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NTRWA March 2006 Spotlight
On...
MARYANNE ROMANO
by
Gina Nelson
Well, Maryanne, it was nice to meet you face to face at the
last NTRWA meeting. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Gina, I have been a bit of a gypsy in both my personal and
professional life. I was born in New York, grew up in New Jersey and
Florida and moved to Texas as an adult.
Finished my first novel--a fantasy adventure based on myth--two years
ago. Was astounded when the first publisher I sent it to didn't snap it
up. After receiving six more rejections, decided I might need to learn
more about the publishing industry. Joined RWA®
and NTRWA during the
spring two years ago. Joined Sisters-in-Crime at about the same time. Both have been invaluable in teaching me about writing in general and
the publishing industry specifically.
I'm on
my fourth career. Started out planning to be a high school teacher and
took my undergraduate degree in secondary education. During a summer
break, worked at a stock brokerage house and fell in love with it. When
I was forty, I burned out and took a year off. Tried my hand at writing
and sold my first piece to "True Confessions." Found it a fun, easy way
to earn extra money. Also volunteered in the Psychiatric ER at
Parkland. Ended up going back to school and earning my MS degree in
Social Work. Planned and developed the first psychiatric mobile crisis
team for kids in Texas, the CAMPS team (Dallas County Child & Adolescent
Mobile Psychiatric Stabilization team). It won a state-wide award its
first year of operation. Was the VP of Mental Health for Dallas County MHMR.
Two
and a half years ago, I decided to try my hand at full-time writing. That's what I've been doing ever since.
Wow, what have I been doing with my time? How does your
experience in social work come into play?
My
experiences working in the Psych ER at Parkland and on two mobile crisis
teams brought me into contact with a wide variety of situations and
people. Those experiences help to enrich my writing, particularly in
doing realistic characterizations and plotting.
What are you working on right now and what do you
struggle with as a writer? Jacky
is marketing two manuscripts for me: a paranormal and a contemporary
erotic romance. I am working on a sequel to the paranormal and a
companion piece to the erotic romance.
I am a
serious "pantser." I've never been able to chart out an entire novel
before I sit down to write. I usually start with an idea for a "hook"
and then let my characters direct the action. Sometimes this can
backfire.
Sometimes the level of information coming at new writers,
like me, is overwhelming and even contradictory. What advice would you
give?
Don't
be afraid to ask questions. NTRWA is a very safe and welcoming group of
people. Also, do what you're doing; get involved. It increases your
opportunities to network. Last May I joined a group of writers who
wanted to talk about erotic romance. When we decided to form a new
RWA®
chapter I volunteered to be membership chair. Less than a year later,
I'm the membership chair of
Passionate Ink with over 300 members.
What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Of
being a good and loyal friend who has good and loyal friends.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’d
like to be doing exactly what I am doing right now. Paul Bishop said,
“Writers are the only adults who get to spend all day in their pajamas
playing with imaginary friends.”
Have you had any inspiration about the quote I wanted from
one of your manuscripts?
How
about the start of my latest novel,
the unnamed sequel to WITCH VAMPIRE? that Jacky Sach is marketing
right now, which is pretty typical of the
starts of my books--immediate tension and problem:
Abby had no warning. One minute she was alone in her office, and the
next instant there was a man sitting on the sofa across the room from
her.
Her stomach did a nasty flip, and she instinctively reached for the
phone.
“Don’t.” He wore a funny kind of half smile--not a friendly it’s going
to be okay
smile. More like you can’t dial faster than I can reach you smile.
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