Mary Monroe is the third child of Alabama sharecroppers and the first and only member of her family to finish high school. She did not attend college or any writing classes, but taught herself how to write and started writing short stories around the age of four. She spent the first part of her life in Alabama and Ohio, and moved to Richmond, California, in 1973. She has lived in Oakland since 1984.
Her first novel, The Upper Room, was published by St. Martin's Press in 1985, and was widely reviewed throughout the U.S. and in Great Britain. She endured fifteen years and hundreds of rejection letters before she landed a contract for her second novel, God Don't Like Ugly. It was published in October 2000, by Kensington Books. God Don't Play was her seventh novel to be published, and it landed her a spot on the prestigious New York Times bestsellers list for the first time!
Mary is divorced, loves to travel, and loves to mingle with other authors. She still writes seven days a week and gets most of her ideas from current events, and the people around her, but most of her material is autobiographical. New York Times Bestselling author Mary Monroe created her fabulous books for readers with a sense of humor and adventure! When The Upper Room was published, Monroe had this to say: "This is my story -- these characters are people I know, it's my life!"
BAN: Ms. Monroe, thank you for joining us this evening! I've been a fan of your work for years. What is your daily writing schedule like? How long did it take you to complete the book, Mama Ruby?
I don't set aside any particular time of the day to write but I do most of my writing in the middle of the night and sometimes very early in the morning--rarely during evening prime time because I watch a lot of TV. I write something every single day. Some days I only write a few sentences, some days I write over a hundred pages. It took me about four months to write Mama Ruby. I started with a detailed three-page outline and I wrote four drafts before I submitted the final version to my publisher.
BAN: How did you come to create such strong main characters? Did you know that they would be so complex from the start?
I was raised by strong females. As a matter of fact, the main character, Mama Ruby, is a combination of my mother and two other females relatives. The more I worked on this story, the more complex and exciting the characters became. They have a lot of strong characteristics but they also have just as many weaknesses.
BAN: What have you realized about yourself since becoming a published author?
I get story ideas from a variety of sources. Even more so now that I'm a published author. Since I base my stories on true life experiences, I am a lot more observant about things happening in my life and in the news than I was before I published my first book.
BAN: Do you have any advice for people seeking to publish a book?
Learn as much as you can about the business. There is a lot of basic information that every aspiring author needs to know. Set some realistic goals, be persistent, and try not to get discouraged. Disappointments and rejection slips are part of the game. But think of them as detours. And I think it's very important for an aspiring author to read something as often as possible-especially books and newspapers. Reading provides creative nourishment. It also helps if you have a literary agent representing you.
BAN: Who are some of the authors you admire and why?
I love Toni Morrison, James Patterson, Stephen King, and Ernest Gaines. I was in my twenties when I discovered Toni Morrison and Ernest Gaines and that's when I knew for sure that writing books was my destiny. Their books are so insightful and thought-provoking that I re-read them at least once a year. I also love stories with a paranormal theme so when I discovered Stephen King I became a fan of his for life. James Patterson's books are more for light-weight entertainment and sometimes that is all I want in a story.
BAN: Can you see any of your books being optioned for movies or TV series?
Yes! I watch TV for several hours a day and I go to a lot of movies so I know what the viewing public likes to watch. I feel that any one of my books would make a good big screen movie or TV mini-series. I write each book with specific actors and actresses in mind to play the roles. I've already written movie treatments for some of my books.
BAN: How do you define success?
I think that being satisfied with your accomplishments is one way to define success. If you make a lot of money and attract a huge audience, that is icing on the cake. But there are different degrees of success. I know an author who has won several awards and made lots of money but she still complains about not being a "success" yet. I think of myself as a success in progress...
BAN: Share with us your latest news, awards or upcoming book releases. How may our readers follow you online?
My latest news is that I recently completed the sixth book in my God Don't Like Ugly series, God Don't Make No Mistakes. Readers can follow me on Facebook and Twitter and they can visit my Web site www.Marymonroe.org. I also LOVE hearing from my fans by email at: Authorauthor5409@aol.com. I answer my email personally!
New York Times bestselling author Mary Monroe presents an unforgettable tale featuring Mama Ruby, the indomitable heroine of her acclaimed novel The Upper Room. Now readers will get a peek into Ruby's early years, as she transforms from a spoiled small-town girl into one of the South's most notorious and volatile women...