Maria Pease never had any aspirations to be a writer. She always had her nose in a book, but never imagined herself writing one.
She says it all began when her son was ten years old and petitioning for a later bedtime. Maria, desperate to retain her quiet evenings, tried to dissuade her son by saying he could have an extra hour, but only if he used it to read or write stories. To her dismay, he accepted the challenge and suggested that his mom do the same. To save face, Maria grabbed a notebook and pen, joining her son in a new evening routine. That’s where her story began, and a few years later Maria was a published author. Malicious Intent is the first of three books in her “Sam Parker Mystery” series. (Her son eventually moved on to other interests!)
Maria spoke with great enthusiasm about her somewhat unconventional writing process. Story ideas seem to just pop up in her head and then the characters take over, guiding her words every step of the way. The mysteries are not solved until her characters tell her who done it!
Maria talked about the grueling process of editing and the perils of using a publishing company. Although she was successful in selling her first book to a small publishing company, she chose to self-publish her subsequent books in order to maintain creative control.
Maria has taught creative writing at all levels, from elementary school through college, and now teaches private writing workshops. She is happy to advise prospective authors on editing and publishing avenues as well.
Maria’s newest venture is creating children’s books that can be customized with names, photographs, and even personal stories. Keep this author in mind when you need a unique gift for a child or grandchild!
Maria’s “Sam Parker Mystery” books can be found at Harper Library in Southport.
To learn more about this author, go to www.mariapease.com or email her directly at maria@mariapease.com