we buy EZ LOVIN’?
EC: It’s available on my Publishers Web Site Swimming Kangaroo Books in both electronic and print format. I am also very excited to announce it is also available in print on Amazon.com
ST: How did you and your publisher come together?
EC: Actually, it was my husband who introduced us. He has a book coming out next year with them. When I decided to leave my previous publisher, he mentioned me to his publisher. I sent her EZLovin and the rest as they say is history.
ST: What made you decide to be a writer?
EC: Well, I had always been making up stories, usually revising the end of books and movies if they didn’t end the way I wanted them to end. I was taking a college English course that ended up being more of a creative writing class. Both my professor and my husband encouraged me to continue with my writing.
ST: How long have you been writing?
EC: A little over 15 years
ST: How many books have you written?
EC: Five books and one novella.
ST: Which is your favorite and why?
EC: I get asked that a lot and it’s a hard question. I like the characters in EZ and the two books after it. But I think I have to say Man in the Mirror is probably one of my favorites. It was my first paranormal and basically wrote itself. Unfortunately, it’s no longer available. However, it may find another home in the future, you never know.
ST: I for one hope it does. I enjoy your books and don’t want to miss one.
EC: Thank you! I have to go now. It seems Miss Lucy is demanding I get back to work. LOL
ST: Thanks, Elaine. We’ll see you in the morning to learn more about your writing.
December 19, 2007
The Write Side of Life
ST: Good morning, Elaine. Tell us what’s a normal day like for you?
EC: I’m up at 430 am. My husband and I work close to each other and we have to be in at 6am so we drive together. I get out at 2:30, pick him up and come home. Except for those days I go to work out. After dinner I try and write. If I have time before dinner, I’ll try and answer emails. Otherwise, I’ll do those before going to bed. Weekends is when I get most of my writing done.
ST: With your busy life how do you find time to write?
EC: Very careful planning and understanding friends and family.
ST: Are there any quirks you have or do before or while you’re writing?
EC: I do like to have music to listen to and I try and specify it to the book. For instance, with EZ Lovin’ it was almost nonstop George Strait.
ST: Who or what encouraged you to write?
EC: My husband, my friends. my mother-in-law, yes my mother-in-law.
ST: Where do you get the ideas for your novels?
EC: Everywhere really. I actually got an idea for one story in a furniture store!
ST: LOL. Now that’s creative. How do you research your books?
EC: Very carefully. 🙂 I don’t go nuts but I try and be as accurate as I can be. My husband is a former reference librarian so he is a great asset if I have trouble researching something.
ST: Who is your support group?
EC: My husband, my friends Linda Wisdom, Susan Baxter and Linda Parisi. Also the members of both the Tucson and New Jersey Romance Writers.
ST: I know linda. She’s a great author too. Thanks for stopping in this morning, Elaine.
EC: My pleasure. I’ll see you in the morning!
December 20, 2007
Author, Author, Tell Us More
ST: We’re back with Elaine Charton this morning. Elaine, please describe your writing space.
EC: Right now it’s a folding table in the office I share with my husband. Or at the kitchen table. Thank god for laptops. I do have a marvelous old fashion wooden desk that belonged to a family friend who was a journalist. It doesn’t fit into the office but I want to redo our back room and put it in there. That will be my writing space.
ST: Do you find writing to be fulfilling? If so, in what way?
EC: Yes. To see your characters come to life on paper is the best.
ST: What’s your favorite part of writing?
EC: When the characters won’t shut up and then take the story somewhere you least expect it to go.
ST: What do you absolutely hate about being an author?
EC: The blank screen.
ST: In your opinion what’s the most important thing for a new writer to learn?
EC: Basics, grammar, spelling, punctuation. I know because I am the most grammatically challaged writer around.
ST: Your website is cool. I recommend everyone cruise over to www.elainecharton.com and check it out. How did you decide on the content and design? And please tell us more about your “emcee”.
EC: I had someone help me with that, but the final decision was all mine. As well as the decision to include Miss Lucy, my black cat, as guardian of my website. She gets lots of comments. 🙂
ST: Why do you think a website is important for authors?
EC: It’s a way to connect with readers and other authors to find out just what is going on out there.
ST: Thanks for all the information. Hopefully we’ll see you tomorrow?
EC: Definitely, bright and early!
December 21, 2007
Gazing into the Crystal Ball
ST: Hi everyone, we’re back for our last day with Elaine Charton. Elaine, tell us, what does the future hold for you?
EC: Hopefully lots of books to be written.
ST: I’ll support that! If you had one wish that would be granted, what would it be?
EC: Enough money so I could quit my rent paying job and stay home and write full time.
ST: What’s in the works for the future?
EC: I’m in the process of reformatting Pandora’s Justice and Mac’s Man and submitting them to Swimming Kangaroo. I just finished the first draft of a ghost story about a haunted bed and breakfast called The Pink Lady. It’s a very rough draft and needs more work before it can go anywhere. Plus, I have a few more ideas on the burner. Some Paranormal, some suspense and some both.
ST: Thanks, Elaine, for spending so much time with us. It’s been a great week and I’ve enjoyed learning more about you. The very best to you in the future and keep us posted on your future releases.
EC: Will do, Sloane. Thanks for having me. I’ve enjoyed it immensely.