Elena Bowman

When Chelmsford's Elena Bowman wrote her first novel twenty-three years ago, she had no idea how her writing career would evolve. But, here she is in the year 2000 with one published novel, and one in the process of being published.

Sarah's Landing, Elena's first novel, is set in a village on the rocky coast of New England. In the year 2055, Astronaut/Biologist Joshua Morgan is determined to seek out the answers to the questions surrounding Earth Star-I, the first space-exploration starship, which was lost in deep space, and the unexplained disappearance of a number of Sarah's Landing's citizens. His quest takes him to the far reaches of space and to an alien planet that no one knew existed. Joshua's involvement with redheaded telepath, Alexandra McKay, becomes even more entangled as she desperately searches to find him after his sudden disappearance.

Elena took it upon herself to self-publish Sarah's Landing and then put it on the Internet's "Books In Demand" where all could see. Soon, the publishing house, Hollis Books, saw her writing, liked it, and sent Elena a contract.

Interestingly enough, though, back when Elena began her career, it wasn't as a writer. Upon graduation, Elena started out at Raytheon as a file clerk, moving on to become a Junior Secretary, then a Senior Secretary, and, after earning her Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Management, became a Software Engineer. At the same time, she and her husband, James, were living in Chelmsford raising their four children, Christine, Karen, Mark and David.

"When I was young, my father used to read Jules Verne to me," Elena said in response to the question of what influenced her in her life and her writing. "I also used to come home from the theater after seeing a movie and rewrite it if I didn't like the way it ended. I did that with books, too. But, I didn't start writing my own stories until after I got out of college."

Elena is now a member of the National League of American PenWomen, and is the President of the Merrimack Valley Branch. One of her short stories, What Did You Make For Supper? was published in Linda Evans Shepherd's "Heart Stirring Stories Of Love" collection. It is the true story of Elena's adventures surrounding her cooking of suppers for her four brothers. You can also check out Elena's short story, "The Terminal", by clicking on "Elena's Short Stories Book" at her web site http://elenadb.home.comcast.net/

When Elena is busy writing, she doesn't like reading other authors' works. "I don't want to be influenced by anything or anyone else when Iím writing." Her next novel, a mystery/romance titled "House on the Bluffî" is soon to be published. The sequel to this, "The Gatekeeper's Realm", has already been started.

Success can happen to anyone at any time in his or her life. Elena is a perfect example of that: she is certainly reaping the rewards of her hard work, tenacity, and talent.

~ * ~

INTERVIEW

with Mystique Books

About Your Writing:

1. Why do you write?

In college, when I took up the pen again, after a long drought, for research papers in lieu of exams, I found my penchant for writing, dormant for so many years, rushing forward like an uncapped oil strike. I had forgotten how free my spirit felt. How completely alive and untamed my imagination --- to roam the outer reaches of the universe or the inner mysteries of the deep, and I loved every moment of it.

My engineering degree behind me, I write now, in the wee hours of the morning, not only for the sheer pleasure of it, for myself, my friends and the look of delight on their faces, when they read stuff I had written. And, of course, for publication!

2. How long have you been writing?

I have been writing off and on since way back when it only cost a dime to go to the Saturday matinee, or any other time I could scrape up the price of a ticket. And in most cases when the ending was not to my liking, felt compelled to go home and rewrite it.

3. What single thing or things stirred your interest in writing?

Listening to the stories my father read to us when we were kids…there wasn't any television in those days, and books reigned supreme in our home. He would take a book off the shelf and wait until we were ready for bed, before he would begin. Sitting on the floor cross-legged in our pj's, our hands holding our heads up, we'd listen intently, fascinated by the words coming out of a book. And always, he would stop at a point that had us begging for more. The most fascinating ones to me were the books that Jules Verne wrote...His 20,000 Leagues under the Sea, and his Journey to Mars. From then on I was hooked on books and writing.

4. What excites you about writing?

Since writing an outline as to where I want to go, seems to always go off on the wrong track, therefore I don't do it, it's waiting to see how and what the characters are going to do and how the story is going to turn out. I really never know the ending until I get to it. It's always a surprise to me where the story ends up.

5. Why romance?

I don't generally start out that way, but romance seems to worm its way into all of my books, because the characters have a lot to say about it. It just isn't complete until a romantic interlude manifests itself into the story. It just happens naturally. I guess it's the romantic in me that just has to have its say.

What category are you currently interested in, e.g. contemporary, single title,

historical, regency, paranormal, etc. Why

At the moment, I seem to be developing into a romantic, paranormal, suspense mystery author. It wasn't my doing, apparently other forces are at work here and sending me in a direction I didn't know I was heading. Either that or my characters are coming alive and taking command of the pen (or should I say computer?). I like to add historical facts in my books when the story calls for it…because when actual historical events are intertwined in the story it gives it more credence. And, of course, there is always the romantic element.

Tell us about your current project. What’s it about and how far along are you on it?

Presently, I have completed a romantic suspense/mystery/thriller series, entitled The Legacy, the first of which is The House On The Bluff and is already published by Write Words, Inc., imprint www.cambridgebooks.us. A brief description follows

The last voice heard from the house was an 18th Century ancestor's blood-curdling screams in the dark of night, but no one ever saw or heard from that person again. What was it about the "house" that made people tremble? Why had no one ventured near it since 1789; why had no one dared? Had it not been there for centuries, standing tall ... empty ... beckoning?

Abigail Adams Pierce could not envision that the information she stumbled on would take her on a hair-raising journey she would never forget. A journey that once started would have no turning back, even at the risk of losing her life in the physical sense and being trapped within the spiritual realm, which had invaded the Pierce House. And nothing, in her wildest imagination, could have prepared her for the effect her discovery would have on her life from that moment on. This was her family's legacy - handed down from the 11th Century - to the descendant who dared to enter in spite of its warnings. To the day she entered her ancestral home, with its promise of terror or fulfillment, The House On The Bluff maintained its enchantment and its ageless elegance, standing as a silent sentinel waiting for the one long destined to enter who could shatter its secrets.

The other two books in the series are being considered and I am waiting to hear on them. Then, too, there is the single Romance/Paranormal/Suspense novel Time~Rift, which was just published this month by Write Words Inc., imprint www.ebooksonthe.net/ A brief description follows:

A time slip novel that takes you beneath the waters of the Pacific to a world that shouldn't exist. A young archeologist, beautiful, and alone, searches for ancient treasures off the shores of Hawaii. She is caught in the throes of an undersea quake, which opens a portal between the present and the past that only the Earth remembers. Caught in the throes of an undersea earthquake, she falls through a fissure in the ocean's floor and into an Ancient City, trapped for Centuries beneath the waters of the Pacific. It's flaxen-haired, fair-skinned people endowed with abilities far superior to any Trisha has ever known are stunned by the sudden appearance of the dark-haired, blue-eyed terrestrial in their midst.

For Kan, the high priest, and Trisha it was love, almost at first sight. But Trisha's joy is clouded by the inescapable fact that the Pacific Ocean flows restrained over her strange world. She quickly finds herself immersed in the political paradox of the land and earns the animosity of its malevolent and jealous High Priestess. When she accidentally stumbles onto a secret ceremonial ritual designed to punish wrong doers, Myaculi, the High Priestess sees her chance to destroy Trisha. After all, Kan belongs to her. He was promised to her at birth and she means to have him.

About You:

Are you new to the area or a long time resident in your home?

I am a long time resident in my town, have been here for many, many years. We moved into this town when our neighbors were the cows in the farmer's field, and the aroma coming from that place made this city girl yearn for the bright lights of the city.

Where are you from originally? Family?

Originally, I'm from Dorchester, MA. I grew up there, the only girl in a family of five…(four boisterous brothers). Most of my relatives lived in the general area, so my cousins and I hung out together...Sometimes getting into trouble, sometimes not.

Careers?

My parents sent me to a Secretarial School…not the aeronautical school I wanted to go to. Not much choice, they were paying for it. From there working as a Secretary in Boston, then the Navy Department in Washington, D.C., back to Boston and the Department of the Army, and finally home as a mother to four beautiful children. My mother couldn't handle it anymore. She said she raised her five, it was time I raised mine. Years later, re-entered the work force as a file-clerk and worked my way up to Executive Secretary. Went on to get my degree in Engineering and Management, and became a Software Engineer until I retired and changed my career to that of a full-time author.

Is there anything unique about your upbringing that you’d like to share with the members? E.g. Your father was in the military so you traveled a lot. You spent a year in Europe attending school. Does this experience contribute to your writing in any way? Explain.

The only unique thing about my upbringing is that I was the only girl in a family of five. Two brothers on either side of me and having to be as good as they were in football, climbing trees, and jumping off roofs. But jumping off bridges into the channel was a no no…for me anyway. And the only thing that contributes to my writing is my boundless imagination and the memories of the way we were.

Do you have any hobbies or special interests?

I belong to a national writers group where I am the President of the Merrimack Valley Branch of the National League of American PenWomen and a few women's groups that meet socially on occasion. I spend most of my time, writing, listening to music, reading, walking, taking care of the family, and my wonderful husband. Love to take day trips around New England and I like to travel. Don't get much of a chance to do that except when family emergencies arise and we are off to the middle of the heartland to Illinois and, or Colorado. Then, too, there are those trips to California that pop up now and again.