Reading from the Heart

Local author holds book signing, public reading of debut novel

By John Burbridge, sports@charlescitypress.com

CHARLES CITY — They weren’t printed in black-and-white on the page.

These being the pregnant pauses … the tears within the throat of the narrator.

And the author already knew this.

Charlotte Roberts had spent nearly four years writing, editing, shaping and polishing as well as agonizing through the drawn-out wrought process to produce her debut novel, “The Black Maze,” which was released a little more than a month ago.

With the events of the heroine, Ava, based on the wrenching odyssey of her own life, Roberts could likely recite much of her 475-page work by heart.

Though the pauses and tears may not have been written into the passages Roberts recited during several public readings she performed last Saturday during her book signing at Hot Shots Billiards, they’re still apparently carved into her heart as they came to the surface during the first reading.

“I did a little better for the second reading,” said Roberts, who selected a passage about Ava’s first suicide attempt. “I’ve re-read the manuscript so many times, but some parts still hurt.”

The day-long event attracted a substantial turnout with some even present for both of Roberts’ readings, which took place during the late morning and mid-afternoon.

“I thought things went pretty well,” Roberts said. “I didn’t really know what to expect as I never been to a book signing before.”

As Roberts found out, writing a book — let alone getting it published — is never easy and is often a humbling experience. She had to haggle with her publisher, who suggested to dial down the explicit and intense nature of the content. But Roberts insisted on keeping as real as possible, sensitivities and her own painful memories be damned.

And though “The Black Maze” is based on Roberts’s past-life experience, she still has a current life to attend to — which did little to hasten the project.

A store manager, Roberts earned a business degree this past summer and is still working to further her education.

She also plans to write future novels while using the same pen name — the author’s real name is Suzzee Meusel.

“I like to get readers familiar with that name … Charlotte Roberts,” said the author, who used her husband’s first and middle names — Charles Robert — to come up with the pseudonym.

“Even before I met him, I used to call my pickup truck ‘Charlie’,” the author said. “I just like that name.”

For more information about “The Black Maze” and its author, go to www.charlotterobertsauthor.com.