“We Enjoy Celebrating Each Other’s Successes” (An Interview)

Interview With: Marilyn Baron

BIO:Marilyn Baron is a public relations consultant in Atlanta. She’s a PRO member of Romance Writers of America and serves on the board of Georgia Romance Writers (GRW) as editor of The Galley, GRW’s award-winning online newsletter. She is the proud winner of the GRW 2009 Chapter Service Award. She writes humorous women’s fiction, including “The Colonoscopy Club,” which finaled in the GRW Unpublished Maggie Awards for Excellence in 2005 in the Single Title category and “The Edger,” which won first place in the Suspense Romance Category of the 2010 Ignite the Flame Contest, sponsored by Central Ohio Fiction Writers RWA Chapter. “I try to inject humor into everything I write, from romantic suspense to women’s fiction. I like to laugh and I think my readers do too. I tend to feature older heroines, because let’s face it, we’re not getting any younger.”

Marilyn was born in Miami, Florida. She now lives in Roswell, Georgia, with her husband, and has two beautiful daughters. She blogs at www.petitfoursandhottamales.com. She graduated from The University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism. She met her husband at UF and both of her daughters also graduated from UF. Go Gators!

1. How did you first become a member of BHBP?
I donated my humorous supernatural e-short story A Choir of Angels http://www.twbpress.com/achoirofangels.html as a giveaway to Barbara Vey’s 4th anniversary party and my blog Petit Fours and Hot Tamales http://petitfoursandhottamales.com/author/marilyn-baron/ donated a number of prizes. That week was so much fun, everyone got to know each other and we stayed up till all hours of the night communicating. It was truly a phenomenon. I think there were more than 20,000 commenters. We didn’t want the fun to stop so some members formed a Facebook group, which I was invited to join.

2. Did you find the group welcoming?
This is the most unbelievable group of women. They are more than welcoming, nurturing, supportive and generous. I feel like I made 300 immediate friends. Kym Fullen Amaral hosted me on her new blog Garden Girl ‘Reads N Seeds’ for an entire week featuring A Choir of Angels and my second book, Follow an Angel http://www.twbpress.com/followanangel.html. Kym reviewed my book in Barbara’s column. Leanne Gagnon featured my eBook on her booksnmakeup blog and reviewed my book. I participated in a chat room where we talked about books and shared writing tips and I got to know Staci Whiteside. It turns out Jerry Hampton and I both live in Georgia and we met in person at a Georgia Romance Writers meeting. And, of course, Dianna Love, who is a fellow GRW member, is very active on the Facebook page. When I blog on Petit Fours and Hot Tamales, my fellow BHBP members drop by and support me. The members are from all over the country, yet I feel like they’re right next door.

3. How did their interests coincide with yours?
We’re all either readers or writers. And we all love Barbara Vey! We all have different interests but everyone is genuinely interested in the lives of everyone else.

4. Did you gain inspiration from the group and how?
Yes, because every morning I can wake up and communicate with friends who are doing wonderful things, writing books, reading books and celebrating each other’s successes. If one of us is going through something personal we share it with the others and get instant sympathy or support. For example, when the earthquake hit the East Coast, we all got on Facebook to make sure everyone was okay. I feel that this group has made me more productive. I’ve written a lot more since I’ve become a member. In fact, I just signed a contract for my third e-short story in the Angel Trilogy and this group is the first I’d share my news with.

5. What things has the group inspired you to do that you wouldn't have done before?
Reach out to a new audience, a new group of people I never would have met otherwise. If any of us has a craft or other question we need answered we merely have to ask. I enjoy sharing my writing knowledge with the other members and I encourage them whenever I can.

6. Do you feel the friendships you have made are lasting?
Absolutely. I can’t even believe I have never met Kym or Leanne in person. It seems like we have known each other forever. And I hope these Facebook friendships will continue.

7. How has the group expanded your horizons?
It has provided the opportunity to get to know so many different people writing in so many different genres. Before this group, I was never active on Facebook. Conversations were taking place around me but I wasn’t necessarily participating. Being a member of this group has broadened my experience in social media. I’m so glad I’m part of this wonderful group! Thank you all.