What I'll Be Talking About at the Library Today
The librarian asked me to speak about how I came to write my books--and in particular Kindred Spirits, the latest in the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series.
Of course it all began like it does for most writers, I was an avid reader. At least ten books a week when I was a kid growing up--that's all the library would let me take home at a time.
Writing began as soon as I could write. I rewrote my favorite stories like some of the Little House on the Prairie tales. Wasn't long before I came up with my own ideas. From there I wrote short stories and plays.
Though after I graduated, I married and had a large family I continued to write--not very interesting things, PTA newsletters, some pieces of the newspaper. But I did write two novels that were immediately rejected and I threw them away. (Wish I had them today.)
My first books that were published were historical family sagas. Because I was reading so many mysteries decided to take a turn with them. We had a lot of friends who were police officers--and later my son-in-law became an officer. As I've said before, I've done ride-alongs with him and later a female police officer who more or less bared her soul to me as the night went on.
An article I wrote about a female resident deputy influenced me a lot, as well as a lovely Indian woman I met who told me about growing up on the reservation.
I wrote two mysteries about Tempe but she didn't develop into the Tempe in future novels. No, I didn't throw those away, instead I changed the locations and the names and descriptions of the major characters and turned them into stand-alones.
As Tempe became a "real" person, I began doing a lot of research about our local Indians and the reservation. Much of what I learned has gone into the mysteries.
I'll tell about some of that research, I've written about it here before. I'll also talk about the research I did for Kindred Spirits, and the Tolowa woman who was the inspiration for two characters in the book.
For me, it's fun to talk about my writing and my books, I hope the people who come to the Beale Memorial Library today at 2 will have as much fun listening to me. I'm looking forward to questions.
Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com
Of course it all began like it does for most writers, I was an avid reader. At least ten books a week when I was a kid growing up--that's all the library would let me take home at a time.
Writing began as soon as I could write. I rewrote my favorite stories like some of the Little House on the Prairie tales. Wasn't long before I came up with my own ideas. From there I wrote short stories and plays.
Though after I graduated, I married and had a large family I continued to write--not very interesting things, PTA newsletters, some pieces of the newspaper. But I did write two novels that were immediately rejected and I threw them away. (Wish I had them today.)
My first books that were published were historical family sagas. Because I was reading so many mysteries decided to take a turn with them. We had a lot of friends who were police officers--and later my son-in-law became an officer. As I've said before, I've done ride-alongs with him and later a female police officer who more or less bared her soul to me as the night went on.
An article I wrote about a female resident deputy influenced me a lot, as well as a lovely Indian woman I met who told me about growing up on the reservation.
I wrote two mysteries about Tempe but she didn't develop into the Tempe in future novels. No, I didn't throw those away, instead I changed the locations and the names and descriptions of the major characters and turned them into stand-alones.
As Tempe became a "real" person, I began doing a lot of research about our local Indians and the reservation. Much of what I learned has gone into the mysteries.
I'll tell about some of that research, I've written about it here before. I'll also talk about the research I did for Kindred Spirits, and the Tolowa woman who was the inspiration for two characters in the book.
For me, it's fun to talk about my writing and my books, I hope the people who come to the Beale Memorial Library today at 2 will have as much fun listening to me. I'm looking forward to questions.
Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com
Comments
Morgan Mandel
http://www.morganmandel.com
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com