Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My full name is Maryanne Peluso. Rose is my Confirmation name. I am using a Pen Name to protect the identity of many of the individuals mentioned in my memoir. I am a devout Catholic and a former Franciscan Religious Sister. Prior to entering the Catholic Convent, I was a graphic artist for nearly 10 years. While in the Convent, I earned a Masters Degree in Pastoral/Spiritual Theology. When I left the Sisters in 2007, I went to work for a Parish in Northern New Jersey as the Director of their Religious Education Program. However, because I’ve been a chronic pain sufferer for over 22 years, I had to stop working full-time and applied for SSDI. I was born and raised in Newark and Irvington, New Jersey. I now live in Central New Jersey with my 82 y/o mother and my pet lovebird, Cheekie.
I’ve only written this one book, my memoir. It is the one and only story I had “inside” of me that just had to “get out.” It was written with the hope and sole purpose of helping other people. Other chronic pain sufferers like myself suffering from pudendal neuropathy. I also hope the book will bring comfort to other Christians who struggle in their relationships with the Lord.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
It is my memoir, it is the compelling true story of all that I went through in order to make peace with a mysterious chronic illness and the loss of my religious vocation.
It is entitled, “Behind the Tapestry: My Discovery of God’s Grace Amidst Chronic Pain and Loss.”
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Off the top of my head, I can’t really think of any unusual writing habits. I’m not really a writer by trade. I don’t have a degree in English or Literature. I just love to read and I like to hear about other people’s life stories. I find true stories and memoirs fascinating. So, I had this one story to tell and I just had to tell it. I wrote and wrote and wrote until I ended up with a first draft that was nearly 550 pages long. I knew that wouldn’t work so I went back to my computer and began editing – in order to cut out parts of the story that weren’t really in keeping with the memoir’s theme.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
I don’t think there are any particular authors or books that influenced me to write my memoir. I mean I have authors that I favor and prefer to read. I have specific genres that I prefer also. And I very rarely will “venture into” a genre that I don’t usually read. I stick to what I like and the authors I know.
I have read some wonderful memoirs. Most of the ones that I’ve read and have enjoyed were written by “real” people who weren’t authors but happened to have a story that just HAD to be told (like mine!) and so I find these stories to be very riveting. Stories told about the types of things we see on the news – sensational murder mysteries or kidnapping stories, etc. I find these very interesting and they really keep my attention.
What are you working on now?
I am not currently working on another book. I don’t really plan on writing another book although some people that have already read my memoir are encouraging me to do so. I don’t know, we’ll see. Right now I am concentrating on promoting and marketing my memoir. Since I self-published it, I am responsible for most of the marketing and promo work. My book cannot help people if no one knows about it.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Here is my Author Website: http://authormrosepeluso.com
You can find the memoir’s own page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/memoirbehindthetapestry
I’m also on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MRosePeluso_ and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrosepeluso_
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Any advice for new authors? Yes, I would say to do a lot of research about the writing process. If you are like me and aren’t a writer by trade, or you do not have a degree in English or Literature, you will need to learn an awful lot about HOW to write a book before you even begin writing one. It isn’t as easy as just putting words on paper. There is a system and the right way (and the wrong way if you don’t learn about the “ins and outs” of writing) to go about authoring a book. I would highly recommend that you learn, study, take classes, get books about writing from the library or from the internet, join writing clubs or groups of writers on Facebook, reach out online to the experts in the field of writing and publishing. There will be some invaluable information in all of these places. I definitely recommend that a new author takes the time to learn all that he or she could about the writing process and how to author a book before putting one word on paper.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The best advice I ever heard about writing was from a class I took online. And it is simply this – don’t ever give up! Keep writing and don’t stop. If you have a story to tell, one that just has to be told, MUST be told and you have a dream of publishing a book – go for it! Don’t ever give up on your dream. Keep working at it until you make that dream become a reality.
What are you reading now?
I just began reading “Breakdown” by Jonathan Kellerman. It is a fictional crime thriller. It is a series of Kellerman’s featuring forensic psychologist, Alex Delaware and his homicide detective best friend, Milo Sturgis. I have read many of Kellerman’s Alex Delaware books and have enjoyed all of them. I’m looking forward to reading this particular book very much.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m not sure what is next for me as a writer. I have no desire to write another book or memoir. This was my one, powerful, very personal story to tell and I did that. Right now, my focus is on promoting and marketing this memoir. So that it could truly reach its target audience and get into the hands of the people it was meant to help.
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?
Wow! That’s a great question. Off the top of my head, I’m not sure how to answer that. I guess I would have to say probably any of Kellerman’s, Alex Delaware books; Patricia Cornwell’s, Dr. Kay Scarpetta series of books. I’ve read all 20 of them and really enjoyed the series. And then any of the many memoirs that I’ve read over the years. Probably the ones written by Elizabeth Smart, Michelle Knight, Jaycee Dugard, Gina De Jesus and Amanda Berry.
Author Websites and Profiles
Maryanne (Pen Name: M. Rose) Peluso Website
Maryanne (Pen Name: M. Rose) Peluso Amazon Profile
Maryanne (Pen Name: M. Rose) Peluso’s Social Media Links
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