Interview

This interview was conducted by Dr. Joseph S. Spence Sr, of C. L. Charlesworth Author of The Last Merry Go Round.

Interviewer: Welcome C. L.  Charlesworth.Congratulations onreleasing this fictional novel; how do you relate your success with the publication?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

The Last Merry Go Round is poignant, an intentional plot grabbing you from the first page, and pulling no punches regarding the characters. You’re a voyeur, hovering over conversations and watching scenes as if they were right before you. When finished, you walk away thinking‘I know people like this,’and you wonder, ‘how could I make better choices.’ This story is a psychological thriller of human nature, and how secrets devour them. 

Interviewer: This is an amazing book. How was the inspiration generated?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

The idea for came one Saturday when I was walked to a 9 a.m. creative-writing workshop and at an isolated crosswalk saw a convertible Porsche. Inside the car were a man in a tuxedo and a woman in an evening gown. I was stunned with curiosity as his voice raged. He called her vile names. The woman bowed her head and wiped her eyes. The second she looked up, he back-handed her three times. I felt helpless as the car sped away. A real, unhinged sight and sound of someone's hand slicing into another's flesh isn't a movie. The image imprinted my mind.

Interviewer: Explain your early influences for writing a fictional novel?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

My father, sometimes missed his favorite television shows because of his work schedule. I watch these programs, and recant in detail to Dad the movie. My storytelling was so enticing, often when wesat on the porch, Dad asked me to tell him a story. This is where my ability begun to hold someone’s attention with my short stories. I enjoyed reading the classics and often rewrote a different ending, with my tenth-grade English teacher’s encouragement releasing my imagination.

Interviewer: What special books read have strengthen your background and impacted your writing skills?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

I am a collector of book and magazines.This is a list of some:

Poets & Writers Magazine

The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby

The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron

The Heart of a Woman by Maya Angelou

Outlining Your Novel: Map Your Way to Success by K.M. Weiland.

Interviewer: What advise you would like give young writers?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

Toni Morrison’s lecture on fiction writingwith many ideaskept me on point withthe best-selling books, giving ideas of competition and developing a greater sense of novel writing. Second, if you let doubt overshadow your writing, the story will only be a fraction of how good it could be. Be brave and tell your story.  

Interviewer: What are your hobbies other than literary ones?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

I’m an avid world traveler and photographer.

Interviewer:  Are you involved in any community activities, or book groups, and how have they enhanced your writing?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

I volunteered at a woman’s shelter, and obtained additional resource material for book. I’m a subscriber to writing blogs and associations, such as:Live Write Thrive, Pen America, Women’s Fiction Association, Author You, etc. I participate in two book reading groups. One reads books by minority authors. The second group reads books made into movies.

Interviewer: What recent books impacted your outlook, and how?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

I’m re-reading James Baldwin’s books, Notes of a NativeSon, a collection of essays, which captures the complexities of being Black in America during the start of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s, and Nobody Knows My Name, a deeper reflectionon the discriminatory tensions in our society.

Interviewer: explain the significance of your professional life and its impact on your writing.

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

I have the gift of imaginationall my life. I'm fortunate to take a sheet of paper and create a story that evokes a wide array of drama. I'm inspired by the simplest to the most complex challenge a person can face, and derive empathy for my characters. I describe myself as a "back porch storyteller," whose writing grabs you from the first sentence.

Interview:  Which irons do you have in the fire for other books, and do you mind sharing them?

Author C. L.  Charlesworth:

The next books I’m working on are: I Lived Through My Death, about a terminally ill woman given eighteen months to live. Ronald’s Umbrella, about an abused and handicapped child given up for adoption, who grows up to be a renowned classical pianist.

Interviewer:  Thank you very much for the interview.

Prof. Dr. Joseph S. Spence, Sr. (Epulaeryu Master), authored ten poetry books, reviewed over fifty, and authored over 200 peer-reviewed published articles. He resides in Wisconsin.

---

Local 2020 :: Setu, June 2020