Meet Charles Williams

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Charles Williams. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Charles below.

Charles, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?

I think my resilience comes from life experiences which have taught me to take things as they come, to live in the present rather than spend time regretting the past and fearing the future. Many of us dwell on past mistakes and end up leery about taking chances because we are afraid to fail again. While there are lessons to be learned from the past, these should not inhibit our ability to move forward. By the same token, worrying about the future means you are attempting to control events that haven’t occurred and might never happen. Living one’s life in the here and now is a way of facing everyday challenges that makes them manageable, free from being overwhelmed by a past we can not change and an unpredictable future.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I’m a retired elementary school teacher with a livelong love of the things that go bump in the night. I was encouraged by college professors to pursue a writing career, but I felt a calling to enter teaching and put my writing aspirations on hold.
After retiring, it took me many years to find that literary spark again. When it reignited, I began writing stories in the
horror genre and quickly rediscovered my creative voice. Among my published works are two stories that have been dramatized on “The NoSleep Podcast”, a program that has an audience of over two million listeners. I’ve also sold stories to the popular horror podcasts, “Horror Hill” and “Chilling Tales For Dark Nights”. Some of my stories have appeared in the publications “Aphelion Magazine”, “Flash Phantoms”, “The Haunted Life”, and “Midnight in the Witch’s Kitchen”. I am a member of the Horror Writers Association and active in the SF/Bay Area Chapter. I have been a celebrity panel moderator for Sinister Creature Con in Sacramento for many years. Currently, I have submitted several new stories to genre markets and, like most of my fellow writers, wait patiently to hear of their fate.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

My ability as a communicator has greatly helped me in both my teaching career and writing projects, but it was a skill
that developed through years of practice. Growing up on a dairy, I was taught to have a good work ethic early in life by my parents and grandparents. I have also developed the confidence to follow my inner guide, to pursue the goals and causes
that I truly believe in with all of my energy. I firmly believe that experience is the best teacher. For those who are just beginning their own journeys in life, I would suggest that they be patient and strong in their resolve, but never forget to be empathetic and gentle when dealing with others.

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I try to take a step back and come up with a strategy to handle the obstacles ahead. I prioritize the things that I have to accomplish, breaking them down into manageable steps. I also try to not get ahead of myself, and train my focus on the immediate task at hand.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: Charles Edward Williams
• Youtube: The Horrific Network

Image Credits

Charles Williams