Interview Celia Cooper

by

John Paulits

1. Why not tell the readers a little bit about yourself?

 I’m a military brat by upbringing and lived in numerous locations stateside. I continued to be a gypsy after leaving home and, as of this date, have lived in 14 states--so far. My next goal is to tour the world. I’m what used to be called in the 1960’s a “free spirit” (just means I’ve had many jobs, i.e., lots of grist for my novels.) My current and, hopefully, permanent situation has me located in the Antelope Valley of California, 65 miles north of Los Angeles, with husband and cat.

2. How do you fill up your day when you’re not writing?

 I do copy editing for a (wink) well-known online publisher, and I work at the local daily newspaper as a--you guessed it--copy editor. I also practice drums on my drum set and try to get my writer’s tukus out and walking a bit.

3. How long have you been writing?

 Just writing bits and bobs, most of my life. Writing short stories and novels has only recently occurred, say in the last 10 years. I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I won an online writing contest.

4. What books did you read growing up? These are the books that generally turn us into readers.

 As my father was not an officer in the Marine Corp but the backbone of the service, a sergeant, we didn’t have a great deal of money in our family and time was spent in places that didn’t require money. Consequently, I spent a great deal of time in the library. My mother was an avid reader and turned each of us children into avid readers. I recall reading Agatha Christie novels in the fourth grade. Most of my reading was murder mysteries with Dame Agatha taking the top spot.

5. Who are your favorite authors now?

 I’d have to say Mercedes Lackey has moved up with Dame Agatha. I don’t recall lots of names as my tastes are rather eclectic. I do so much research anymore that reading for pleasure has taken a back seat. I find Wings authors so varied and talented that all I have to do is download from our publishing house to get a great read whether I’m looking to scare my sox off or sweet romance. We have it all.

6. When, where and how much time do you spend writing on a typical workday?

 On a good day, I spend two hours before I go to work writing and, when I come home, I’ll spend another hour writing in my office. That’s on a really great day. For the most part, I try to spend two hours a day writing whenever I can.

7. Can you give readers a brief synopsis of your current book?

 Come on, I’m a writer! You want brief? Oh, well, okay.

 If Only by Celia Cooper is a coming of age, again, story. It starts in Salem, Oregon when Barbara Langley has been unexpectedly widowed. She finds her husband made provisos in his will for her to have plastic surgery to turn back the times of hands--just like she’d always wished. The irony is she wanted to do it for him. Her best friend, Rachel Painter, takes matters into hand and calls in the marker Barbara had given her a couple years previously of a trip to Tampa, Florida. The two women travel to Tampa where Barbara is amazed at the changes that have occurred in the twenty-something years since she left. Along the way, Rachel finds a new male friend and Barbara, learning to appreciate looking young without the insecurity of youth, encounters a young man who is smitten by her honesty and straightforwardness. She also starts running into friends from the time she lived there and soon an old beau enters the picture.

Barbara faces some life-altering decisions and the realization she needs to move forward away from her grief.

8. What other books have you published that our readers would be interested in?

 I have two other books published by Wings. A wise friend once told me to write what I knew and, while I can still relate to being 20ish, I know older. My first novel published by Wings ePress is called Old Enough to Know Better about a woman who has escaped to a small town in Virginia to start over. A younger man finds himself interested in her but convincing her to give love a chance again is an uphill battle and becomes his quest. There is attempted murder and treachery and--well, you’ll have to read it to find out.

 My second novel, while stand-alone, is a sequel. It’s called Sun in Sagittarius, Moon in Mazatlan and follows the trail of Sheriff Corey Williams of Virginia as he and a female reporter with flaming hair and temper named Riona Byrne follow a fleeing felon to Mexico. This book is very special to me. The cover was designed and painted by my mother after much pleading on bended knee. Good timing moved up the publishing date, which turned out to be fortuitous. The June release gave my mom the opportunity to see her work in published form as she was killed in an auto accident three days before Christmas the same year. It holds a special place in my heart.

 In December 2008, I have my first attempt at a murder mystery coming out. The book is titled, Cats in the Cradle of Civilization released under the name of C. L. Kraemer. It is set in the Antelope Valley of California. Glenda Nagel, editor of the archeology magazine, “Archeology Today” put out by the Getty Museum, finds herself in possession of a priceless statuette of Bastet, cat goddess. She is embroiled in trying to find a way to return the piece without going to jail. This book was written before the curator of the Getty Museum was put on trial for theft. (Better be careful what I write!)

9. What projects do you have lined up for the near future?

 I’m currently in the middle of a fantasy dragon trilogy that I promised my husband I would write. I’m hoping to have the first volume finished before the end of the year.