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Interview with Elise Skidmore

Published 2017-03-05.
Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?
Until I was ten,I lived in an apartment in Queens, NY, with my parents and sister, and my grandparents living in the same apartment building. When my grandmother passed away I was devastated, and not long after we moved to Long Island, taking my widowed grandfather with us. We were always a very close family and those bonds of family love weigh heavily in much of my writing.
When did you first start writing?
I've been writing poetry since elementary school, and even had a poem printed in the local newspaper. I was in my forties before I made any serious attempts at writing prose. I still haven't finished a novel, but I've had some good luck with short stories.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
I think the greatest joy of writing for me is knowing that I've put into words something that others may have thought or felt but weren't able to express for themselves. Someone telling me they've been touched in some way by my words is the best feeling in the world.
What motivated you to become an indie author?
Mainstream publishing doesn't have much of a demand for poetry-- Unless you're a famous dead poet, and even then it's iffy. Indie publishing seemed the only real way of getting my words out there for all to see.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
That's a hard one. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was the first chapter book I remember reading over and over again. John Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" was the first book that ever made me cry.
What do you read for pleasure?
Just about anything, though I'm not big on mysteries or political intrigue books. Historical fiction or nonfiction, Horror/Fantasy, Romance, Adventure, Memoirs and biographies, just about anything character driven can grab my attention.
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Reading, taking photographs, and spending time with friends.
Who are your favorite authors?
Diana Gabaldon, Stephen King, Jodi Picoult, John Steinbeck, Jim Butcher, just to name a few.
What is your e-reading device of choice?
My Kindle.
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Books by This Author

Summer Serenade by
Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 12,130. Language: English. Published: August 12, 2023 by Heart Ally Books, LLC. Categories: Poetry » Themes & motifs » General, Poetry » American poetry » General
A New Yorker by birth, Elise Skidmore lives on the south shore of Long Island with her husband. Recently retired, they enjoy spending time together and love to travel. She has been a writer since childhood, with poetry being her focus for many years. It’s her way of working through dark times and celebrating the joyful ones. SUMMER SERENADE is her fifth volume of poetry.
Looking for the Light: Hindsight Is 2020 by
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 16,350. Language: English. Published: March 15, 2021 by Heart Ally Books, LLC. Categories: Poetry » American poetry » General, Poetry » Female authors
If you love poetry, WHEN LEAVES FALL will fill a new corner of your heart. If you think you don't like poetry, its achingly simple beauty will prove you wrong. --Linda Grimes, author of Tor Books' Ciel Halligan series
Moments in Time - 22 Stories by
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 42,300. Language: English. Published: August 3, 2018 by Heart Ally Books, LLC. Categories: Fiction » Anthologies » Short stories - single author, Fiction » Romance » Short stories
A little Romance, a little humor, a twist of Twilight Zone and a splash of vampires, Elise Skidmore’s stories deliver rich tales of a wide range of memorable characters, served up in bite sized pieces. Don’t have time to read a novel? Snack on these delightfully unpredictable tales!
A Dance of Dreams by
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 13,230. Language: English. Published: June 3, 2016 by Heart Ally Books, LLC. Categories: Poetry » Female authors, Poetry » American poetry » General
Elise Skidmore is a native New Yorker, who has been writing poetry since she was a child. She feels blessed to have had the best parents, husband, and children a woman could ask for, and the strong bonds of family are often the subject of her writing. Her books of poetry are available both in print and all digital formats.
When Leaves Fall by
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 6,040. Language: English. Published: June 3, 2016 by Heart Ally Books, LLC. Categories: Poetry » American poetry » General, Poetry » Female authors
What people are saying about Elise Skidmore -- I've read POEMS FROM THE EDGE OF SPRING, and can highly recommend it! The sort of book you can pick up for a moment's respite or inspiration--or just sit and read from piece to piece, always entertained/comforted/made to think. Lovely book! -- Diana Gabaldon Poignant and lyrical, every sentence is a gem. -- Karen White
Poems From the Edge of Spring by
Price: $2.99 USD. Words: 8,080. Language: English. Published: June 3, 2016 by Heart Ally Books, LLC. Categories: Poetry » Female authors, Poetry » American poetry » General
Elise Skidmore is a native New Yorker, who has been writing poetry since she was a child. She feels blessed to have had the best parents, husband, and children a woman could ask for, and the strong bonds of family are often the subject of her writing. Her first book of poetry, POEMS FROM THE EDGE OF SPRING was a finalist in the 2013 EPIC eBook Awards.
Trio: A Collection of Previous Volumes by
Price: $5.99 USD. Words: 28,290. Language: English. Published: April 15, 2016 by Heart Ally Books, LLC. Categories: Poetry » American poetry » General, Poetry » Female authors
TRIO is a digital compilation of those books: Poems From the Edge of Spring, When Leaves Fall, and A Dance of Dreams. Every life needs some poetry in it.