I am so fortunate today to have
Marlayna Glynn Brown
as a guest.
She has just released her latest book, City of Angels.
READ ON!
Interview:
What inspired
you to write your first book?
I've long been an ardent journalist. I made the decision to
craft my journals into a book and then found that recording some events I had
not shared with others (including my own journals) affected me greatly. The
completion of some chapters left me feeling jubilant and free. Some caused me to lay my head on the keyboard
and cry. Recording these events gifted
me with an entirely strengthened view about life that I felt inspired to share
with others.
Is there a
message in your novels that you want readers to grasp?
As a memoir, Overlay
is unique in that it tells the tale of one girl coming of age in 1970s casino
era Las Vegas. In the 1970s Las Vegas attracted a transient motley crew of
bizarre characters. Alcoholism and
addiction were rampant, and Nevada boasted one of the highest rates of child
abuse and neglect in the 1970s. The overarching message is that one can survive
and shine, no matter the circumstances of their birth and childhood.
City of
Angeles, the sequel to Overlay, takes the story from the other characters and
places it squarely in the lap of the main character. She moves from helpless victim to strong
victor. The message in City of Angeles is that one can and must learn to
navigate life in order to succeed and thrive, regardless of the past and its
pitfalls.
Do you have any
advice for other writers?
Write according
to what works for you. I sit down and
write as the spirit moves me. I may
write 15 hours a day for three weeks and then not at all for a month. I’ve learned the hard way that I cannot force
the muse. She arrives when she pleases
and departs just as easily.
What marketing
techniques have you used to sell your books and which ones have been
most successful?
I am a prolific
writer and marketer so the list of techniques I have utilized is quite long and
ranges from tapping my immediate network to reaching out across email, social
media, websites, blogs and other sites.
I’ve been very direct in contacting local bookstores, libraries, book
clubs and other clubs and have offered to speak. Most successful at this juncture has been my
Kindle Promotions with Amazon.com. There
is an entire subculture of ebook-lovers that feed and market to each
other. I've written a short handbook
available on Amazon detailing the techniques and sites I have utilized called
Promoting, Marketing and Publishing Your Book.
Why should we
buy your books?
My memoirs are
true stories of success against all odds.
If I managed to become the first college graduate in my family, remain
relatively sane, and raise four fantastic children - then anything is possible.
I'd like to share that light with others, and inspire them to rise above those who have transgressed
against them, caused them pain or injured them in some way. I've reached a point in life where I am truly
thankful for all of my experiences, both good and bad, as each has given me an
opportunity to grow and thrive in ways I couldn't have imagined.
I am currently crafting the third and final installment
in the trilogy Memoirs of Marlayna Glynn Brown which will be a painstaking
biopic on surviving the devastation of divorce while single parenting four
beloved children. Simultaneously, I am
also writing a non-fiction account of my solo travels as a responsibly
hedonistic single woman in her forties with one goal in mind: to say yes to
everything. I'm currently enjoying the
research for my travel book very much.
Is there a
special place that you prefer when you write?
Anywhere as
long as it is silent.
What is
your POWER WORD? Why this word?
Great
question. My power word is
thankfulness. I am always grateful for
the ability to learn, thrive and grow.
Many times throughout the day I say to myself,
“Yes.Thankyou.Moreplease.”
Please feel
free to add any additional question that a reader might ask you,
and answer that question.
Have you
forgiven all of the characters in your memoir?
________________________
Marlayna
Glynn Brown Bio
I am a
published writer and an award winning photographer. These are the primary
ways I communicate my personal experience to humanity. I am also a
screenwriter, actress, producer, poet, yogi and photographer. I was born and
raised in Las Vegas, Nevada and base many of my unusual characters and
unexpected story lines on true events.
My first
memoir, Overlay - A Tale of One Girl's Life in 1970s Las Vegas, was published
in March 2012 and is available in print and Kindle format. I published City of
Angeles, the next sequel to Overlay, this past July. My 2009 short film, People
That do Something, is based upon a chapter from Overlay and can be viewed at
www.marlaynaglynnbrown.com and Youtube.
My promotional
representation company, mgbrepresents, allows me to assist other authors, photographers,
artists, musicians and creative spirits in exploring the best ways to communicate their personal experiences to
humanity. We are each on our own journey and no two journeys are
identical. Doesn't that absolutely fascinate you? Learn more at www.mgbrepresents.com.
Find her amazing books at Amazon.com
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