10 QUESTIONS FOR…C. Ellene Bartlett, author of “Letters to Rosy”

Author interview with C. Ellene Bartlett, Author “Letters To Rosy”

Clarkeston, Georgia (a suburb of Atlanta) was thrilled to announce the birth of  C. Ellene Bartlett on a bright sunny afternoon on August 26, 1935. After WWII my family moved to Stockbridge, Georgia, a small town where I spent my grammar school days trekking the fields and woods with my brother and first cousin.  After graduation, I married a southern gentleman and produced two children.  The marriage did not work and divorce was imminent.  I met and married an Air Force sergeant. The 34- year marriage yielded an onsite education for my children and me.  It allowed us to traveling throughout the States plus four years in Berlin, Germany. Working with and socializing with it’s citizens taught us their customs, likes and dislikes. The memories are priceless. My husband passed away and years later, I met my soul mate and now we reside in New Port Richey, Florida.

1. Tell us about your latest book.

“Letters To Rosy” is an emotional release for two aging women; one, Rene Dubois in Germany and Roselee Payton in the USA.  Rene is tortured with the memory of her friend Ken Mitchell, the premature death of his wife and the disappearance of his precious daughter Sasha.  Rosy was so relieved to hear from her childhood friend and tossed caution to the wind.  She wanted to tell the story of Mendy, the third member of the teen years of fun and mischief. With tears so near the surface, she started her story of Mendy’s disappearance along with Misty, her six-year-old daughter.  Unaware of the abduction, Trevor, Mendy’s husband had a torrid encounter with a seductive redhead.  Mendy’s rape, witnessed by Misty, was so horrible it thrust Misty’s mind into a dangerous state of denial. This abduction was the product of a sick-minded schoolmate who sought revenge for an act that would force him to have a limp the remainder of his life.

2. How did you get started as a writer?

There are so many possible stories in the small towns of anywhere USA that I thought would make interesting reading.  I had no training in the art of book writing.  One evening, we had friends over for dinner and I ask John how I could write a book.  He asked me, “Do you like to write letters?”  “Yes, I do.”  “Well then, write letters telling your story.”  That is how I started writing.

3. What does a typical day look like for you?

We are up at 5:30am.  I read the paper to my husband, who is blind from Wet Macular Degeneration and have two cups of coffee.  At 6:45 daily, I get dressed and take my husband to the golf course to enjoy a few hours of relaxation with the men.  His game of golf is still sharp.  He has enough peripheral vision to execute a mean golf stroke.  On Monday and Wednesday, I golf 9- holes with the girls.  On Saturday, my husband and I golf in a couple’s league. Afterwards it home for lunch then chores, ie, laundry, cleaning, shopping and household accounts to post.  I manage to set aside some time for my writing.  I am near finished with my second book.  I stop writing by 4:00 pm and spend the evening with my husband.

4. Describe your workspace.

We live in a senior’s park and our manufactured home has two bedrooms, one is mine.  My computer is nestled on one side of the room.  The light comes in the windows facing the West in the mornings and the sun beams in those windows in the afternoons.  It is a quite and pleasant place to work.

5. Favorite books (especially for writers)

At the onset of my writing, I read many, many instruction books and books listing advice from famous published authors.  I subscribe to the Writers Digest, which I love.  As for books for enjoyment, I read, Dean Koontz, Victoria Holt, Danielle Steel and John Grisham.

6. Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you

1.  While appointed to work in an area project office, set up by the Welfare Department in Baltimore, Md., to better that community, one day I was alone in the office and a young man stopped by to chat.  I was 19 at that time and the young man was a little younger than that.  He visited the office several times but it was no big deal to me so I never mentioned it to my superior as numerous people in the neighborhood did the same.  When I did mention it, my boss turned pale and had to sit down.  I asked him what was wrong.  He told me the nice young man was the leader of a deadly gang in that area.  The next week, I stayed late at work to help with a function in another neighborhood.  When my duties were completed, I had to take a bus or two in order to get to my home section.  The first leg of the trip was over and I had to walk several blocks to my next connection.  The street was dark with the exception of a lamppost in the middle of the block.  I saw about eight or nine males, of varying ages, gathered around that lamppost.  Panic began to take over.  However, there was no option but to march right up to the men and ask for directions to my next bus stop.  To my amazement, the men stopped talking and directed me to the bus stop.  I arrived home safely and to this day I believe the young man tested me those times he stopped by and put the word out that I was okay  and to leave me alone.

The moral to this story is:  Do not jump to conclusions about the people you meet, accept them the way they are.

2.  At age 8, during WWII, we lived in Atlanta, Ga.  There lived down our street two eccentric sisters.  One stopped at our house periodically to phone the Mayor complaining of one thing or another. There was an alleyway alongside their house that she owned small tenant houses.  The kids, and some adults, tormented the sisters because they were different by warring long black dresses and big bows in their hair and their makeup poorly administered.  In defense of the sisters, my, so called friends, dared me to go visit them.  My bravado took over and I agreed to do it, thoroughly convinced they would never lay eyes on me again.  The well-remembered visit turned out well with an invite into their home with a real treat of homemade peanut brittle. She pointed out the damage people had done to her beautiful Grand piano by throwing a brick thru her picture window.  It broke my heart.  I felt so sorry for the sisters and got angry with the kids, and grown ups for doing such a dreadful thing. When I returned unharmed and my bravery still raging I let into the kids and told them sternly to leave the sisters alone they were very nice people.  Years later, my mother sent me an article stating the sisters were arrested for tax evasion.  A strip search, by the police on their arrest, yielded $40,000.00 in small tobacco sacks pined to their undergarments.

The moral to this story is: Don’t judge a book by its cover.

3.  My girlfriend and I took a night trip to spy on her x-husband.  He lived on a lonely dark road in the country.  We were sneaking up the road from where she had parked the car.  Meanwhile, her X had recognized the sound of ‘glass packs’ on her car and knew what she was up to.  Don’t ask me what glass packs are, I don’t know, but I think it is a device put on the mufflers to make a significant sound.  They were popular in the late 50’s and early 60’s.  With anxious anticipation of catching him red-handed at mischief, we quietly eased our way into his yard.  We did not notice a big bush harboring the potential victim.  He pounced out and yelled, “What are you doing here?”  We were the blunt of our own mischief and were scared out of our senses.  We ran laughing back to the car with wet panties and cold to the bone.

The moral to this story “leave sleeping dogs lie”.

7. Favorite quote

“Follow your dreams, if you believe, anything is possible” I do not know who wrote it or if the wording is the same.

8. Best and worst part of being a writer

The best part of being a writer is the freedom to pretend and live the story you are putting on paper and hearing someone say, “I loved it”.

The worst part of writing is getting enough lone time to really progress in the story without interruptions.

9. Advice for other writers

Read my favorite quote, “follow your dream, if you believe, anything can happen”.  Man or woman, both have pretended as a child, the woman was a beautiful princess rescued by the handsome prince, the man, a handsome warrior or a fearless cowboy.  We all pretended so pretend again. Submerge yourself into your story and write what you want to happen.  Never give up on the first try.

10. Tell us a story about your writing experience.

I was extremely proud at the finish of “Letters To Rosy”.  My daughter read the book and called me a “bitch” for her loss of sleep to finish the book.  My daughter and I are the best of friends.   Other people have also said they could wring my neck for the same reasons.  I get all pumped up and then get a bad review and it seems that my world was invaded.  However, I take the bad reviews, turn them into something positive and carry on.

Writing was so new to me; I thought I could just write a book, get it published and live happy ever after as a rich woman.  Wrong!  We ran into and accepted help from the wrong people, searched the internet for some honest help with our plight and finally we found someone we were comfortable with and trust that their best interest were for us. I don’t know how to toot my own horn and Query Letters are my hang up.

Did you ever have a party and no one showed up?  That happened to me at a book signing.  I’m all dressed up in my best finery, strutting around like a Miss Aster, and no one shows up.  It is very disappointing, but at least I got a chance to dress up and feel like the most important person on the planet.

Where can people buy your books?

amazon.com,  letterstorosy.com, dogearpublishing.com

There is a book trailer on YouTube. Look for “Letters To Rosy”