Elizabeth Camden ~ Author Interview 2

Jul 15, 2016 by Rachel

Welcome back to Rachel’s Back Talk! Time for another Friday interview!

Today’s interview is with Elizabeth Camden. This past Monday, I had the opportunity to review her book From This Moment.

So without further ado, on to Rachel’s Back Talk – Special Edition!

RR: Hi Elizabeth! It is great to have your here at Rachel’s Back Talk today. How did you come up with the idea for From This Moment?

EC: I knew that this book was going to have a perma-free novella to introduce it, so I had to design a story big enough to encompass two separate releases. Promotional novellas almost always focus on secondary characters from the main novel while providing a sneak peek at the future lead character. I asked my editor if I could try something a little different. I’ve always been intrigued by second-chance-at-love stories, so I wanted to make the novella the story of two very young people who fall madly in love and impulsively marry. Then I wanted the main novel to feature that same couple ten years later after their marriage has fallen apart and they have a shot to patch things up. I wrote the Summer of Dreams novella with all the joyous exuberance of young love, but deliberately seeded it with a few hints that don’t bode well for a lasting marriage.

After writing the novella I decided to shift course. A secondary character from the novella dominated every scene he was in, and I knew readers would be disappointed if Romulus wasn’t given center stage in the main novel. I still kept Clyde and Evelyn from the novella as a major secondary love story woven throughout the novel. So From this Moment features two love stories for the price of one!

RR: Was it difficult not to make the focus on Evelyn and Clyde from the novella?

EC: Not really, simply because Romulus was such a larger-then-life character that he naturally took up most of my attention.

Here is an embarrassing confession….but I have it on very good authority that most romance writers feel this way….sometimes I get choked up while writing moving scenes. When this phenomenon first started happening to me I was mortified and embarrassed, but now I know it is a sign that I’m turning out good work! If I don’t get choked up while putting my characters through the wringer, how can I expect readers to? Anyway…all this is to say that I got routinely choked up while writing the Clyde and Evelyn scenes….this happened more for them than any other couple I’ve ever written. Maybe it’s because I was so in tune with their backstory that they felt so real to me, and I so desperately wanted them to get back together.

RR: That is awesome to know! I love it when I become so wrapped up in the story that the characters become so real. So how did you come up with Romulus and Stella’s characters?

EC: My last several heroines have been extremely “nice.” Kind, gentle, suffering….and I was in the mood to write a woman who was the complete opposite: a dazzling go-getter more than happy to fight for what she needs. Given that Romulus is such a dominant personality, I wanted Stella to be able to stand up to him and not get overshadowed on the page.

Both Romulus and Stella are Type A personalities who present themselves as fearless and successful. The challenge for me as a writer was to give them each enough vulnerability so that readers can still identify with them.

RR: What was the level of research in this book given all the politics/mystery the story involved?

EC: I read a ton of books about the construction of the Boston subway, which gave me a lot of insight into the world of 1890’s Boston. That was about all I had to do. I’ve often set novels in Boston simply because it’s a fantastic city in terms of culture, innovation, high society, a mix of ethnicities, and a spectacular waterfront setting.

RR: As we close here, what do you hope readers will take away from Romulus and Stella’s story?

EC: From this Moment is a deeply emotional story, but I tried to inject flashes of humor, hope, and inspiration throughout the book. This novel is a celebration of love in its many faces: familial, friendship, spiritual, and romantic. Love is the fuel that powers our boldest and most courageous actions. Real love requires looking beyond ourselves and to the well-being of others and leaning on guidance from a higher power.

The novel is also a deep dive into the subject of marriage. Romulus is terrified of marriage because he’s never seen one that works, while Stella’s parents have an amazing marriage. One reviewer even mentioned that Stella’s parents make for a third love story in the novel.

Most romance novels focus on the rush of infatuation, then let the characters ride into the sunset to a presumably happy ending. As a passionate fan of marriage, I worry this may sometimes give the wrong impression, especially to my younger readers. From this Moment explores some of the issues necessary for a vibrant marriage, in all its shining, imperfect glory.

RR: I love that, Elizabeth, and it was wonderful to see that side of a marriage as a reader!

If you have any questions for Elizabeth or remarks about the interview, please leave a comment. I love hearing from you and I know Elizabeth will too!

In case you missed it, here is the review that I wrote on Elizabeth’s book, From This Moment.

AND — I am having a giveaway of From This Moment. All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and I’ll draw a winner next Saturday the 23rd! Don’t miss out…it’s one of my favorites. 🙂

pressphoto2-211x300 A research librarian and associate professor, Elizabeth Camden has a master’s in history from the University of Virginia and a master’s in library science from Indiana University. She has published several articles for academic publications and is the author of four nonfiction history books. Her ongoing fascination with history and love of literature have led her to write inspirational fiction. Elizabeth lives with her husband in central Florida.