Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Originally from the Midwest, I’m now a high school French teacher in the Pacific Northwest. I currently have two books published and am working on a third.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is “For Two Cents, I’ll Go With You,” and it’s based on the true story of my grandfather’s adventures as an Army medic in WWI. He never talked about the war to us kids, but he did tell my dad what he did, and one summer I spent a week with a digital recorder collecting the stories from Dad. On the last day of my visit I learned Granddad’s letters home had survived. I transcribed the letters, incorporated Dad’s memories, and the novel grew from there.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do not compose at the computer. Early on I found that I only stared at the screen and made the same changes over and over again. I sketch out scenes in a notebook, then write them out longhand in another notebook and make corrections and additions before adding them to the file on the computer. That way I know what kinds of changes I’ve made and how the story is evolving.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
James Herriot as an author, Stephen King for his book “On Writing”.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on my third historical fiction novel, again set in the medieval period, but this time in France. It features another strong female main character who went against societal norms to find her own way.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Reviews from bloggers and groups like the Historical Novel Society have been the most helpful for me.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read in your genre, and write. Read your work aloud; it’ll help you spot errors and clumsy prose. Give your work the time it needs to mature. Set it aside for a week or a month or a year and read it again. You’ll be surprised how your vision changes. Enlist beta readers who are not your friend or relation, and remember that criticism will only help you to grow.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Talk is cheap; takes money to buy whiskey.
What are you reading now?
Barbara Tuchman’s “A Distant Mirror”.
What’s next for you as a writer?
“For Two Cents” will soon be published in French! and I’m researching a third novel.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The collected works of Shakespeare, the Bible, War and Peace (haven’t gotten more than 100 pages into it before giving up; if I was stuck I’d have to read the damn thing! haha)
Author Websites and Profiles
Marcia Maxwell Website
Marcia Maxwell Amazon Profile
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Goodreads Profile
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