Secrets of a Closet Coffee Fiend, Wordy Wordsmith and Bookworm Who Loves Adventure
Welcome to the musings of a meandering mind! So, you’ve decided you want to learn more about me, huh? Or maybe you were hoping for some fascinating dirt buried in this post that you didn’t get in my ‘official author bio‘. Well, I don’t know if you’re going to dig up any fascinating dirt. Dirt, maybe. Fascinating? No promises.
“I don’t need an alarm clock. My ideas wake me.”
—Ray Bradbury
I’m a writer with lots of ideas floating in my head–otherwise known as nefarious plot bunnies who keep me up at night. Pretty sure Ray Bradbury was a kindred spirit in that regard, though my ideas tend toward fantasy, paranormal and romance. Dragons, dwarves, elves, demons, banshees, vampires, werewolves, gargoyles and great characters that make me laugh out loud? There’s my cup of tea! (Coffee, actually, but you get the point.)
When I’m not writing, editing or plotting another story in my spare time, I’m reading. A lot. Nothing like a good book to keep me up until the wee hours of the night (and make me gripe that I’m too old to do that). I grew up reading authors like Anne McCaffrey, David Eddings, Terry Pratchett, Ray Bradbury, Edgar Allen Poe, Patricia C. Wrede, C.S. Lewis, Dean Koontz, Mark Twain, and others. (We could be here all day if I don’t shut up.) These days, I read a wide range of works; you’ll find my nose buried in anything from Shakespeare to the latest paranormal romance or urban fantasy. And I’m always rereading Jane Austen. Yes, I have a soft spot for Mr. Darcy.
When I’m not writing or reading? I have another creative gig that pays the bills. My day job involves crafting marketing messages for an environmental firm (and for which I sometimes travel to neat places like New York City, Copenhagen, or Amsterdam). When I’m not doing that, you can find me hanging with/harassing my own wonderful Mr. Darcy at home, out on a hiking trail somewhere in the middle of nowhere (preferably high up in the mountains, usually cursing my way up some switchbacks), kickboxing or biking, designing sparkly jewelry, or spending time with family and friends.
“Brevity is the soul of wit” — Polonius, from HAMLET
I have a graduate degree in Shakespeare and his fellow playwrights, which means I have a flair for the dramatic and a penchant for butchering plays with my poor acting skills. It also means I have a love for gorgeous language, for exploring the heights and depths of emotional experience, and for entertaining others with my words.
So, pull up a chair. And let me tell you a story (or two). Hopefully you’ll find a character you’ll laugh out loud with, or love to hate. And don’t worry–the plot bunnies are guaranteed to keep me up working on the next story!*
Cheers,
Elaine
*Author disclaimer: is often plagued by her characters in her sleep. Or in the car on the way to work. Or in the middle of nowhere on a hike. In other words, frequently when she doesn’t have a pen handy.
Characters can be pesky at times, when they want to be written. I keep telling myself it’s a good thing. 🙂
Oh, I wouldn’t have it any other way! I love it when characters clamor to be written. And they never fail to surprise me (which is odd, given they are springing from my imagination, but it holds true).
I like what you’ve done and I hope you keep it updated. Good luck!
Thanks, Ted!