Welcome, Marissa St. James

Welcome, Marissa, to From the Pages. So nice to have you visit today! I know you write under the name Eden Arthur as well as Marissa St. James, so we’ve got a lot of ground to cover. I hope you don’t mind if I get right to the questions.

Did you always know you wanted to be an author?

Actually, no. I wrote silly poetry in high school. Years later when I got my BA and started going online, I got involved, as a volunteer, with different writing projects…newsletters, reviews, short story challenges. After a few years, when I looked back on my accomplishments, I realized I’d been taking things a step at a time, moving closer to becoming a published author. The goals haven’t stopped. There are still things I want to do, and in time, I will complete those challenges.
When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?

I do a lot of reading, and some craftwork. I’m working on some lap afghans for a couple groups.

Tell us a little bit about your book, please.

In The Heart Remembers Sylvia has no life of her own thanks to a domineering mother. All she wants is to run her own life. Sylvia is transported back to the early 13th century, where, as a widow, she and her younger daughter are summoned to King John’s presence on false pretenses. The ladies are about to become the prizes in King John’s jousting tourney.

Faris has spent the last twenty years living with Moors in a peaceful life. He and his son return from a trading trip to find their small oasis settlement burned to the ground. Faris makes a decision to return to England with his son, Halim, where they decide to enter the tourney. Seeing
Lady Sylvia stirs long ago memories.

While neither Faris nor Sylvia recall their contemporary lives, they have an opportunity to recapture a past relationship and discover whether or not the heart remembers.

Where do you see yourself in the future? Will you still be writing, or do you have a new adventure on the horizon?

Since I got a ‘late’ start, I expect to continue writing for a long time to come.

Any advice for an author just starting out on the writer’s journey?

First thing you need to do is develop a thick skin for all the criticism, comments and rejections you’re going to get. Learn from it all and learn your craft…both the writing and the business end of it. When the good stuff comes, getting those contracts, making sales, success will be that much sweeter.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

Definitely Scotland. About half my books are set there, and I plan to do more. Some day, I’ll actually get to go there.

What’s your most comfortable outfit? Are you a jeans-and-sweatshirt kind of person or a dressier sort?

I like tee-shirts, elastic waist pants and oversized flannel shirts when it’s a bit on the cool side.

In the house—shoes or bare feet?

In the cold weather, it’s socks. When it’s warm, it’s barefoot. I don’t wear shoes when I don’t have to.

How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite?

Let’s see… I’ve written five novels, two collections of paranormal short stories, and a non-fiction reference guide on writing. My favorite would be hard to say. I’ve been working on a series, Guardians of Time, and I’ve enjoyed writing every book so far.

Do you speak a foreign language?

Not yet. When things settle down a bit, I want to take up Portuguese.

Do you have a pet?

I had a cat that adopted me and was happy to live with me until five years ago. CharlieBaby was the ‘model’ for Dinks in my book, Spellbinder.

Charlie Baby sounds like a sweetie. Love it that you were the one who was adopted!

What do you love most about being an author?

I love the challenge of being creative. Writing is a form of artistry and painting with words, finding the right ‘shading’ can be just as challenging as an artist who paints on canvas. When you find the right words, you create a wonderful picture for your readers.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us today?Whatever you do, do it whole souled. Give it your best efforts and take pride in your accomplishments, but never forget to continue learning.