Spotlight on PnP Authors Promotions!

I have to draw your attention to a spotlight that just went up on PnP Authors Promotions.  Here is the article as follows:

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

PnPAuthors Promotions Presents their wonderful creative Author Marie Lavender 

http://pnpauthorspattimariandpeter.ning.com/?xgi=4PBOwIJg1TDMx7

PnPAuthors Promotions

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Marie started writing stories at the age of nine.  She tells PnPAuthors Promotions that she has always been a writer.  She remembers telling all of her relatives, “I’m going to be an author!” 

 

Later, she used the words ‘author’, ‘novelist’ or ‘writer’ interchangeably, and she eventually stuck with ‘writer’.  Whether you publish or not, you’re always a writer.  As soon as you write something, you’re a writer.   

 

The first official story she finished was a mystery called “The Mystery of the Golden Chair”. She was a child so yeah, it wasn’t great she says, but at least it was unique and set in Italy, if she remembers correctly.

Since then, she has written tons of stories.  She took Creative Writing classes, trying to cultivate her craft, and  majored in English Literature/Creative Writing in college.  She says she had people ask her, “Why are you majoring in Creative Writing?  Just write.”  She says  no one really understood that those classes weren’t just to improve her writing, but because she enjoyed the community, associating with other writers in the same situation and getting feedback.  When she was there, she published two stories in a university publication.  But, she always knew she wanted to write books.  

She started writing Upon Your Return, a historical romance, around 2002, three years before she graduated from college.  She was in a bit of a toxic relationship at that point and you could say writing it was her therapy.  Upon Your Return took years to write, and looking back, she says she kind of sees it as a summary of her romantic experiences in life. 

In 2010, she decided to self-publish a book.  It was called Express Café and Other Ramblings, a book full of literary fiction and poems she’d written through the years.  She let some time pass after that, but then she realized her story was nowhere near finished.  She released many more books after that, some literary fiction, some poetry, some contemporary romance, some mysteries and some romantic suspense. 

In 2011, she started looking for an agent for Upon Your Return.  It was finally finished and it was ready for the world.  She wasn’t prepared for all of the rejections, the numerous “this is a subjective business” responses she received. Somehow she found the gumption to keep moving forward.  

 

In August of 2012, a new chapter in her life began.  Solstice Publishing offered her a contract for that book and she has been with them ever since.  Upon Your Return was published in February of 2013.  Since then, she has published two more books through them, Magick & Moonlight, a paranormal romance, and Upon Your Honor, the sequel to Upon Your Return.   

 

The one thing she hadn't mentioned yet, which was  very important to her ~ She sincerely believe her journey would have been different if she hadn’t met her fiancé and soul mate, Chris, in 2004.  He has been so supportive of her writing.  As he is a creative individual as well, they have a lot in common.  She thinks that if she hadn’t had him in her life to gently nudge her, or encourage her when she needed it, it would have gone in a different direction.  She said she wasn't  saying she wouldn’t have published; just that it might have taken longer.  She is convinced when a person is pursuing their dreams, they need moral support either through friends or family or, if you’re lucky, a significant other.  She feels so very fortunate that she found a partner she can share her life with, someone who will support her as much as she will support him. 

Note from author: I also believe that having that special love in your life shapes your stories as well.  I write romance so it really helps to have a source of inspiration at times.  Romance isn’t just fiction; it can happen in real life, and when it does, it is wonderful.  And I know that no matter what direction my dreams go, I will always have that encouragement behind me.  That isn’t something to take for granted.  I believe that you shouldn’t let anyone downplay your dreams.

So, where was I?  Oh, yes, I have published nineteen books under various pen names and you can find them all listed on my website.  It has been a long journey, but it has been very rewarding as well.

 

Marie Lavender’s Books

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 Author Links:

http://www.marielavender.webs.com/
http://marielavenderbooks.blogspot.com/
http://marielavender.blogspot.com/
http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/marie.lavender.58
https://www.facebook.com/MarieAnnLavender

https://www.facebook.com/UponYourReturn
https://www.facebook.com/MagickMoonlight
https://www.facebook.com/UponYourHonor
https://www.facebook.com/WritingintheModernAge
https://twitter.com/marielavender1
https://plus.google.com/u/0/104926404745289477307/posts

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/marie-lavender/27/187/10a
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938764.Marie_Lavender
http://authorsdb.com/authors-directory/1578-marie-lavender

http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Lavender/e/B00C10Q94I/