Ellen Ekstorm, author of "Scarborough" (February 11-15)

Please welcome Ellen L. Ekstrom for a chat this week about Scarborough. Ellen will be chatting through February 15. Enjoy!

Oh Fabulous! Hello Ellen, Welcome! I really enjoyed Tallis Third Tune... and look forward to reading Scarborough, which I just this minute downloaded to my iPad. I'll be back :)

Annnnnnd....we're live!

Good morning from the West Coast, Berkeley, California. Thank you for stopping by and chatting. I am always interested in reading what people of the pages have to say about what they're reading, what interests them, and what does and doesn't work in a book. That interest has taken a personal slant since I became a published author.

To start things off - a bit of personal background: I'm a native of the San Francisco Bay Area, and am the middle child in a large family. I used to play church with my one doll and stuffed animals as a child and now I am ordained clergy in the Episcopal Church, serving as the parish deacon at The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Berkeley, two blocks from my home. My children are grown, all tall, dark and beautiful like their father - not one diminutive, large-eyed, Scandinavian in the trio! To support my maniacal lifestyle I work as a legal secretary in San Francisco. When do I find the time to write, you may well ask? Well, I do.

And now, shall we chat?

All the best,

Ellen

Mckait - glad you enjoyed Tallis Third Tune. What was your favorite part, and who was your favorite character? Tell me yours and I'll tell you mine.

Hard to remember details, as I read it a while ago, and so many books in between, but Alice and Quinn of course. I loved the magic, and the historical figures that wandered through in spirit. it was so unusual and imaginative.

I did review it Tallis Third Tune :) briefly!

Mckait - you'd be interested to know that a few of the historical figures are back and just as 'helpful,' but Scarborough is a bit darker than Tallis' Third Tune. My favorite character is The Proprietress - based on Helen Mirren's Queen Elizabeth and my mother.

Hi, Ellen! You know I can't wait to read the next book... my favourite character is also The Proprietress. Hellen Mirren would be excellent in the role! (I could also see Tilda Swinton.)

My other favorite is Richard III - and I could see Richard Armitage in the role, or Daniel Radcliffe. People ask why he sits there doing a Times crossword puzzle. Discuss.

The Proprietress - based on Helen Mirren's Queen Elizabeth and my mother

:) I like that! I plan to start reading in a bit.. just finished my last errand..

Day 2 of the Chat.

How many of us have almost blown it because we followed a path that our families thought was the best course in life? That's a question I pondered over in my youth and it's the question that keeps nagging at Quinn Radcliffe, well, that and other problems....

Day 3 of the Chat.

One day away from Valentine's Day...

Work is keeping me away from my book :( Your book!
It took me zinging back to Tallis!

McKait, work keeps me from life....

I loved your review of Tallis, by the way. Thank you!

Ellen,

Not a question about a particular book, but what inspired you to become an author?

MT, that's a question I don't often get asked - it's usually how do you find the time to write?

I had an older sister who took me to our library and would read to me from the Lang Fairy Tale books. She wrote stories, too, and it inspired me. When I told her a story I'd made up, she wrote it down and told my mother I should be a writer. She gave up on it and went on to other interests, but it's been a part of my DNA and keeps me going. Unfortunately, that sister didn't live to see that her efforts showed promise. I dedicated my second novel to her, Armor of Light. She died at the age of 38.

Other than a church, a library is where I feel most at home and welcome.

Blessings, E

Hi Gary and Tim! You've found me!

I have been watching for a while, but am naturally a quiet and retiring type...
I have just started reading Tallis' Third Tune, but have not got very far at all yet

Just hoping now to say hello (and explain that my intentions to participate got blown away by circumstances beyond my control!)...I appreciate your presence on Hobnob.

Ellen, I was watching for you on the Author Interview group and guess what? ... you weren't on that group. I've missed the whole thing. Oh well, the story of my life. haha I see many have dropped by to say "Hi", however. I feel like a dunce monitoring the wrong group. Anyway, HI.