Let's welcome Joelle Charbonneau this morning, Her newest book End Me a Tenor has just come out. Hope you get a chance to read it!
Tell us about yourself.
Hi and yikes! I never know what to tell people when they ask me about myself. I never think I'm all that interesting. But since you asked, I am an opera singer and music theater performer who now writes books. In between writing and teaching voice lessons, I race around after my 5 year old son who has more energy than me, my husband and the rest of our family members combined. You'd think he eats lots of sugar....but you'd think wrong. He refuses to eat cupcakes, most cookies and candy. Yep...ours is a unique household.
How did this series come about?
Because of my love for singing and dancing on stage, a few of my friends suggested I think about writing a historical mystery series about an opera singer who solves crimes at the various opera houses in Europe. Um...great idea, but while I adore historical fiction, my writing style doesn't really lend itself to that era. So, as much as I loved the idea, I shelved it in the back of my mind where I expected it to collect dust. Turns out, I really wanted to write about a performer and decided to create a setting in which I could use both my professional performing and teaching experience. Paige Marshall and the Music in Motion show choir were born!
What are you working on now, can we expect more in this series?
At this very moment, I am working on completing the third Glee Club mystery which I have tentatively titled A Chorus Line-Up. That is the last of the books in this series I have been contracted to write, but I am hopeful that Paige's adventures will continue. She and her cast of supporting characters are a great deal of fun to write.
I know you are writing different series, How do you keep focused on the one you are working on without thinking about the other ones?
Ha! You assume I can keep focused:) Actually, keeping the series seperate in my mind isn't all that hard. I am currently working on three different series. Two mysteries series - the Glee Club mysteries and the Rebecca Robbins mysteries - and the Young Adult THE TESTING trilogy. The young adult books are very different from my adult ones. THE TESTING is set in a post-apocalyptic world and is a very dark thriller. As for the mysteries - one is set in small town Illinois while Paige's world is Chicago and the Chicago suburbs. While there are fun characters in both, I find that the settings really dictate the type of stories that I tell and make it easier to keep them neatly sorted in my mind. Of course, I could just be telling myself that to keep myself sane. Some days it's hard to tell.
Do you have a Spring/Summer hobby that you enjoy doing when you arent writing?
It sounds wrong to say, but I really love to read. Reading is a true joy and the reason I got into writing in the first place. Of course, because I am writing, I have less time to read, so I truly cherish the time I get to curl up with a book. I also have a love of all things cooking and enjoy dancing. I am hoping that once I finish this current manuscript, I'll get a chance to take a few dance classes. It's fun and good exercise!
End Me A Tenor ~ April 2 ~ Berkley Prime Crime
The Testing ~ June 4 ~ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's
Skating Under The Wire ~ Oct. 1st ~ Minotaur Books
Thank you for visiting with us today, it was a pleasure to have you here! I love this series and End me A Tenor is Fantastic!!!!!
Nice interview.
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