Get to know Elle…

Elle Strauss writes Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction. She’s a married mom of four, and lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, famous for beaches and vineyards. She’s fond of Lindt’s sea salt dark chocolate and hiking in good weather.

Her Young Adult rom/com time-travel CLOCKWISE series and contemporary/otherworldly Middle Grade IT’S A LITTLE HAYWIRE are now available on Amazon and other e-retailer sites. CLOCKWISE is free on Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, itunes. 

Let the conversation begin! 

What is your very favorite part of the day? 

Mornings, I love the quiet before the rest of the house wakes up. 

What is your worst scar? How did you get it? 

I have a round scar the size of a nickel on my left ankle from when I got hit by a car while riding my bike. 

How did you choose the genre you write in? 

YA wasn’t hot when I started writing it. I didn’t even realize I was writing it until another writer friend pointed it out. 

How do you recharge your creative batteries? 

Hiking, yoga, reading. 

Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning? 

Yes, but my husband and I have a deal that the last one out of bed makes it. Lately, I’ve been getting out first, so it’s a good deal for me. 

Best writing advice you’ve ever received? 

All first drafts are crap. Expect your first draft to be, too. 

Any advice to give to aspiring writers? 

Finish creating the first draft before working to refine it. Check out my writing & publishing tips page on my blog, particularly the PDF of the power point presentation I did on Entrepreneurial Authorship- the three brains of the Indie Author: 1. The creative brain, 2. The critical brain, 3. The business brain. 

Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published? 

Clockwise is about a teen time-traveler who accidentally takes her secret crush back in time. Awkward. It went through two agents and several rounds of submissions before I decided to send it out into the wilds myself. I’m so glad I did!