THE LADY OF BOLTON HILL - Elizabeth Camden - Free Book

Tell us how much of yourself you write into your characters.

I stay away from writing myself because I try to avoid boring my readers.  I am way too mild-mannered to be interesting, so this is where my imagination comes into play.  Like all writers, I draw on my own experiences of what it feels like to be lonely, intimidated, joyous, or triumphant….but that is where it ends. 

When did you first discover that you were a writer?

I remember when I was in third grade the teacher asked us to write down what we wanted to be when we grew up.  I had just finished reading Stuart Little by E.B. White and I was devastated by the ending.  Too sad!  I said that I wanted to grow up and write happier endings to books that ended badly.  Most third graders have yet to appreciate the voracious, blood-thirsty beast that is known as Copyright Law, so my idea didn’t make it past the fourth grade.  After that, I put the idea on ice for about twenty years.

As a more serious answer to your question:  Have you ever fallen in love with an art form so badly that you wanted to go beyond simply enjoying it, and start producing it?  I think this is how most artists, musicians, and writers get lured into their craft, and it was the same for me.  Reading has always been such a significant part of my life that I got to the point I wanted to try producing the kind of novels that had such a major impact on my life.

How do you choose your characters’ names?

Because I write historicals, I need to pick something that is appropriate to the era.  I really don’t want to read a Victorian with the heroine named Taylor or Madison. There is a great resource at the Social Security Administration called the Popular Baby Name Index: www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/

You can pick a year all the way back to 1880 and see the top 500 male and female baby names.  As I scan the list, a good one will usually pop out at me.  In the year 1880, the names Bertha, Edna, Irma, and Myrtle were all really big.  No offense against anyone with those names, but I don’t think they would be suitable for a romantic heroine.  Still, the list contains a smattering of names like Clara, Grace, Lilly, Julia.  All of these sound appropriate to the era, but still very palatable to modern sensibilities.

What is the accomplishment that you are most proud of?

I suppose that would be my marriage.  I certainly think it is the thing that brings me the greatest joy in life.  I got married too late to have children of my own, but I inherited two terrific step-daughters who have been a real treat.  I went through most of my adult life as a single woman, and I will never, never take the joy of a family for granted.

What is the problem with writing that was your greatest roadblock, and how did you overcome it?

Pride?  I’m not sure that is precisely the right word, but I can’t think of a better one.  When I completed my first manuscript, I thought it was a masterpiece.  I sent it off to a handful of top agents and checked my mailbox daily, getting ready to sign on with the best who offered. When no one did, I was stunned.  Was it possible my query was answered by a secretary?  Or an intern who was too green to spot blazing talent?  Or maybe you had to know someone to get your foot in the door, so I shouldn’t beat myself up because it wasn’t my writing that was holding me back, it was the system.   To make a long story short….this kind of thinking went on for a couple of years. 

After more rejections than I can count, I came to accept that these excuses were not getting me any closer to landing an agent.  I swallowed hard, did a gut check, and started from scratch.  I read voraciously.  I read the classics, genre literature, memoirs, anything that exposed me to writing that was fresh, original, and sparkly.  I also read dozens of books about the writing craft.  Some were better than others, but all of them helped me learn the ropes and spot some of my problems.  When I went back to work on a new manuscript, there was a marked shift in the reactions I received from agents.  I had a ton of requests for full manuscripts, but still no offer.

Then came phase three of my writing life.  I was convinced I was awful.  I was too blind to spot my problems and I needed to let go of this irrational dream to ever write a novel. 

But the thing was, I liked writing.  I liked everything about it and didn’t want to quit, even if no one ever read it.  I became a little more risky in the type of writing I submitted to agents, and then things finally gelled. I think it may have been the combination of ignorant self-confidence, a willingness to critically assess my work, and some strategic risks in the content of where I decided to stretch the genre that finally bumped me up to the next level. 

Tell us about the featured book?

One of my favorite romantic plots concerns lovers who are reunited after several years apart.  In The Lady of Bolton Hill, Daniel and Clara were quite young when they met and shared one of those intense, immediate bonds that can sometimes flare up between teenagers.  They are separated by Clara’s disapproving father.  The book begins when Clara returns to the United States after more than a decade abroad, and the chemistry between Clara and Daniel immediately blazes back to life.  The problem is they have followed such wildly divergent paths that they don’t know if they can find a way back to each other, even though they both crave it.

Something that was very important for me is that both my characters be very passionate people, but who are still fiercely intelligent and sensible.  Have you ever read a book where the conflict between the hero and heroine could be solved by a simple honest conversation?  There was no way I was going to let Daniel and Clara off the hook so easily!  Although it is clear they are madly in love, they will be put through the wringer before they can get to a happy ending.  I love a good turbulent story with love, betrayal, heartbreak, all punctuated with periods of soaring joy and utter delight.  That is what I aimed for with The Lady of Bolton Hill.  I’ll be curious to hear from folks if they think I got it in the ballpark.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

I blog at http://elizabethcamden.com/blog  Three times a week I write about my thoughts on the romance genre (in novels, movies, real life, etc.)  In my day job I am a librarian, so I also post lots of pictures of mouth-watering libraries.  I hope you’ll swing by for a peek!

Thank you, Elizabeth, for this peek into your writing life.

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