Today we have a new guest on our blog, and I think our first Murder Mystery book. Honestly, I’ve never read a murder mystery, so this will be an interesting experience(It’s in the pile Marianne!).
What are two nice middle-aged church ladies doing at a New Age goddess retreat? And why is the manager of the Thunder Bay Charity Casino found murdered next door to the conference? Will Mary Carlisle, St. Stephen’s lovelorn organist, ever capture the heart of the church gardener? Find out the answers to these and other burning questions in The Serenity Stone Murder, a kinder, gentler murder mystery set in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Writer Bio
Marianne Jones is a retired teacher from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Canadian Living, The Globe and Mail, and numerous literary and denominational publications. Her books include The Land of Mogan, a children’s fantasy novel, Here, on the Ground, an award-winning collection of poetry, Great- Grandma’s Gifts, a picture book for preschool and early elementary, and The Serenity Stone Murder, a cozy mystery set in Thunder Bay.
Marianne has been named International Poet Laureate by Utmost Christian Writers. Her poetry has won numerous awards, and some of them are permanently installed at Prince Arthur’s Landing at Marina Park in Thunder Bay.
Marianne is a member of The League of Canadian Poets, The Writers Union of Canada, and The Northwestern Ontario Writers Workshop (NOWW).
How do you get over a bad review?
I’d be lying if I said that criticism doesn’t hurt. I usually call my sister, who says soothing things, and then I remind myself that not everyone is going to like my work. I also keep a file of encouraging things people have said to me over the years about my writing. It’s human nature to forget the positive and focus on the negative, but I’m trying to reverse that trend.
What inspired you to write your story?
My sister kept urging me to write a murder mystery set in our home town of Thunder Bay, Ontario. When she described a ridiculous weekend conference she attended with a friend, suddenly I could visualize my protagonists, Margaret and Louise quite clearly, and I became excited about writing this story. I identify more with Margaret, who has a sarcastic edge and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. And I had fun playing with the notion of these two middle-aged friends traipsing all over Thunder Bay in search of clues, sometimes squabbling and sometimes encountering a series of eccentric characters.
Is there anyone that deserves a shout out?
My Mom was always my biggest supporter. She loved the idea of having a writer in the family. I also am grateful to poet Debbie Okun Hill at https://okunhill.wordpress.com/ for her kind words and support, as well as well-known blogger Susan Toy for her selfless support of writers.
Has self-publishing taught you any life lessons?
My first self-published book was a children’s fantasy novel, The Land of Mogan. Although both the children and adults that read it gave it high praise, I didn’t have the know-how or courage to promote it, so it didn’t reach a broader audience. Writing is an act of courage. Publishing your work is an act of courage. Marketing requires courage as well. Putting ourselves out there means opening ourselves up to possible praise, criticism or indifference. I had to learn that enthusiasm and a quality product aren’t enough. We need to be strategic and determined to market our work as well. The mistakes and successes work together to make us more professional.
What’s your favorite color?
Green.
Remember, if you’d like to be featured in the #SupportIndieAuthor series, please drop me a line at RileyAmosReviews (@) Gmail (Dot) com. Until next week, keep writing!
And don’t forget to check out my Breath Of the Titans: The False Titanbriger series.
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