Time Periods

 Camille Boucheron

I am Historical Romance writer Camille Boucheron. I am the author of The Seamstress, The Raven and the Rogue, Vixen Blade, Soul of a Pirate, Pirate’s Fortune and The Songbird. I am also Editor-In-Chief at The Eclectic Coast Magazine.

I have always enjoyed historical books and movies. When I am researching a new novel, I immerse myself in that time period. I study everything about it from clothes, to food, to mannerisms of speech. While researching Vixen Blade, I found a real sword to hold and swing so I could better understand what my character felt when she was engaged in battle. For Soul of a Pirate, I had to learn the art of poison and for Pirate’s Fortune (soon to be released) I extensively studied the origins of insane asylums. An avid student of history, The French Revolution features prominently in The Raven and The Rogue. For The Seamstress, I had to learn about costume design and organized crime.

Camille Boucheron

I knew very early in life I was a writer. It was something I felt inside of myself. I remember finding my mother’s typewriter in the basement. Clicking open the shiny latches, I felt as if I’d discovered a magical treasure. I still smell the ink, hear the distinct sound of the clacking as the keys struck the paper, and the bright ding as I reached the end of the sentence. The arts have always held sway over me. Music, art, sculpture, but writing has always been my truest love.

Throughout my life, whatever tragedy or triumph I have faced, writing is the one constant in my life. When I was homeless, I wrote on spiral notebooks purchased from the dollar store. Through tears, through misery, the force that called me to write burned in my soul. During that dark and broken chapter of my life, I wrote my favorite novel, Vixen Blade. Writing that novel helped me to cope with the dire circumstances I faced.

Talia from Vixen Blade is my favorite character because she was born from strife. All of my characters are survivors of misfortune, but deadly when pushed too far. I do not write bodice rippers or explicit stories. Sometimes a great kiss between the hero and heroine is all you need.

There was never a time I didn’t write. I remember reading a quote once that said, “Writers write, everyone else makes excuses.”

Being a writer isn’t easy. Putting yourself out before the masses to be critiqued can be devastating when someone gives your work one star or writes an entire essay on why they hated it. I also learned early on that people correlate monetary success with being a writer. Being a writer means being able to handle and accept rejection on a personal level. Before people could independently publish, if you wanted to be published you ran the risk of having your work returned to you with a simple and direct letter. In my case it read something like this. “This does not fit our needs at the time. Thank you for your interest in our company. Please check out our latest releases.” It was harder for me to get published because I don’t write sweet formula romance. I write sweeping and adventurous stories.

My favorite books are Alexandre Dumas’ Three Musketeers, Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca and Jamaica Inn, every novel in The Lord of The Rings series, and The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy.

I have been writing professionally for over twenty five years and write on a daily basis. When I am not writing novels, I am working on stories for The Eclectic Coast Magazine. Writing is not a hobby or pastime for me. It is in my blood, it is the beating in my heart. When a new novel comes to my mind, I write the entire outline as fast as I can on whatever is available. I wrote the synopsis for my latest work on the back of a school lunch menu because it was all I could grab at the moment.

I will always be a writer. It is not about making a fortune, but about being fortunate to call myself a writer and share my stories.

Camille Boucheron is the author of The Seamstress, The Raven and the Rogue, Vixen Blade, Soul of a Pirate, Pirate’s Fortune, and L’oiseau Chanteur. She is Editor-in-Chief at The Eclectic Coast Magazine and currently resides in the beautiful coastal community of Gulfport, Mississippi.