I would speak seven languages and work as an interpreter who had her own jet and flew around the world doing my job. But in doing so, I would need a place to lay my head wherever I went. To rectify this I would have a house in five countries and stay in fancy hotels in places I had no house.
I am medium height with light brown hair and blond highlights and some gray. Fair skin and blue eyes. Slender.
What or where is your sanctuary? Is it one place or many? For me I have multiple places. One of those places is my bedroom. We have pets, so the door to this room is always closed. I can walk in there at the end of the day, it’s quiet, and the breeze from the open window is fresh and relaxing. My mind can truly unwind.
Another sanctuary for me is the coast. I live on the west coast of the United States, well an hour and a half from the coast, so when I am able to get to the beach, it’s a real treat. The sound of the waves and the ocean itself is mesmerizing. Yes, there are actually two sounds the ocean makes. One is the roar of the ocean itself, and the other is the sound of the waves crashing, splashing, or trickling into shore. The imagination is let loose in this environment to run wild.
Wide open spaces are sanctuaries for me as well, but I’m not able to experience them often unless I go on a long road trip. It’s been a very long time since I’ve done that (usually I fly), so right now I have to resort to imagining a wide open space in my mind and using them/it in my stories.
So…..what is your sanctuary?
In comparing apples on the ground under an apple tree and problems, you can clean up apples on the ground one day and the next day there are more to clean up. Such is life. It’s not the act of cleaning up the problems but how you clean them up. Approach it from a positive perspective. I know that isn’t always easy. It depends on the issue.
But, like ships in the night, problems to pass.
When my sisters and I were kids, my parents celebrated St. Nicholas Day at the beginning of each December. We would put our shoes by the front door the night before, and in the morning there would be candy in them. My dad was German, so he bought German candy at the German import store, and he would fill our shoes with that. As an adult with four kids of my own, I never recognized that tradition. I don’t know why. It was a fun tradition.
Over the years I set out to create my own traditions for the most part. Not that I didn’t like the traditions my parents took part in. I just never thought about it before. My husband and I had fun coming up with our own traditions. Some we thought of were compilations of his family’s old traditions and mine.
The one tradition I stuck with (or tried to) is how my mom did Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. From decorations to dinner I wanted my Christmas for my family as a grown up to mirror hers. Why? Because of the feeling I received when I walked into her house as an adult going to her house for Christmas Eve dinner, opening presents in the morning, decorations, all of it. But I learned something along the way during that process of trying to mimic hers. I can’t. I am not her.
This book is the first in a four book mystery series. I am half way through it, and enjoying every word.
Birthday bashes, new books coming down the pike, becoming part of an association of fellow authors, and other happenings have been keeping this girl very busy. I am close to finishing book three in my Time Series, and I’m in the first part of book 4. Other writing projects include the beginning of a cozy mystery series in coming months. Right now books 3 & 4 in the Time Series takes a front seat.
I also make beaded jewelry. What does that have to do with writing? A ha! So glad you asked. In the coming couple of months I will be giving away a bracelet with purchase of a book at my book signings. These free bracelets represent the gems found in my stories. They are made with Preciosa crystals, whereas the gems in my books are real. That’s the first part of this project. For the second part, I will be making jewelry using genuine gemstones represented in my books and putting them on my table at craft shows for sale.
My jewelry name is Jewelry By Marlisa. So within that brand will be what I am calling my Time Series line of jewelry. This will link both my books and jewelry together.
WRITE TIME AND AGAIN 