Interview with Elizabeth Camden / Part Two

Author, Elizabeth Camden

What does a typical day look like for you?
It starts at 4am. My husband and I are both early birds and we like to hit the gym before work. It’s actually quite fascinating to go to the gym at this hour, because there are only a handful of people there. I’ve seen them almost every day for years, and yet I don’t know their names or the first thing about them. They are ‘familiar strangers.’  Then we both go to work at our day jobs. My husband is a high school teacher and I’m a college librarian. After work is cooking dinner, mowing the lawn, and all that fun stuff that comes with home ownership. Then at night I go to my moonlighting job…which is writing novels. I usually do a fair amount of daydreaming while commuting or at the gym, so I’m usually able to bang out a scene or two each night.

What are two things that people might be surprised to know about you?
My nickname in college was ‘Ice Princess.’ I guess I gave off cold vibes, but that wasn’t what I intended. I was just shy. A lot of shy people get mistaken for haughty and cold, but don’t believe it.

I also think most people who know me would be surprised that I write novels. For my day job I publish dull, dry nonfiction books and I didn’t want that getting mingled with my novels. I write fiction under a pseudonym in order to keep my work life and Elizabeth Camden life separate. So actually the online fans know a lot more about Elizabeth Camden than the people who work down the hall from me! I simply don’t talk about that part of my life at work.

What's your favorite book & favorite movie?
Book: The Chronicles of Narnia. That was the series that took a slow-learning, non-reading kid and turned me into a wide-eyed girl eager to devour novels. It will always hold a very special place for me. I loathed the movies though. Sorry, but for me they lacked the magic and beauty of what I saw in my mind.

Movie: Can I say a TV show instead? I am fanatic about Downton Abby. I love the characters, the drama, and the writing. It’s a fabulous show and I learn more about writing dialog from watching a single episode of Downton Abby than from an entire creative writing class. Also, I am dazzled by the new BBC series Poldark. I adored the original version that came out in the 1970s, but I think the new version may be even better. The first episode was ‘meh,’ but it has been magnificent after that. I love the epic scale, the passionate emotions, the drama and turbulence. And oh yes, the hot lead actor is easy on the eyes, too!

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A librarian. And I got to be one! Being a librarian is actually an incredibly cool career. If you want a management position in a library you need to get a master’s degree in Library Science, but it pays well, the benefits are great, and you get to buy books with other people’s money. What could be better?

What three adjectives would your family/friends use to describe you?
I’ll say it in two words: Dream Killer. That sounds rather scary, doesn’t it? We jokingly have Indian names in our family which describe our characters, such as: Running Mouth, Mighty Wind, Fierce Peanut…..anyway, I am Dream Killer. My husband gave me the name because I am the ONLY practical person in my family. For example, when it’s time to buy a new car, my husband wants a Porsche. I want a car we can all fit in and afford, so I veto the Porsche. Dream Killer! My husband wants to go out for Sunday brunch and order artery clogging omelets, and I think we should stay home and have a bowl of healthy bran cereal. Cheap and healthy, right? Nope! Dream Killer strikes again.  

What's the next book you're writing?

I’ve got a beauty & the beast type story coming out in December (Until the Dawn). It features a difficult, despondent hero who is lost in darkness and despair until he meets a wonderfully luminous woman who simply won’t allow him to wallow in his misery. It’s set in a gothic estate in the Hudson River Valley with a centuries-old mystery driving the action. Here’s a link for more information. http://amzn.to/1gEdwpP

(Missed part one of this interview? Here's the link: Part One)

Hope you all enjoyed this author interview with Elizabeth Camden! I know I sure did. I always love to learn more about the author themself... A BIG thanks to Elizabeth Camden for taking the time to answer these questions!