January’s Local Author, Charlotte Sloan
Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your writing?
A: I want my readers to know my books are all about people. In my prairie books, readers meet Liz, a patient for many years at the hospital for the mentally ill. She will give them advice, starting with, “I’ll tell you what!” They will also get to know the motherless Cleaver kids, wish they had grandparents like Stanley and Bessie Fiske, and for just a while, they’ll be transported back to the simpler, harder times on a Canadian prairie farm in the 1950s. They’ll miss the characters when they turn the last page and close the book. I write about the laughter and tears that are packed in between those two basic human events- saying hello and saying goodbye. Each book has a solid theme and is intended to be inspiring. My hope is that my readers receive joy in the experience, and that they become a little more empathetic and more caring towards others, with a determination to “do better”.
Q: Why did you become a writer?
A: I write because there is nothing quite as satisfying as transforming a story from your mind into a written form to offer as a gift to your readers! I learned the joy of storytelling from my mother. Whether she was milking cows, churning butter or baking bread, we could count on a story. She read good books to us as we sat around the wood heater on winter nights. From her I learned the wonder of words and their emotional impact. I also write because I love the connection with my awesome readers.
Q: Do you have any advise for new and upcoming authors?
A: “Just go for it!” If you have the desire to do it, you probably have the ability! A framed quote on my office wall: “The worst enemy to creativity is self doubt.” Lack of self confidence has been a huge hurdle for me. When it’s time to publish, I get cold feet, convincing myself that what I’ve written is pure “junk”. With encouragement from my team, I fling out a book with fear and trepidation - and wonder of wonders - the readers love it! So, I then take my courage in hand once again, and write the next one! Don’t waste time doubting yourself. Just get started, enjoy the journey, and see where it takes you.