Arthur Archambeau lives in Baltimore. He writes primarily in the Military Romance genre. His other books include: Her innocent Marine (2018), Caged Lions Never Roar (2019), Sail Away (2020), Purple Hearts (2021) and Letters From 1969 (2021). Just Grace and Danny, his upcoming book, is scheduled for publication in either late 2021 or early 2022. You can best know him through his writing. His life story is in his stories.

Describe yourself in five words Just one word:

Authentic. I detest phoniness.

What fact about yourself would really surprise people? 

I’ve never been inside a Taco Bell and have never had anything from their menu.
What scares you the most? 

Failure.

What makes you happiest? 

Animals. They live closer to God than most humans.

Why do you write? 

To move, amuse, and entertain myself. If I can make a little money in the process—great.

Have you always enjoyed writing? 

Yes.
What motivates you to write? 

A true writer writes because he or she has a story in them that is trying to almost literally claw its way out. It’s insisting to be told. And it won’t leave you alone until you tell it.

What writing are you most proud of?

I think my best writing is represented in my two most recent books: Purple Hearts and Letters From 1969. I can easily see that I’ve matured as a writer over the last year or two, and that my more recent stuff is clearly superior to what I was writing when I first started back in early 2018.
What are you most proud of in your personal life? 

That I’m a good Cat Dad. Animals are a very important part of my life.

What books did you love growing up? 

Truman Capote’s short story, “A Christmas Memory” is a favorite. Capote, to me, was perhaps the greatest writer of all-time. A truly brilliant man and quite a character. He was always authentic, which is rare, especially among those who are famous.

Location and life experiences can really influence writing, tell us where you grew up and where you now live? 

I grew up in Baltimore, a little big town. And thoroughly blue-collar. Which might be why I only write about blue-collar folks. No billionaires or princes in my romance novels. I detest those tropes!

How did you develop your writing?

By doing it. I believe all arts (and writing is certainly an art) are God-given Gifts. You can either sing or you can’t. You can either paint or you can’t. You can either write or you can’t. I’m not sure it’s a skill that can really be developed much, except by honing your natural talent by engaging in it.

What is hardest – getting published, writing or marketing? 

Easily, marketing. With the advent of self-publishing and the emergence of small publishers, it’s easier than ever to get a book published. However, it’s literally harder than ever to sell a book. The market is flooded. Everyone thinks they can write. Readers have more choices than ever before, but it makes it very tough for writers to sell.

Do you find it hard to share your work? 

Tough question. On the one hand, I love sharing my work, hoping that it will invoke the same emotions in others that it invoked in me as I wrote it. But I’m also honest enough to admit that I’m sensitive to criticism.

https://www.facebook.com/arthur.archambeau.1/

What else do you do, other than write? 

I watch sports and spend time with my cats.

If you could study any subject at university what would you pick? 

Philosophy because it asks the Big Questions that concern us all, the Questions that really matter.

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? 

Where I do live, in the United States of America, the greatest country on the face of the earth.

Tell us about your family? 

I have two cats, Sasha and Nicole.

How do you write – lap top, pen, paper, in bed, at a desk? 

Desktop PC

Every writer has their own idea of what a successful career in writing is, what does success in writing look like to you? 

Selling enough books to make a decent living and moving people with my words.

Tell us about your new book? Why did you write it? 

It’s a time travel romance set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Think Somewhere in Time meets Full Metal Jacket. It’s about a young Army officer, Mike Falco, who’s given an antique hope chest which contains love letters written in 1969 by a twenty-two-year-old Army nurse serving in Vietnam. It’s gotten some nice reviews and I think it really captures the spirit of that time well. The music The events. The culture. Everything. And it was inspired by a true story, the story of Sharon Ann Lane, who had the tragic distinction of being the only nurse during the Vietnam War killed as a direct result of enemy fire.

Anyone dead or alive, who would you ask? 

The four original members of KISS. I’m a fan and I think they’d have some great stories to tell.

When you are not writing, how do you like to relax? 

I spend time with my cats and watch sports.

What do you hope people will take away from your writing? How will your words make them feel?

No messages. I hate preachiness in fiction. It’s very pretentious and self-important. My writing is just for entertainment.