This week my guest author is Marilyn Levinson. Marilyn is a multi-talented author and a once upon a time Spanish teacher, but I’ll let her tell you about her accomplishments.

Marja: Marilyn, please tell us a bit about your background. 

Marilyn: For the first 14 ½ years of my life I lived in Brooklyn, NY. Then we moved to Long Island. I went to Syracuse University and majored in Spanish. I spent a summer studying in Mexico City, and a few years later, spent another summer in Valencia, Spain. I taught Spanish in a Long Island high school until I left to have my two sons.

I'd started writing as a child, and turned to it again when I was home raising the boys. I tried my hand at writing short stories and poetry, and then I wrote novels for kids.

I'm still living on Long Island--always moving further east. I wonder if one day I'll end up living in Greenport or a Hampton.<g>

Marja: Moving east translates to cold weather in my mind. You’re a braver soul than I am. So you started out as a children’s author. What made you decide to turn to mysteries for adults?

Marilyn: The first book I ever wrote (and never sold) was a romantic suspense. Mysteries have always intrigued me. I suppose it's being a Gemini: I'm comfortable writing from the point of view of a child and a grown-up sleuth.

Marja:  You call yourself a “hybrid” because you’ve taken multiple paths to being published. Please tell us a little about the journey. I know that many of the roads to being published are hiding speed bumps.

Marilyn: My children's books were published traditionally: in hard cover and then in paperback. I started writing mysteries some years ago. I had very little success getting an agent or an editor. Finally, I decided to send manuscripts to two e-publishers, and both were accepted. I wasn't happy with one of my e-book publishers, so I decided to self-publish a mystery. I discovered it's a good deal of work, but that you have much more control over matters. I've also updated and made available two of my out-of-print children's books. Every step has a learning curve.

Marja:  I see you found some of those speed bumps I was talking about. Please tell us a little about your latest book.

Marilyn: This month my mystery, Giving Up the Ghost, has its debut. Like all my mysteries, it takes place on Long Island. In the dead of winter, Gabbie Meyerson, comes to a village on the Long Island Sound to teach English at the local high school. Gabbie discovers she's sharing her rented cottage with Cameron Leeds, a sexy ghost who wants her to find his murderer.

Marja:  It sounds like a fun book. Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

Marilyn: I suppose my favorite book is always the one I'm writing. But I do love Giving Up the Ghost. Cam, my sexy ghost, is such a good-hearted rogue.

Marja:  You’ve mentioned your “Bad Cat, Sammy”. I had to chuckle over your description. Tell us a little about Sammy.

Marilyn: Sammy, who's now dozing two feet from me, is quite a character. He's red, gorgeous, and tends to bite. But he does love his mommy.  He's inspired me to write a short novel called Brat Cat. I don't know if this book is for kids or adults, but I plan to put it up on Amazon very soon.

Marja: What’s next for you, Marilyn?

Marilyn: I have started writing a sequel to Rufus and Magic Run Amok. It's called Rufus and the Witch’s Slave and takes place on the Cote d'Azur--a place I loved to visit. And I hope to start a new mystery series.

Thank you so much for dropping in today, Marilyn. I wish you the best and hope you’ll return one day.

Visit Marilyn Levinson’s website at: www.marilynlevinson.com

Marilyn’s Blog can be found at: http://www.marilynlevinson.com/blog/

CLICK HERE to go to Marja McGraw’s website

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CLICK HERE to view the book trailer for Bogey’s Ace in the Hole