Short version:

Sela Carsen is an award-winning author of paranormal and sci-fi romance — with or without sex and dead bodies. Your pick. She maintains a permanent nerd-on for fairytales and mythology, and openly hoards reference books about obscure folklore. Born a wanderer, she and her family have finally settled in the Midwest. Until they move again, at least.

Long and rambly version: In addition to writing, I’m married to a Darn Near Perfect Husband and we have Two Great Kids, who keep doing that whole “growing up” thing. Make them stop.

I have a BA in French (utterly useless, but fun at parties) and another BA in Communication. While I was getting the Communication degree, I wrote for my alumni magazine, dipped my feet into advertising, took want ads at the local paper, and even wrote obituaries. I was also a reporter at a small-town daily, but soon realized I didn’t have a true journalist’s instinct.

After that, I was busy being married, getting used to being an Air Force spouse, and having children. While we were stationed in the UK and my youngest was about a year and half old, I was standing in the shower when a scene popped into my head. Why does that always happen when you’re in the shower and you can’t get a pen and paper? Anyway, I got the soap out of my eyes, dried off and headed straight for the computer where I wrote it all down.

And boy, did it stink. Whew!

I’d been reading romance novels for years so I figured I should be able to write one, right?

Are you done laughing? Let me know when you’re finished.

Ok, then. It took about twenty false starts and a work I now call The-Regency-That-Wouldn’t-Die before I finally got disgusted with myself and started writing this funny little scene in a Louisiana cemetery.  That was the beginning of a completely new direction in paranormal romance.

Since then, I’ve published over a dozen paranormal and sci-fi romances, often based on mythology or folklore.

I’m a member of Romance Writers Of America and can usually be found at the bar during national conferences.

Weird Facts:

I’ve lived in five different countries and eight different states, but I’ve moved almost 40 times.

Born in Texas, I currently reside in Illinois, and this is the longest I’ve ever lived anywhere. We’re going on seven years now and, although there’s nothing wrong with where we live, we’re all going a little stir-crazy.

I’m a huge Boxer fan. The dogs, not the underwear. Or the pugilists. Our kids have grown up with the breed and we can’t imagine having any other kind of dog.

Favorites:

Foods – Risotto with Hoppin’ John, Pot Roast, Roast Chicken, Creole Shrimp Casserole, Lamb Tagine, Beef Stew with Dumplings, Pasta Carbonara.

I, um, like to eat. And I like to cook.

Clothes – T-shirt and jeans or evening gowns. There’s not much middle ground with me.

Movies – The Fifth Element, Star Wars 4-6, El Dorado, The Princess Bride, Love Actually

Books – To Kill A Mockingbird will always, always top my list of favorite books along with Jane Eyre and Beauty: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley. The rest of my keeper shelf is too long to list.