Elizabeth and I met at the Arts in the Middle Festival, Urbanna, Virginia, this year. I purchased her book, Finding J Hubbard, and absolutely loved it. I knew I had to interview her. 

Bio: Elizabeth Young spent the first part of her career in public broadcasting. She was the Program Director at WAMU-FM, Washington, DC, the first Director of Station Relations for National Public Radio, the Executive of the Kansas Public Television Network (built out Kansas PBS stations), the VP and General Manager of the Ohio State public radio and TV stations, WOSU, in Columbus, Ohio. In the last fifteen years, Elizabeth served on the Board of the WHRO stations in Hampton, VA, and part of the time as Chair of the Board, building out the network of radio stations to ten. Elizabeth started writing in the mid-2000’s after becoming semi-retired. She published her first book, “Do You See Him Now?” in 2011.  She has also published two children’s books. When Elizabeth isn’t writing, she and her husband, a retired aerospace executive, are boaters and they both like to fish and play golf. 

Where do you live? I live in Hartield, Virginia, since 1990, which is in Middlesex County, in Virginia. We are primarily a rural community but also a hub of marinas and boating activities.

What did you do before you became an author?  I served on the Middlesex Broadband Authority for three years and am now a consultant to the Authority, where we are trying to improve broadband services to those in Middlesex who may lack adequate (or any) broadband connectivity. This has become particularly urgent in light of the need for many children to study remotely and for adults working from home. For six years I taught business development and marketing classes at Christopher Newport University. Prior to that, I taught at Emerson College in Boston (media management) and at the Ohio State University (educational communications).

I spend the latter years of my fulltime work career at COMSAT and SITA (Societe for International Telecommunications Aeronautique) heading divisions that provided satellite based communications for aircraft. Those positions enabled me to travel all over the world, especially when I was a VP with SITA as I had staff in Canada, London, Paris, Geneva and Singapore.  Travel was much more fun before 9-11 and before the pandemic! My professional life was spent as an executive in broadcasting, satellite communications, and college teaching.  After retiring, I had the time to complete books I had had in prospect for some time, so now writing is my “full time” job.

How long have you been a writer? I began writing in college but have had books published since 2011.

What has been the most challenging for you as a writer? The greatest challenge I have faced as a writer is finding enough “quiet time” to write. I have to isolate myself for hours at a time in order to write – not always easy.

What type of books do you write? I have written and published children’s books and adult mysteries. My children’s books are in rhyme and illustrated by an artist-friend. My children’s book titles include: Dozens and Dozens of Cousins and Cousins, Illustrated by Ruth Perkins  (ISBN 9788-1-0879-88436), and Oodles and Oodles of Poodles, Illustrated by Ruth Perkins  (ISBN 978-1-0879-92556). 

More books by Elizabeth: 

FUGO: Terror from the Sky

Synopsis: In November, 1944, the Japanese began launching 9,300 unmanned bomb-carrying balloons (called fugo) that were carried over the Pacific Ocean by the jet stream.  They were intended to drop on the US, causing fires and devastation.  Without a reliable guidance system, most failed and Japan stopped the launches in 1945.  Now, almost 70 years later, a group of terrorists using modern computer technology and the latest GPS guidance systems will try and succeed where the Japanese failed.  The new balloons are will spread diseases.  It will be up to an unlikely group of US officials, including one undercover woman spy, to stop one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on US soil.

The Hand in the Window

Synopsis:  Jay Berg’s life could be better.  He has recently separated from his wife, lost his factory job, and is now holding a sign at a construction site.  Then, one day, while staring at an isolated, empty, nearby house, he sees a hand appear briefly in a window.  Two days later, he sees it again.  He decides to investigate, taking his young son with him.  Within twenty-four hours, two children are kidnapped, including his son, and Jay has to find someone to help him solve the mystery and find the children.  He gets help from a workplace friend – a woman who has secrets of her own.  But can he discover enough and on time to save the children?  

Finding J. Hubbard

Synopsis:  Amateur detective Zora Erickson decides she must reopen the cold case of a missing and presumed dead teacher friend, Jane Hubbard.  Jane was swindled by a broker who feared her testimony, but there are plenty of other suspects who might have wanted Jane out of the way.  Zora collaborates with the detective who originally handled the case, and along the way they form a friendship.  But suddenly Zora finds her own life threatened by a persistent, anonymous enemy.  She must take a daring trip to solve the mystery of Jane.

What do you like to do in your spare time? In my spare time I read, sail, and volunteer in the community. Right now, I am managing a political campaign for a county supervisor.

Where do your ideas come from? Ideas for my books can come from anywhere, but often from articles I read, events I hear about, memories of things I experienced in the past.

What is the most important thing you’ve learned over the years as an author about writing that can help other writers? When I studied writing in college with May Sarton (American author of novels and poetry), her advice was to “revise, revise, revise.”  I have tried to take that advice to heart. The words one first puts down on paper are seldom (or ever) the finished product. All good books have probably been through many revisions and edits. Mine certainly have!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell readers about yourself? I am now working on my fifth novel (another mystery) and would expect it to be published in 2024. 

You can follow Elizabeth at the following sites below:

            Web site:  www.eyoungbooks.com

            Facebook:  eyoungbooks

            eMail:  eyoungbooks@aol.com

            Goodreads: Elizabeth L. Young         

            Twitter (now X): @YramsEl

WINNER’S for my free book giveaways are:

September: Patricia Cook

October:     Dawn Sharrocks