ROMANCE WRITER: LUSH SENSUAL GOTHIC READS
Thanks for stopping by and your interest in what I’m up to! Below an author interview which I thought could also serve as some background about me, my life and why I write what I write.
Q: What do you write?
A: I write lush, sensual stories set in Victorian England. They skirt the edge of Gothic eroticism and dark romanticism giving them a rich, moody feel.
Q: What would you say are your influences?
A: I am strongly influenced by fairy-tales… not the Walt Disney kind, but how they used to be told; the old ones that held real darkness to overcome, were often darkly sexual and where the rewards for undertaking the journey were often not what you expected. Also Jung, his collective unconscious, synchronicity, and archetypes. I have a deep connection with symbols, story and the human spirit which I aim to express in my writing.
I also don’t think of myself so much a writer as a novelist – the story is what drives me rather than a passion to write in and of itself.
Q: What drives you to write the characters you do? They are not typical of the genre.
A: I have a deep affection for the wounds and shadows which make us uniquely and poignantly beautiful. Deep inner wounds are my speciality. Like many of us, my heart has been broken and bruised … the cracks and breaks lovingly tended. These breaks have added depth, compassion, equanimity and knowledge to my life. More often than not it is these breaks which are the well that I draw on in living, more than the light joyous moments. Naturally, the dark and broken beauty of life is the landscape I would find myself writing in.
Many people ask me why the Victorian Era?
I chose the Victorian era because it is very suitable to the moodiness and deep seated sexuality that comes from our shadow self, from our breaks and wounds.
There were some very eccentric things going on with those Victorians that drew me to write in their time. On the surface they had tight social protocols and yet under the surface there was a mass of sexual liberties and activities. It was a world on the brink of change, advancements being made all the time and social layers dismantling. Freud was mapping out the human psyche and enmeshing it in sexual drives and foundations. Men arriving from the country created a demand for erotic photographs as they were unable to pay for physical comforts. There were disproportionate numbers of flagellation brothels and the Contagious Disease Act made prostitution manageable under the law triggering the first recognized fight for Victorian feminism.
There was a morbid fascination with death where families had photographs taken with the recently deceased and pinning for the loss of a loved one was seen as amazingly romantic. It was a time when science was making wild steps forward sometimes in bizarre and frightening directions. Dialogs were opened where science and the endeavors of men & women were being held up against long held beliefs, like the great debate of creationism and evolution.
The expansion of the British empire brought multicultural citizens to London. Other parts of the world were growing like the opening of Japan and it’s massive rise from a feudal nation to one that was a modern driving force, and with it the cultural influx which became known as Japonism. There were so many elements that brought the world and its treasures to Great Britain that allow for fabulous story telling.
I think you get the idea. It was exciting, turbulent and a incubator for the future.
In this world, with these kind of back drops, I think the Victorians explored and grappled with many of the things we still do today. I think the themes that come out are relevant to us as contemporary readers, and reading about them historically allows us to show contradictions, foibles and eccentricities more clearly.
Having said that I haven’t endeavored to make a sociological statement … I simply like to write about love, sexuality and relationships.
On another note. In my blog I have endeavored to take steps to be sensitive to creative ownership. If I have shared something of yours which is not covered by the steps I have taken and you would like me to remove it or change the way I have sited it, please email me.
Thanks again for your interest!
my books and giveaways.
Mask by Damselfrau
Many thanks for the visit and the links Harold. ๐
Beautiful site. Absolutely beautiful. So excited for you.
Thank you Kylie <3 It means a lot to me that you like it!! XXOX
Fascinating! Glad you came by dark ecologies, Elsa… wish you the best on your publications as well! Sounds intriguing!
Many thanks S.C. I look forward to your next post ๐
I wrote a story recently, whose protagonist was Elsa. ๐
๐ I hope she was good ๐
Thanks for the follow, Elsa. I appreciate it. All the best with your novels! Dascha’s artwork is lovely.
Thanks!! Yes, Dascha’s work is beautiful, she’s a very generous artist!
Thank you for the reblog and for visiting my site! I love the design and look of your blog. Lovely artwork by Dascha! Best wishes for your upcoming books! If anyone you know is curious about self publishing, I’ve posted a guide and collection of articles on the topic. I’ll also be posting short stories, poems, and snippets of my coming-soon novel as it gets closer to being published!
That’s great!! I’ll make sure I come by and have a look. I’m sure I’ll reblog more!! ๐ Thanks for your comments!
Hi mate, just wanted to drop by and say a big THANK YOU for the reblogs and for following my blog, I appreciate it ๐ it’s nice to know that there are people willing to help and be supportive ๐ I dig your blog too, am following now so looking forward to your posts!
Thanks Nathan. And you’re welcome. Love your posts! ๐
Hello Elsa,
Thanks for reblogging my post, and I’m enjoying reading your work and following some of the other blogging communities you belong to. Best to you!
You’re welcome Miguel! And many thanks for stopping by ๐
I’ve enjoyed reading your writing and am looking forward to reading more in the future. BTW, thanks for the reblog ๐
Thx and you’re welcome ๐ It was a good post!!
Just a word to say how I’m enjoying following your blog, and a big thankyou for the rebogging of my posts. Your posts are varied, which makes them particularly interesting. You treat us to music ,art and poetry as well as your own excerpts. As I’ve said before, I really wish you success in your journey towards publication next year. It’s drawing nearer.
Thanks Millie. I really appreciate the encouragement and support. It’s a pleasure to reblog your posts. They have great information in them that I know other writers will love too.
Love your site. Beautiful
Thank you Jean <3
LUV reading parts of your books,and LUV your sire………….SWOONING over your SENSUAL READS…..SIGH…….:) .IM HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND YOU……CANT WAIT TO READ YOUR BOOKS………..WOULD I BE ABLE TO GET YOUR BOOKS IN CHAPTERS BOOK STORE HERE IN CANADA.HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND…………..:)
Thanks Joan. I am very complemented!!! I aim to have books out electronically from mid to late March 2015. Unfortunately not through Chapters. A print on demand option will be available and I will be doing giveaways via my FB page for hard copies after they release. Please drop by and I should have more on my page by early Jan of the release dates for 2015 there will be 4 through the year. <3
Hi Elsa. Just to let you know that I’ve just nominated you for the SIsterhood of the World Bloggers Award. Whether you choose to accept it or not, I want to say how much I enjoy your blog and connecting with you.
Yeay!! Thank you Millie <3 <3
Hi Elsa, just happened across your blog and gave it a follow. If you like, visit me at http://www.thatssojacob.wordpress.com and see what’s new in my world. Have a great day!
HI Elsa. Just to let you know that I’ve just tagged you on my post, Love in Four Words. I’m sure this will be so much easier for you to do than me. You’re so used to writing romantic phrases. ๐
Thanks Millie. I’m in Bali doing a writing retreat with dodgy internet but will try ๐
Wow! you lucky person. I’d give anything to be in Bali right now – especially on a writing retreat. No pressure with this one – I just thought it was right up your street. You’re so good at writing Romantic ‘snippets’. Enjoy the rest of your time away, anyway. (Hope your internet behaves itself.) ๐
thought you might enjoy this, Exhibit of Tattoos in Japanese prints at the SF Asian Art Museum:
http://www.asianart.org/exhibitions/tattoos-in-japanese-prints
Opps missed this message sorry Laura. Nom nom the link is fabulous!