CC’s Interview Series: Author, Eliza Storm

It’s that cozy season again, and with the cooling weather and falling leaves, I am happy to share another CC’s Interview Series author, Eliza Storm. So, wrap up in an autumn-fuzzy sweater, grab that pumpkin spice coffee, tea, or something else magical, and settle in. This new author inspires!

I met Eliza several years back, in a writing class hosted by the Pacific Northwest Writers Association. She became a member with our classmate-created writer’s group, and we still critique together today. I can’t imagine drafting a book without first getting advice and suggestions from this young and upcoming author.

When Eliza moved from Washington to Texas, she stayed in our group as an online member, proving distance not only makes the heart grow fonder, but she also found a way to remove obstacles. I think that’s the biggest struggle for authors writing on the side of real life. Day jobs and life responsibilities can be demanding when you’re trying to create. Eliza is finding her way!

I’ve shared many blog posts of my own challenges with time and motivation to write while still working a full-time job. Eliza leans into her writing life right alongside her working life, and has made her travels and hobbies a priority in which to enrich her process. I believe this makes her writing even stronger!

Let’s meet our author!

CC: Welcome to CC’s Interview Series. Please introduce yourself to our readers…

Eliza: Hi! I’m Eliza Storm, software engineer by day, writer by night. I consider myself a collector of hobbies, but my top ones are visiting National Parks (currently at 56 out of 63!), eating soft serve ice cream, dancing, and playing volleyball. I’ve been writing on and off for the past six years but coming up with stories has been a part of my life since elementary school. I remember lying on the couch, daydreaming up romance stories while waiting for the mail person to deliver my next Harry Potter book on release date.

CC: What sparked your initial interest in writing or how did writing find you?

Eliza: I was reading through my childhood diary and saw an entry that said I wanted to be an author when I grew up. I couldn’t let my childhood-self down!

CC: Who are you as a writer? Are you a pantser or a plotter? Do you have a favorite style?

Eliza: I’m a plotter for sure. I outline the whole story. Then I dig deeper and outline between the big plot points. And I even outline a scene before I write it! I can’t pants for the life of me, in any part of my life. This is clearly evident in the rigorous, Google Doc-outlined vacations I take, planned months in advance.

CC: How might you describe a perfect writing day?

Eliza: I have to get out of the house. I need a change of scenery to kickstart my brain. Maybe I start the morning with a walk outside to clear my mind, then schedule a write together either at a coffee shop or a friend’s house. When I’m out of the house, I can write for hours. When I’m at home, suddenly I am deep cleaning my fridge instead of writing.

CC: Do you have any secrets to get through rejections or bad writing days?

Eliza: I’m a big believer in what’s meant to be. If you got rejected from something, it just means you’re meant for something better elsewhere. And if you’re having a bad writing day, change it up. Instead of writing a scene, try researching something you need for another scene. If you can’t seem to figure out what your character should do, try writing your character in a scene from their past or some scene outside of the book to get to know the character better. Or just take the day off! Your story will be there the next day. Sometimes, a fresh night’s sleep can bring a new perspective.

CC: Can you share some other areas of creativity or hobbies you dabble in?

Eliza: I would dabble in everything if I could. I coded and designed my own website. I’m going to attempt audiobook narration. I think one day I might even try to build my own video game, but that’s further down the horizon if it happens.

CC: What genres do you enjoy reading? Do you have any favorite authors?

Eliza: I’m deep into romance and romantasy. I’m currently reading Spark of The Everflame by Penn Cole and Holding the Reins by Paisley Hope. But my true favorite genre is Space Opera Romance (think Jessie Mihalik or T.A. White).

CC: Any upcoming book news to share?

Eliza: I joined two incredible authors 😉 to write a Halloween romcom short story novel, Midnight Meet-Ups, that released September 30^th in eBook and paperback. If you’re looking for a cozy quick Halloween read to get into the fall feels, this would be the perfect story for you! And next, I have two more holiday books slated to release in this series (February 2026 and July 2026), as well as some for 2027 too!

CC: Would you be willing to share a few lines from some of your work?

Eliza: “Mark was at our bar on our anniversary, and he posted on Instagram. This meant he wanted to get back together. He wanted me to come find him. It had to.”

~From Hallowed Be My Ex, my short story in Midnight Meet-Ups, containing three Halloween romance short stories.

CC: Thank you so much for sharing! How can we best get in touch with you or find your work?

Eliza: Website: https://www.elizastormbooks.com

Instagram: @elizastormbooks

Mailing list: https://preview.mailerlite.io/forms/1774752/164484690588206100/share

As you can see, Eliza Storm has loads of inspiration to share. Outlining her books just as she plans her travels may help other writers trying to balance their author lives. As a fellow writer who works full-time on the side, I appreciate Eliza’s ability to blend her joys into one big adventure.

In addition, I am honored to be a part of her book series, The Holiday Chronicles! These are a collection of short, contemporary, romance/rom-com stories that coordinate with various holidays throughout the year. As Eliza mentioned, our first book, Midnight Meet-Ups, released September 30, 2025 just in time for Halloween. The next two are already scheduled for February 2026 (Valentines Day) and July 2026 (Fourth of July), with more to come in 2027. These books are all written by Eliza Storm, SD Porter, and me!

Thank you for joining us for another CC’s Interview Series. I believe, wholeheartedly, it’s our relationships with other writers and readers that make us who we are. When we can connect with one another, motivate each other, or simply be there to share our processes, we help more books come into the world for readers. And that’s a good thing!

Happy reading, writing, and creating! Our world needs more of YOU!

Celaine Charles

October 23, 2025

Bio:

Celaine Charles is a teacher by day and writer by night. She’s an award-winning, multi-genre author who strives to balance her dual life creating poetry, young adult fantasy, romance shorts, and a blog about her writing journey, Steps in Between. To thrive, Celaine enjoys walks through the enchanted forests of Washington State, reading at least fifteen minutes a day, and eating mounds of allergy-free chocolate. She is currently querying her children’s picture books about social emotional learning. Join her newsletter, as she loves connecting with writers and readers. Find her other published books and links on her website: https://celainecharlesauthor.com/

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