This week I spoke to D.A.Charles, known as Dee. Dee's book series has been published courtesy of Stories About Us, a very special project initiated to bring diverse voices to entertainment by Michaels.Adams. Dee says that Jd Michaels and Alec Frazier are a wonderful team to work with. The Storiesaboutus team publish books by disabled and deaf authors, concentrating on getting their art out there. To find out more go to http://www.storiesaboutus.org/
Dee is running a .99 cent sale on Shattered in the Kindle ebook store through the month of May to honour her mom’s birthday.
So Dee, how wonderful to meet you, tell me a little about yourself!
Hi Elizabeth! I’m Dee. I was raised by a parent with a disability, have worked in Home and Community-Based Care providing direct care for members of the Disability Population my entire adult life. I began writing fictional stories featuring disabled main characters to help raise awareness, and contribute to the disability narrative in entertainment. My writing cave is nestled in the forests of Central Pennsylvania, where I also enjoy gardening, playing with my four-legged grey tailed dogs, and occasionally make time to scrapbook or craft a stained glass treasure. Alec Frazier is a fellow author, who directs his own Disability Advocacy Firm—Autistic Reality, and is a published pop culture critic. I'm lucky to count him a friend.
What got you into writing?
Reading! My mother! I don’t remember a time where I wasn’t enraptured by a good book. With reading came storytelling, and by junior high school, I was putting those stories to paper. My high school language arts teacher was undoubtedly my greatest supporter, to the point of editing my short stories during study hall periods and encouraging me to submit them for publication. Incidentally, after more than thirty years, she fell back into my life as I was on the cusp of releasing Shattered. Serendipity.
That is so nice, she knows that you've made it as a writer! What’s the main thing you love and hate about writing?
I love everything about writing. I love being able to wander through worlds no one has ever explored, meeting characters my readers have yet to experience. I love getting so ensnared that you lose track of time, or day or week… I hate that, as I age, I get distracted more easily, and it is more difficult to recapture a thought once I’ve become derailed. I am quite happy being a solitary creature and if I wasn’t forced to work, I could write endlessly, no doubt to my own detriment.
Who is the worst villain you’ve ever written, and why?
To date, I only have one villain in a published work. Her name is Courtney and to be honest, she’s not truly a villain, but a young girl whose over-confidence places her in an overwhelming position and she runs, which places a vulnerable individual in a life-threatening situation. There are, however, a few villains in the forthcoming book.
Mistakes can either be learnt from or compounded, I hope Courtney learns her lessons! What is next on your list to write/publish?
Book Two! My series was originally published as a Twilight Fan Fiction story, so essentially, it’s completed, but I have been working diligently to edit it for publication.
That sounds amazing! I loved Twilight the books, not so great a fan of the films! Who is your favourite author, and why?
Oh, my. There are so many. As I said earlier, I have had a book in my hand since before I started kindergarten and I’ve read just about every genre I can think of. I love books that feature diverse characters. I think I’ve read every one of Pepper Pace’s novels, and I truly love reading B. A. Paris’ work. My author friend, Debra Anastasia is one of the sweetest souls on the face of this earth and she has my heart in her grasp with her Poughkeepsie Brotherhood Series. Sylvain Reynard is one of the most compassionate authors I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with—his work is enriching and cerebral. I love a good crime drama, too, something filled with suspense to keep me on the end of my seat till the very last page.
Sounds like you like a wide range of authors! Who encouraged you the most to write?
Mary Beth Kibbe, my high school English teacher.
Are you as avid a reader as a writer?
Absolutely.
Lol that was short and sweet. What’s your favourite genre?
I can’t pick just one. Romance. Crime Drama. Medical Drama.
You cover a wide range of genres! Do you listen to music when you write?
Absolutely. Adam Young of Owl City has been serenading me as I write for over ten years. His music is lyrical and humorous, but not distracting and I can sing along without being disrupted. If I’m working on something where I really need to concentrate, I plug in the headphones and pull up my BrainFM app and use the focus mode, which has really upped my concentration and word count.
If you could interview any famous author who would it be and why?
I think it would have to be Steven King. His work has been entertaining me since I was a kid. I’d love to get to know some of his characters better, learn how they came to be and what makes them tick. I especially love his female protagonists, although Annie Wilkes scares the hell out of me!
Annie Wilkes scares the daylights out of everyone. Can you tell me a secret that none of your fans know!
I’m a worm farmer. I use vermiculture to compost my vegetable scraps into organic matter for my garden, and yes, I talk to my worms.
That was unexpected! Tell me what your main character would say about you!
Steven Maxwell would tell you I talk entirely too much and that, had I practised better word economy, we could have finished this series four hundred thousand words ago!
Finally, any words of advice?
I have an author friend whose life’s dream is to become published. He’s spent his entire life trying to gain acceptance of his craft from his family, yet it’s never come. Don’t write for anyone but for yourself. Do what you love. The greatest waste of time would be for you to give up on your dreams. Not the effort you’ve put forth to realize them.
Thank you, Dee, for talking with me today, It was a wonderful interview! To keep up to date with Dee please follow her on the following links
Author Website: dacharles-author.com
Author Email: d.a.charles.author@gmail.com
Amazon: D.A Charles.
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