Interview with Elle Amberley

Our guest today is Elle Amberley. Not a member of the RNA but a prolific author who writes Women’s Fiction, Literary, short stories and features. Her publisher tells me that Elle’s particular strength is writing positive stories with a strong theme of being lost and finding yourself again. Having overcome many obstacles in her life, including a very difficult childhood, she chose to reconstruct her life. Rather than writing a memoir like many abuse victims she prefers to marry fiction with some of her own experiences.

Do you have to juggle writing with the day job? What is your work schedule? 

Writing is my job, I’m lucky in that respect, not sure what else I’d do if I was not a full-time novelist. I have two pen names, Elle Amberley being very new. It was a bit of an experiment, trying a different style as I normally write Literary Fiction. Mind you, I also homeschool my children, so I do juggle. I don’t have a particular schedule but when I write my first draft, the story has usually been festering in my brain and bursting to come out, which means I forget the world out there as it all comes out fast and furiously.

Can you share with us the craft tip that has helped you the most? 

Reading is an important part of a writer’s life. I start reading when I was 3 and haven’t stopped. The more you read, the better you write. Other than that I’m an impulsive writer, I don’t follow any particular rules, apart from listening to the voices. Well, I hope you know what I mean.

Are you a plotter or a panster? 

Tough one, I’m not sure. I do at times write the outline, not always before I write the first draft, it varies. I have the story in my head and it just flows out. I guess I have it all worked out in my head until I can’t bear to not to write it all down. So, no, I don’t spend hours agonising over what’s going to happen next. The process is very organic in my case.

With the increasing popularity of ebooks, how do you think digitisation has helped or changed your own career as a writer? 

I prefer books, I can see all the advantages of ebooks particularly when travelling, but find them hard to read. Also I spend so much time in front of a screen I like to disconnect. Saying that, you have to stay in tune with changes. It probably helps more with my new pen name than it does with the other. It’s exciting and it helps authors who might not have been published otherwise. I hear a lot more publishers do ebooks only.

Can you tell us about your work in progress and how you got the idea for it?

My work in progress is a novel in French. I’d never written in French until a couple of years ago. A very personal event prompted this, a way to release the pain buried inside me after a period of intense grief. This was part of the inspiration behind Lost in your time, my latest novel, based in Paris. I found I enjoyed writing in French more and more and enjoyed the contrast between the two languages and how it has influenced my writing.

Elle's children also love Paris.

And now for some lighter questions:

Who is your favourite hero? 

People who have touched me, the ones who try and change things, or step in to help others.

Do you work with the door locked? 

No, at times I can write in the middle of complete chaos around my children. At others when I do need quiet, I get organised.

What would represent a romantic gesture to you? 

My husband pushing a piece of cake in front of me, together with a cup of coffee while I’m in oblivion and tapping away on my keyboard. Little things, big things, it all counts.

Lost In Your Time

published by Indio Press, a new, small and independent press.

Ah, the dangers of the internet! We’ve all been warned, but do we take notice? When Natasha clicks on a link, her whole life is turned upside down. A flash from the past, a chance meeting with a gorgeous French rock star...

A chance to start over and forget the pain and misery from the last two years. But can Natasha let go? Will she accept this new twist in her life?

Thank you Elle for sparing time to talk to us today. We wish you every success in the future. Best wishes, Freda

To find out more about Elle Amberley you can find her here:

http://www.elleamberley.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/Elle.Amberley.Author

https://twitter.com/#!/ElleAmberley

Lost Behind the Scenes

Interviews on the RNA Blog are for RNA members, although we do occasionally take guests. If you are interested in an interview, please contact me: freda@fredalightfoot.co.uk