Marilyn's Musings

Some of the best advice on writing I’ve ever gotten was to “write in the genre you love to read.” Since mystery/suspense novels have always intrigued me, I knew early on that that’s what I wanted to write. Like most writers, I hope to entertain my readers and offer them escape from their everyday world. But I have another reason for writing what I write; I have a message to deliver. There’s something I feel compelled to share and I choose to do that through my books because I know that fiction can often make a point in a way that non-fiction can’t. If the writer incorporates it into their story rather than belaboring the point. Another excellent piece of advice I got was to “write what you know.” And that’s exactly what I’m doing in my Malone mystery series. You see, David, Ann Kern’s husband, is an alcoholic and his ongoing struggle with alcoholism is a sub-plot in my books. I’ve known some wonderful people who happen to be alcoholics and I believe it’s important for everyone to l...

Patricia Gligor’s Responses to Marilyn Meredith’s Questions Patricia at the Launch for Mixed Messages 1.       What are your writing goals? My dream goals or my realistic goals? My dream goals include seeing my books on bestseller lists across the country and having them made into movies. My realistic goals are to continue to write books for my Malone mystery series and to write some standalone mystery novels. I have one in particular in mind. It’s based on a short story I wrote several years ago. 2.       Are there other goals you have – such as something on your bucket list – I’d be surprised to hear about? Yes. I love to travel and I love the Spanish language. Since I’ve already been to Puerto Rico and Mexico, my bucket list includes trips to a few Latin American countries. I’m also a lighthouse enthusiast and the ocean is my favorite place to go so, of course, more trips to the coast/s are on my list too. 3...

  Patricia : Olivia, please tell us a little bit about yourself.   Olivia : Well, Patricia, I’m seventy-nine years old. I own the old Victorian in Westwood that was built by my great-grandfather back in 1863. I’m confined to a wheelchair and have been since my accident. I’ve lived in the house all my life and I’ve seen a lot from my second floor windows. I’ve watched the neighborhood and the people change. I rent out the first floor apartment and I’ve had some interesting tenants through the years.  Patricia : I hate to bring up what must be a painful subject but would you please tell us about your accident?   Olivia : Actually, I think about it a lot. I try not to dwell on the negative aspects because I’m basically an optimistic person. I guess you could say I’m an optimistic realist. What happened, happened. You see, when I was seventeen, I was madly in love with a handsome young man named Jeremy. My father, who was a wonderful man but a strict, stub...

Marilyn, thanks for inviting me to be here today.  I’ve always been an avid reader of mystery/suspense novels and I’ve written many short stories through the years. I did attempt two novels prior to Mixed Messages but I lost interest in the characters and the plot before I came close to finishing either novel. My dream had always been to be a published novelist but I was beginning to wonder if that would ever happen. The thought of sustaining a story for seventy-five to eighty thousand words intimidated me! Then, one day, shortly after I’d moved into a new apartment, I went for a walk in the neighborhood and spotted an old Victorian. I remember standing there, gazing up at the house, captivated. I’ve always loved old houses; they have so much character. Every old house has a history; people have lived there and, in many cases, died there. I never missed an episode of the show, “If Walls Could Talk,” when it was on TV. The stories of the people who had lived in those homes fa...