Elena  Hartwell

Elena Hartwell’s Followers (255)

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Wendy H...
534 books | 183 friends

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Elena Hartwell

Goodreads Author


Born
in Bogota, Colombia
November 21

Website

Twitter

Genre

Influences
Sue Grafton, Tony Hillerman, The Rockford Files

Member Since
December 2015


Elena Hartwell started out her storytelling career in the theater. She worked for several years as a playwright, director, designer, technician, and educator before becoming a novelist.

Elena has more than twenty years of teaching experience and now works one-on-one with writers as a manuscript consultant and writing coach.

She lives in Spokane, Washington, with her husband and the greatest pets in the world, two cats, three horses, and two dogs. When she’s not writing, teaching writing, or talking about writing, she can be found reading, working with the animals, or driving the tractor around Paradise.

Elena also writers under Elena Taylor.

For more information please visit www.elenahartwell.com
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Popular Answered Questions

Elena Hartwell I think writers suffer from writer's block when they try to rush to writing their story. Many years ago, a friend and I came up with the expression "h…moreI think writers suffer from writer's block when they try to rush to writing their story. Many years ago, a friend and I came up with the expression "honor the mull" - and by that we meant, you have to allow time for the story to start to unfold in your imagination. Or start to get to know your characters. Or at least get an idea for a scene. Once your imagination has started to work on more than just a vague idea that you want to write, that's the time to sit down to the computer or pick up your pen. When you have scenes and moments and situations already working in your mind, you can just record them on the page. If you sit down, with no idea about what you're going to write about and say "today I'm going to write my book" you are going to have nothing to say. Any time I get stuck, I honor the mull and simply find a quiet place to work over the story in my mind. (less)
Elena Hartwell Fame, fortune, power... okay. I don't really have any of those things. What I do have is the freedom to create something people connect to. There's no…moreFame, fortune, power... okay. I don't really have any of those things. What I do have is the freedom to create something people connect to. There's nothing better than having someone say to me "that was me you put onstage" (my writing career started in the theater, where I still sometimes work as a playwright). To know that a person or a situation I invented made a person in the real world feel understood is an amazing feeling. Also to know I've entertained or enlightened someone is pretty great too. Plus I get to wear yoga pants and old sweatshirts for work and spend afternoons with my horses. (less)
Average rating: 4.37 · 435 ratings · 160 reviews · 10 distinct worksSimilar authors
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More books by Elena Hartwell…

Buried Lies: A National Forest K-9 Suspense

Buried Lies: A National Forest K-9 Suspense by Kathleen Donnelly

Author Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any Author Interviews! Click the link here.Buried Lies

Buried LiesWhen the man she loves is framed for murder, Maya Thompson and her K-9 will follow every trail to track the real killer down, in the fourth book in Kathleen Donnelly’s National Forest K-9 series.

U.S. Forest Se

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Published on January 30, 2026 07:47
One Dead, Two to Go Two Heads Are Deader Than One Three Strikes, You're Dead
(3 books)
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4.34 avg rating — 400 ratings

One Dead, Two to Go
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Three Strikes, Yo...
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Elena’s Recent Updates

Elena Hartwell wrote a new blog post

Buried Lies: A National Forest K-9 Suspense



Buried Lies: A National Forest K-9 Suspense by Kathleen DonnellyAuthor Interview + Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!Don’t miss any Author Inter Read more of this blog post »
Elena Hartwell rated a book it was amazing
Murder in Matrimony by Mary  Winters
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Another delightful 5-star romp with Lady Amelia Amesbury

Mary Winters’ latest release is a terrific addition to her wonderful Lady of Letters Mystery series. While charming and witty and twisty — all the things we’ve loved about the earlier books — th
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" I did not write this book, can you please remove my bio attached to it: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2... ...more "
Elena Hartwell rated a book it was amazing
The Phoenix Crown by Kate Quinn
The Phoenix Crown
by Kate Quinn (Goodreads Author)
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Engaging Characters Bring the Early 1900s to Life

The lives of four very different women weave together through tragedy and love in the early 20th century. While the characters are (mostly) fictional, the world that Quinn and Chang built is detailed a
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Two Heads Are Deader Than One by Elena  Hartwell
"Elena, enjoyed this book as much as the first Eddie Shoes Mystery. Can't wait until the third one is published. A good book to take along when there is a need to escape from the world around you."
Two Heads Are Deader Than One by Elena  Hartwell
"Private investigator Eddie Shoes needs to buy some sneakers. Danger is coming at her that fast in “Two Heads Are Deader Than One,” the excellent new installment in Elena Hartwell’s mystery series. A friend from her high school days shows up out of th" Read more of this review »
Two Heads Are Deader Than One by Elena  Hartwell
"So good! Kept me guessing until the end. Love the dynamics between Eddie and her mom, Chava. The weaving of hope of rekindled romance, friendship and loyalty, and family in its many variations are so well done in this book. Excited for #3 when it arr" Read more of this review »
More of Elena's books…
Quotes by Elena Hartwell  (?)
Quotes are added by the Goodreads community and are not verified by Goodreads. (Learn more)

“Memory is a strange combination of those things we work to remember and the things we can never forget”
Elena Hartwell, Three Strikes, You're Dead

“After acknowledging that, I let other memories come. The way his presence made me feel. Like he was north and my heart was a compass that always found its way home.”
Elena Hartwell, Three Strikes, You're Dead

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“Don't confront me with my failures, I had not forgotten them.”
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“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
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Comments (showing 1-2)    post a comment »
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message 2: by Elena

Elena Hartwell You too, Dee!


message 1: by Dee

Dee Willson Nice to meet you here on Goodreads, Elena!

Dee Willson
Author of A Keeper's Truth and GOT (Gift of Travel)


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