Interview with Elizabeth Chayse-Williams

 Thank to the author for sending me the picture

Biography

Elizabeth Chayse-Williams writes stories for readers who believe reinvention is possible, romance doesn’t expire with age, and the best chapters of life might still be waiting to be written.

Questions

Why did you decide to write romance?

I actually started writing romance almost by accident.

For years I would write stories about romantic experiences to entertain my friends. They loved them and kept asking for more. One of my closest friends said the classic, “You should write a book”. At that point I had almost 80K words in short stories and thought… maybe this could actually be a book. (PS: Charley’s Collection has some of those stories)

Around the same time, I started thinking about my grandmother, who had always been a writer. She published three books during her lifetime, and the fourth manuscript she left behind was an unfinished romance. For a long time, I imagined that one day I might finish that story for her.

But when I sat down with the manuscript, I realized something important. The story she wanted to tell wasn’t really my voice.

That realization shifted everything for me. I understood that if I was going to write, the story needed to come from my own experiences and perspective.

That’s when Charley’s story began to take shape, and Mountmooke Bay slowly started coming to life.

Romance felt like the natural place for that. I also noticed that a lot of romance stories focus on very young characters, and I wanted to show that love, passion, and reinvention don’t stop after a certain age. Life keeps evolving, and so does romance.

I wanted to write stories that remind readers it’s never too late to fall in love, start over, or discover something new about yourself. I also made a conscious decision about how I wanted to write intimacy in my stories. Some romance novels keep those moments behind closed doors, while others are more open about the emotional and physical connection between characters. For me, it felt important to write those moments honestly and with intention. Romance and intimacy are part of how people connect, especially in adult relationships, and I wanted my stories to reflect that reality. The spice in my books is never there just for shock value; it’s part of the emotional journey between the characters.

What do you love the most about writing?

My favorite moment is when a scene suddenly clicks.

Sometimes I’m working through a chapter and something unexpected connects and suddenly I realize how to bring the reader full circle. I love hiding little Easter eggs in my stories and then looping them back later so readers recognize the thread.

It feels a bit like I’m solving a puzzle that has been messy in my mind, and now I see the picture clearly. The rush of excitement when I realize I can take the reader on a journey that will eventually lead them right back to the beginning but with a completely different understanding.

Which advice will you give to a new author?

A- I think the most important thing to remember is that you are a writer first.

When I was deep in writing my Mountmooke Bay series, I made a commitment to write at least 2,000 words a day. That discipline is how I ended up writing six novels in a single year. It wasn’t always easy, but it taught me that consistency matters far more than waiting for inspiration.

Even now, when life gets busy and I’m not always hitting those numbers, I know that my best work comes when I return to that daily practice. Writing is a habit. The more you do it, the more natural it becomes, and the more confident you feel sharing your stories with the world.

B -My other advice is to slow down.

A lot of new writers feel pressure to publish quickly, but it’s often better to take your time. If possible, even try to have your second book written before releasing your first. Readers will want to know what comes next, and having that ready can make the process much smoother.

C- Another piece of advice I would give a new author is to find a mentor or book coach you trust (ideally someone who writes in the same genre as you).

Writing communities are wonderful and incredibly supportive, but having someone who truly understands your genre can make a huge difference. A romance writer, for example, understands the rhythm of romance, reader expectations, and the publishing landscape in ways that someone outside the genre might not. I was very fortunate to find a book coach who had that experience and could guide me through the process of becoming a published author. There are so many things you learn through conversation and mentorship that you simply can’t pick up from articles or online advice.

A good mentor helps you avoid some of the mistakes they made and gives you the confidence to keep going when things feel uncertain. And the beautiful part is that someday you may become that mentor for someone else. Writing is always evolving, and the knowledge we pass along to each other becomes part of that journey.

 Which one of your books will you recommend to a new author?

I always recommend starting with Book One: Charley’s Confession. Your first book is a bit like your first love. You adore it, but you also know it’s a little messy in places. It’s where everything begins, and it introduces the characters and the heart of Mountmooke Bay.

Readers get to grow with the series as the stories deepen and the characters evolve. So while it might not be my most polished work, it’s absolutely the place where the journey starts.

Do you write with music? If yes, do you have a special song?

 Actually, I write in silence.

Music tends to distract me when I’m writing because I become so immersed in the world of the story. I need that quiet space to hear the characters and follow the rhythm of the scene. Sometimes noise-cancelling headphones are my favourite tool.

That said, music still plays a role in my books. Certain songs will pop into my head while I’m writing, and those often turn into playlists connected to the story. For example, readers of Charley’s Confession will notice a reference to a playlist in the book, and that playlist actually exists on Spotify.

So, while I don’t listen to music while writing, music definitely becomes part of the world of the story.

What are your future projects?

I have quite a few projects in progress.

Within the Mountmooke Bay world, I have the next five books plotted. The characters keep evolving, and I already know where many of their stories are headed. For example, Frankie, who readers meet in Charley’s Collection (book 5),  has a whole storyline developing around her life and relationships.

I’m also considering a story about Margaret, which would explore her life before she became Charley’s “chosen grandmother.” I love the idea of showing how those deeper connections formed.

Outside of romance, I’m also working on a historical fiction novel called Uprooted. The story begins in 1927 and is inspired by the life of my grandmother. Most of my stories are set in the fictional town of Mountmooke Bay, where I have the freedom to follow my imagination wherever the story wants to go. Uprooted is very different. Because it draws from real family history, it carries a different kind of weight for me. In many ways, it’s the most personal story I’ve ever attempted to write.

I’ll admit that writing it is a little terrifying. When you’re working with pieces of your family’s past, you feel a responsibility to honour those experiences while still shaping a story that readers can connect with. For any writer working with material inspired by true events, I think the challenge is finding that balance. You want to stay respectful of the real history, but you also have to allow yourself the creative space to tell a compelling story.

The first chapter of Uprooted received first prize in a writing award, which encouraged me to keep going. I’m now about three-quarters of the way through the manuscript, and I’m hoping to finally bring that story (and my grandmother’s voice) fully to life.