The Gift of Writing . .. Mysteries! by Marie Moore

Living in a small Southern town obviously places a few obstacles in the path of an aspiring author.  Holly Springs is definitely not New York.  Collierville and Byhalia are not LA or London.  Our fingers are clearly not on the pulse of the publishing industry.  But in my case, that just didn’t matter, and it likely won’t in yours either if you have a tale worth telling and are determined and willing to put in the work required to be a published author. 

The gift of writing is one of the most rewarding of all gifts, a talent not to be buried in the earth, and being given the opportunity to share your words and thoughts with others is really special. There’s nothing quite like holding the first copy of your book in your hands, or sharing your words and ideas with people, particularly if someone else thought them worthy of publishing.  It is a difficult business, a hard nut to crack, but if this country girl can do it, so can you.

Amazingly enough, growing up in that little hometown just might help you succeed in this business in unexpected ways, for you possess gifts that might not be fully appreciated by city slickers.  Way down in Dixie we come from a long line of storytellers who cherish the sharing of tales among friends and family, often coupled with a mighty fine meal.  And one of the hallmarks of that tradition is an unflagging interest in our neighbors.  Curiosity flourishes on our streets, in our homes, schools and churches.  We cut our teeth wanting to know what happened and why and who did it and how whenever a new bit of news comes our way.

Perfect training for a mystery writer!

At the upcoming Mid-South Christian Writers Conference I will be discussing my journey in becoming a mystery author and sharing some of the things I’ve learned about crafting the mystery novel and getting it published.  Mystery writing is great.  I’ve loved mysteries since I first read Nancy Drew under the covers with the flashlight, long after my mom said “lights out”.  If you have too, come to the Conference on March 7 and we’ll discuss what it takes to succeed in this fun business of Whodunnit?  In my presentation, we will discuss the types of mystery, voice, point-of-view, character-building and scene description and the pitfalls that can plague aspiring writers on the road to publication.

 

Meet Marie!

Shore Excursion was Marie Moore’s first novel, but not her first writing experience, and like Sidney Marsh, she is a native Mississippian.  She graduated from Ole Miss, married a lawyer in her hometown, taught junior high science, raised a family, and worked for a small weekly newspaper, first as a writer and later as Managing Editor.  She wrote hard news, features and a weekly column, sold ads, did interviews, took photos, and won a couple of MS Press Association awards for some of her stories.

In 1985, Marie left the newspaper to open a retail travel agency.  She completed agency and computer training with Airlines Reporting Corporation, Delta Airlines and TWA, earned her CTC (Certified Travel Counselor) designation, and joined the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), International Air Transport Association (IATA), and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).  For the next 15 years, she managed her agency, sold travel, escorted group tours, sailed on 19 cruises, and visited over 60 countries.  Much of the background of Shore Excursion comes from that experience.

Marie also did location scouting and worked as the local contact for several feature films, including Heart of Dixie, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, and Robert Altman’s Cookie’s Fortune. 

In mid-1999, because of her husband's work, Marie sold the travel agency and moved to Jackson, MS, then New York City, Anna Maria Island, FL, and Arlington, VA.  She and her husband now live in Memphis, TN and Holly Springs, MS. 

Marie and her mystery novels have been featured in Click! Magazine, At Home Memphis and MidSouth Magazine, Portico Magazine, and Southern Writer's Magazine.  She has been a guest on WREG's Live at 9, BookTalk, and The Earle Farrell Show.  She has given 30 minute presentations: Whodunnit? Crafting the Mystery Novel and Finding A New Career in Mid-life to numerous civic groups, senior citizens groups, libraries, and from The Balancing Act Stage as part of the program of The Southern Women's Show. She has served as a program panelist for Malice Domestic Mystery Conference (Bethesda, MD, 2012 and 2013) and Killer Nashville Mystery Conference (2013). In 2013, Marie’s books were specially chosen for inclusion in the onboard libraries of all the Holland America and Seabourn Cruise Line ships. GAME DRIVE, Book 2 in The Sidney Marsh Murder Mystery Series, was named Finalist in Foreword Review's 2013 Mystery Book of the Year. Marie is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. 

Website: http://www.mariemooremysteries.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/mariemooremysteriesTwitter: mariemmysteries

 

Marie's Workshop!

Whodunnit??? Crafting the Mystery Novel

Marie Moore, author of The Sidney Marsh Murder Mystery Series, speaks on the nuts and bolts of writing a mystery novel.  In her presentation, she discusses the types of mystery, voice, point-of-view, character-building, and scene description and gives tips on some of the pitfalls that aspiring writers should try to avoid on the road to publication.