Getting to know you Thursday (posted on Wednesday this week) With Marilyn Turk with giveaway

Getting to know you Thursday (posted on Wednesday this week) With Marilyn Turk with giveaway

Please welcomeMarilyn Turk to my blog today. I have been delayed getting this interview up but it is timely as Marilyn has her story in a Guidepost Christmas book of short stories.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?Originally from
Louisiana, I moved to Atlanta, GA after college, married and had my three sons
and lived there until after my divorce when I was laid off. I moved to Florida
in 2004 and started my new life. I married the love of my life, my second
husband, five years ago. Together we have four sons and one daughter, two
daughters-in-law, and three grandsons ages 3, 4, 6. Although I graduated with a
degree in journalism, it was advertising I wanted to do which was in the
college of journalism. However, I learned a lot about journalism, meeting
deadlines and editing during that time, things which any writer needs to know.

2. When you were a child did you have a favorite book or books? I loved Nancy Drew books.

3. Do you have a favorite Genre to both read and right write? My favorite genre
is historical with romance, so I read and write it.

4. Did you have favorite authors growing up who have influenced you? Besides
Carolyn Keene who wrote Nancy Drew, I
really didnt have a favorite author.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author? Writing was always easy for
me, so I didnt consider it a career until much later in life. But I loved Guideposts magazine and read it from
cover to cover, so I wanted to be published in it, however my career in sales
and my family prevented me from even thinking about writing.

6. How did you go about becoming an author? When I moved to Florida as an
empty-nester, I felt God telling me I now had time to write. I took an online
writing course to refresh my memory having
been out of school a long time. I then began attending writers
conferences and learning about the craft and business of writing. I thought Id
only write articles and devotions, so thats what I did and was published in Focus on the Familys Clubhouse Jr.
magazine, and The Upper Room. In 2010
I won the Guideposts Writers Workshop
and was subsequently published in Guideposts.
I hadnt considered writing a book until I went to conferences and heard people
talking about their books. While doing historical research on the area I live
in, which is a hobby of mine, the threads of a story formed and my first book
was birthed. I am currently writing my third
book while my editor looks for the right publisher for the others.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be? Ive been blessed to
achieve most of what I wanted to be. At this point in my life, I wouldnt want
another career.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do? I love tennis and play
twice a week. I would play more except that Im trying to focus on writing and
not tennis. I also enjoy taking walks and boating and fishing with my husband.
I attempt to garden, but sometimes the Florida heat is brutal on plants.
Fortunately, we got a lot of rain this year.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit? I love
lighthouses and would love to visit them all over the world. I still have a lot
to see in the US though. My husband and I would love to take a trip to
Australia and stay a couple of months doing volunteer work. (Jenny here I think you would Love Australia there is so much to see and do)

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and why?
I just met Frank Peretti at the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference,
and he is really cool. Id love to talk more with him. Also, I love Lynn
Austins writing and would love to spend some time with her. Of course, Id
love to get close to Hugh Jackman, but I doubt I could eat if I were. (I know what you mean about Hugh Jackman I would be the same but at least I could talk cricket with him as he is a big fan)

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will
be coming out soon.Ive been published in
four Chicken Soup for the Soul books
– Devotional Stories for Tough Times, Say
Hello to a Better Body, Say Goodbye to
Stress, and the most recent, Devotional
Stories for Wives, which came out in September.
I also have a short
story in a Guideposts book that will
be coming out in November called A Cup of
Christmas Cheer. There are two books
in the collection and my story is in the one called Stories of Joy and Wonder. These will be available through Guideposts.Also where we can find you on the web.http://www.shopguideposts.org/new-releases-1/a-cup-of-christmas-cheer.htmlMy website is www.pathwayheart.com or www.marilynturk.com. I post a weekly blog
about lighthouses there. I also have a blog on The Writers Path on the same
website. Im always looking for lighthouse stories, so if you know any, please
contact me. My email is marilynturkwriter@yahoo.com.


Giveaway:
Marilyn is happy to do a giveaway to one American who leaves a comment. To enter just leave a comment saying what you favourite Christmas Carol is and a way to contact you. Entries close Dec 5th.