A Writer's View: Emelle Gamble


This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Emelle will be awarding a $100 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter--to enter, see the Rafflecopter at the end of the post. You can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Emelle Gamble…Inside My Writing Space


So I have a Room of My Own. It has a door that shuts. A lock that locks. A window that looks out onto the world, or a least the tiny glint of world that exists in my neighborhood in a suburban swath just outside of Metropolitan Washington D.C.

I rarely shut the door. Never lock the lock. I look out my window to check the weather, see if the creaky, squeaky sounds I hear are in fact the postal truck, or when the window is cracked and I hear my somewhat insane neighbors arguing with one another, which they used to do rather dramatically (swearing, throwing things at one another, including one time a hammer!) but they’ve have calmed down considerably, thanks to time and tide and what I’m sure may be some anger management drugs.

Most early mornings, evenings and on and off all weekend unless I’m not physically at home, I sit in my most comfortable, tilty and wheeled black- leather chair dearest husband, Phil-the-fist, bought me a year ago to gentle my sometimes ten hour days of creative toiling.

My desk is a standard out of the box Office Depot kind of thing, nice big flat surface, kick out keyboard tray, tower for a printer, drawers for hiding away things I can’t bear to look at but must keep close at hand (old rejection letters, files of new ideas printed out or handwritten, old contracts, lots of stationary).

The nice big flat surface is cluttered with monitor, speakers, Ling Chang stand-up calendar, pen tray, pictures, pen barrel, organizing-black-metal- thing that doesn’t organize as much as corral various pads and books and flyers I’m trying to keep track of.

I try very hard to keep this Room of My Own only about writing. My big cork board holds pictures and tidbits about works in progress, as well as mementos about conferences or critiques or my support group of writer friends, The Lifesavers. And photos of my family, of my beautiful daughter, Olivia, who smiles down at me so I can hear her say, “You can do it, mom” on those days when I’m sure I can not do it at all.

It’s a good room to write in. My cats, Lucy and Bella, hilarious and different as two sister cats can be, hang out here with me. They sometimes sleep on their window perch. Mostly they sit on the floor and meow complainingly at me. Often they jump in my lap and demand a hug and a cuddle, which I give them, and then they dance a little tango line down the desk and soon go away to another room.

On the walls is some art I adore, a lithograph “Young Spanish Peasant” by Picasso, a silkscreen by floral artist Brian Davis, a hilarious picture of a cat wearing a topcoat and scarf that has significant meaning for a work in progress. And my favorite thing, a little plaque given to me a million years ago when I said I was going to be a writer by my best friend, Nancy.

It says, “A friend is a rare book of which but one copy is made”.

Books written by other people are stacked everywhere, a poster of Secret Sister is propped-up behind me, reminding me an idea does indeed become a published novel if you stick to it. There are good luck totems everywhere, little gifts that mean something only to me, that encourage and make me smile.

By design, there is no guest chair.

Thanks for visiting Inside My Writing Space. Now get out because I have work to do. HA! Just kidding, but only a little.

About the Author:
Emelle Gamble was a writer at an early age, bursting with the requisite childhood stories of introspection which evolved into bad teen poetry and took her first stab at full length fiction in an adult education writing class when her kids were in bed. As M.L. Gamble, she published several romantic suspense novels with Harlequin. She has contracted with Soul Mate Publishing for Secret Sister, summer of 2013, and Dating Cary Grant, an early 2014 release.

Always intrigued by the words ‘what if’, Emelle’s books feature an ordinary woman confronted with an extraordinary situation. She most enjoys reading stories that surprise and amaze her, and hopes her readers will enjoy the challenging and exciting journeys her characters take.

Emelle lives in suburban Washington D.C. with her husband, Phil, her hero of thirty years, and two orange cats, Lucy and Bella. These girls, like all good villains, have their reasons for misbehaving. Her daughter, Olivia, and son, Allen, are happily launched on their own and contributing great things to society, their mother’s fondest wish.

Email: emellegamble@aol.com

Website: www.EmelleGamble.com "Win Cathy Chance's earrings" Emelle is having a giveaway on her website for a pair of custom made turquoise earrings.
FaceBook: Author Emelle Gamble
Twitter: @EmelleGamble

To their friends, Nick and Cathy Chance have the perfect marriage. High school sweethearts who’ve been together for ten years, they’ve weathered challenges and are as committed as they were when they first fell in love. Cathy trusts Nick, Nick’s world revolves around his wife, and the future looks golden.

To everyone who knows them, Cathy Chance and Roxanne Ruiz have a perfect friendship. They connected in grade school and since then have been each other’s confident and trusted advisor. Cathy loves the gorgeous Roxanne like a sister, Roxanne has fun-loving Cathy’s back in every situation, though lately there’s been tension between these two best friends…

And then, on a sunny summer morning, the unthinkable occurs, throwing into doubt the truth of what each of these people really know about themselves and one another.

Will Roxanne’s sacrifice be too little, and too late? Should Nick’s love for his wife be strong enough to risk trusting his heart more than logic? Can Cathy’s devotion to Nick give her enough strength to convince him to see her for who she really is?

Secret Sister proves how strong, how stubborn, and how trustworthy love can be as Nick and Cathy and Roxanne are challenged to overcome the secrets, the lies … and one extraordinary twist of fate that turns their lives upside down.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Comments

  1. Thank you very much Welcome to my World of Dreams for hosting this blog stop. I had a wonderful time writing about my space! I hope your readers will log on and share their workspace with me...Happy Monday!

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  2. I just love to see writers' work spaces! And I happen to know yours has produced some fabulous works of art - including the incomparable Secret Sister! Love-love-LOVED it!

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  3. cluttered, piles of papers and pens

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  4. A writer's space is sacred space and you have made your that. An environment where you can create the wonderful stories that you write. I so enjoyed the journey through it. It gives me greater insight to your writing story.

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  5. A writer's space is sacred space and you have made your that. An environment where you can create the wonderful stories that you write. I so enjoyed the journey through it. It gives me greater insight to your writing story.

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  6. It's so interesting to see where the act of creation occurs! Love the cats and the cat in an overcoat!

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  7. Thank you for letting us visit your writing space. It's fun to get to know you better.

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  8. Melinda Zedekar, sounds like most desks! Do you know where things are though, even if cluttered? I'm no good at that, but I've got friends who know right where everything is! Thanks for posting.

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  9. Deborah Barnhart! Just what I fear, I'm giving people insight into how my mind works. Oh no! HA...thank you dear friend for your kind comments. I do love my office, actually quite inept at writing anywhere but there. Love you, and thanks for posting.

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  10. Thanks Linda Pennell! I love those cats too, too much as they often distract. How about your office? Do you have a cat in an overcoat? HA! Thank you for posting.

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  11. Elaine Fox, thank you so much for the kind words about Secret Sister...you've been there each step of the way, and it's been a long freaking journey. I'd like a tour of your new office soon...not many writers have the luxury of a fireplace! XXX

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  12. Thanks Rita...good luck on the contest. And yes, by the time this blog tour is over, you're going to know way too much about me.

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  13. Anonymous12:10 PM

    Hi Emelle,
    I love reading about writers' workspaces. You have obviously been inspired by yours. Hope you have continued success with Secret Sister.

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  14. Thanks Joanne Guidoccio! Yes, I am inspired and even more comforted by my office...just feels like a positive space. It's the cats, I tell you! HA. Now I sound like a real eccentric. Good luck in the drawing and thanks for the post!

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  16. Sorry about the deleted comment. My fingers go misaligned and it was badly mispelled. Love the tidbit about the neighbors. My office has original art on the wall by my daughter.

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  17. Love your office, Emelle. And that cat pic still cracks me up. LOL. I couldn'tpost pics of my office without some massive straightening up...

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  18. As a reader, I have a special place with bookselves that are overloaded, but thanks to my Kindle, the space hasn't gotten worse. I can imagine a writer's work space is cluttered!

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  19. Catherine Castle...I love fingers that goofy. Some of my best lines are when I miss-type. And how great your daughter's work decorates your walls...I find comfort and inspiration from my kid's photos. Thanks for sharing, and posting!

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  20. Hey Evie...clutter is good. It means you are working. thanks for posting, and for providing inspiration every day with Kent the cat picture. XXX

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  21. Hey RBooth43...Thank you for posting. I hear you about the bookshelves...mine are groaning and I swear I give books away by the armful every year. Thanks for posting, and good luck in the drawing.

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  23. Your kitties look like one of mine. I'm wondering if ALL orange tabbies are adorable, or what. Fun post! I can't help to wonder how the cat picture relates to your upcoming book!

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  24. A hammer? There's a story there.

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  25. My work area has pens, pencils, notepads, a laptop, a kindle , my phone, two dogs and three cats!

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  26. My work area has pens, pencils, notepads, a laptop, a kindle , my phone, two dogs and three cats!

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  27. Love the cat in the overcoat! I write at my dining room table in an uncomfortable chair...I should change that! I stare at piles of paperwork and right now Christmas presents waiting to be wrapped!

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  28. Hey Sandra Hutchison...I've wondered that too, that all those orange tabbies are brothers and sisters. I've read females are rare, and often deaf, but these 2 are my 4th and 5th orange girls and no issues. As to the cat picture...it's noir, a guy, a killer blonde, and a certain monster...HA! Thanks for posting!

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  29. Sarah Hegger...definitely a story with the hammer. As I said, thank goodness they've calmed down! Thanks for posting.

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  30. GPangel...2 dogs and 3 cats. I'm shuddering and laughing all at the same time! But lots of good vibes with that group. Thank you for posting.

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  31. Becca Johnson...I know. I can't believe Christmas is almost here. I did some online stuff and am now not looking forward to wrapping. As for the dining room table, I did that and can recommend a room of your own. Ask Santa! Thank you very much for posting.

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  32. i love the cat...i am a cat person..
    thx u for hosting this giveaway :)

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  33. I must have the world's tiniest office space! I write on a 3x3 desk in my living room. But I do have pictures on the wall-- a pair of photos from Helsinki taken on a breathtaking summer day at the Sibelius monument. Whenever I glance up at them, I am instantly refreshed! Finland to me was energizing (23 hours of sunlight every day), and the people were unpretentious-- definitely refreshing for someone who'd been battling Boston traffic and high-tech egos on a daily basis for too long.

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  34. Sounds like an amazing read!!
    Thanks for the chance to win!
    natasha_donohoo_8 at hotmail dot com

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  35. So happy to meet another cat person, Nurmawati Djuhawan! You're welcome and good luck! If you get a chance to read Secret Sister you'll meet another cat...Miss Pittypat, who is a pretty important character. Thank you for posting.

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  36. Kate C...wow, 3 x 3 is small. And I love your art inspiration. I've never been to Finland, but 23 hours a day of sunlight sounds good to me right now. Hang in there in cold Boston...Spring will come. Good luck in the drawing and thank you for posting.

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  37. Thanks for sharing Secret Sister and the giveaway. Wishing everyone a wonderful and magical holidays season. evamillien at gmail dot com

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  38. Sorry for the late post. I’m playing catch-up here so I’m just popping in to say HI and sorry I missed visiting with you on party day! Hope you all had a good time!
    kareninnc at gmail dot com

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  39. Anonymous7:27 PM

    It sounds like a lovely space!

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

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  40. I'm playing catch up as well. Loved the look around your workspace. I have a special 'booknook' where I read thatvhas great lighting, scented candles and a fountain... The ultimate relaxation spot.

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