This is my writer’s blog about me and my crazy journey to becoming a half decent author.
Well how did I start writing? It was quite odd really. I used to write as a teenager. At the time I had a ginger tom cat called Chester, Mr. Popularity, everyone loved him. He liked to venture afar and we would often have to rescue him. I remember one occasion in particular, my brother and I ended up trudging through the woods, in Blackhall in Edinburgh, to pick him up from a house in the vicinity. He ended up at the most peculiar places. One time he chose to visit a house with thirteen cats!
Here he is looking very much like a tom cat with attitude!
I told you he liked company. So it seemed natural to write about cats, and I kept a diary. My dad was and still is one of my other great sources of inspiration. He has travelled extensively to the Far East, and Middle East and is a wonderful raconteur.
As far as my writing is concerned the inevitable happened. I was the typical teenager. I got distracted. I found boys, discos, parties, and my writing suffered. Somehow I didn’t pick it up again for a very long time. This is a regret. A massive regret. But what can I do? I can’t travel back in time, I don’t have a Tardis. So I just have to accept that the time is right now. You see, I’m still this young girl at heart, just stuck in an older and maybe wiser body. I have experienced more, travelled more, lived more, so hopefully that will make me a better writer.
Several events came together to ignite my desire to write again. First of all I read a lot. At the time I was reading Dorian Gray and it was definitely a novel that captured my imagination and set my mind free. Also my eldest daughter was studying GCSE Art and I took a sudden interest in art and photography. I’m not saying that I can paint or draw, though I wish I could. No, I enjoyed watching her artistic development and I enjoyed sharing ideas with her and encouraging her.
All of these influences helped me to write my first book, a children’s/YA fantasy set in Cambridge, which I hope to publish soon. The female protagonist in my novel is a teenage girl who paints a puzzle of art. But it is by no means a novel simply about Art. She expresses her sadness, and discovers her magical powers, through the medium of painting and well the rest you will find out when you read the book. Lets just say that a lot happens and I think that it will keep you entertained! Well I hope so anyway.
Also I know this sounds crazy but my other source of inspiration was a black cat, a throw back to Chester. I had never seen this strange black cat before and suddenly he just started appearing in our garden. There was something different about him. He appeared like a miniature panther, all glossy and splendid, looking for attention, with his mesmerising eyes, I fell under his spell. He liked to show off, he would disappear into thin air, climb to ridiculous heights, or chase his tail around the garden like a demented clown. He just had to play a part in this book too. Lets just say he has a subsidiary part to a main character, who is male, young and very interesting too, just like him. That was the beginning. Looking back I am amazed that from just a few initial thoughts my idea just seemed to grow and grow. Now my debut novel is nearly ready for the final edit. How did that happen? I couldn’t be happier in fact if I had a tail, I’m sure I would be whizzing around and around chasing it with excitement!
Update: I released my first book August 26th 2017 in kindle form via Amazon. The paperback will hopefully be released before Christmas.
Bye for now, xxxxx
M J Mallon Author – The Curse of Time – Book 1 Bloodstone
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I love your blog. Good luck with the queries. I am querying now. I make a point to send off a few every day. We will hit the jackpot!
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Good luck! All the best to you.. 🙂
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Hi, I loved the whole post. You write beautifully. Looking forward to reading more!
-Ishu
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Thank you so much that is so kind of you. Appreciate your kind comment and your following my blog. 🙂
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I was so glad to find your site, I can see I will enjoy it. I’ll come back and read the rest of your post, I was just passing though for a moment 🙂
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Oh do feel free to stop by again. 🙂
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I like your writing style, it’s very conversational. I’m often inspired by animals too!
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Thank you so much, Carolee thank you for stopping by. 🙂
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Best of luck with the book, Marje.
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Thank you Mary. Appreciate your good luck wishes. 🙂
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Well, this is an interesting read, Marje. I decided to dig deep into your blog’s archive and I’m so pleased I did because, here, I see the beginnings of ‘The Curse Of Time.’ It’s told me how it all began and I can almost see the whole journey and that finishing post (which I hope will be in Nov 2016).
Lovely to read about how writing has interacted in your life. If you find that TARDIS, then please let me know because, like you, I’d go back and get serious about my writing many years before I knuckled down and started to.
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Yes it is a big regret, and I’m struggling to find that Tardis! I keep encouraging my daughter to write – she has plans to be a novellist too! Luckily she has oodles of time to accomplish her goals. I better hurry up, or she’ll get there before me!
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Two published authors in the family sounds fantastic, Marje. Better get your skates on. ⛸
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That would be amazing! We are so alike! 🙂
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have a very nice monday dear
Kisses
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Thank you. Hope you are having a lovely Monday too. 🙂
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Loved the post. I used to keep a diary as well and, I had a dog, Chikkush, a pug…
Great to know about your writing journey. Best of luck for your upcoming book… 🙂
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Thank you so much for your lovely encouraging comment. 🙂
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I’m a cat lover too. Once my dog Lilly lost her puppy. My baby brother found her a baby kitten. She was so happy adopted the kitten right away. She milked the kitten as if it was her own puppy! But you know something? when that kitten grew up, he did know how to cover it wastes. He could climb up to the tree, but didn’t know how to get down. Many times my brother had to climb up the tree to get him down. Once we found him crying so hard on the roof. My poor brother had to borrow a ladder from our neighbour to take him down! My mother said it’s because his mother was a dog.
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Ah what a sweet story. Your poor brother having to climb up ladders to take the kitten down!
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Marje, your story inspired me. I’ll write something about my pets. Thank you!
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Thank you Myra. Look forward to reading it. 🙂
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That’s funny – a cat also played a part in my first story about a million years ago. They can be fun characters. Your book sounds interesting – I love the idea of magic happening through a painting.
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Marje – you are incredible and amazing blogger, I enjoyed your page – I joined you group.
Could you please so kind support and like my Facebook page, here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/Mihran.Kalaydjian.public/
Thank you so much!
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Thank you so much Mihran, for your kind words. Very touched. Have just liked your Facebook page, and thanks for joining the Authors/Bloggers Rainbow Support club. 🙂
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like wise, my pleasure, I found your post informative and valuable,,,
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It sounds interesting. Blending art and magic
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That’s what I thought too! Thanks for your kind comment. Planning to release my ebook 26th August more news about that will be coming soon. 🙂
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So much can transpire in life to turn us from the writing path. I’ve found my way back as well, and that path is nothing like I ever thought it would be, ever. Keep on writing!
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Thank you Jeri, and you too, enjoy your writing!
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How neat. I always love learning what inspired other authors, especially authors who didn’t start out of the gate as writers, to try their hand.
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Thanks Allie it’s been a long time coming but one of the best decisions of my life. So glad I found out who I am! Lol. Xx
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