Today we’d like to introduce you to Charlotte Desormeaux.
Charlotte, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Throughout my childhood, I had always enjoyed creative writing, many of my short stories in elementary and middle school giving my family the impression that I was destined to be a writer. In high school, I inadvertently convinced my teacher I had been involved in a tragic accident, which still gives me great guilt. (I am so sorry, Mrs. League!)
When I got to the age of needing to make big life decisions I began, unsure of where or what I wanted to be, with an idea for a story. I had started writing for fun about a woman who ached for more adventure than a normal life led, a parallel to myself. In all honesty, it had started out as fan fiction but my closest friend convinced me to put myself out there. Countless books have been published, so why couldn’t mine be one of them?
While writing about this whole new world, I felt more and more like creating stories was what I enjoyed in life, consequently feeling out of place in college. With a lot of deep reflection, I came to the realization that maybe school wasn’t meant for me. Of course, a lot of people around me did not like that idea whatsoever. However, proving that leaving school was right for me at the time and having to constantly explain my new life plan instilled hope in myself.
I started writing my book in January of 2018 and finished out my semester through to May, finally publishing Bounty Hunters on Amazon at the end of July. Right around then my high school friend, Ben Griffin, and I decided to team up to create our action-drama TV show: MAD WØRLD (my personal photo is us goofing around in character). While we dove more in-depth to the specifics of building the timeline, characters, and our team, I was approached by a photographer named Xavier Brown to model for him. Even though I was skeptical to meet through the internet, I will never regret it. As soon as we released pictures from the photoshoot, more and more photographers asked me to do collaborations with them. Now, I am part of a group of almost 300 photographers, models, and videographers called Collab Atl!
I quit the job I had been with for two years, wanting some time to take on extra roles in shows or movies around Atlanta! It was such a fun experience that reaffirmed how much I wanted for my TV show and book to be on the big screen. I made great connections with other people on sets and learned how everything worked behind the scenes.
In January of 2019, I decided to edit Bounty Hunters, regretting having written it in a rush. I felt like a failure who had no confidence in her own creation. However, rereading it showed me that you never stop learning and the only thing that truly stops you from improving, is yourself. Around the same time, I was cast as a lead in a short movie by Ola Zaccheaus and Potluck Atl, an artist and production company I had found on Instagram. Although it ultimately fell through, I was so grateful for the experiences and friends I made in the months of work we had put in.
Yet, there is no time for bad news! I have been modeling, my skills getting better with each photoshoot. Ben has been tirelessly working on getting our team prepared for filming the pilot of MAD WØRLD to send to any producers who will listen. I must be doing something right, especially if I scored an interview with THE Voyage Atl!
Since the beginning of my journey, I have been trying to treat myself better, learn a third language, rewrite my book, and teach myself Astronomy. I found a love for something that is currently unattainable but with persistence and shouting my positive energy from the rooftops, I have no doubt that people will listen.
One day I may be able to pay off my car loan, future rent, and afford a degree in Astronomy. Besides, I’m a step closer to becoming THE Charlotte Desormeaux; author of Bounty Hunters, co-creator of MAD WØRLD, actress, and model.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have been challenges, some with myself and some with others. For me, self-depreciation is a big, bad bully that I’ve always struggled with. If others aren’t scoffing at my goals, I’m doing it to myself in my head.
Firstly, people are always going to have opinions and at least ONE person isn’t going to like what you’re doing or have created. I’ve had people on Instagram go out of their way to comment hateful things about my book, which I guarantee they hadn’t even read.
When it came to my family, my mom was less than thrilled to hear that I wanted to stop going to school. She yelled, I cried – it was a big thing. My mom is who I got my creativity from and she feared that I had stopped school to follow her path, and blamed herself. In the end, both she (and my grandparents) said they’d support me no matter what and understood that the only person I was doing this for, was myself.
Modeling has actually been the least of my problems! I’ve only gotten positive feedback from my family, friends, and other artists who see what I do. What I have struggled with is how I see myself. For a long time, I did not like the way looked and felt like I wasn’t perfect enough to model. That’s just not true! Women come in so many beautiful different looks, shapes, and sizes. There is not only one mold that we must make ourselves fit into.
One giant obstacle will always be money and time. If I have one, I don’t have the other. I take off time from work for photoshoots or acting but lose my only income, and if one of them fall through then it was time I could’ve spent at work. If I have time, I’m not making money to stay afloat.
My advice would be: the only opinion that matters is yours if it’s constructive criticism or positivity. The universe is too beautiful and vast for one insignificant person to criticize something you’ve worked hard for.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
My friend told me something that I will always remember: “I don’t see you as someone having one career.” So, the familiar phrase jack-of-all-trades stuck with me. I can be good at many different things without excelling in just one. I believe that is what sets me apart from others.
As for my work, I am currently most known for modeling! Here is what else I have to offer:
Bounty Hunters is about a woman named Jo who is torn from her world and thrown into a new. She wakes up to the characters of her favorite TV show who are now very real people. They all have magic powers that they use to complete requests no one else is willing to do and earn a bounty hence: Bounty Hunters. Those bounties could range from capturing a dangerous criminal to something simple like yard work! Also, as the mega fan that she is, Jo not-so-sneakily gets her friends to admit their feelings for others. However, peace and fun don’t last because the group starts to get attacked on jobs and at home. Like many main characters, Jo is pulled into the middle of everything, leaving it up to her to save her friends and everything as she knows it.
I have an affinity for fantasy books and this one has another aspect of fantasy. Although I wouldn’t consider it erotica, I wanted to include passion so, fair warning: there is a lot of sex in this book. I felt that the only erotic book getting attention in recent times was the Fifty Shades Saga, but it has since been exposed as parading a non-consensual, abusive sexual relationship. I hope to aim in a different, safer, and consensual direction with mine. I believe sex is a beautiful thing but many people shun the very thought of it. Instead, it should be celebrated and not male gaze-driven (typically centered around possessing or dominating women) but enjoyable for everyone involved!
Another thing I wanted to make sure was in the story is the recreational use of weed. Yes, it is fun – it is not the devil’s lettuce.
It truly is not as big a deal as opponents of its uses make it out to be. I do want to note that as we get closer to legalizing it completely, there are still countless people who sit in jail – mainly minorities – with ridiculously long sentences. Even when they have already completed their sentences it will remain on their records, hindering them from longstanding jobs. So, again: it is not a big deal, people have just used its legal status to take advantage of minorities and it needs to end now. Once and for all.
Ben Griffin and I’s show, MAD WØRLD, is about the seemingly innocent town of Edenbrooke. A group of friends stumbles upon a possible scandal, shedding light on the corruption which enshrouds their town. As they debate the existence of potential threats, they battle their inner demons as well as the social stigmas of their world. Our hope with these messages is that we can bring more awareness to how to handle issues like addiction, anxiety/depression, abuse, homophobia and much more. But – fear not – there are also many funny, light moments in this soon-to-be series!
We are currently finishing putting together some final pieces of the puzzle that is Episode 1: Asylum on River Røw! It has been so exciting, albeit frustrating sometimes, to see it all come together. Our hope is that once we have a completed episode, we can use it to spark interest in producers who would like to take us in and make our dream come true.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
I don’t have specific books that are my favorite but more of genres instead: fantasy, adventure, sci-fi, and romance.
Apps – Eternal Sunshine has truly helped me blossom in the short time that I’ve had it. It sends kind and inspirational notifications, somehow extremely (creepily) accurate to whatever your current situation is. Duolingo has helped me learn a little bit of Italian and Spanish especially since I get them mixed up with my first language, French. Lastly, Pinterest contains my hoard of inspirational pictures for styling and modeling!
Crash Course helps explain the complexities of Cosmology and Astronomy in simpler ways that I can actually understand! Space Nuts is a podcast I listen to as often as I can that talks about general things going on relating to space exploration and current/past discoveries.
Contact Info:
- Email: desormeaux.charlotte@hotmail.com
- Instagram: @charmallow_
- Twitter: @charmallow_
Image Credit:
Motorcycle – @thebengriffin, Milk Bath & Silk Dress – @pimpdaddysadness, Tule – @xavierbrownxl, Yellow/Red – @kaweejay, Playground – @jt_aperture
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