My Writing Journey

Thank you for stopping by my Blog! Please explore all this Blog has to offer, then jog on over to http://riseabovereason.blogspot.com . If you would like to visit a different Blog in the jog, go to http://blogjogday.blogspot.com.

Recently on another blog, the blogger told about how difficult it was for her to write. She procrastinated with one thing or another before finally sitting down at her computer. Writing to her was painful.

For me it is just the opposite, not writing is painful. I've been that way all my life. Before I could actually write, I told a story by drawing pictures. I wrote stories, plays and full-length books all through high school. I took a break when I got married and started a family--a big family, five children in all. Then I began writing again, some stories, but mostly things like PTA newsletters and plays for my Camp Fire Girls to perform.

I didn't begin college until my youngest was in kindergarten. I began with one night class and then two, and more. Most of the classes required writing of some sort, and oh how I loved it. I earned my degree in Early Childhood Education and taught in pre-schools and day cares.

My sister wrote our family genealogy; the facts were all there but not the whys or the details; many questions left unanswered. I began writing a historical family saga, fiction but based on what was in the genealogy and what I could find out by researching the places and times where the family lived and traveled. When it was done, I started sending it out to publishers. It was rejected nearly thirty times. I kept rewriting until finally one day I received an acceptance letter and my first book was published.

I wrote many more books and was rejected many more times--but I kept on writing.
After I'd finished writing about both sides of my family, I began writing mysteries, the first, The Astral Gift, about a young woman who astral projects but has no control over it and sees a murder and ends up being the major suspect. From there I began the Rocky Bluff P.D. series. In between I wrote three Christian horror and another book based on something that happened during my younger years, Wishing Makes It So.. I also write a supernatural romance, Lingering Spirit, based on a bit of truth and a lot of imagination.

Then Deputy Tempe Crabtree came into being and I've written several mysteries about her and her Native American heritage. The latest is Dispel the Mist.

These days, I write one Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery and a Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel every year. I'm fortunate to have two great publishers who like what I write enough to publish it. My latest Rocky Bluff P.D. series, An Axe to Grind has gathered great reviews.

Everyday that I can, I sit eagerly down at my computer to find out what these characters who live inside my head have in store for me. Of course it isn't quite that easy, I have to do some research to get a plot growing around the characters I've created, but once I've got a few notes, know who the new people are going to be in the book--usually the murder victim and all the people who wanted the person dead--but, sometimes there might be an unusual turn of events with no murder victim at all--or nothing until nearly the end of the book.

Though it took a long time for me to get published--and stay published--the journey has been quite an adventure.

I hope you'll try one of my books and meet Deputy Tempe Crabtree and learn about the Indians and all the people who live in Bear Creek in the Southern Sierra--or maybe you'd prefer the men and women who serve on the Rocky Bluff P.D. in the small coastal town in Southern California and their families and friends.

Marilyn
http://fictionforyou.com

Comments

Mason Canyon said…
Just wanted to pop by and wish you a Happy Mother's Day. Hope you have a great day.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress
Barbara Techel said…
Nice to meet you on blog jog day!

Barbara Techel
Award winning author of the Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog Book Series
My passion is bringing a positive face and voice to animals with disabilities
Frankie is Wisconsin Pet Hall of Fame Companion Dog
http://www.joyfulpaws.com
http://www.frankiethewalknrolldog.blogspot.com
When it comes down to it, some people just HAVE to write. That's good, because it means they're listing to their muses (or whatever) and getting words down on paper (or a screen). Like you say, anything else actually is painful.

Malcolm
Hi, Mason, you are such a faithful follower. Hope you followed along on the job.

Hi, Barbara, good to have you visit.

Hey, Malcolm, have nice to meet you. Hope you're having fun on the jog.

Marilyn
Barbara Hodges said…
Hey Marilyn, I'm with you. My day is totally out of whack if I don't get in some writing.

Hope you stop by my blog today also and become a follower.
Vivian Zabel said…
I understand the "pain" involved when not being able to write.

Happy Mother's Day.
subourbon Wife said…
Thanks for the inspiration. Now maybe I will go out and get rejected some more! :)
Unknown said…
Congratulations on your publication! My cousin is doing a family genealogy and you have inspired me to help him write the background. Thank you for the excellent blog, Marilyn.

Yvonne Perry
Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services
http://writersinthesky.com
jenny milchman said…
I can attest to the compelling nature of Marilyn's fiction, and am not surprised it kind of pains you NOT to write. Enjoy your Mother's Day with wishes Xs five coming in :)
Warren Baldwin said…
Jogging in. Neat story about how your writing got started.
SiNn said…
Happy Mothers day and have a wonderful day all u moms out there

ur books sound awesome cant wait to read them

nice meeting u will be following ur blog
Dea, Kia, Jake said…
Thank you all so much for stopping by on this busy Mother's Day. I really do appreciate it.

Marilyn
That Stiletto Gang comment was a mistake, I'm a part of that blog too, but it's not on this blog tour.

Anyway, thanks for visiting and for signing up to follow my blog.
As with you, when I do not write, it is a fire within me. So I must write. Luckily, it is not the same for being published! Thanks for your lovely blog, Roland
I was out for a jog and thought I'd stop by. Hi Marilyn. I've been here before, but it's been awhile. Happy Mother's Day.
Carol said…
Happy Mother's Day!
I'm glad you pushed on with your writing. Thanks for a great Blog Jog Day post!
Thank you Joylene and Carol for stopping by. This has really been fun. And thanks all of you who signed on as followers.

Marilyn
Anonymous said…
Happy Mothers day, I am very glad I stopped by.
Gerardine
Holli Castillo said…
Marilyn, of course I've visited your blog before and read several of your novels, but glad to find you on Blog Jog Day anyway.

It has been a positive experience and I've run into several blogs I didn't know about and bookmarked them, and signed up for a few newsletters as well. This was a good way to learn about other sites that may be useful to writers.

We should think about doing something like this with the Oak Tree Press writers.

Holli Castillo
www.gumbojustice.net
Anonymous said…
Thanks for sharing your journey with us. It is always great to find out how things work for others.
Maryannwrites said…
Nice to find out a little more about you and your writing. Like you, I am compelled to write and enjoy the process. What is painful is the rewriting and editing.

Popular posts from this blog

Need to Catch Up With My Blog Tour?

Meet Morgen Bailey from the UK

The Alvarez Family Murder Mysteries By Heather Haven