Guest Blogger: Charlie Cochrane!
Bloody hell, as the Brits say. I'd meant to post this interview on the first, but several things got in the way, not the least of which has been reading Charlie's new book, the final (for now at least) of the "Lessons" series, All Lessons Learned.
I stumbled across Charlie's "Lessons" series a few months back and found myself unable to stop reading. The upside to it all is that all the books except this last one were already available, allowing me to devour them in short order. Charlie is a delightful writer, with a smooth style and simply wonderful characterizations. So without further blithering, ladies and gentlemen, Charlie Cochrane.
Charlie, first tell us a bit about yourself. Who is the woman behind these delightful books?
Charlie Cochrane is mad, middle aged and lives in deepest darkest Hampshire (old, not New). The sprinkling of grey hairs on my head hide a mind which is convinced it's still 23, even if the body has slipped into the $&*!£ties. I love walking along beaches, going to rugby matches, visiting the theatre (especially to watch Shakespeare or musicals), reading classic murder mysteries and rereading the books of Patrick O'Brian. I have three teenage daughters and a delightfully indulgent husband and haven't murdered any of them…yet.
Now, here is my current roster of deep and probing questions a la James Lipton:
1. First, the important bits: (Answer as shortly or longly as you likely.)
a. Coffee or tea? Both. Two big cups of each per day (coffee sometimes decaff).
b. Cats or dogs? Neither. Sloths or planarian worms, please.
c. Vampires or werewolves? Werewolves. Or weresloths.
d. Boxers or briefs? Depends who's wearing them.
e. Rugby or Punting? RUGBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
f. Plotter or pantser? Pantser, every time. Plot outlines make me stressed.
g. Ravens or writing desks? Don't even understand the question. ☺
2. Please tell my readers a little about your latest publications, and where they can find them.
The latest comes out today, in e-book from Samhain (print due later this year). All Lessons Learned is the eighth book in the Cambridge Fellows series of historical romantic mysteries. Gay romance, that is.
The first seven books were set in Edwardian England, but this one leaps forward to 1919 – and it requires a big leap of trust in me from fans of Messrs Coppersmith and Stewart. I keep promising it will be alright.
The Great War is over. Freed from a prisoner of war camp and back at St. Bride's College, Orlando Coppersmith is discovering what those years have cost. All he holds dear—including his beloved Jonty Stewart, lost in combat.
A commission to investigate a young officer's disappearance gives Orlando new direction…temporarily. The deceptively simple case becomes a maze of conflicting stories—is Daniel McNeil a deserter, or a hero?—taking Orlando into the world of the shell-shocked and broken. And his sense of Jonty's absence becomes painfully acute. Especially when a brief spark of attraction for a Cambridge historian, instead of offering comfort, triggers overwhelming guilt.
As he hovers on the brink of despair, a chance encounter on the French seafront at Cabourg brings new hope and unexpected joy. But the crushing aftereffects of war could destroy his second chance, leaving him more lost and alone than ever…
(Trust me, dear readers, it's a wonderful story, but bring your tissues.)
By complete contrast, my last release, All That Jazz , was a contemporary novella set against the backdrop of an all male version of Chicago.
Francis Yardley may be the high kicking – and cross-dressing – star of an all-male version of Chicago, but he "can't do it alone". Bitter and on the booze after the breakdown of a relationship, he thinks that the chance for true love has passed him by.
A handsome, shy rugby player called Tommy seems to be the answer to his problems, but Tommy doesn't like the lipstick and lace. Can they find a way forward and is there still a chance for happiness "nowadays"?
I'm not sure you can get further from Jonty and Orlando than that!
3. Tell me, what's the hardest thing about writing m/m sex scenes?
Embarrassment; I tell my daughters I write the scenes with my eyes shut. I try to have a lyrical rather than a graphic approach otherwise I feel like I'm writing a guide to stuffing the Christmas turkey.
4. What's the easiest thing about writing m/m sex scenes?
Depicting two people who are in love finding those moments where they can give and take pleasure, delight in each other. Sex as a developmental part of their relationship.
5. Are you hard or easy?
Not sure I understand that question, either. ☺ I'm low maintenance (give me jelly babies and white wine and I'm happy), I see the funny side of 98% of life, I don't generally get too stressed about things and believe a hug (and/or a mince pie) is a cure for most ills.
Ah. Hold on – have had attack of the bleeding obvious. Does this, perchance relate to the last two questions? In that case I am hard. All the way.
6. What is your writing space like? What do you need around you, or not around you? One thing I'm often asked is what kind of music I listen to while I write.
I write at the PC in our little study, which was probably the dining room or back parlour of the original Edwardian house on which ours is based. It gets the morning light and looks out through French windows onto a little corner of the garden. I have to be alone to concentrate, with something or other – usually music or sports commentary – in the background. Music is normally rock or something from the musicals; at this very moment it's the Who, "Won't Get Fooled Again".
7. If you had to choose another career, what would it be?
Well, with my looks and figure, a supermodel, obvy. Or maybe not. I'd have loved to have been super talented at cricket, so talented that I'd have been the first woman to play for the England men's team.
8. Please solve the following equation (scrap paper allowed but no calculators): A + B = C , where A = first pet's name and B = mother's maiden name, and C = your porn name.
Willum Gaff.
Actually I've played a variation on that game, where B = name of the road you first lived on, which gave Willum (or William) Church. He became one of my characters.
9. Please tell us a bit about your development as a writer.
I wanted to write way back in my teens. Produced the usual fangirly load of old tat; I hope I never come across it and have to read it. Left off wanting to write for the next humpty-tumpty years, although I've always made up stories in my head/had vivid daydreams/told my children stories I'd created, so I guess the creative streak was always active. I got into fanfic in about 2005, reading of it and then writing it. That's where I cut my writing teeth and ironed out a lot of the glitches.
Through fanfic I met some other pro-writers and the rest, as they say, is history. I started to produce original stories and was nudged in the right direction to find a publisher. The challenge for 2011 may be looking for an agent and perhaps branching out slightly from what I'm doing now (more news on that when I have it).
10. Do you/have you participate/d in writing groups? If so, what do you think makes for a successful group, besides bad coffee in flimsy cups?
I've never been involved in a writing group where you read each other's work and critique it; unless posting fanfic counts? (If it does, then at least the coffee's better in that case.) I do meet up with other writers, though, both virtually and face to face.
I'm a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
"What sort of stories do you write?"
"Gay historical romance."
Cue interesting reaction.
Actually, they're a great bunch, and make me feel positively young. Good to pick their brains and hear some great stories about famous authors.
Online, I'm a member of a couple of historical authors' groups which are valuable sources of information, sharing links, etc. I also have a close set of author friends who I think of as 'the office'. Checking my e-mails and seeing what 'group' messages the day has brought is like hanging around the coffee machine and picking up the news.
11. Name that tune and the artist, and answer the question. Extra points if you answer in "a b a b" rhyme structure.
"Have you ever been in love?
You could touch the moonlight
When your heart is shooting stars
You're holding heaven in your arms
Have you ever been in love?
Lynn, this interview is harder than my Cambridge entrance one! I have no idea what song that is.
I'm madly in love with my hubby,
He's handsome and funny and cute
Some people might reckon he's chubby
But it's just the cut of his suit.
Bravo! And thanks so much for being here. I'm sure my readers will have lots of great questions for you!
I stumbled across Charlie's "Lessons" series a few months back and found myself unable to stop reading. The upside to it all is that all the books except this last one were already available, allowing me to devour them in short order. Charlie is a delightful writer, with a smooth style and simply wonderful characterizations. So without further blithering, ladies and gentlemen, Charlie Cochrane.
Charlie, first tell us a bit about yourself. Who is the woman behind these delightful books?
Charlie Cochrane is mad, middle aged and lives in deepest darkest Hampshire (old, not New). The sprinkling of grey hairs on my head hide a mind which is convinced it's still 23, even if the body has slipped into the $&*!£ties. I love walking along beaches, going to rugby matches, visiting the theatre (especially to watch Shakespeare or musicals), reading classic murder mysteries and rereading the books of Patrick O'Brian. I have three teenage daughters and a delightfully indulgent husband and haven't murdered any of them…yet.
Now, here is my current roster of deep and probing questions a la James Lipton:
1. First, the important bits: (Answer as shortly or longly as you likely.)
a. Coffee or tea? Both. Two big cups of each per day (coffee sometimes decaff).
b. Cats or dogs? Neither. Sloths or planarian worms, please.
c. Vampires or werewolves? Werewolves. Or weresloths.
d. Boxers or briefs? Depends who's wearing them.
e. Rugby or Punting? RUGBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
f. Plotter or pantser? Pantser, every time. Plot outlines make me stressed.
g. Ravens or writing desks? Don't even understand the question. ☺
2. Please tell my readers a little about your latest publications, and where they can find them.
The latest comes out today, in e-book from Samhain (print due later this year). All Lessons Learned is the eighth book in the Cambridge Fellows series of historical romantic mysteries. Gay romance, that is.
The first seven books were set in Edwardian England, but this one leaps forward to 1919 – and it requires a big leap of trust in me from fans of Messrs Coppersmith and Stewart. I keep promising it will be alright.
The Great War is over. Freed from a prisoner of war camp and back at St. Bride's College, Orlando Coppersmith is discovering what those years have cost. All he holds dear—including his beloved Jonty Stewart, lost in combat.
A commission to investigate a young officer's disappearance gives Orlando new direction…temporarily. The deceptively simple case becomes a maze of conflicting stories—is Daniel McNeil a deserter, or a hero?—taking Orlando into the world of the shell-shocked and broken. And his sense of Jonty's absence becomes painfully acute. Especially when a brief spark of attraction for a Cambridge historian, instead of offering comfort, triggers overwhelming guilt.
As he hovers on the brink of despair, a chance encounter on the French seafront at Cabourg brings new hope and unexpected joy. But the crushing aftereffects of war could destroy his second chance, leaving him more lost and alone than ever…
(Trust me, dear readers, it's a wonderful story, but bring your tissues.)
By complete contrast, my last release, All That Jazz , was a contemporary novella set against the backdrop of an all male version of Chicago.
Francis Yardley may be the high kicking – and cross-dressing – star of an all-male version of Chicago, but he "can't do it alone". Bitter and on the booze after the breakdown of a relationship, he thinks that the chance for true love has passed him by.
A handsome, shy rugby player called Tommy seems to be the answer to his problems, but Tommy doesn't like the lipstick and lace. Can they find a way forward and is there still a chance for happiness "nowadays"?
I'm not sure you can get further from Jonty and Orlando than that!
3. Tell me, what's the hardest thing about writing m/m sex scenes?
Embarrassment; I tell my daughters I write the scenes with my eyes shut. I try to have a lyrical rather than a graphic approach otherwise I feel like I'm writing a guide to stuffing the Christmas turkey.
4. What's the easiest thing about writing m/m sex scenes?
Depicting two people who are in love finding those moments where they can give and take pleasure, delight in each other. Sex as a developmental part of their relationship.
5. Are you hard or easy?
Not sure I understand that question, either. ☺ I'm low maintenance (give me jelly babies and white wine and I'm happy), I see the funny side of 98% of life, I don't generally get too stressed about things and believe a hug (and/or a mince pie) is a cure for most ills.
Ah. Hold on – have had attack of the bleeding obvious. Does this, perchance relate to the last two questions? In that case I am hard. All the way.
6. What is your writing space like? What do you need around you, or not around you? One thing I'm often asked is what kind of music I listen to while I write.
I write at the PC in our little study, which was probably the dining room or back parlour of the original Edwardian house on which ours is based. It gets the morning light and looks out through French windows onto a little corner of the garden. I have to be alone to concentrate, with something or other – usually music or sports commentary – in the background. Music is normally rock or something from the musicals; at this very moment it's the Who, "Won't Get Fooled Again".
7. If you had to choose another career, what would it be?
Well, with my looks and figure, a supermodel, obvy. Or maybe not. I'd have loved to have been super talented at cricket, so talented that I'd have been the first woman to play for the England men's team.
8. Please solve the following equation (scrap paper allowed but no calculators): A + B = C , where A = first pet's name and B = mother's maiden name, and C = your porn name.
Willum Gaff.
Actually I've played a variation on that game, where B = name of the road you first lived on, which gave Willum (or William) Church. He became one of my characters.
9. Please tell us a bit about your development as a writer.
I wanted to write way back in my teens. Produced the usual fangirly load of old tat; I hope I never come across it and have to read it. Left off wanting to write for the next humpty-tumpty years, although I've always made up stories in my head/had vivid daydreams/told my children stories I'd created, so I guess the creative streak was always active. I got into fanfic in about 2005, reading of it and then writing it. That's where I cut my writing teeth and ironed out a lot of the glitches.
Through fanfic I met some other pro-writers and the rest, as they say, is history. I started to produce original stories and was nudged in the right direction to find a publisher. The challenge for 2011 may be looking for an agent and perhaps branching out slightly from what I'm doing now (more news on that when I have it).
10. Do you/have you participate/d in writing groups? If so, what do you think makes for a successful group, besides bad coffee in flimsy cups?
I've never been involved in a writing group where you read each other's work and critique it; unless posting fanfic counts? (If it does, then at least the coffee's better in that case.) I do meet up with other writers, though, both virtually and face to face.
I'm a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
"What sort of stories do you write?"
"Gay historical romance."
Cue interesting reaction.
Actually, they're a great bunch, and make me feel positively young. Good to pick their brains and hear some great stories about famous authors.
Online, I'm a member of a couple of historical authors' groups which are valuable sources of information, sharing links, etc. I also have a close set of author friends who I think of as 'the office'. Checking my e-mails and seeing what 'group' messages the day has brought is like hanging around the coffee machine and picking up the news.
11. Name that tune and the artist, and answer the question. Extra points if you answer in "a b a b" rhyme structure.
"Have you ever been in love?
You could touch the moonlight
When your heart is shooting stars
You're holding heaven in your arms
Have you ever been in love?
Lynn, this interview is harder than my Cambridge entrance one! I have no idea what song that is.
I'm madly in love with my hubby,
He's handsome and funny and cute
Some people might reckon he's chubby
But it's just the cut of his suit.
Bravo! And thanks so much for being here. I'm sure my readers will have lots of great questions for you!
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