Chanticleer Book Reviews

Tag: Elizabeth Crowens

10 Question Author Interview with Elizabeth Crowens – Anthologies, Murder Mysteries, Time Travel

CHANTICLEER AUTHOR TEN QUESTION INTERVIEW SERIES
with Elizabeth Crowens

Author Elizabeth Crowens has been coming to our conferences (CAC) for a while now – and it is always a good time when she does. In fact, Elizabeth took home the GRAND PRIZE in TWO Divisions in 2021~ The SHORTS Awards for New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst and scored majorly in the CYGNUS Awards for A War in Too Many Worlds. And her literary agent just negotiated a 3-Book publishing deal. She is funny, smart, and cares deeply for her fellow authors. In short, she’s a perfect Chanticleerian! I want you to meet her – Elizabeth Crowens.

Chanti: So, Elizabeth, when did you realize that you were an author?

Crowens: When I realized it was too complicated and too expensive to make elaborate feature films all by myself. This, of course, was in the pre-video and pre-smartphone days of motion picture cameras and processing outrageously expensive film stock, of which I had firsthand experience in a film school which touted experimental and avantgarde auteurism rather than commercial productions.

Although I had the cinematographer’s eye, women in that realm faced a lot of restrictions, so I veered toward screenwriting. Never made my mark in that commercial arena either, but I did start a first draft of a novel, which stayed in my closet for many years until I took it seriously, polished it, and had it published. Now, there are three novels in that series, the latest of which is A War in Too Many Worlds, which won last year’s Grand Prize in the Cygnus Awards. The first book of that series, Silent Meridian, won First Prize in the Goethe Awards, and the second book, A Pocketful of Lodestones, won First Prize in the Paranormal Awards. There will be one more novel, The Story Beyond Time, before I complete my Time Traveler Professor series.

Chanti: It always amazes me how much you juggle in your work. Good on you! But, how do you come up with your ideas for a story?

Crowens: There’s always something personal when it comes to my story ideas. For my anthology, New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst, for years I had always wanted to publish a coffee table book using my photography. When I inadvertently stumbled upon an artist’s grant which could give me that opportunity, I gave it a whirl, not expecting anything to come of it. However, there was one caveat—I had to involve others. That’s when I pitched the project like my popular Caption Contest on Facebook and was really surprised when I won one of those grants. Regarding other stories—they come from all over the place but, once again, there’s always a personal connection some way or other.

Chanti: How do you approach your writing day?

Crowens: If I can wake around 4:30 am and write until 9:00 am when the “business day” begins, that’s considered a productive day. It’s quiet then, and I don’t have to worry about being interrupted by robocalls or having to deal with the frustrating mundane stuff like booking doctor’s appointments or arguing with inept billing departments over why I don’t owe their bills. Hate that stuff with a passion, and it totally gets me out of the creative zone.

Chanti: Ugh. I hate the robo calls! How structured are you in your writing work?

Crowens: To expand upon the previous question, once I’m out of the zone, there’s no way I can force myself to get back on track. Once I have the spare time, I’ll concentrate on reading or watching a film—in the name of research, of course. Got to stay productive—no matter what.

Chanti: Smart. What areas in your writing are you most confident in? What advice would you give someone who is struggling in that area?

Crowens: Dialogue. I think that comes from my screenwriting background. Script length is roughly 110-120 pages. My weakest area would be in setting descriptions and sensory reactions. In screenplays, nearly all of that is eliminated unless it’s vital to the script.

What it’s like to be bi-coastal!

Chanti: That’s good advice. You work in novels and film – two very different practices, two very different places – so I want to ask you about your craft. What do you do to grow your author chops?

Crowens: I attend writer’s boot camps and conferences—a lot of them.

Chanti: We’re always happy to see you at CAC! What craft books have helped you the most?

Crowens: Story Trumps Structure by Steven James. Anything by Donald Maas or James Bell. Stephen King’s On Writing is a classic. Writer’s Digest publishes a lot of good ones.

Chanti: What are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?

Crowens: It might be a while since you see my final alternate history/science fiction novel in the Time Traveler Professor series, because I’ve been concentrating on Hollywood mysteries. One of the reasons why I like entering in the Chanticleer Author Awards is that they allow unpublished manuscripts to compete against the published ones. I have three unpublished mysteries which have won first prizes in various categories, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the one my agent is currently shopping, will leap beyond a finalist this year in the M&Ms or the Clue Awards.

Chanti: Best of luck to you in the CIBAs! They don’t let me near them, so luck is the only thing I can offer. Do you ever experience writers block? What do you do to overcome it?

Crowens: There are two instances where I hit a wall. One I mentioned previously, and that’s when I’m knocked out of the zone. The other is that cooling off period when I’m completely done with a project. During that time, I catch up on a lot of books and movies, many of which have no relation whatsoever to anything I might need for research on a future book. That’s the time to hit my TBR pile. Often, they might be novels from an author I know.

Chanti: I like how you handle that. It’s productive – and sounds like it’s predictable as well. Good for you! What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?

Crowens: Give us reviews! Post them on Amazon, even if it isn’t a “verified sale” on Amazon and you purchased your copy at a retail store or book fair, and on Goodreads. NetGalley. Blog about them.

Chanti: You heard it from the author, herself! The most helpful thing is to write the review – and talk up the books!

EXCITING NEWS for Elizabeth Crowens – This just in!

We are beyond thrilled to announce that Elizabeth received a 3 Book Deal with her agent, Elizabeth K. Kracht for her Babs Norman 1940s Hollywood Mystery series. The Deal was announced in Publishers Marketplace. Here’s a link to her website where the good news is also mentioned, and another link to her Facebook announcement: https://www.facebook.com/thereel.elizabeth.crowens

Now that’s something to crow about!

Elizabeth entered her unpublished manuscript, Babs and Basil, and the Hounds of the Hollywood Baskervilles, into the Mark Twain Book Awards division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards where it was awarded a First Place Blue Ribbon.

Elizabeth Crowens has worn many hats in the entertainment industry in NY and LA for over 25 years. Writing credits include short stories and articles in Black Belt, Black Gate, and Sherlock Holmes Mystery magazines, stories in Hell’s Heart and the Bram Stoker Award-nominated A New York State of Fright, and three alternate history/SFF novels, which she self-publishes under the name of Atomic Alchemist Productions. Recipient of the MWA-NY Leo B. Burstein Scholarship, NY Foundation of the Arts grant to produce a self-published, photo-illustrated anthology, a Glimmer Train Honorable Mention, an Eric Hoffer Award First Prize, two Grand Prize and four First Prize Chanticleer Review awards. She is represented by Elizabeth K. Kracht at Kimberley Cameron & Associates, is currently writing in the Hollywood mystery genre, and is seeking a traditional publisher.

If you would like to learn more about Elizabeth Crowens author extraordinaire, please like and follow her on her webpage: https://www.elizabethcrowens.com/

August 11, 2023
NEW YORK: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst by Elizabeth Crowens – Short Story Anthologies, Photography, City Life Fiction

Prepare to be carried away to bustling, vivacious streets as you read Elizabeth Crowens’ New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst.

This captivating literary anthology is a love letter to the great city from a group of brilliant artists and authors, which delves into the multifaceted lives of New Yorkers.

Short fiction and a few poems describe the ins and outs of New York living. Murder mysteries, revenge, family struggles, family sagas, and, of course, the most important questions regarding real estate. Finding the perfect place to live in the city may be difficult, but this story brings into vivid relief the heart of what makes New York special: the people.

Each piece of the anthology maintains a steady focus on its characters’ journey, ensuring their needs and desires stay in the foreground. The city itself becomes a vibrant entity that weaves its way into the fabric of each story.

New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst is set apart by the inclusion of Crowens’ captivating photography.

The written word and visual imagery interplay elevate the anthology beyond expectations. From glow-in-the-dark skulls welcoming you to the gentrified street, to the twin boys who stand in as the fictional Angel and Israel in Richie Narvaez’s series of three stories, each photo adds depth that allows the reader to reimagine the story they accompany. With each page, these images remind readers of the heartbeat of New York City.

This anthology is a treasure trove for mystery lovers, with a range of stories that vary from curious to chilling.

The pieces come together like an intricately crafted puzzle, enticing readers to decipher their enigmatic clues and revel in the satisfying resolution. Perhaps the greatest joy here is that one can return after their first reading to linger gently on the interplay between image and story for a fuller experience. Each readthrough unravels new layers and meanings, expertly arranged by Crowens.

New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst is an outstanding anthology that captures the essence of New York and its myriad stories.

With its diverse range of voices, skillful storytelling, and the captivating addition of photography, this collection invites readers to embark on a literary journey through the soul of the city. Whether you’re a mystery enthusiast seeking a thrilling read or a lover of New York longing to rediscover its magic, this anthology is sure to leave an indelible mark.

New York: Give Me Your Best or Your Worst by Elizabeth Crowens won Grand Prize in the 2021 CIBA Shorts Awards for Short Story Collections, Essay Collections, and Anthologies.

July 7, 2023
A WAR In TOO MANY WORLDS: The Time Traveler Professor, Book Three by Elizabeth Crowens – Time Travel, Science Fiction, Action & Adventure

Musician-turned-time-traveler John Patrick Scott adds spy and saboteur to his resume while undercover in Germany in the final months of World War I, in A War in Too Many Worlds, the third installment of Elizabeth Crowen’s thrilling sci-fi series, The Time Traveler Professor.

Meanwhile, Scott’s once and future collaborator in psychic experiments, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, is back in Britain sharing real time-travel adventures with the inventor of the fictional time machine, H.G. Wells.

Scott, after being wounded in the trenches, has finally been given an assignment in the Intelligence services. His extensive pre-war experience as a professor at the Conservancy of Music in Stuttgart, Germany, will do him good.

His assignment is to sabotage the waning German war effort through numerous false identities, while simultaneously mixing with high society to learn who is passing secrets from the Allies to the Central Powers.

Although frustrated by his sudden inability to travel through time, Scott has not lost any of his remaining powers. He is assisted in his secret work by many of the spirits haunting wartorn Berlin.

In Britain, Doyle and Wells undertake time travels of their own, to a past that seems to be more of a literary creation than a jaunt through time. They find the Island of Doctor Morbideux, a dangerous place filled with genetic experiments merging men with beasts, just as in Wells’ novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau. Morbideux appears to be a time-traveling Harry Houdini, unaware of his present life or his adversarial but friendly relationship with Doyle. The situation becomes increasingly perilous as it becomes clear that Doyle and Wells will be Morbideux’s next experimental subjects.

As the story slips between Scott’s undercover operations in Germany, and Doyle’s and Wells’ clandestine journey, this third book in the Time Traveler Professor series proves itself more complex than either of its predecessors.

Since the first two books, the war has changed Scott, leaving him older, sadder, more experienced, and more frustrated in equal measure. He takes greater and greater risks, and slips easily between chemically induced ecstasy and all too frequent despair, as danger mounts and loss surrounds him. Doyle’s and Wells’ adventures and misadventures, at least until they plumb the full depths of the island of Doctor Morbideaux, provide a bit of leavening to set against Scott’s increasing despond.

The overall story of the series continues to gain depth with a compelling pace, and the author recommends that readers enter this sprawling saga at its beginning in Silent Meridian. This book’s opening recap serves as an excellent refresher for readers who know the previous stories, but The Time Traveler Professor is a series like Outlander, where seemingly minor past – and future! – events and chance meetings may have vast implications for the ultimate fate of the protagonists and their world.

Ultimately, the adventure of The Time Traveler Professor, even if he cannot currently travel through time himself, still jumps in time and place, racing towards what is sure to be a wild ride of an ending in the projected final book in the series, The Story Beyond Time.

A War in Too Many Worlds by Elizabeth Crowens won Grand Prize in the 2021 CIBA Cygnus Awards for Science Fiction.

June 9, 2023