Wednesday, September 23, 2009

GUEST - MARILEE BROTHERS


Help me welcome Marilee Brothers, a fabulous writer in both adult and YA fiction! How do I know? (You mean besides publishing her first YA novel?) Take a look at what the major trades are saying about her newest book THE ROCK AND ROLL QUEEN OF BEDLAM...

From Publishers Weekly: "Readers will want to see more of this dynamic teacher/teen crime-solving duo."

From Booklist: "At turns funny, suspenseful, and touching, this novel of romantic suspense will appeal to a broad spectrum of readers."

One lucky commentor is going to get a copy of the book.

Welcome, Marilee!

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My schizoid life as a writer in two genres would likely make a normal person crazy. Sixteen-year-old Allie Emerson is the main character in the young adult series (Moonstone, Moon Rise) I write for Bell Bridge Books. Allegra Thome is the teacher protagonist in The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam, an adult mystery to be published by Medallion Press in October. True, I’ve been on both sides of the desk, most recently as a teacher. But, it seems like only yesterday I was on the other side, gazing at the teacher with what I hoped was a look of rapt attention, while busily checking out the cute guy two rows over. Consequently, I find it easy, even beneficial, to head hop back and forth between the two.

To further complicate matters, you may have noticed both my ladies have names that start with “A.” What was I thinking? Is my brain not already suffering from information overload, not to mention swirling madly with half-baked ideas for new books and plot twists yet to be written? Did I set out to complicate my life even more? Um, no. Apparently I just love the letter “A” because it was completely unplanned, like many things in my life including three children. Yikes, that sounded bad. Rest assured, I’m not sorry I had them! My theory, though slightly flawed, was - if you wait until the right time to have babies, you never will.

Oh yes, there’s a third leg on my stool. I started out as a writer of medieval romance. You gotta love hunky guys with big swords! Unfortunately, I had to say goodbye to castles, knights and feisty maidens with magic crystals when I became committed to writing my other books. There is a limit to how much my brain can handle. And, no, my heroine’s name did not start with an “A.”

I have developed a method that makes writing two different genres a tad simpler. Both Allie and Allegra live in the same imaginary region of Central Washington state which happens to be my stompin’ grounds. Yakima Valley became Vista Valley. Parker and Parker Heights became Peacock Flats and Peacock Heights, an area I drove by each day when I commuted to my job as a counselor for behavior-disordered teens. Therefore, I’m able to use the same fake names in both books along with some real ones like: Cascade Mountains, Columbia River, Space Needle, Snoqualmie Pass and Lake Keechelus. Will Allie ever meet Allegra? Who knows, it could happen.

What about you? Have you figured out ways to deal with the complexities in your life? Does it involve a bottle of wine? A chick flick? A long soak in the tub? If you care to comment, there could be a book in your future, one starring a hunky knight with a big sword and a feisty maiden with a magic crystal whose name does not start with an “A.”

22 comments:

buddyt said...

Hmm ! Someone who loves the letter "A" ! I haven't come across anybody with a fascination for a single letter of the alphabet before but to each his own.

Do all your childrens names start with "A" ?

Please enter me in the giveaway.

Thanks


Carol

buddytho{at} gmail DOT com

Helen Brenna said...

Welcome, Marilee and congrats on the new release! Awesome reviews!

Chick flicks, wine, soaks in the hot tub, dinner our with friends, happy hour. I use pretty much every possible coping mechanism. lol But I think I'll stay away from writing multiple genres. That'd likely throw me over the edge!

Cindy Gerard said...

Hi Marlilee and welcome!
Big congrats on the new releases!

As for dealing with complexities - chocolate. It fixes everything :o)

mslizalou said...

Welcome Marilee and congrats on the new release!

I deal with the complexities of life with books, dinner with friends, and chocolate.

Terry Odell said...

Chocolate, yes. Dark. Belgian if possible. I also retreat with books. Reading takes me away from my life's issues.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, dark chocolate does it for me as well. Must be a hormonal thing. Have you ever heard a guy say he'd kill for Hersey's Special Dark?

Anonymous said...

Carol, my boys' names are Tim, Mark and Todd. When Todd came along, we already had three "M's" in the family, so Tim insisted his little brother's name had to start with a "T."

traveler said...

Welcome Marilee and congratulations on this wonderful release. I usually take a lengthy walk in the mountains in the bright sunshine and this inspires me.

Unknown said...

Hey Marilee, thanks for joining us. I looooooooove the title and cover of Bedlum. Very cool.

My coping methods tend to involve long walks followed by copious amounts of comfort foods.

KylieBrant said...

Welcome to the convertible, Marilee and congrats on the awesome buzz you've got going for your book!

Debra Dixon said...

Hey, Marilee!

My husband loves Hersey's Special Dark Chocolate but I have never heard him say he'd kill for it.

He'd kill for certain specialty beers he can only get at certain times of the year. And he's first in line for some neuvo bouchalet (sp?) wine he likes to get once a year. I'm not a wine person!

But he'd never kill for chocolate.

Unknown said...

Hi Marilee, welcome! Congrats on your new release it sounds like an awesome book!

I deal with complexities by reading a good book or taking a long walk, sometimes both! Sometimes I will take the walk and then kick back with the book.

tetewa said...

I deal with them by eating ice cream while reading a goo book! Congrats on the release.

Pamela Keener said...

I love a glass of vino at the end of a long day. A good book to go along with it to escape prior to going to bed is my ide of paradise.
Love & Hugs,
Pam

catslady said...

Both my daughter's names start with "A" lol.

A glass of cabernet savignon or fresh roasted black coffee (depending on the time of day lol) and a good book and my cats purring around me :)

Minna said...

I deal with complexities by reading books, eating chocolate and by going to sauna.

Asylumgirl said...

I'm not sure how to deal with complexities, you mean besides throwing a hissy fit. lol

I definitely read, watch movies and surf the net. I also like to play computer and video games or unwind with a little sodoku.

Deidre

Anonymous said...

From Marilee: Thank you all for your warm welcome. I really appreciate it. FYI, "curling up with a good book" is in the lead followed closely by chocolate and wine which leads me to conclude the following: If any of the above are good, all three together would be better. Come to think of it, I've been there, done that. Trust me, the problems of the day dissove into a rosy glow.

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your book. I like a hot bath with candles, followed by a good book and some chocolate.

Linda Henderson
ernicole2001 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

Marilee said,
Yeah, let's add a bubble bath to the good book, chocolate and wine. Couldn't be better!

dancealertreads.blogspot.com said...

No I always lose myself in a good book. Lately I've been getting on the couch when I find a really good one and having a "staycation!"

dancealert at aol dot com

Enchanted by Books said...

Reading usually calms my mind. Takes my mind off whatever is going on in life.

I've read alot of great reviews for your books and would love to read one!