Reading by Deb: INTERVIEW with ELLEN GILLETTE

I want to first thank Ellen Gillette for taking the time for this interview!

BIO:

Ellen Gillette is a south Florida author who also writes under the pen name Emily Sharpe.

She’s written four books and a novella for Blushing Books as Emily Sharpe, and has an inspirational romance novel, as well as books in other genres, with Pen It! Publications.

She also illustrated Fred Berri’s children’s book series, The Adventures of Carmelo and others.

In addition to writing and substitute teaching, she’s active with local community theater and enjoys going to yard sales and thrift stores.

When and how did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I’ve always loved to write stories and poetry, but wasn’t sure where it was headed. I attended a conference in 1988 (!) at which a respected and noted author said I had my answer - I should write for publication.

Eventually I published a few stories and was a weekly newspaper columnist, but only in the last few years have I thought of myself AS a writer.

Did you have any influencing writers growing up?

My third grade teacher read the class the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and one of my favorites was James Thurber’s The 13 Clocks. As I got older, I loved C. S. Lewis. Ferrol Sams’ trilogy remains a favorite series.

Are any of your characters based on people in real life?

Not directly.

Where do you draw your book inspirations from?

“What would happen if…?” can be all it takes, just the seed of an idea that becomes a story, that you begin to see how it would emerge into a book.

Do you use have a basic outline when starting a new story or do you let the characters lead the way?

It varies. With For Such a Time I envisioned a young divorcee attracted to a priest. I thought about how the relationship could possibly work out in an honorable way, and what lessons she might learn along the way.

With the Dear Editor series it was more about weaving together the various plot lines and relationships and characters so that the books flowed and entertained.

When you are picturing the characters in your book, do you have a cheater photo for inspiration?

I have friends who inspired some of the characters’ appearances, although not necessarily their other attributes.

One of my high school boyfriends had strawberry blonde hair and a beard, for example, so that’s who I pictured for one of the characters.

Many people read as a form of escape and relaxation. What is your favorite way to sit back and relax?

Every few weeks I drive away and lose myself in what I like to call the Parallel Universe. I like exploring new places, perusing book stores and thrift shops, sitting by lakes or the beach.

I enjoy reading in the hot tub with a glass of wine. I’m involved in community theater, where I can “be” someone else. Challenging, but also relaxing.

Who are your favorite current authors to read?

Carl Hiaasen is always a delight.

I just finished Elna Baker’s The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance- I loved her ability to laugh at herself, be transparent with her struggles and emotions.

What are your favorite books by others?

I mentioned Ferrol Sams before - I’ve given away so many sets of his trilogy. He wrote in such a way that you could hear his characters’ voices.

I love Billy Collins’ poetry, David Sedaris’ humor.

Different authors and genres appeal according to my current mood.

And as a Christian, I read the Bible a lot. I need that wisdom, that spiritual compass.

Do the locations in the stories have any meaning to you?

Sure! The Emily Sharpe series is mostly in a generic city, but the characters travel to Florida and North Carolina.

I lived in India for a year, so “returning” through the priest in For Such a Time was a treat for me.

The Yona Valley books are set in rural North Carolina, where I grew up. Writing about settings with which I’m familiar adds a layer of reality.

Do you write in single or multiple POV?

Multiple, but not within a scene.

When I change the POV, I separate the scene with asterisks. In other words, I’m inside the head of only one character at a time, but manage to work my way into most of their heads eventually 😊

What do you find to be your best research tool?

Google, definitely.

I looked up all kinds of S&M accessories for The Stonemason and the Lady, for instance.

If you could see my search history, you’d be surprised - well, not you, probably, but my family would be!

Do you write under a pen name? Also, do you write under more than one name?

I wrote the sexy series for Blushing Books under a pen name, Emily Sharpe. When I was in my mother’s womb she thought I was twins and planned to call us Ellen and Emily.

And Gillette...razors...sharp. That’s how I came up with Emily Sharpe. I wasn’t sure how those books would go over with my family, so a pen name made sense.

Now that I’ve “come out” I’ll stick with Emily Sharpe for the R-rated stuff, and Ellen will handle the G and PG material.

What genre do you write and why is this your preference?

I’ve written and illustrated a children’s allegory, which was my first fiction book.

I’ve written a non-fiction book about to be re-released after the first publisher went out of business

Now I’ve published five romances -- four that are graphic, one that is inspirational. The inspirational romance is more within my “wheelhouse” but the racy ones were a great experience - my first time dealing with a publisher, an editor, thinking about a particular genre and target audience, marketing ideas, getting to know other authors.

Tell me something about yourself outside of writing. Jobs, accomplishments, family, quirky trait...what led to you being you?

I home schooled our four children, which eventually led to teaching in a traditional classroom and now substitute teaching.

I act and sing with community theater which means I’m comfortable being in front of audiences.

I lived in India for a year, so I appreciate other cultures and viewpoints. Everything we experience in life adds to the mix, and at almost-64, I’ve had the privilege of experiencing a lot of wonderful things as well as a lot of painful ones.

My youngest son died at the age of 16 in 2000 and I heard someone say something that has always stuck with me: “Significant loss changes you, and you spend the rest of your life discovering who you are now.”

I’ve changed. I will change more. As long as we’re alive, we’re growing (hopefully) into better versions of ourselves.

What advice would you give to an aspiring writer?

Be humble. Ask others to read your work and give input. Keep writing - and rewriting.

How do you deal and process negative book reviews?

I recall one ARC reader who didn’t like Dear Editor because there were too many characters, he thought. A guy. Since my target audience was women, I didn’t mind so much!

What is the most difficult part of your writing process?

Finding the time is one challenge, since I also write for a family of magazines, substitute teach, take care of a household, do community theater, maintain relationships.

I know Stephen King said that writers miss family meals, but I’m not Stephen King, number one, and number two -- other things in life matter too.

And then there’s the overthinking, the waking up in the middle of the night wondering how you’re going to get this character out of that situation!

What do you need in your writer’s space to keep you focused?

Good lighting and a closed door.

My office used to be a back porch den sort of thing, so there are four - count’em, four - doors opening into it.

The bedroom and living room doors, I can usually manage. I have to lock the kitchen and back doors, though, so I don’t get traffic from the rest of the family.

What is your naughty indulgence as you are writing?

Nothing comes to mind. During our Zoom writers’ group, I have a drink handy, usually wine. When we met in person there was chocolate.

If you could spend a day with another popular author, whom would you choose? And why?

Probably Carl Hiaasen, because he’s a Florida writer and I would love to pick his brain about marketing ... and of course charm him so completely that he would share his agent or some other perk of being famous with me.

What is your schedule like when you are writing? Do you have a favorite writing snack or drink?

When I have time to JUST write, I get up, exercise, do a Sudoku puzzle from the newspaper - I still prefer the print edition - then close the doors of my office and get to it. I don’t usually eat or drink while I’m writing.

Do you listen to music when you write – what kind of music is your favorite?

Sometimes. If I’m able to write at school during a planning period, I might have meditation music playing, but that’s rare.

If I’m home and other noises are distracting, I might play music in the background, but not generally.

Claire de Lune by Debussy is my favorite piece of classical music, so that’s my go-to.

Have pets ever gotten in the way of your writing?

No. I know fellow writers who have to stop to let the dog out or have a visiting cat, but since our last dog passed away, we haven’t gotten another pet and don’t plan to.

What is your kryptonite as a writer? What totally puts you off your game?

Getting too busy or focused on other things. Sometimes you have to make choices.

I used to belong to a club that met twice a month. That doesn’t sound like much of a commitment, but when there are so many things going on, cutting back on just one can make a positive difference.

Have you ever killed off a character that your readers loved?

Not yet!

How do you celebrate after typing THE END?

When I finished the Dear Editor series, I had a great sense of accomplishment but also a bit of sadness. I would never meet those characters again, was the thought. And I genuinely liked them.

With the stand-alone For Such a Time, I didn’t experience that. I had left the characters happy and in good places, and their stories were over as far as I was concerned.