Mary Wine has been a guest several times here Over Coffee. I thought it would be nice to learn a bit more about her beyond writing good stories. For one, she's a talented seamstress. You can click on any of the pictures to get a closer view of costumes made by Mary.
How has being published changed your life? In what ways?
This is going to sound strange but it’s given meaning to a large part of me that I really questioned. These stories are there, in my mind and very real to me. Being able to write them down and actually have someone else be interested in reading them is flat out….amazing. There is no way to really express to people how much of a jolt it gives me to have someone come up and talk to me about my characters. I mean, those crazy hatchlings of my imagination.
Did you try other
genres before you hit with this one?
As far as romance, no. I’m the girl who waited with baited breath for Han Solo to kiss Princess Leia and snuck my first Johanna Lindsey
book home from the super market when I was about thirteen. At least I thought I
snuck it home. Seems that my mom knew about the book but my reading grades had
always been low, so she decided that at least I was reading. I love many types
of genres but that is really one of the great things about Romance, you can be
writing a para-normal or a historical or a suspense.
How has associating
with other writers helped you?
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| Mary in costume (her author pic shows another costume) |
Let’s me know that while I am insane, at least I’m not
alone.
How important is
belonging to a writing group, such as RWA, to an aspiring or
published author?
I find it very important. I go out to my yearly conferences
and do a lot of fact gathering and skill polishing. I think your writing can
get stale if you don’t get out and polish up the skills.
What does your
writing day look like?
I get up with the rest of the family and sit down at my
desk. I feel one of the biggest mistakes writers make is forgetting to treat
their writing like a job. Discipline is key.
Describe your writing
space. Or, describe your DREAM writing space.
My current writing space in in my sewing room. My dream
space would be far away from the living room, or as I tend to call it, the
temple of the Xbox. I would like to have a bigger space but all I really need
is my computer.
How do you refresh
and recharge yourself so you can continue writing?
I tend to sew something between books. Working at the sewing
machine sort of clears the deck it seems. If I’m having writers block, I go sew
and it usually clears right up.
Paint me a picture,
with words, of a perfect day?
I love cruise ships. I’ll hang out on the rail and enjoy the
open ocean. Up in Alaska, the Hubbard Glacier is a favorite of mine. I’ll stand
on that deck, squeezed in with three hundred other people, some of them wearing
their bathrobes in an attempt to get another layer on them in the chill and
listen to that glacier. It’s amazing.
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| Mary in Victorian dress |
Sewing. But in particular, I sew historical clothing. I own
a bustle and wear it. I love to find pictures of clothing from eras gone by and
recreate them and find reasons to wear them.
Does your hobby play
into your writing?
Yes. If you’re reading one of my historical’s…I've worn
those dresses.
How has your own
romance colored how you write romance in your stories?
I am married to a wonderful man…who puts up with me. In
fact, we met at a renaissance faire. He was in a suit of armor and I was
wearing a court dress.
What temptation do
you wish you could resist?
I don’t think I've ever met a cookie I didn't like.
Who is your real life
hero?
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| Mary's husband in costume made by Mary. |
Nuns and anyone able to dedicate their life completely to
helping others for no reward. Only the basics. It’s such a selfless act. I also
really admire vegetarians. I wish I had the self-control to become one.
What’s the last thing
that made you laugh?
Listening to my husband yell at the Xbox game he’s playing
while I’m writing this. I have never played online games and it cracks me up to
hear him and my sons getting so worked up….”What the hell do you mean!!!!” “*%^$# Sniper!!!”
When’s the last time you stop and reflected and realized you’re happy just where you
are?
I do this often. I am very grateful for what I have, for
every book contract I am offered and for every person who takes the time to
email me.
If you could live
anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why there?
I would love to go someplace I am not allowed. A place rich
in history that perhaps isn't open to the public. Like the Tower of London, the
areas not on the tour. The great pyramids of Egypt, the country is simply too
unstable right now to go there. The Vatican, in the archives. I’d love to walk
on the beach in the Antarctica and see the penguins, maybe I’ll get to do this
one. If I were given a chance to live somewhere, I’d love to try different
cultures for a few months at a time. What would it be like to be a Japanese’s
woman, an Indian woman, A Greek or a hundred others. Wouldn't it be grand to
experience all of these different cultures through something that we have in
common like celebrating birthday parties? I think it would be smashing.
Mary, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to share a bit about yourself and your beautiful work as a seamstress!
You can find Mary: http://www.marywine.com/, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter.
Mary, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to share a bit about yourself and your beautiful work as a seamstress!
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How to Handle a Highlander (Hot Highlanders)
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Moira Fraser has been given an ultimatum—marry the elderly Laird Achaius Morris, or risk another deadly clan war. She vows to do the right thing, as long as she can steer clear of the devilish charms of one stubborn Highlander...
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Gahn Sutherland knows there's a dangerous plot behind Moira Fraser's wedding, and will stop at nothing to foil it. But where a hot-headed, fiery Highland lass is involved, trust and honor clash with forbidden attraction, threatening to blow the Highland's sky-high. Excerpt
Mary Wine
has written over twenty novels that take her readers from the pages of history
to the far reaches of space. Recent winner of a 2008 EPPIE Award for erotic
western romance, her book LET ME LOVE YOU was quoted “Not
to be missed…” by Lora
Leigh, New York Times best-selling author.
When she’s not abusing a laptop, she spends time with her sewing
machines…all of them! Making historical garments is her second passion. From
corsets and knickers to court dresses of Elizabeth I, the most expensive
clothes she owns are hundreds of years out of date. She’s also an active
student of martial arts, having earned the rank of second degree black belt. You can find Mary: http://www.marywine.com/, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter.
