Marian Vere sings some holiday tunes

Interview and introduction by Tracey Meyers

Sometimes the path we think life will lead us upon isn't where it takes us at all.  Just like for the main character of her debut novel, Once Upon A Second Chance, life has not taken Marian Vere where she thought it would.
 
After earning her degree in one area of study, she decided she wanted to write for a living, so this Chicagoland resident threw caution to the wind and began writing her first novel.

Please give a warm Chick Lit Central welcome to Marian Vere.

You can find Marian at her website and Twitter.

You earned your degree in Vocal Music Performance, but decided to pursue writing instead. Do you still sing for fun?
No, I don’t sing any more—unless we are talking about in the car. I actually started school as a flute major, but due to health issues, I had to change to singing to finish my degree. The writing didn’t start until several years later when I got the idea for Once Upon a Second Chance. I thought it was a good idea, and had always liked writing in school, so I decided to go for it.

What song is your favorite to hear and/or sing during the holidays?
"Carol of the Bells" has always been my favorite.

When I think of the wintertime and the holiday season the first thing that pops into my mind is:
Buying presents. I love shopping for other people, and love planning out all my husband’s gifts. He really is a big kid.

How large are your holiday celebrations?
Not very. My husband’s parents live in Florida, and my family is in Pennsylvania, so usually it is just my husband, our two kids, and my sister-in-law.

My favorite wintertime carb is:
I didn’t know they broke carbs into seasons… I eat all carbs, all year round, but I guess the holiday celebrations give me more of an excuse lessens the guilt.

Which book do you feel captures the essence of the holidays the most?
A Christmas Carol. I think that book and the era defines how everyone thinks of the holidays in one way or another, whether they know it or not. Let’s run a test, shall we? Picture classic Christmas Carolers: Do you see fur muffs, and long capes, and top hats? There you go.

What was your family's reaction when you told them you wanted to write?
They didn’t really have one. My husband was supportive, but I didn’t really tell anyone else until the book was about finished. At that point it wasn’t, “I’m going to write,” it was “I’ve been writing.”

Your book, Once Upon A Second Chance, is influenced by Jane Austen's book Persuasion. What influence has Jane Austen's writing had on you as a writer and a person?
Okay, I’m going to admit something… I’m not really a Jane Austen fan. Persuasion is one of my all-time favorite books, but other than that, not really all that crazy about her work. It is all masterfully done, and I have nothing but respect for her, after all, she basically single handedly created the genre of romance and women’s fiction, which is incredible. She was the very first chick-lit author, who paved the way for everyone else… but let’s be honest; she is very hard to read. Honestly, most people who say they love Jane Austen really only love the essence of her stories which they have seen in movie renditions, as very few people out there have actually read her work, and for the most part I can’t blame them. It’s hard stuff. But no matter how you feel about her work, or what way you have experienced it, there is no denying that she is one of the people who has made the publishing and writing industries what they are.

Thanks to Marian for visiting with us today. We wish her all the best with her debut novel!