Thursday's Interview - Elaine Charton

1. What's your genre or do you write in more than one?

I write more than one genre but they sort of overlap. I started out to right Straight romance, a nice sweet Harlequin Presents type of romance. Just one problem. Dead bodies kept showing up. I listened to my muse and wrote a romantic suspense. Then I was asked to write a Paranormal that had elements of suspense. Now I am writing cozies but they have a touch of the paranormal in them. My tag line is Murder-Magic and Happy Endings because I always insist on Happy Endings.

2. Did you choose your genre or did it choose you?
I think it chose me, or at least made me see what was under my nose all the time.

3. Is there any genre you'd like to try? Or is there one you wouldn't?
I would like to try writing a historical romance. I've always been fascinated with history. I seriously doubt I would ever write horror.

4. What fiction do you read for pleasure?
I like mysteries, especially cozies and those set in small English villages. I also like historical mysteries and romances. If I want a change of pace it's Georgette Heyer and Jane Austin.

5. Tell me a bit about yourself and how long you've been writing,
Growing up if I didn't like the way a movie or story ended I would change it, at least in my mind. I've been writing since 1991, a few years before I had been taking a college English class, the professor showed me how to unleash all the stories and characters roaming around my brain. My husband encouraged me. He was a librarian at the time and came home one night to tell me an author was speaking at his library that night. She was the one who introduced me to RWA and it went from there.

6. Which of your characters is your favorite?
That's tough as I like them all. EZ McAllister who is the hero in EZ Lovin and Justin Andrews who is the hero in Pandora's Justice are probably tied for first place.I also like Reggie and Leticia Farnsworth from a series I am doing. They are ghosts who were killed back in 1926.

7. Are there villains in your books and how were they created?
Oh yes definitely. If you have murder you have to have villians. I grew up watching cop shows, war movies etc... As the only girl I was usually overruled by my 5 brothers when it came to watching tv. I think I get my characters from those old shows as well as what I read in the papers and see on TV. My husband and I are addicted to the tv show the First 48.

8. What are you working on now?
Another cozy series the title of the first book is DEAD MEN DO TELL TALES. The protagonist is a single mother who also happens to be a funeral director

9. What's your latest release and how did the idea arrive?
My latest release is actually part of my back list. THE MAN IN THE MIRROR. It is loosely based on the musical THE MUSIC MAN. Instead of band instruments our villian sells enchanted mirrors

10. Tell me about your latest book and how it came about.
As I said I was asked to do a paranormal romance based on the movie musical the Music Man. It's a story about good twin and bad twin they are both wizards and the bad twin imprisoned the good twin in a mirror over 200 years ago. My heroine is the witch who finds the spell that finally releases him.

Enclose the opening of the book around 400 words.
Mari Connell didn't usually eavesdrop on people. It was a little hard not to do so when the two women in front of her were speaking so loudly they could probably be heard in her bookstore down the street.

"What a gorgeous ring," one of them said.

"Isn't it?" The woman held her hand up so the stone reflected in the light. "I picked it up at New Treasures. I don't know where they get them but they have the neatest things there. That was where I found that
mirror I put in my bedroom."

Mari wouldn't exactly call the ring gorgeous. Big, gaudy, tacky, yes. However, it was not her idea of gorgeous. Although she did recognize the hum of enchantment that surrounded it. She wondered where the storeowner had found it. As far as she knew she was the only witch or wizard with in a hundred miles of this town.

They paid for their cake and left. Mari moved up to the counter. "Hi, I called an order in earlier today."

The woman behind the counter greeted her warmly. "Sure, Mari. Have it all ready. Can't have your Thursday girl's night without your chocolate can you?"

"No, Ma'am." As she paid for her purchase, Mari asked, "Do you know the store those ladies were talking about?"

"New Treasures? Sure do. You should check it out. See that mirror?" She pointed to the wall on the other side of the room; "I got that there as well as a few other things I have in my apartment upstairs."

"What sort of a place is it?" Mari asked.

"Looks like most places. The antiques are mostly good; some junk, though I'm sure you can tell the difference. Unlike those two who were just in here. They were the ones who told me about it. They used to be so quiet but since they discovered that store they've changed."
"Really?" Mari turned to look at the mirror once again; it didn't appear to be enchanted. She wondered just what sort of enchantment had been placed on the ring. "I can't imagine why." She took the box from the counter and turned to leave. "Thanks, Ellen. See you later."

A short time later she pulled into her friend Julie's driveway. Taking the cake and a bottle of wine out of the back seat, she hurried out of the cold night air and into the warm house.

Julie greeted her, and took the packages. Mari hung her coat on the rack in the hall. "That's new," she said, pointing to a mirror that hung next to the closet. Gold and silver trimmed; it had the definite hum of enchantment to it. "Where did you find it?"

"New Treasures, the new antique store over on Fifth. They have some neat things there. You should check it out." Julie watched her friend, "Something about that mirror bothers you, doesn't it?"



Elaine Charton

Magic Murder and a Happy Ending

www.elainecharton.com

Available now for Kindle and Nook The Man in the Mirror