An Interview with Charlene Wilson

The Write Way Café welcomes Charlene Wilson, who shares how her dreams became books.

When did you first have the thought you'd like to write a book? Was that first thought related to writing romance?
I don’t remember the first time I thought I’d like to write a book, actually. I wrote short stories in my youth and kind of progressed from there. All my stories seemed to have a romantic base. Lol. There was no conscious decision, maybe fate?

What was your path to getting this book written and published? What type of research did you do?
The path to getting it written was a natural one. It spilled out of me along with the next 3 books in the series. I didn’t know a book couldn’t be 5K words. Who made up that rule anyway? Lol. But I broke it down to the three and got to work revising. Needless to say, I didn’t know what I was doing and revisions turned into several years of edits and more revisions. I submitted to quite a few places before it found a home with Astraea Press. They believed in it and here we are. Published and on our way.

As far as research, I needed to do quite a bit of surfing the web to find just the right words, to describe the scenes and have my characters act naturally deep in the caverns of the World Beneath the Rock. I knew nothing of caves, creatures from below, rocks or anything of the like. But I was able to visit a couple beautiful caverns to get close up and personal with the sediment drapery, cave bacon, and coil crystals that form down there. Amazing!

Where did the idea for your story come from?
Parts of this story came from a set of consecutive dreams I had a very long time ago. I had written short stories about them, and when I sat to write Chad and Salana’s story, I incorporated several scenes from those dreams. I can still remember them like I’d just had them. Vivid and beautiful.

Why did you pick the setting you did?
The setting was natural to the story since it was the setting in the dreams I had. The pool Salana swims in deep in the heart of Aumelan, The ferry keeper’s shack, Sun City University, and the three spires that will have such meaning in book three. They were all there and all I had to do was tie it all in together.

Are your main characters completely imaginary or do they have some basis in real people? Do they reflect aspects of yourself?
These characters are all from the dreams. Sorry. I can’t pin them on anyone I know or knew. Of course mannerisms find their way into their personalities from people I’ve watched as I rounded out the individuals they became.

What have been surprises you've encountered while writing the book and after?
I was surprised at how chatty my characters where when I sat and started writing. It was as if they had been waiting for ages for the right person to connect with them and agree to give them life. After writing the book, the surprise I’ve found is how many people absolutely love it! Lol.

What did you learn? For instance, what did you learn about yourself, your process, the writing world; about people as individuals and in society, and about survival?
I learned I had to open up and let go. If I’m going to grow as a writer, I need feedback from others. It’s hard to show your new baby to strangers. You love it, but what might they say? I’ve gained a very thick skin regarding critique and reviews and welcome all comments concerning how I can better my skill. And I’ve discovered the writing community is teaming with people who love to help. I’ve found countless insights that helped me grow as an author.

What are you working on now?
Now that Aumelan – Blessed of the Gods is out, I’m planning on going full force at Destiny, book three of the Cornerstone Deep series. A lot happens in Destiny and I plan to have it out in May 2015.  After that, Aumelan, book two, World Beneath the Rock is on the agenda.

Would you like to try your hand at writing a different genre?  Which one and why?
I do plan on writing a couple contemporaries, Clara’s Gift and Pepper. Pepper takes on the deputy roll as she serves in a large detention center. Clara is a feisty older woman in search of two special people. Pepper will be a series. Clara a short novella.

Who is your favorite hero/heroine?
In Aumelan, I hate to say it’s not Chad since he’s my leading man. But his best friend Styne is so vulnerable in his new position and struggles to maintain the dignity befitting a Leading Father of the Nation. At sixteen that’s a tall order, indeed. I just fell in love with Styne.

Thank you for having me on today. It’s such a pleasure to be here!

The unbelievable just hit Sun City. His name is Chad.

     Chad Aumelan is in love, but his world isn't right. Not when he's forbidden to have Dae just because she's his slave.
     When Salana Goffin meets Chad, she's faced with the unbelievable: A man who must take energy from a host to survive. He wants to find a cure to free the woman he loves. How can Salana turn away such a noble cause?
Together, they search for answers, but fate has another plan.

Buy links:
Amazon     B&N     Kobo    Author site


Charlene A. Wilson is an author of tales that take you to other dimensions. She weaves magic, lasting love, and intrigue to immerse you into the lives of her characters. She began writing in her early teens when her vivid dreams stayed with her long after she had them. The characters and worlds were so amazing she brought them to life through her books. Charlene resides in a small community in Arkansas, USA, with her two beautiful daughters, husband, a cuddly Pekingese, and a very chatty cockatiel named Todder.

Charlene can be found at:   Website     Facebook    Twitter     Goodreads     LinkedIn