A Conversation with Elena Dorothy Bowman

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Elena Dorothy Bowman

We are delighted to welcome novelist Elena Dorothy Bowman to Omnimystery News today.

Dorothy writes both science fiction and mystery novels; her most recent book is Catherine's Ring, a novel of suspense set in a small fictional town in the northeast corner of Massachusetts.

We recently had a chance to talk to the author about her books.

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Omnimystery News: You have written both series and stand-alone novels. What criteria do you use to decide whether a book will feature a series character or not?

Photo provided courtesy of
Elena Dorothy Bowman

Elena Dorothy Bowman: It may sound strange, but it really isn't up to me. It is up to the characters in the novels and in the story itself which tells me whether it is more than a stand alone. Then there are the stand-alones that do not lend themselves to more than one book. It seems, at times, that the characters take over the story and decide which way it is going to go.

OMN: Your books span several genres. Do you think of them as genre-specific?

EDB: My novels are categorized by my publisher as science fiction, mystery, romance, the paranormal and historical fiction. What one's books are categorized as depends upon what the market will bear. Sometimes science fiction wins over, other times it is romance. And it goes without saying that most people like to be scared when it come to the paranormal.

OMN: Tell us something about Catherine's Ring that isn't mentioned in the publisher synopsis.

EDB: In the 18th Century, Joseph Barton, a young archeologist traveled through the Orient as part and parcel of his position as an Apprentice for the company he would someday become a partner in. In his travels through a mountain high up in the rarified air he comes upon an ancient one who appears to have been on this planet longer than one should have been. He engages the young traveler in conversation and barters for a bag of gems with whatever Joseph has on him and subsequently disappears. Before doing so, he reveals to the young man that the gems he now has in his possession are magical. But what the young man doesn't know is how these gems which are later set into two beautiful rings would impact the lives and future of Joseph Barton's descendants in a way far more than any on them could even dream.

OMN: How do you go about developing the plots and characters for your books?

EDB: I do not outline, but rather let the story develop as I write. As to the characters, I have a sheet, a biographical outline in which I describe each and everyone of my characters so that when they do something out of character, I know it's not correct. The synopsis comes after the novel is written. If I don't know which way the story is going to develop, I can't possibly write a synopsis of something that isn't written yet.

OMN: How do you fact-check your books?

EDB: When it comes to historical and factual references I spend a lot of time researching material that could be used in defining these references. My research does not only include the internet, but also books on the subject I am interested in exploring. Since I really enjoy researching a subject, I sometimes get caught up in the research and forget what I was doing in the first place.

OMN: What kinds of questions to you get from your readers?

EDB: The question most readers ask me is what prompted me to write the novels I do write. At most of the book signings I attend, more often than not, someone would come up to me and tell me that they have always wanted to write and had a good story to tell, what should they do. I encourage them to write what they have in mind and when they have completed it to send it out. All the publishers can do is say no, but there is always the one who will say yes. So go for it.

OMN: Do your reading interests also span the various genres you write in?

EDB: I read a lot, and there are many authors whose works I enjoy reading. Actually, I read many different genres, with the exception of crime novels. Historical, Mystery, Thrillers, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction are the genres I most like to read.

OMN: What is next for you?

EDB: I have recently submitted a manuscript to my publisher that is a collection of short and long stories, essays and poetry. Presently, I am working on two novels, one is science fiction the other is a mystery novel. I hope to complete both novels sometimes this year.

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Elena Dorothy Bowman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in the town of Dorchester, a suburb of Boston. During their younger years, Elena and her four brothers sat at their father's feet as he read the classics to them each night before sending them off to bed, with visions of the stories still in their heads and mesmerized by the works of Jules Verne.

Visit Elena's website to learn more about her and her books.

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Catherine's Ring
Elena Dorothy Bowman

In a small fictional town in the northeast corner of Massachusetts a mysterious package from out of the past had the residents buzzing. The original recipient had long since passed, and the sender of the package had died at sea in a tragedy that stunned the world. Where had this package been all these years, and why, even if it was postmarked the year it was sent, was it never delivered?

When the present day recipient received the mysterious package, he wondered if he opened it, would he be opening a Pandora's Box. But, neither he nor his wife were aware that his thoughts would ring true, and the strange events and entities that would envelop his family, and the family of the descendants of the original sender.