How I Write by
Marilyn Conner Miles
An interviewer asked me how I
got started in writing. I stated writing when I learned to print in first
grade. I’d write stories and give them to my family and teachers. (Several
years ago, my second grade teacher gave one back to a family friend several who
then returned it to me. It was a kick). Then I showed a story I’d written to
the librarian of our grade school and she showed the principal.
I
illustrated all the stories too, and made “hardbacks” out of them by using the
cardboard from my dad’s new white shirt packages. I used wire to attach the
story to the “cover.”
Later, I took
creative writing classes, in high school and college. I couldn’t figure out how
I would use a degree in English. I just wanted to write! So I majored in
advertising and minored in English and got a BA in Communications.
I worked in
advertising, marketing, promotions and public relations and wrote tv and radio
commercials, print ads for newspapers, catalogs and brochures.
I kept a journal
for years but it wasn’t until I “retired” and began working from home, that I
began to think about writing stories again. I’ve always had a voracious
appetite for reading, and especially romance, which is why I write in that genre.
I also enjoy
research, so when I wanted to write a flight scene, I took a flying lesson, and
wrote down everything I could remember afterward.
Much of my writing
comes from subjects I already know about and people I’ve met over the years. I
think one of my family members likes to guess what person I’ve based my
characters on. But often my hero or heroine is a combination of two or more
people or their life experiences.
I’m not a fast
writer like many authors I know. In the past year, I’ve had three stories
published, and the first one I actually wrote thirty years ago. Of course, it
needed updating to make it current and much rewriting. The second story was
semi-written. But the third is all new and I was surprised when I sat down at
the computer, and it just seemed to flow from my brain to my fingers…well, for
awhile. I couldn’t type fast enough!
All three of my
stories have been published by indie publisher, Books To Go Now: Acapulco Adventure, Holiday Heart and
Perfect Pair. Holiday Heart is
also in an anthology called Christmas
Romance Volume 2.
I had fun with the titles on those three. Acapulco Adventure had the two word title, and when I named Holiday Heart that two word title thing
just continued. However, I don’t plan to make a habit of it.
I also didn’t
intend to make them a series, but they ended up being that way. The common
character in all three is Brenda. I used my past career with the airlines as
the setting in Acapulco Adventure and
because of Brenda, flying is a major part of Holiday Heart too.
I have fun coming
up with the right names for my characters. Since they are loosely based on
people I knew, I try to use names similar
to theirs. But because my characters are a combination of people I’ve known in
the past and myself, I doubt that anyone would see themselves in these
characters.
Currently, I am
writing Saddle Up for Love, which
will be part of The Pancake Club
series with stories by authors Jennifer Conner, Jackie Marilla and JW Stacks.
A
freelance editor, and author, Marilyn lives with her husband and cat in the
foothills of the Cascade Mountains in southwest Washington State, where she
watches horses, deer, rabbits, hummingbirds and sometimes owls from her home
office window.
Marilyn began writing as soon as she could print. Her first
career was in the transportation industry, working for the airlines. Her second
career was in advertising, marketing and promotions. Currently a freelance
editor, Marilyn lives with her husband and cat in the foothills of the Cascade
Mountains in southwest Washington State, where she watches horses, deer,
rabbits, hummingbirds and sometimes owls, from her home office window.
About Books To
Go Now: (www.Bookstogonow.com)
Books to Go Now's Mission: Support our Authors. Promote their Works. Help them to Achieve Success.
Our staff works one-on-one with our authors to help them to create wonderful works of fiction. Upon publication we use a successful multi-platform strategy to promote and market their work. Our staff has helped many authors become International and Domestic Bestsellers.
Books to Go Now offers professional editing, cover design, multiple book format file creation, and most important—publicity. Our staff works to help make our author books a success one book at a time.
Books to Go Now's Mission: Support our Authors. Promote their Works. Help them to Achieve Success.
Our staff works one-on-one with our authors to help them to create wonderful works of fiction. Upon publication we use a successful multi-platform strategy to promote and market their work. Our staff has helped many authors become International and Domestic Bestsellers.
Books to Go Now offers professional editing, cover design, multiple book format file creation, and most important—publicity. Our staff works to help make our author books a success one book at a time.
Enjoyed learning more about you Mare! Love your books :)
ReplyDeleteMarilyn -
ReplyDeleteGreat interview. I love how you made real books with cardboard covers whrn you were a child. Destined to be a writer!
Aloha,
Jackie
Thanks you two! I didn't mention that I took that flying lesson when I was home from college for the weekend for my brother's wedding. I took the lesson in the morning and dashed back to get ready since I was in the wedding!
ReplyDelete