At one point in her life Charmaine Gordon has been a daytime actress, a spokesperson, has also starred in commercials and on stage. Now, after leaving it all behind she has taken up writing. She seems to have taken to it with the same zest she did her acting career! Already numerous books into it, with more to come, she's not letting life slow her down.
Well, she did slow down for a few minutes, long enough to kindly answer the questions posed to her. Read on to find her responses. At the end are her buy links, so be sure to check it out!
*What was your life like before becoming an author?
Life before writing was filled with acting. As an actor, I auditioned a lot, read scripts, sometimes got cast in movies, plays, lots of daytime drama. A sweet time, very competitive as I read against seasoned performers but I got lucky and was cast many times. My first break was being Geraldine Ferraro’s stand-in in a Pepsi commercial. That opened a lot of doors especially into the unions.*What sparked the idea for your series?
The new series came toward the end of “NOW WHAT?” my third book with Vanilla Heart Publishing. The characters were so lush, I hated to say goodbye. Then I wrote “RECONSTRUCTING CHARLIE” and toward the end, some key characters reappeared. A series began. The second, “HAVEN” features Jimmy Costigan and his sister’s best friend, Shelley Jackson. It’s a novella. I’m writing the final story in the series now.
*How personal is your writing?
I didn’t realize how personal writing can be . As the writer writes, bits and pieces of yourself fall onto the page and there you are.
*Which comes first? The character's story or the idea for the novel?
I sleep write. A story comes to me in the night. In the morning I begin to write with an idea of a beginning, middle and ending in mind.
*What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
If you want to write, just do it. Everyone has a story. Begin by lifting the curtain you hide behind and write. You might begin with “Remember When” and write an anecdote about a memory. Whatever you do, keep writing. I did and now I have six books to my credit and another on the way.
*What is your favorite authors/books?
I love Robert B. Parker, his style and humor. If you haven’t read his Western stories, you’re missing something wonderful.
*If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Oh to have a meal with my Mother again who died suddenly at age fifty, beautiful and funny. One of a kind.
*What was your favorite part of the book(s)?
In “Now What?” my favorite part is where the heroine calls to the presence of her deceased husband and he joins her.
*What was the hardest part to write in the book(s)?
I cried a lot and laughed while writing “NOW WHAT?”-a story close to my heart. Hard to write and yet I couldn’t stop as the words flowed from my fingers.
*Where are you from?
Chicago is my hometown. Two of my books are set there. Can’t stay away.
*Tell us your latest news?
Recently I had hip replacement surgery. While lying behind the curtain in the room for two, I began to wonder if I was the one behind the curtain or was it my roommate. My writer’s mind, foggy with pain meds, began to work. I’m writing the story of this experience as the third in the series. A strange time and still is as I struggle to become whole again.
*When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing when my voice no longer functioned well enough for stage, movies, soaps. At the end of the run of The Fourth Commandment-off Broadway, I decided to write.
*When did you first consider yourself a writer?
When Vanilla Heart offered a contract, I definitely knew I’d become a writer.
*What inspired you to write your first book?
The first book, TO BE CONTINUED came to me in the night. I didn’t know anyone who’d been abandoned in marriage but there she was. The story is Survive and Thrive with Romance/Suspense and humor as Beth Malone struggles to become the winner she once was.
*Do you have a specific writing style?
My writing style is loose. I just do it.
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