Today, we welcome Elaine Roth to our blog. We’ll be talking about her debut novel THE MIDNIGHT GARDEN. Welcome Elaine, first tell our readers a bit about yourself.
I live in New Jersey, but I’m originally from New York—born in the Bronx and then moved to a suburb outside of the city. My family is originally from Odessa, which is in the Ukraine now, and I was the first person to be born in America.
Writing is not my full-time job as of now. When I’m not writing books, I’m writing freelance articles or teaching Pilates. When I’m not doing any of that I’m a solo mom to two middle-school aged kids—which basically means I’m a chauffeur, chef, house manager, tutor, and more. When I’m not doing any of that, I’m taking care of Coco—a fourteen-year-old maltipoo we rescued about seven years ago. It all makes for busy days, but I’m lucky that I love all of what I do.
How long have you been writing?
I think I’ve been writing something since I learned to read, but I really started to write novels after my son was born. I’d left a career in tax law to be a stay-at-home mom and felt like I wanted to do something more. I told my husband I wanted to try my hand at getting a novel published, and he thought it was a great idea and became my biggest cheerleader.
What does your typical writing day look like?
All of my days are dictated by the kids’ schedules, so it’s hard to describe a typical day, but every morning is the same. I wake up at about 5:30 a.m., make myself a coffee, and start to write. I write until it’s time to get the kids ready for school. Then I usually don’t have another chance to write until after school—and this typically happens in my car while the kids are at a various activities. When I’m drafting, I try to get at least 1000 words in a day, but it doesn’t always happen.
Tell us about your debut novel.
The Midnight Garden is my debut, and it started with my own journey of finding bits of magic in the world as I was learning to navigate life as a young widow and solo mom. I wanted to tell a story about grief, hope, and second chances because those are themes that mean a lot to me.
Could you share one detail from your current release with readers that they might not find in the book?
Bluebirds play a large role in the story to help develop the magic, and the day I submitted my completed manuscript to my agent, a bluebird landed on the tree outside my window—in February in the northeast! It felt like a good sign. It felt like the magic I wanted to share in my story.
Who has been the most difficult character for you to write?
Maeve was the hardest character for me. I wanted readers to question her, but also like her. I wanted them to trust her and also not trust her. Finding and staying on that line was a fun challenge.
If you could be one of your characters for a day which character would it be?
I’d love to be Maeve for a day. I love the way she sees the world and the freedom in which she moves through it. She’s unapologetically herself and that’s a beautiful, rare thing.
What character would you spend the day with? What would you do? What would that day look like?
If I could choose a character to spend the day with, I’d pick Hope. She’s a young widow, too, which means we’re in the same terrible club. It means we speak a language that other people don’t have to learn to speak. I’ve always clicked with every young widow I’ve met, and I don’t think Hope would be different. I’m not sure what we would do—but it would most certainly involve a lot of dark humor and looking for signs that we’re headed in the right direction.
What’s your take on research and how do you do it?
Research is so necessary, and at the same time I find it overwhelming! I tend to research as I write, which often means I’ll go down a rabbit hole and realize I used up my entire writing session researching some obscure fact that I ultimately don’t even need.
Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write?
I’m influenced heavily by Alice Hoffman, Emily Henry, Sarah J. Maas, and Taylor Jenkins Reid. They are all able to make their stories and characters pop off the page and it’s inspiring to read their work.
Do you have a secret talent readers would be surprised by?
I’m exceptionally good at memorizing license plates. It’s a useless talent, except when friends are filling out DMV forms and call me for their license plate, so they don’t have to go outside to check.
Your favorite go to drink or food when the world goes crazy!
If the world is crazy—then coffee. A really good, creamy latte feels very grounding.
What is your writing kryptonite?
My phone! If I have it near me, one innocent notification check or swipe can end up wasting precious minutes—or longer!
What is the one question you never get asked at interviews, but wish you did? Ask and answer it.
Q: What has been the best part about the publishing process so far?
A: Receiving the ARCS! For the obvious reason, because I got to hold my book, professionally bound and printed, for the first time, and for the less obvious reason—because of how excited my kids were when they held my book. One of my favorite life memories is watching them run around the house shouting and jumping and celebrating. They were so proud, and I was so thrilled to be able to show them the value of persistence and following a dream. It was so meaningful to show them that even though I’m a solo mom, I’m capable of making dreams come true for them and myself.
Thank you so much for sitting down with us today, Elaine!
Reader’s THE MIDNIGHT GARDEN has just released. Here’s a quick look::::
From debut author Elaine Roth comes a hopeful and heartfelt story about a young widow who uncovers the magic of everyday life―and the power of second chances.
After the sudden death of her husband, Hope finds herself reeling from the loss in more ways than one. First a young wife and now a grieving widow, she feels like fodder for never-ending town gossip.
But when Hope meets Will, a screenwriter back in town to run his family’s inn, she sees in him another resident oddball. And like her, Will has been navigating a loss of his own.
As Hope falls for Will, she seeks out another enigma in town: Maeve, an eccentric woman who makes healing teas and communes with the dead. Some of the townspeople think she’s a grifter, a fake. Will, too, is skeptical.
Hope yearns for closure and forgiveness, seeing in Maeve the chance to trust herself again―and in Will, a chance to rediscover the enchantment in the world around her…
And the courage to build a bigger life than she ever thought possible.
