Author Interview: Marilyn M Schulz author of Speak Of Me In Whispers (Romantic Suspense Series - Historical)

About your book: Speak Of Me In Whispers (Romantic Suspense Series - Historical)

I have eight currently on Amazon and Smashwords (other formats), three more in the works for release later this year.

I'll go with the favorite seller so far: Speak of Me in Whispers

"What do missing Romanov children, supposedly executed in 1918, have to do with Imperial treasures mysteriously found and sold on the black market by corrupt Nazi officials in 1943?"

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What do you think readers will find most notable about this book?

Marilyn M Schulz
The mystery in the historical facts: Some things we can never really know, so why could it not have happened like that... no really. But there's also the notion of decisions people make, what they do with their lives, and the effect it has on other people, even years later.

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Have you acquired any good anecdotes surrounding this book? If so, could you share one?

Marilyn M Schulz
No good anecdotes, it took years to do the research, though one of the reviews said it was either a work of genius or of bad writing. This was the second book I wrote, and I put in the back story in detail years later. I wanted to include some of what went on in Russia back then, because the Romanovs have always fascinated me and I found lots of first/second hand accounts at the time on a site called alexanderpalace.org.

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Did researching and writing this book teach you anything or influence your thinking in any way?

Marilyn M Schulz
I learned that no one wants to feel sorry for the German people in World War II, but there were plenty of German victims of Hitler and his regime. Those who opposed him were his first targets as well as the Jews and the Roma, and many did not believe in his propaganda, even from the beginning. I know some folks whose parents walked from eastern Germany to the Americans on the western side to escape the advancing Red Army then.

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What would you most like readers to tell others about this book?

Marilyn M Schulz
As one of the reviewers noted: They kept thinking about it a while after reading. I put complexity in, and while I think they are good stories, if you read the book again, you may pick up something new. I have read my favorite authors' books a few times as well, though most don't have so much complexity. It takes me a few passes to get all the threads and connections in. I call it "writing in plaid."

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Can you suggest one question readers might find interesting to discuss, concerning you, your writing in general, or this book?

Marilyn M Schulz
I return to mystery in history, as there's so much of that, not just in this book, but in many of my other works. I'm not good a formula writing, I have no discipline when it comes to romance or mystery, and so most of my plots are predictable in that you know something unpredictable might happen. Jeffrey Archer called this the "twist in the tail." To me, that's the suspense part of writing as much as the plot itself.

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How can readers help you promote this book?

Marilyn M Schulz
Go to my website: marilynmschulz.com and read longer samples than the vendors allow, and each book has it's own page. They can contact me there as well. I'm willing to trade a free copy for a review now and then.

About You: Marilyn M Schulz

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Why do you write?

Marilyn M Schulz
I started as a form of stress management (it's amazing how many co-workers wanted some boss or other work offed), but I've always had a vivid imagination, now I just write it down instead of letting it bounce around in my head. I wrote my first novel in the second grade. It was only half a page long. I envy that brevity now, as most of my works are quite long.

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What is your greatest strength as a writer?

Marilyn M Schulz
The twist in the tail. I love history, I like strong females who don't have to twist their ankle when running from the bad guy and who also get the guy in the end, because he simply cannot help himself.

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What quality do you most value in yourself?

Marilyn M Schulz
Curiosity.

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In addition to writing, what else are you passionate about?

Marilyn M Schulz
Animals, hockey, gardening, music.

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What are you most proud of accomplishing so far in your life?

Marilyn M Schulz
Being a lead engineer supporting the Boeing 777 design team, working on the prototype for automation of the US Army training management system, being on the development team creating a system for 3-D mapping of the ocean floor from side-scan sonar, and writing several novels.

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Is there any new or established author whom you feel deserves more attention, and what is it that strikes you about his or her work?

Marilyn M Schulz
I don't read much fiction now, don't want to steal anyone's thunder and unconsciously copy, but I love Agatha Christie, Victoria Holt, Mary Stewart, Ken Follett, and Nelson DeMille. In college, I loved romance novels, as they were total escape for a weekend or two, but now I find escape in creating my own works.

Intrigued by this interview? Well head over to Marilyn M Schulz's site and check her out or find her book at the following:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon DE
Smashwords