Birds and Books: Bake, Love, Write: Welcome Elaine Charton

When I turned to Elaine Charton's recipe, the title immediately caught my eye. How could it not? Low-Cal Better Than Sex Cake. As I read further, my mouth starting watering. Any cake soaked in crushed pineapple and pineapple juice, then topped with pudding, then with Cool Whip and coconut flakes was more than deserving of it name.

Elaine Charton is a mystery writer and contributor to Bake, Love, Write: 105 Authors Share Dessert Recipes and Advice on Relationships and Writing, edited by Lois Winston. The book features mystery and romance writers sharing not only their favorite recipes for fabulous cakes, pies, cookies, candy, and more, they also share the best advice they’ve ever received on love and writing. Elaine’s advice for a lasting, loving relationship had me laughing. It was something her grandmother had shared with her, and it is so true. Her advice on writing has to do with turning garbage into gold.

Elaine Charton, who also writes as Elaine Joyce, has had a book in her hand for as long as she can remember. She should have realized it would be only a matter of time before she began writing her own stories. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she met her husband, also a writer, on a blind date. They fell in love over a shared interested in book, Chinese food, and baseball. Theirs is a mixed marriage—she’s a Red Sox fan and he’s a Met’s fan. They live in the Arizona desert with two very spoiled cats.

To find out more about Elaine’s recipe and advice, and those of 104 other writers, get your copy of Bake, Love, Write.