Come sit with
Charmaine Gordon
Romance Author
We hope each one of you had a wonderful Easter celebration with your family and friends! Thank you for stopping in to talk with Charmaine and learn more about what she writes. I can't say enough about this woman who makes everyone around her feel fantastic, whether you're in her presence or talking with her on the phone! Yes, I've been lucky enough to be able to chat with her over the phone on several occasions! Charmaine, thank you for your friendship!
I'm always pleased to have her as my guest and my readers love her, too. Thank you all for coming back to chat with her. Come sit with us in my garden, listen to the birds and enjoy a few moments as you learn more about Charmaine this week. Writing is near and dear to her heart and her books pull you in to meet each of her characters. She has a new book coming out and I'm pleased to help her announce this. Charmaine, as always, welcome to my blog!
Charmaine: Deanna, it's always a pleasure to hang out with you and your readers. Thank you for inviting me back. For the readers, writing is different for each author but here's what it is to me:
Power of Writing
What is the best thing about
writing?
As an actor, I cherished every word in the script with respect to the playwright never thinking one day I’d be a writer. A mother hears her child say, “Read me a story, Mommy.” Read becomes “Tell me a story, Mom.” And here I am with a publisher, Kimberlee Williams-Vanilla Heart Publishing, who calls and says, “Write another new story.”
As an actor, I cherished every word in the script with respect to the playwright never thinking one day I’d be a writer. A mother hears her child say, “Read me a story, Mommy.” Read becomes “Tell me a story, Mom.” And here I am with a publisher, Kimberlee Williams-Vanilla Heart Publishing, who calls and says, “Write another new story.”
The best part is using the powerful
gift of imagination. An idea wakes me from sleep. In the morning I write. Think
of what the writer can do with a story. You create a situation, two people
meet, maybe fall in love, a misunderstanding, obstacles you throw in their path
to prevent an easy solution and at last, love wins. OR an evil presence, a
parallel story to collide, illness, death, destruction, misunderstanding and
love wins OR. . .Possibilities are endless. The author is in command...OR is she?
The characters take over as they often do. The author loses herself, cries,
laughs, and writes until The End. You weep some more because your baby has
grown up and you want to show her to the world. Then the real work begins.
Promotion, marketing. Oh my. All you want to do is write.
And I’m a mild mannered woman
although I love murder and mayhem. Go figure. I’m always surprised at how easy
it is for me to develop a bad guy or woman. Who knows what evil lurks in the
mind of the gentle author? Certainly not my family. And when my daughter read
my first book with a sensual scene, she said, “Mom (with that dip-thong sound
giving mom two or three syllables) how do you know about sex. You don’t have. .
.etc.” Where does she think she came from? Oh, I know. She was born in Boston
and th, th, that’s all folks.
Here’s a blurb from one of my
faves, Reconstructing Charlie.
Charlie Costigan has a secret.
Home life gone from bad to the worse when she protects her mother from another
vicious attack by her drunken father. Midnight. Clothes thrown into an old
suitcase, she races for the bus with a letter to an unknown aunt and uncle. 'This
is my daughter. Embrace her as if she were your own.'
Determined, Charlie begins again. Alone with her secret.
Determined, Charlie begins again. Alone with her secret.
After I wrote The End, two
secondary characters came to perch on my shoulders and complain. “How about us?
Tell our story. “ I caved and began the process all over again with Sin of
Omission. “A lie by any other name is still a lie” to paraphrase Shakespeare.
My favorite scene from this book
is where Shelley Jackson finally tells the truth in the presence of her lover,
Jimmy Costigan and her best friend, Charlie, Jimmy’s sister.
“Charlie, you accepted me as a
friend and roommate but how would you feel if I were to marry your brother and
bring color into the lily white home of your Aunt and Uncle. I’ve been there.
So pristine and perfect. I envied your life and all the love they have for
you.” She took another deep breath and reached for the twins in Jimmy’s arms.
He relinquished them so readily it made her pause and when he again refused to
meet her eyes, her mind moved on. Maybe their father didn’t want them after all.
“That’s about all except to say I’m sorry. I’ve committed a sin of omission by
not coming clean. If you can find it in your hearts to forgive me, we can work
it out. Ball’s in your court.”
Deanna: I've enjoyed reading your books and can't wait to read your new one, The Catch! Readers, if you've not stepped inside one of her books, please visit her buy links and grab your download this week. You won't be disappointed when her characters touch your heart!
Ooh Deanna, if I weren't me I'd scoop up everything. Are we having fun or what? Thanks again for inviting me to meet your readers, fans, and friends. Love, Charmaine
ReplyDeleteLove your writing Charmaine, it's always so captivating.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Chelle. Captivating is music to this author's ears.
ReplyDeleteNice post. I like finding out more about the characters after they get their HEA.
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Hi bn100, so you like a series. The Catch is the third in the series although each book is a stand-alone.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by.
Charmaine, I downloaded your newest book the other day at B & N!! Can't wait to read The Catch and do a review for you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for hanging out with us!
Thanks, Deanna. My pleasure hanging out with you and your pals.
DeleteFor one thing, if I like the characters in a series first book then naturally I want their story to go on and on so am then anxious to read the second book in the series and the next
ReplyDeleteJFWisherd(at)aol(dot)com.
Hi JackieW. Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment. When I wrote Reconstructing Charlie I had no plan to write a sequel but there were so many rich characters, I just had to.
DeleteWhat I like most about series romance is how the characters and story evolves through each book. Really enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteSue B
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com
Evolve is the key, Sue. Thanks. It's exactly what's happened with the three stories and yet they stand alone.
DeleteI love the happy ever after endings in romance stories. In series romance I enjoy the character and story development.
ReplyDeletebhometchko(at)hotmail(dot)com
And here's another important word. Development. I've worked toward that in each story. Thank you, BookLady.
ReplyDeleteWe come to the close of a wonderful week. Thank you all. I'll be in touch regarding the winners of Once Again,Now, my first book.
ReplyDeleteAnd to you my friend Deanna, it's been a pleasure visiting with you.