Romance at Heart Magazine Author Interview: Charlie Valentine

Interview with Charlie Valentine:

Hi . Thank you for doing this interview. I would like to welcome you to the Romance at Heart Interview and Author Grilling session. *bg* We are interested to find out as much about you as we possibly can, so lets get started...

- Please tell us about your latest book.

"Better Days Ahead" is a 50’s saga involving the lives and loves of four unrelated families from Ohio, Michigan, Alabama, and California. Each family is unique and yet circumstances eventually bring all the families together. "Better Days Ahead" is the first book in the trilogy.

- What can we expect from you in the future?

Harbor Nights is the second book and takes this families into the tumultuously 60’s. It will be released within the year.

- How do we find out about you and your books?

www.charlievalentinebooks.com has all the info from book signings to bio.

- How may readers contact you?

Readers may email me at englishmillpress@aol.com or send a letter to:
English Mill Press
P.O. Box 881
Woodinville, WA 98072

- Do your fans' comments and letters influence you in any way?

If there is a day in which I should be writing but am not, I think about the question most often asked, “Why do I have to wait so long for the sequel?” That question alone makes me get back to the keyboard.

- Do you have a favorite comment or question from a reader?

Often times I am told that the person just could not put it down. But at the recent book launch there were three comments that stood out amongst the positive feedback. One woman told me that she and her husband were on a cruise the week before and for the first three days all they did was fight…over "Better Days Ahead".

Ironically, it was the husband who was at the butt of the quarrels; he was the one who wouldn’t put it down long enough to join his wife for the cruise activities. (Come to think of it, I don’t know if the wife ever did read it. At the launch she still seemed miffed.)

The second standout comment came from a woman who told me that she reads two to three books a week. She said that she had to meet me to tell me that it was one of the best books that she had read in years. The last one came in the form of a card from an acquaintance who I haven’t spoken to in over ten years. She wrote to tell me “thank you” for introducing her to such wonderful new friends. She said she cared so much about the characters lives that she is anxious for more. You know, the same “why do I have to wait so long for the sequel?”

- Why did you decide to write romance novels?

It was never my initial intention. Sometimes when you write a scene, it simply calls for sex. I never realized when I was writing the story that "Better Days Ahead" would turn out so steamy. But it has been brought to my attention on numerous times….and with smiles on their faces!

- How much of your personality and life experiences are in your writing?

My husband only wishes that he was the inspiration for some of the plotlines. Kidding aside, most of my ideas come in the form of vivid dreams. I start with them and as I write the characters take over and write their scene for me.

- When did you first think about writing and what prompted you to submit your first ms?

I started writing out of shear boredom because it filled the void in my days after I closed my travel agency post 9/11. As for submitting it, it was on the recommendation of friends who read early drafts.

- Generally, how long does it take you to write a book?

"Better Days Ahead" took much longer to write than it is taking on the second. The problem I had incurred was in keeping timelines of all the families sequential as I moved through the different stories. I couldn’t let one chapter go to far ahead of the next. You’ll understand once you’ve read it.

- Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow?

I definitely just go with the flow, although when I’m on a roll, I write for five or six hours. The next day I review those pages and make corrections before I move forward.

- What is your writing routine once you start a book?

Every few chapters that are written are sent to my editor for a sanity check. She makes her recommendations and then sends them back to me so that I can rewrite. That happened often with "Better Days Ahead" but I’ve learned so much from her through that book, there hasn’t been near the rewrites with Harbor Nights. I’ve come to know what she expects from me.

- What about your family, do they know not to bother you when you are writing - or are there constant interruptions?

Writing is a full-time job and I treat it that way from Monday through Friday. I rarely write on the weekends and when I do, the phones go on “do not disturb.”

- What do you do to relax and recharge your batteries?

I love to travel whenever possible. But when I am home, I am a “logic puzzle” fanatic. Figuring out a complex puzzle completely relaxes me.

- What truly motivates you in general? In your writing?

Aside from being a high-energy person from within, it is my husband who motivates. He is the proud peacock when it comes to showing off "Better Days Ahead".

- Where do your ideas come from?

Mostly from dreams, although occasionally I describe a scene from something I knew as a child.

- Do you feel humour is important in women's fiction and why?

Absolutely! You need a breather every once in a while just to get through some of the heavier scenes.

- What are your thoughts on love scenes in romance novels, do you find them difficult to write?

Not difficult to write, just embarrassing at times when someone says they loved the book and the way I vividly describe sex. One person said that she felt like she was a voyeur in someone else’s bedroom. But isn’t that what reading is all about?

- What kind of research do you do?

For the 50’s info, I spent a lot of time on the internet. Also, I purchased six antique women’s magazines from the era. You’d be surprised, but most all of the ads were for cigarettes, whiter teeth, and feminine products. Except for the smokes, some things never change.

- Would you like to write a different genre than you do now, or sub-genre?

Not at this time. I am comfortable with my style.

- What does your husband/wife think of your writing?

He is much more proud of my accomplishments than I am for myself.

- Do you ever ask him/her for advice?

After every chapter, he reads it for flow and content. There are times when he’s told me to think about rewording something or another. Other than that his only advice is to keep on writing.

- Please tell us about yourself (family, hobbies, education, etc.)

I have two daughters from my first husband. We were married very young; too young to know what we wanted out of life. After we divorced I attended college, although my career at GTE was in the fast track. I quit college and attended numerous management courses that the company was offered to me. There was a brief second marriage to a man who I only refer to when absolutely necessary by his first and last name. And then there is the love of my life, Roger. He is my inspiration and even though we were true opposites: he was the neat conservative who never had a glass of wine and I was the woman who was referred to as “party Charlie.” Over the years we have learned to balance each other in the middle. He now enjoys fine wines and I’ve really calmed down.

- Fill in the blank favorites -

I am not a dessert or a chocolate person.
I love Miami anytime except in the summer.
I love fall and its wonderful foliage.
I supposed I like the Rhett Butler hero type and the Scarlett O’Hara heroine.

- What are some of your favorite things to do?

Go to Chateau Ste. Michele Winery for a concert on the green. Just throw down a blanket, listen to the music, and enjoy a bottle of wine.

- Do you have a favorite author? Favorite book?

It’s an oldie, but The Firm by John Grisham.

- Who are some of your favorite authors to read?

I love anything by Michael Moore.

- Who, if anyone, has influenced your writing?

I don’t read the type of books that I write, so I’d have to say no one.

- Are you a member of any author groups - RWA, critique groups, etc.?

Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association.

- What do you think of critique groups in general?

No opinion.

- Where do you see yourself in five years?

Finished with this trilogy and on to other books!!!

- How long have you been writing - have you always wanted to be a writer?

I never knew that I wanted to write; it just happened after 9/11.

- How many books have you written, how many have been published?

"Better Days Ahead" is my debut novel.

- After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it?

No, I don’t. But my husband went into the local Barnes and Noble and found copies of it on a “favorites” table. He did buy one!

- Which comes first, the story, the characters or the setting?

I never thought of that before but the setting is first followed by the characters.Their story comes third.

- What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?

The hardest part is writing a scene that will hurt a character that I like; the easiest is writing a payback scene for someone who deserves it.

- Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?

The characters take on a life of their own and seem to write for me. However, there was a character that I introduced, but I didn’t like what she was doing and where the story was going so I highlighted the ten pages and hit “delete.” That really felt good!

- Have you experienced writer's block---> If so, how did you work through it?

Not yet and hopefully never!

- What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?

To be perfectly honest, I still haven’t understood all the hype about being an author.

- If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

I think I’d be back in the corporate world.

- Are there any words of encouragement for unpublished writers?

If I can write, anyone can! I hear more people tell me that everyone they know tells them they should write. I then tell them to just sit down and do it and when they have a few chapters written, hire an editor. They can critique it for content and at the very least analyze your writing style. It’s good to know where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

Thank you very much for taking the time with us and answering our questions. I really appreciate this interruption to your busy schedule. Good Luck, and we will be looking forward to the next delightful creation from your talented imagination!

Yours in good reading,
Rose!

Charlie Valentine Interview Review
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Buy Charlie's Books at English Mill Press