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Featured on Buck Books
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Interview with Author Mari Collier
It is my pleasure to welcome author Mari Collier to my blog today.
We’ll start out with a few questions. If you choose not to answer any question, please feel free to skip it, and if there is anything that I’ve missed, you’re welcome to add a comment.Let’s get started, Mari.
1) Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
It seems I’m
someone who grew up without the amenities of modern life and witnessed the
hard, everyday work of a farmwoman as though it were still in the early
1900’s. It really gave an appreciation
for the strength of the early immigrants and their ability to work.
2)
As a child,
what did you want to do when you grew up?
I wanted to
become a Deaconess and serve in the overseas Lutheran Missouri Synod Mission
field. That meant I had to keep my
grades up to qualify for their Valparaiso University in northern Indiana. Unfortunately, allergies prevented me from
living in the Midwest.
3)
When did you first start writing?
I was
in the sixth grade and wrote a story about Lazarus, the Wandering Jew (heavens
only knows how I knew about that piece of folklore). The other two classmates (yes, a one room
country school) liked it so much they wanted a romance. I wrote it for them and thought it really insipid. I didn’t understand how they could like that. Then Mama put me in charge of writing the Douglas Township news for the Audubon Advocate. I decided I could write a Western set in the old West. Of course, it had to be Texas as that is where the Comanche were based. My second oldest brother thought it was hilarious that his baby sister would write a story and kill off all the characters. 
4)
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
That was after I
had children and began making up bedtime stories for them. I started writing them down, and then pulled
out the Western I had started so long ago.
I decided I needed more tutelage and took a mail order writing
course.
5)
How long does it take you to write a book?
That depends on
which book. It took over fifty years to
write Gather The Children. Man, True Man
I must have written in about six months.
6)
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
The same every
day except when I may have an appointment or visitors. I write from 2:30 p.m. until 3:55 p.m. Sometimes it does stretch out to a longer
time.
7)
What would you say is your most interesting writing
quirk?
I like to give short stories a twisted
ending. They aren’t necessarily happy
ever after.
8)
Where do you get your information and/or ideas for
your books?
The ideas are
just there. The necessary technical
information is in my library or on the internet. The latter is such a time saver.
9)
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
I would love to
do more reading, but the writing interferes.
I like to work outside, take walks, and Nintendo forever ruined me. I like to play electronic games too.
10) What does your family think of your writing?
21) What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
My son couldn’t believe his Mother wrote those
books. My daughter likes one and some of
my short stories. My granddaughters are
really proud of her grandmother. My grandsons are perplexed. My nieces and great-nieces have been
enthusiastic in their support. My one
living brother says that I am one hell of a writer, and the one (now at home
with the Lord) complimented me for being the better writer. You see, they are a mixed lot.
11)
What was one of the most surprising things you
learned in creating books?
That I could see,
hear, and smell the characters.
12)
How many
books have you written? Which is your favorite?
I have written seven novels and four Twisted Tales
anthologies. I really cannot pick a
favorite. It is like asking a mother
which of her children is the favorite.
13)
Do you hear from your readers much? What kinds of
things do they say?
It is more like
occasionally as far as direct communication goes. The reviews are one way of hearing your
readers. That means I take the good with
the bad. Fortunately, most are good
comments.
14)
What do you think makes a good story?
Adventure, new or ancient worlds, love and hate, in
others words, the essential emotions and curiosity of humans or other beings.
15)
How did you choose what genre to write in?
It chose me.
16)
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
No, I have not.
I have found that with other writers that sometimes they create their
own blocks. If something doesn’t go the
way they want, they put everything away.
If something doesn’t seem to go right, I just move onto another
project. I usually have three or four
others I can choose from.
17)
Is there any particular author or book that
influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
The Bible and
Luther’s Small Catechism. The other main
influence was the history books.
18)
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting
your first book published?
Oh, please, that
was a nightmare as Kindle Publishing, Nook Publishing, and Create Space did not
exist then. I took my brother’s advice
and went with a vanity company. It was a
horrible decision. I am so thankful to
have the rights to that book back.
19)
What was your favorite chapter or part to write?
Why?
I cannot pick one chapter, but one of my
favorites is The Pastor Becomes The Shepherd in Before We Leave. One man makes a complete transformation.
20)
How did you come up with the title?
Trial and error.
Sometimes the title was there just like the book. The vanity company insisted I change the
title of my first one. At least that
vanity company didn’t charge for the cover or the printing.
21) What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The one that had nothing to do with the novel. The best came from my granddaughter. This is it:
My grandmother is the author.
But I'm not being biased when I say her books are amazing! I own 4.
22)
Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
The upcoming one will be The Silver and The
Green. It is a sequel to Man, True Man
and takes place on the planet Tonath.
Tonath has almost recovered from the Burning Days, but not completely.
One Seeker wants to restore the Star Path Institutes to their original teachings
and the other wants to find the ancient family land holdings. Then war erupts
between the battling governments and the different Star Path Institutes.
Ordinary people are caught between the different rulers and the different
religious proponents.
23)
What projects are you working on now?
See above.
I’m also trying to work on a short story, a new blog, and the next
sequel.
24)
Will you have a new book coming out soon?
I’m hoping The Silver and The Green will be out
before this summer.
25)
What famous person, living or dead, would you like
to have lunch with? Why?
Martin Luther as
his summaries of scripture is so succinct.
Unfortunately, I do not speak or understand German.
26)
What would you serve?
Sausages and beer. What else? We’re German.
Sausages and beer. What else? We’re German.
27)
If you had a magic wand to grant any wish, what
would that be?
Impossible
to say. I doubt if it would be anything
noble. I would think of my family before anyone else. People wish for peace, but that will never
happen in this sinful world. When lives
are too peaceful, people tend to read something with violence within the story
or watch a movie, YouTube episode, or television show that will have murder or
mayhem of some sort.
28)
Is there anything more that you would like to say to
your readers and fans?
Thanks to all who
have read or purchased my stories. If
you haven’t seen or read any of my tales and would like a look or preview of them, click on the Amazon
Author Page below. A double thanks to
all who have not only read the tales, but left a review. Thanks for inviting
me, Kenna and much love and happiness to all.
Thank you, Mari, it was a pleasure to interview you. All the best of luck on your upcoming novel, and warm wishes for a happy and profitable year.
Twitter:
@child7mari
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Thanks again for the invitation, Kenna!
ReplyDeleteIt was a pleasure, Mari.
DeleteAs you can see, I had some problems with the formatting. The pictures are all linked to your Amazon.com page for that particular book, and for your Amazon Central page on Amazon.com. I hope it proves useful.
Good answers, Mari!
ReplyDeleteThanks, William. Mari is a very interesting woman.
DeleteWell done, Mari and Kenna! Very interesting questions and answers, and nice job of formatting this, as well. Its effect, as intended, was excellent. I enjoyed reading this very much, and now want Mari's books. I'm looking forward to delving into Mari's writing now. Any suggestions for my first read? I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI recommend one of her Twisted tales to start with, Judi, such as Twisted Tales from the Universe. I think you'd enjoy all the Twisted Tales very much, and then perhaps Earthbound, the first book in her series. You can click on the links in this interview to get the books. Thanks for your interest.
DeleteThanks, Kenna. Nice formatting on this!
DeleteExcellent interview Kenna. I enjoy reading her stories and I thought she spoke German or a version of Pennsylvania Dutch after I read Gather the Children but just a testament to her talent.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Intangible Hearts. I, too, thought Mari spoke or understood a version of German. She is very talented.
DeleteGreat interview. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sahara, a wonderful subject!
Delete