Monday, November 17, 2014

Thankful Author- Marlow Kelly

November 17, 2014
THANKFUL AUTHOR BLOG ROUNDUP
Featuring Marlow Kelly

What I'm thankful for:

I’m thankful for a nice, comfortable home and a wonderful family. What more could a woman want?

            Hi Marlow, thanks for being with us today, tell me three words that describe yourself starting
 with A, B, and C.
Appreciative - because I’m a lucky woman with a wonderful husband and a great family.
Balanced – Okay maybe this is more or a goal than a description, but I strive to balance my life and my priorities. I want to always remember family comes first – no matter what.
 Cheerful or Crazy - I had trouble deciding between these two. There are people out there in the world who would describe me a cheerful and nice. Then there are others who would say I’m catnip crazy. (I suppose we all have a crazy side.)

What are your three favorite things?
Spending time with my family
That first cup of coffee in the morning.
And chocolate – enough said.

What for you is the best part of writing?
I love writing my first draft. I enjoy making the story up as I go. Although I have a rough outline of the plot I don’t know what the characters will do or say until I type. It’s a journey of discovery for me. I’m learning who my characters are, their strengths and weaknesses, what they like, and the experiences that have formed them.
 What is the worst?
The worst part of writing is rereading my first draft and realizing how bad it really is. It’s not that the plot or characters are don’t work it’s just that the manuscript is so rough. Sentences need to be edited, and any gaps in my research must be explored. My work goes through several edits before I consider it good enough to show my editor. Then, of course, there’s more editing to do.

Was there any particular inspiration for your characters or story?
My novella A Woman of Honour was inspired by watching the BBC Scotland series A History of Scotland by Neil Oliver, specially the episode Bishop Makes King. It explains how Bishops Lamberton and Wishart orchestrated the Scottish Wars of Independence, and how they aided Robert the Bruce.
Bishop Lamberton was also the guardian of one of Robert I Generals, James Douglas. Edward I of England killed James’ father and confiscated all his lands. Once he was old enough, James joined forces with Robert and the rest, as they say, is history.

 How much is your character like you?
My character, Isabel Douglas, is nothing like me. She’s at least six feet tall, taller than most men at the time. She’s also extremely thin. She is the sister of John Douglas (A fictional character.) Bishop Lamberton is also her guardian. She has always felt that she’s a burden and accepts that it’s her fate to become a nun
I on the other hand am short and round and could never in a million years become a nun. I can’t imagine ever being that obedient. The words ‘Does not play well with others’ should be tattooed across my forehead.

 Will there be more books in your series, or can you tell us about any previous books?
I have written three novellas, “A woman of Honour” was the first, and I’m happy to announce that my second novella “A Woman of Love” has just been contracted by The Wild Rose Press and is in the final stages of editing. The last story is “A Woman of Courage.”

Although they have been contracted as a series, they are stand-alone stories and do not have to be read in any particular order. In fact, they aren’t even set in the same time period. “A Woman of Honour” is set in Medieval Scotland, Victorian England is the backdrop for “A Woman of Love," and “A Woman of Courage” takes place in Early-Christian Ireland at the time of the Viking raids.

Each story features a heroine who, through no fault of her own, has found herself in a crisis situation. In my head I collectively call these stories Honour, love and Courage. To me these are the embodiment of a woman’s best qualities.

Each of us in our own way possesses honour, love, and courage. These traits provide us with the strength to continue through the daily grind that can sometimes seem overwhelming. It takes love, honour, and courage to run a home, care for sick children, do housework, cooking, cleaning, and then there’s work and careers. And let’s not forget the bad days when everyone we meet is cranky, annoying, or just plain mean.

My books are meant to provide a few hours enjoyment, an escape from the drudgery that can sometimes seem all consuming.




11 comments:

  1. Angela, thank you for having me on your blog. I suppose that's another thing to be thankful for. I'm surrounded by generous authors, such as yourself, who give budding writers like me a chance to connect with your readers. Thank you

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  2. I'm with you on the chocolate, Marlow! And spending time with family…. Good luck with the books!

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  3. I have so enjoyed this "Thankfulness" series of author interviews! And, Marlow, I'm with you on loving that first draft--it's a joy to write. Your series sounds wonderful!

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  4. Nice post! Best of luck with this series!

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  5. Thanks Laura, it's so nice of you to say so. Thank you.

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  6. Really nice interview. And don't worry Marlow, it takes a crazy person to be cheerful in this world. :) Best of success.

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  7. Marlow, great interview. I just read something that will make you crazy...there will be a shortage of chocolate soon. Start stocking up now :-) Thanks for your honesty about writing...I share the angst!

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  8. Oh my, a shortage of chocolate. That is CRAZY. Thanks for stopping by, Rolynn.

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