Author Spotlight: Elle Brownlee
July 31, 2017
*waves*
Heeeeyyyy Party People!
Guess what? I am pooped. I thought two days would be enough time to recuperate post-RWA but nope. I am still super zonked. I almost skipped out on posting a spotlight today but a schedule is a schedule, so I had to stick with it. Today, you’ll get to know a little bit about one of the kindest authors I’ve ever encountered. I first met Elle at Liberty States last year. She’s such a delightful person, and it made sense to feature her.
Get to know Elle, folks!
I always find author interviews kind of boring. We only get to see one side of an author, the polite side. If you had an evil doppelganger, what detail would they enjoy revealing about you to the public that people would find surprising and possibly questionable?
I’ve thought about this one the longest, and gosh, I don’t think there really is a big seedy underbelly reveal for me. I’m pretty transparent—and without shame—about everything I like, dislike, do, and support. People often remark I’m funnier (and snarkier) than they expected in real life, so there’s that.
What’s your middle name?
Don’t have one.
What’s your go-to karaoke bar song?
Rhinestone Cowboy.
How’d you get into writing romance?
Funny you should ask, as I recently wrote a whole blog post about my romance origin story! Find that here. Short answer—I literally tripped over it.
Who are the top three authors on your “must meet” list?
Jane Austen. Richard Adams. Ross King and/or Thomas Cahill.
What’s your worst fashion faux pas of the 90s?
I feel very comfortable owning my 90s fashion choices. Terrible neon oversized sweaters and puffy accessories never happened to me. I was grunge before grunge was a thing. Then grunge happened and I fit right in. Of course, I was out again once grunge was over, but I was still happy in my jeans, t-shirts, and flannels.
Your life has suddenly become a television show, what show do you choose?
Some interesting documentary that PBS or Ken Burns would produce and direct. Ideally with the Frontline voiceover guy as narrator.
What does success and failure mean to you?
That is not an easy thing to distill into a few sentence answer, but I always thought trying something and seeing it through to the end meant success. Of course, there are varying levels of personal satisfaction and acclaim, but one is, well, personal, and the other subjective. So for my dollars and donuts, thinking ‘I want to do the thing’ → ‘I did the thing’ is an achievement.
Did you ever own an Easy-Bake Oven?
No—my sister and I went for the Snoopy Sno Cone Machine instead. After making our best attempts with it a couple of times (and winding up with melted, too-sweet goo) we used it as a base/backdrop for our action figures and Strawberry Shortcake dolls.
Finish this sentence: If I had the power to time travel, I would _______.
Be busy visiting my list of “things, people, and places I wish I’d seen.” Dinosaurs, the megaflood that caused the Scablands in Washington state, the library at Alexandria, civilizations in their heyday (Egypt! Rome! Persia! Machu Picchu! Easter Island! Regency England!), megafauna roaming the Americas, taking in speeches and lectures by great people from their times, oh gosh attending the Marian Anderson performance in front of Lincoln Memorial. Caveat of course is I could be a mere observer and not get eaten by a T-Rex or drowned or anything. I’m crying a little just thinking about all of it, and that is not facetious or an overstatement.
Also, for real, I would gift myself two extra hours nearly every day just to get stuff done. Dinner time and the to-do list isn’t finished? Zip! You’re welcome, it’s two hours earlier. BOOM
**Bonus Question**
Have you ever tried BDSM? If not, would you?
Elle chose not to answer the bonus question. It’s all good. We all have our secrets, LOL!
Bio:
Elle Brownlee has always followed her creative, adventuring spirit.
Growing up she loved westerns and taking long hikes. On these explorations she’d craft miniature worlds with moss and rocks while making up stories about everything that happened there. This often included dashing cowboy heroes. As an adult, not a lot has changed. She still loves westerns, long hikes, and allowing her imagination to roam. She also loves spending time with family and friends, rooting for her baseball team, rainy days in autumn, and the perfect cup of tea (black, steeped extra strong, with milk—please!).
Her romances feature flawed but relatable characters in immersive settings, told with wit, tenderness, and a sly note of sarcasm. Though a cynic in many ways, Elle believes love can conquer all. Every story is a little bit naughty, a whole lot of nice, and will always end with happily ever after.
Elle currently lives in New York City, where she maintains her miniature worlds in terrariums and writing.
Social Media:
Books:
Get your one-click finger ready! Check out Drawn.
