About Marina Martindale:
About the Author
Like Gillian Matthews, the heroine in her debut romance novel, "The Reunion," Marina Martindale began her career as a graphic designer and artist, and several of her paintings have been featured in juried art shows. Over time, however, she discovered that writing was her true life’s passion.
“I love creating conflicted characters,” says Martindale. “They’re more like the people we meet in real life. I also like the complexity of romance. It’s an opportunity to delve into the human condition and try to understand what motivates us to make the choices we make.”
Martindale draws her inspiration from her own life experiences, as well as those of the people around her. The stories, however, are fiction.
“The path to true love is never easy,” adds Martindale. “Some are haunted by people from their past. Others have been deceived or betrayed by the ones they trusted the most. We all make bad choices, although we may not realize it at the time. My stories are about the unintended consequences of those bad choices, how the characters resolve them, and how they grow and become better people as a result.”
Marina Martindale resides in Tucson, Arizona. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, photography, music, and cooking.
What inspires you to write?
I'm usually inspired by my own life experiences, and oftentimes it's a small event that may have happened many years ago. The other day I was reminiscing about the time when a cousin invited me to her going away party. As I was thinking about it, I suddenly had an "aha" moment. A going away party could be a great place to start a book. Why is this character leaving? Where is she going? What is she trying to accomplish? And who is standing in her way? That's how I create a plotline.
Tell us about your writing process.
I start by writing a treatment, which is a short summary of what the story is about. This is where I determine my starting point, describe the main characters, and how I think the story should end. Then I put it away, because once I start creating my characters I'll get new ideas. Sometimes a minor character will be interesting enough to become a major character, or I'll realize that one of the antagonists really doesn't fit the part, so he or she will become a supporting character instead. By the time I'm finished the beginning and ending of the story will match the treatment, but the middle part will be something entirely different.
How do you develop your characters?
As mentioned, I determine my major characters in my treatment, but once I put pen to paper their personalities start to emerge, and they may want a different role. A good example is Jeremy, from "The Reunion." Jeremy was the leading man's son and was intended to be a rogue character. He would do his dirty deed and make a hasty exit. But as I got to know Jeremy, I realized he wasn't an evil guy at all. He was, however, attracted to Gillian, his father's love interest, so he became a rival, competing with his father for her affection. Readers tell me this romantic triangle was their favorite part of the novel.
Who are your favorite authors?
I read a lot of Danielle Steele when I was younger. She had a way of creating interesting, characters, and her stories moved at a reasonably fast pace.
What genres do you write?: Contemporary Romance
What formats are your books in?: eBook, Print
Where to find out more about the author
Website(s)
Marina Martindale Home Page Link
Link To Marina Martindale Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Facebook
Twitter
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
