Charmaine Gordon on Book Series

Welcome to the Garden everyone. We're in single digits here, I hope you're dressed warm, even though we're in the Rose Room. Please have some treats, and they are healthy this week. And hot beverages all around. Today I have Charmaine Gordon, she's going to tell us about writing her series.

I’m so pleased to be your guest today, Mary. Here is my story. You see I write in my dreams, like a dream walker.

After raising a bunch of kids, some while my pilot husband was flying for the Strategic Air Command during the Korean Conflict, eventually we moved to New York. When the youngest and only daughter turned sixteen, an actress friend suggested I go to the big city and seek a career. Horrified at the thought at first, I turned myself around and spread my wings to become a small fish in the big talent pond. Daytime dramas were my specialty in shows such as One Life to Live, All My Children, Another World and then I branched out into movies like Working Girl-fun with Harrison Ford during lunch break when we shared a hotdog and sang, a month with the fine Anthony-call me Tony-Hopkins in an awful movie upstate New York, When Harry Met Sally where I met Carrie Fisher, so gentle and pleasant that week. And plays, several Off-Broadway plays until, alas, my voice let me down.

“It’s gone, you can’t be an actor any more, my dear,” said the kind voice doctor. “You have Spasmodic Dysphonia.”

Here’s my good news. A friend called to say “write a book.”
“Good idea but I don’t know how.”
“You’ve read scripts for years, worked with Mike Nichols, Billy Crystal, lots of good people. Just do it.”

And she was right. An idea floated into my head at night in a dream, I saw the action, the characters. The next morning I began a new career. After a dozen query letters went out to no avail, Vanilla Heart Publishing called. They wanted to talk business. To Be Continued is the title of that book optioned for a television movie. Another book She Didn’t Say No is optioned for a movie. No one knows what will happen, folks. I just keep writing and so should you. Take the time for yourself to express what’s in your mind.

Now for series: I didn’t plan to write Reconstructing Charlie as the beginning of a series but stuff happens. Again I dreamed of a fifteen year old girl in a small town in Minnesota. I’ve never been there. The eldest of four, she protected mom from drunken Dad on Friday-payday. Oh my I thought when I woke up the next day. I already raised all the kids, what in the world would I do with this one. But write I did; loved her I did as she went to Chicago to live with the best aunt and uncle ever and smart girl, she developed into a woman who decided she wouldn’t sleep with a guy until he was on bended knee with a ring. If wedding bells didn’t happen, she had enough on her plate. When I typed The End, I thought what about her room-mate at Northwestern U and so I wrote Sin of Omission followed by The Catch because what happened to handsome football player in RC followed by Together, Again where the youngest twin sisters come to Chicago at last and they are a kick. You will love them.

It’s a wrap, I thought yet every day I write and love it. Stories pour from my heart with romance/suspense, humor and pets-Therapy Dog true stories in At Your Service eformat. They gave me courage to walk again after a terrible fall 2016.
Twitter @CharJGordon
Wordpress: authorCharmaineGordon.wordpress.com-lots of good blogs here on life-show biz stories
Facebook :authorCharmaineGordon

Reconstructing Charlie
Series: Women Who Survive and Thrive by Charmaine Gordon,
Charlie’s Family Secrets, Book 1
Charlie Costigan has a secret. Home life gone from bad to the worst when she protects her mother from another vicious attack by her drunken father. Midnight. Clothes thrown into an old suitcase, she races for the bus wit
h a letter to an unknown aunt and uncle. “This is my daughter. Embrace her as if she were your own.” Determined, Charlie begins again. Alone with her secret.
http://www.amazon.com/Reconstructing-Charlie- Charmaine-Gordon/dp/0615909175
http://www.amazon.com/Reconstructing-Charlie- Charmaine-Gordon-ebook/dp/B004KKZ6WS
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/38890

Sin of Omission
Series: Women Who Survive and Thrive by Charmaine Gordon,
Charlie’s Family Secrets, Book 2
A twist of fate intervenes when Shelley keeps a secret that threatens to break apart the Costigans and her future. A mysterious client, Deanna Rose, enters Haven, victim of a savage beating under strange circumstances. Shelley investigates and finds Ms. Rose has an unsavory past. With the reputation and safety of Haven at stake, Shelley is at risk to lose everything and everyone she cares about.
http://www.amazon.com/Sin-of-Omission-ebook/dp/B007XA9V2I
http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinofomission-784842-149.html

The Catch
Series: Women Who Survive and Thrive by Charmaine Gordon,
Charlie’s Family Secrets, Book 3
Tom Donnelly, once known as The Catch – every woman’s dream guy, has fallen down every rung of the ladder he once worked so hard to climb. On New Year’s Day, he realizes just how far he’s fallen, and makes a list of resolutions to change his life. He vows to regain the trust lost from his family, his law firm, and his friends – and maybe even find the right woman this time.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/295820
http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615792545
http://www.amazon.com/The-Catch-ebook/dp/B00BUGFI2I

Thank you, Charmaine, for sharing your story. Very interesting and inspiring.

Comments

Mary, here I am in living color, so to speak. Thanks for your hospitality and patience.
stanalei said…
What a fascinating way to your new career, Charmaine. The series sounds wonderful! Good luck with your movie options too!
Mary said…
Charmaine I'm glad you found the Garden I am happy you shared your story.

Welcome Stanalei, thanks for dropping by!
Stanalei, I so appreciate you taking your busy time to visit today. I'm in ice cold snowy New York, not far from the city and tomorrow it will be in the forties. Love our weird winters and hope we'll have a nice one similar to last year. Regarding the series, if you're in the mood to curl up and read a delicious story, give one of my stories a chance. I'd be so pleased to read a review and know it came from you.

Happy Healthy New year, new friend. Thanks for stopping by.
Daryl Devoré said…
Sounds like a fascinating life. Tweeted.
Unknown said…
So... first time here... your writer's blog feels welcoming, Mary and it is a pleasure to find my mom's fast-paced "nutshell" life synopsis here. One of the finest creative souls I continue to use as inspiration for my own work. Thanks for presenting this forum.
Thanks,dearest son o'mine, for visiting Mary's lovely Garden this a.m. all the way from Denmark. Miss you, my confidante, yet our daily computer visits fill the gap, in a way. Love to Eva and my granddog and thanks for stopping by.
Love, Mom
Hey Daryl all the way from Canada, are your freezing your tootsies up there? Now I've revealed a bit of my life for all to read about and it's true. First a wife,then a mom, and then I spread my wings back then. What a challenge! and so much fun. Take care, write with joy.
Unknown said…
Hi Charmaine,
I love your life story. It is an inspiration. This is the first time I have visited Mary's Garden. Thanks for introducing me to this lovely spot! I will stay inspired to write write write.
Stella, you are one busy writer. Inspired is your middle name. Thanks for taking the time to say hey on this cold New York day.

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