Please welcome to my blog today Author C. Marcy Thomas. Welcome Marcy.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
My name is C. Marcy Thomas, I am a native of Chester, PA. I’ve been married for 33 years to my husband Alvin Thomas. I have 3 adult daughters and two grandchildren. In 2010, I became a certified Domestic Abuse Advocate after losing my sister Christine to domestic violence. I am a co-author of the Amazon Best Seller “Women Who Soar, An Anthology” (my 1st published book). I was recently appointed to serve on the Board of Directors on Haven of Light International Inc. An organization that help advocate, educate and inspire families who have been affected by domestic abuse. After the death of my son in 2000, I became a member of Tapestries, an organization that support the families who have lost a loved one to homicide.
What do you do when you are not writing?
I love to read Christian literature by various authors. I love to travel, spending time with my family, and scrap booking.
Do you have a day job as well?
Yes, I work as a Remote Medical Coder for the last 15 years.
When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
I have been writing since I was a teenager. I was shy, writing was how I expressed myself . I finished my short story in October 2018. Women Who Soar, An Anthology was released January 1, 2019.
How did you choose the genre you write in?
Because I am a Christian, I feel more comfortable writing about my faith in God. Just because a person is Christian doesn’t mean they don’t have trials. I enjoy writing about topics we can all relate to.
Where do you get your ideas?
I am inspired through watching the people around me, especially my family. I love to watch TV as well, sometimes a character on a show inspires me.
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
Yes indeed! Prayer and taking a little break usually help with writer’s block.
Do you work with an outline, or just write?
When I write plays, I just write! When writing for a book, I try to stick with an outline.
Is there any author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
I am a big fan of Jacquelin Thomas, Rhonda McKnight, and Pat Simmons just to name a few. Their stories are engaging and well developed.
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
Being a newbie in publishing a book, there is so much that goes into getting a book published that I was unaware of. My advice would be to research the process. Find a mentor to help you understand the steps required to get a book published. The process can be costly and time consuming.
If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
I would have done more research on the process of writing and publishing a book. I believe that when you know better you can do better.
What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
I plan on doing blog interviews this month. I am also not afraid to ask my many FB friends and groups to share my book.
Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
Not yet.
Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
Yes, I am a victim of teen violence. I’ve also loss a sister to domestic violence. This subject is very dear to my heart.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
In Women Who Soar, I loved writing about the relationship between my sister and me . The memories brought back such fond memories.
How did you come up with the title?
My chapter is titled “Tears for my Sister” I asked God to give me a title and he did. I cried so much for my parents, Christine’s sons, and my other family who were also grieving. But the tears I shed for my sister and what she meant to me seemed to last forever. I was her older sister and she was my best friend.
What project are you working on now?
My next book will be a story about a young lady who is involved in an abusive relationship. The book will show you how easy to get into an abusive relationship and hard to get out of it.
Will you have a new book coming out soon?
I will be completing my next book in 2019, before the end of the year. I am also in the process of writing a book with my husband about our life and how we survived through tragic loss.
Amazon Link: amazon.com/author/c.marcythomas
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