Meet the Members: Linda Ellis

“Writers’ League has been an amazing resource for me. I’ve met some incredible writers over the years, and I’ve taken classes that helped me hone my craft.”

— Linda Ellis

A member of the Writers’ League since 1999, Linda lives in Lago Vista, TX.

Scribe: In what genre(s) do you write?

Linda Ellis: Historical fiction, contemporary women’s fiction, and adventure. As a professional archaeologist and historian for many years, I’ve written numerous technical reports and journal articles. Now I allow my imagination to run free and draw on all the esoteric bits of history and archaeology floating around in my head. I’m currently working on an archaeological adventure novel.

Scribe: What author would you most like to have a drink with, and what’s the first question you would ask them?

LE: Margaret Mitchell. I’d like to ask her how she managed to sustain such consistent and remarkable characters over the 10-year period that it took her to write Gone with the Wind.

Scribe: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what book would you want to have with you to keep you sane?

LE: A difficult choice, but if I had to choose one, I think it would be Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I love this book. Plus, if a lone woman could survive going back 200 years in time, it would certainly inspire me to tap into my survival instincts and make the most of a stressful situation. Who knows, maybe a Jamie would show up and rescue me.

Scribe: What have you learned from your association with the Writers’ League?

LE: Writers’ League has been an amazing resource for me. I’ve met some incredible writers over the years, and I’ve taken classes that helped me hone my craft. The very first class I took (Novel in Progress) helped me refine my first novel, and the League’s referral service provided me with contacts for editors who helped tidy it up. I’ve attended several Agents and Editors Conferences as well. Each one was a wonderful learning experience that gave me the opportunity to interact with many interesting writers, editors, and agents.

Scribe: Where do you see your writing taking you (or you taking it) in the future?

LEThe New York Times Best Sellers list! As a writer, my hope is that when people read my novels, they will discover something new about themselves and their own stories. I have so many tales to tell, and I can’t wait to get them all on paper.

Scribe: Here at the Writers’ League, we love sharing book recommendations. What’s one Texas-related book that has come out within the past year that you couldn’t put down?

LE: A Love Letter to Texas Women by Sarah Bird. It actually came out in 2016, but I only read it this year. I loved it! In true Sarah Bird style, it’s a hilarious tribute to the graciousness and grit that makes Texas women so distinctive. It made me proud to be a fourth-generation Texas woman.

Scribe: Is there anything else about you that you would like to share with the world? An opportunity for blatant self-promotion! 

LE: My study of mankind has led me down some amazing paths. It has expanded my mind and challenged me to see the world differently. I have a deep love and appreciation for the rich cultural heritage of the many men and women who have left their enigmatic “footprints” on this planet we call home. However, as a student of the metaphysical, I’ve learned that history isn’t just a series of names, dates, and places. History writ-large is the collective story of generations of people, and ultimately, each of us have our own story to tell and many of us never know when our past and our present intersect. My novels grow out of this perspective.My recently released series Slender Threads delivers a delightful one-two punch in just this fashion. The first book, Slender Threads: Fate, is set in 1830’s Tennessee and Texas. The second book, Slender Threads: Destiny, takes place in Texas in the 1990’s. Together they relate the interwoven tale of two Texas families over a period of more than 150 years.

Slender Threads: Fate, begins with Rachel Edmunds Thompson learning that her beloved John Rollins is not dead after all, having survived the Texas Revolution despite reports to the contrary. However, three years have passed since John left Tennessee, and Rachel has married another man at her father’s urging. What’s more, the union has produced a child, who is the joy of her life. As Rachel and John struggle with the hard choices their situation required in the 1830’s, they embark on an emotional journey of a love that will never end. It simply weaves its way into the DNA of each successive generation and lies in wait for that one moment in the stream of time when its energetic memory is re-created in yet another lifetime.

Slender Threads: Destiny, is the story of the decedents of John and Rachel, Rob Rollins and Sara Thompson Layton. There was an instant connection between the two, but the turmoil and uncertainty in their lives was too much for their fragile relationship to bear. When Rob re-enters Sara’s life seven years later, she is reluctant to risk her heart again and is locked in an emotional struggle until the day she purchases the century-old memoir of early Texas pioneer John Rollins. What Sara discovers within this weathered book unexpectedly opens a window to her own past and a 150 year old bond that shakes the foundation of her logical world, forcing her to reexamine what she believed to be a long-dead relationship. If she accepts the improbable, will Sara find the courage to let go and listen with her heart? Fate may have brought Sara and Rob together, but only they can choose their destiny.

Both books are available in HB, PB, and IBook formats at: http://www.lwellisbooks.com/

To find out more about L.W. Ellis, check out:

https://lwellis.com/

http://www.nurturethemind.com/

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLWEllis/

Thank you, Linda!

If you’re a Writers’ League member and you’d be interested in being interviewed for our Meet the Members feature, email us at member@writersleague.org for more information. It’s a great way for other members to get to know you and for you to share a bit about what you’re working on!

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