Interview with Elizabeth Camden / Part One

Here's the next author interview that I mentioned I'd post...As noticeable in the title this interview will be posted in two part segments, so be on the lookout for the next part sometime next week!

For any of you who haven't had the chance to read some of Elizabeth Camden's books I would highly suggest going to your library or favorite bookstore right away!

Author, Elizabeth Camden

Where do you get the inspiration for your characters (their personality, looks, circumstances, etc,.)?
I usually start with a ‘what if’ question. What if a librarian working for the Library of Congress fell in love with a congressman? (Beyond All Dreams). What if a boy from the wrong side of the tracks fell in love with a girl out of his reach, but then grows up to become one of the richest men in America? (The Lady of Bolton Hill). This kind of question is a starting point, then I have to put flesh on the bones and make sure the chemistry between the characters will catch fire.

Do you have a favorite male and/or female character from your books?
Easy…it is Trevor McDonough from With Every Breath. I feared readers wouldn’t care for him because he is a tough sell.  He is moody, difficult, and appears to be quite mean at first…but by the end of the book he emerges as the most compassionate and heroic character I’ve ever written.  He is a doctor who works only with terminally ill patients, so he has an ice-cold persona he hides behind simply as a survival mechanism to avoid getting close to people.

Out of all the books you've written, do you have a favorite?

With Every Breath! Kate and Trevor are both complicated people, but from the moment they meet, the fireworks ignite. I’ve always believed a romance novel lives or dies based on the chemistry between the leading characters, and sadly, this is a hard thing to conjure up, but when it happens it makes the book terrifically easy to write. With Every Breath is a wildly romantic book with heavy themes, but I hope the sparkling humor between Kate and Trevor keep readers eager for more.

 

How does your faith influence your books?

I usually have a pretty light hand in delivering overtly religious messages, but all my books have a strong, optimistic outlook based on solid values. I have often been inspired by fiction, and hope I can plant similar seeds through my own books.

 

Why do you write historical fiction?
Because this is how I got my first contract! I’m good at historical research because I am a research librarian by day….but I could just as easily put that skill to use in romantic suspense, thrillers, or contemporaries. I will probably start writing contemporaries someday, but I doubt I’ll ever abandon historicals.  They are too much fun for me to write.

 

What do you find to be the hardest thing about being an author?

No complaints from me! Life is hard and bellyaching rarely makes it easier. I love being a writer and don’t take the privilege for granted.

 

What is your favorite thing about being an author?

I love reading letters people write me. I wrote FIVE manuscripts that were rejected, so when I finally got published and saw my book in print it was such an amazing sensation. When someone takes the time to write me a letter it is confirmation that yes, there really are people out there reading and enjoying my books. That makes everything worthwhile.

 ...Coming Soon: Interview with Elizabeth Camden / Part Two