Interview Marathon Day 5 - Shari Maurer

Hey Readers!

This is the final day of the Carly Reads Interview Marathon.  Today: my interview with Shari Maurer!

Carly Reads: I saw on your website that you were a voracious reader as a child, but did you always know that you wanted to be a writer? What was your journey to becoming a published author like?Shari Maurer: I’ve always flirted with writing. In 6th grade, I took my favorite book, “Cheaper by the Dozen” and adapted it as the class play. I meant to get a job when I graduated from college, but had written a screenplay on a lark and submitted it to NYU Film School. Much to my surprise, I was accepted and I got my MFA in Dramatic Writing. Even when I worked on international versions of “Sesame Street,” one of my favorite things was reviewing scripts for our foreign partners. So it’s always been there, I think.
My journey to publication felt like it took forever, but it was only three and a half years from first putting pen to paper to the publication date. Looking back, that’s not so bad. I had my eye on WestSide Books, because I thought their issue-oriented fiction mission was a good fit for me. My agent submitted the book in September and we didn’t hear back from them until May. It was a long eight months, but certain worth the wait!

CR: I think this is cheating, but I’m going to do it anyway. I was reading your blog and I stumbled across your interview with another author in which you asked, “When you were 15, what did you want to be when you grew up?” I love that question! So now, I turn the tables … your answer to that question?SM: I love this question, too. I’m always so curious what people were thinking back then and how it has or hasn’t changed. I wanted to be a child psychologist. So in a way, now that I’m exploring characters and their personalities, it’s sort of related.

CR: Are you currently working on any projects (new books!) that you can tell us about?SM: I have three books at various stages of development. I’m hoping to find a home for them. I can’t give details but will say that if you enjoy “Change of Heart,” I think you’ll like these, too.

CR: What was your favorite book when you were a teenager?SM: Probably a tie between “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” and “To Kill A Mockingbird.”

CR: What author are you most looking forward to meeting and/or seeing at the Sixth Annual TBF?SM: One of the nicest surprises about being a published author is how welcoming the writing community has been. I’ve made so many new writer friends, several who will be at TBF, and I’m looking forward to meeting the others. I’m especially excited to meet Elizabeth Scott. I’ve read several of her books and really admire her writing.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions for me, Shari. Looking forward to meeting you (in only 26 days)!