WiDo Publishing: What kind of writer are you?
Marilyn Brown: A poet and historical novelist. My goal is to make
reading so real that one can smell the bar of green soap and feel the
sticky honey.
WP: Where do you get your ideas?
Brown: I like to imagine historical events and give them
so much life that the reader can relive that time with the characters.
WP: What is your inspiration?
Brown: Life, and making a
record of life. Every breathing moment is so precious. If we only realized that
someday each of these moments will be history, we would record them more
carefully in our diaries and journals.
WP: Do you find any recurring themes in your writing?
Brown: Yes.
The essence of our own histories is found in the relationships we have with
people--our families and our friends. Love, loss, and family structure fascinate
me.
WP: When did you start writing?
Brown: When I was ten I read George Eliot's Adam Bede and
thought, "Miss Evans portrays the generosity and loveliness of this
good preacher so well, I wonder why there has not been Mormon literature
that records such beauty of character in our early Mormon
figures?" I have always seen negative pictures of "polygamy" and
"fanatical Mormons." I wanted to see literature showing how Joseph
Smith really lived, and what John D. Lee or George Cannon were really like
(Wine-Dark Sea of Grass deals with John D. Lee, and Statehood
deals with George Q. Cannon).
WP: How long have you wanted to be a writer?
Brown: Since I was ten. That's sixty years ago, and I still feel
the same hope and drive to present a fascinating record of our Mormon people
and their ties to history. Now I have the opportunity to present Jeremiah
of the Old Testament as a righteous man, and portray Jeremiah's connection to
Lehi and the Book of Mormon.
WP: What are your passions and hobbies?
Brown: Writing, Art, Music and Drama. I have published
seventeen books of various kinds, including poetry, and was fortunate enough to
win both local and state awards, including $1000 from Utah State for a novel.
Because that prize motivated me, I established the Marilyn Brown Novel Award (UVU.edu/english/marilyn
Brown) which offers $1000 for the best unpublished novel. And now my husband
Bill and I are running a little art gallery: The Brown House of Fine Arts on
274 South Main Street in Springville, the "Art City." We both love
to paint, and our web site displays paintings by both of us as well as other
talented artists.
WP: What do you feel your strengths and weaknesses are as a writer?
Brown: My greatest weakness is in marketing myself. (I'm a total
wash at it.) My strength is in responding to criticism graciously,
rewriting, and--because of my many years of experience--spotting good writing
and helping others if they are willing to listen.
WP: Who is your favorite protagonist and who is your favorite villain in
"Fires of Jerusalem"?
Brown: I definitely identify with Jeremiah, my favorite. He didn't
want to speak out, even though the Lord told him to do it. He was reticent, but
finally obedient and strong. A "straight arrow," he was a virtuous
and spiritual poet. And he took care that he would last long enough to gain
wisdom and impart that wisdom to others. My hope is that I portrayed him as he
so accurately reveals himself in the scriptures. My favorite
"villain" is probably Shali, the wife of Pediah. I like villains who
look like intelligent, good people, but whose beliefs make them villains.
In other words, we can believe with all our hearts we are doing the right
thing, but we are really being destructive.
WP: What is your favorite book or books?
Brown: The Bible and the Book of Mormon. I write more than I read,
but I love reading historical biographies about Mary Queen of Scots and Queen
Elizabeth, etc. because these are my ancestors, and I like to discover the
truth. I like to write stories about these truths with just enough truth
in them to be realistic, but including conversations and feelings that are not
recorded in the history books, so that they have to be called novels. My
favorite novelists are Louise Erdrich (The Beet Queen) and Ann
Tyler (all of hers). I am working on a novel about Zion National Park in
the 30s, and plan to write it into a musical also.
WP: Why did you decide to submit your manuscript to WiDo?
Brown: I appreciated their appearing at the BYU Publisher's fair.
To tell the truth, when I went to the fair with my ms in hand, I was
discouraged by the other publishers, and saw that WiDo was busy, so I left the
courtyard, went downstairs, and got all the way to the door when I thought,
"Maybe WiDo isn't busy now, and I should just 'try' at least." So I
walked back upstairs. Liesel was very kind to me. I was impressed when she
said they marketed their products. That was the first question I asked her:
"Do you market?" because I had been with a publisher who did not
market much. I was thrilled to be accepted, and as I worked with Kristine, I
could see that she is an excellent editor. All of the WiDo people have
been friendly, concerned, (I appreciated the seminar they put on) and
interested in promoting their work nationally. I would like to see them make a
BIG SPLASH.