Bookworm Month ~ Author Interview With Elisabeth Foley

Hi Elisabeth, please tell us more about yourself and your books.

I’m a twenty-four-year-old homeschool graduate, avid reader and history buff. I live at home with my parents, three siblings and two dogs, and I write historical fiction. My main focus is on Westerns, which I like to look at as a subgenre of American historical fiction, but I’m interested in other time periods too—the Civil War, Great Depression, WWII, the Edwardian era—and have written a bit in several of them. I also love mysteries, and have tried my hand at historical mystery too.

What inspired you to begin writing?

I began writing so early in life that it’s hard to remember. As a child I always loved reading, and also loved making up stories for my own entertainment, so it was kind of a natural step from there to writing down my own stories. Somewhere along the line, I began daydreaming about becoming a published author one day. And in the last few years, once I learned about the opportunities offered by independent publishing, the dream crystallized into a realizable goal, and finally a reality.

Do you have any new books coming out soon? If you do, what is it about?

My next release is a novella, Corral Nocturne, which is a short retelling of the classic Cinderella story in a Western setting. It was a very fun and enjoyable story to write, and I’m excited about sharing it with readers!

What is your favorite book you have written? What is it about?

Hmm. It’s always hard to choose a favorite among your own stories, but it might be my last book, Left-Hand Kelly. It’s a Western about a boy whose attempts to emulate his ex-gunfighter father bring trouble. I spent parts of four years working on that book and put a lot of love and effort into it, so I’m quite attached to it.

Who is your favorite character in the book you listed in the question above and why?

Another tough question, since I’m fond of most of the characters in Left-Hand Kelly. To pick just one, I’d probably say Claire Lester. I enjoyed writing her best scenes in the story; she’s the kind of character I could both cheer for and empathize with.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

I love the way that it allows you to live innumerable adventures vicariously. You can explore so many times and places and events in your imagination through the process of researching and writing.

Do you have any other books you are beginning to work on?

Right now I’m working on finishing the first draft of a children’s historical fantasy, a project that kind of took me by surprise. After that I plan to start working on a full-length historical novel—I have two ideas that I’m trying to decide between.

Thank you for doing an interview with us Elisabeth, do you have any final thoughts or updates you might like to tell everyone about?

No, I don’t think so, other than to say thank you very much for having me here!