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Mary Deal
  • Female
  • Kapaa, Hawaii
  • United States
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Aloha from the Middle of the Pacific

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What are you writing, Sir? This sounds like to opening of a speech by someone who is unsure of his audience.
September 18
Mary Deal replied to Mary Deal's discussion 'Give Up?' in the group The HOT Seat -
You seem to have pinned it down easily. I had to give up something and I almost panicked because I loved what I was doing - as you do now. Then I realized what I should give up was my major source of both stress and income - my eBay store. So I cl...
September 12
I'd like to drop in here and say something. I cannot read a vampire story. (Read a couple of Searsha's mild flashes.) I can have a nightmare just seeing teeth on the cover of a book. Well, you know what I mean. My son and I used to go to drive-in ...
September 12
Sir Markus, I meant to find out what you thought of my books. Didn't you also read the Ka? There will be no sequel to that book however. I may continue all future mysteries with the character Sara Mason from "Bones." That is, after the Jan book co...
September 12
Thank you, Searsha. I am glad you read it because I am writing the sequel right now and it's a doozy. But I have an unrelated thriller coming out in Jan before this sequel is done.
September 12
Searsha replied to Mary Deal's discussion 'Give Up?' in the group The HOT Seat -
Gosh that's a toughie, something that is stressful no doubt and so that would probably mean my work at the school. So I'd give that up.
September 11
Mary Deal added a discussion to the group The HOT Seat -
If a doctor told you that you had to give up some activities in order to maintain your health, which ones would you quit and why?
September 10
Have fun Mary!
September 4

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adventure, fantasy, mystery/suspense/thriller, metaphysical, paranormal, nonfiction

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MY NOVELS

River Bones, a thriller.

The Ka, a paranormal suspense

The Tropics, a suspense novel.

ABOUT ME

Mary Deal was Founder and 1996-7 President of Kauai Writer's Roundtable. She writes in several genres.

The Tropics: Child of a Storm - Caught in a Rip - Hurricane Secret is an adventure romance and her first novel published. Tropics is a trilogy of entwined novellas about perils and dangers inherent in island living, with people being stretched to the limits of survival. The stories take place in both the Caribbean and Hawaiian Islands. Prior to publication, one of the novellas, Caught in a Rip, was workshopped on Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope, received high ratings, and was held by the editors for a year. More on that, as well as an excerpt and rave reviews for the novel, on Mary's Web site: Write Any Genre

The Ka, a paranormal Egyptian fantasy, takes place in both modern-day Valley of the Queens, Egypt as well as during Tutankhamon's 18th Dynasty. The manuscript was completed after four years of research and another four years of writing, re-researching, rewriting, and polishing.

River Bones, a thriller, was released in April 2008, and takes place in her childhood hometown area of the Sacramento River Delta in California.

Mary has begun a new novel taking place mostly in Hawaii. This story was plotted back in the late 1960s when she lived in the Caribbean. The setting will be converted to the Hawaiian Islands. Modern forensics and technological advancement will enhance an already bizarre plot. This yet unnamed story has become a sequel to River Bones.

Her first screenplay, Sea Storm, adapted from the first of the three stories in The Tropics, was a semi-finalist in a Moondance International Film Festival competition.

She also presently works on a book of her mother's humor, several ebooks, with two other novels plotted and many more waiting.

Mary's short stories, photos, essays, articles, recipe stories, and other writings have placed in numerous anthologies, magazines, papers, periodicals, and on the Internet.

Her company, Mele Publishing, dba Starving Writer's Reprieve, successfully conducted two international writing contests, each offering a $1,000 Grand Prize. In time, more writing contests will be available on her Web site.

California born and presently residing on the island of Kauai in Hawaii, Mary has also lived in England and Puerto Rico.

Mary Deal's Blog

Mary Deal

First Lines and Sight

Hi everyone!

A big thanks to those of you who've posted well wishes for my eyes.

I've made a few comments in my First Lines group, which I see has been quiet.

I am getting ready for an R&R trip to California for a class reunion and spend time with my brother. I will not be close to a PC. That is, I won't ask to borrow my brother's computer. I plan to give my eyes a rest. My site is stabilizing finally. It's taken too long and been scary.

My interview with Blazing Trailers, the people who… Continue

Posted on September 3, 2009 at 9:27pm — 1 Comment

Mary Deal

My Sight

Aloha Everyone,

As some of you know, I have been having severe problems with my sight. As a result, I have cut back on my hours staring at the monitor screen. I wish I could spread myself thinner but just can't. That said, I will be in and out of this site as much as possible. Right now my work is stacked way over my head so I'll just have to deal with it.

Thank you all for your patience, especially those of you in my "First Lines" group. I'm headed there now....

Cheers!
Mary

Posted on June 19, 2009 at 8:17pm — 3 Comments

Mary Deal

My Book Award

My thriller, River Bones, received an Honorable Mention in the Mystery/Thriller category of the Eric Hoffer Book Awards. Though I wished it could have gone higher, as all writers wish, just making it into the top 10% of all books submitted is a real achievement. That is, River Bones beat out all romance, sci-fi, fantasy, and other genre of books in the Commercial Fiction category. I'm happy. I'm on the right track with my writing.… Continue

Posted on May 17, 2009 at 10:57pm — 6 Comments

Mary Deal

River Bones, a Finalist

My thriller, River Bones, made the top 10%, is a Finalist, in the 2009 Eric Hoffer Book Awards. This is HUGE!

Yes, I'm all bleary-eyed.

Posted on April 27, 2009 at 8:19pm — 4 Comments

Mary Deal

When I'm Stuck

Let it be known that I never have the dreaded writer's block. But sometimes I do get stuck. It may be from working on too many projects at once.

I usually work on more projects than I can complete, though my main focus is on one or two at a time. When I'm stuck I play a trick on my mind. I begin working on a different project. Seems my mind can't help throwing out random bits and pieces of information for lots of different stories. So all I have to do is work on something else and what I need f… Continue

Posted on January 28, 2009 at 12:32pm — 1 Comment

Mary Deal

My New Appointment

Earlier this month, December 2008, I was appointed Associate Editor for the glossy magazine Mississippi Crow. I am delighted.

Mississippi Crow has been a magazine intended to give voice to both fledgling writers as well as those published. It is published 2-3 times per year. Due to an overwhelming amount of submissions, effective with the first issue in 2009, the submission process has tightened.

According to Nadia Giordana, the editor and publisher, each poem, each story, each p… Continue

Posted on December 15, 2008 at 2:00pm — 3 Comments

Mary Deal

My Pushcart Nomination

It’s every serious writer’s dream to have a story nominated for the coveted Pushcart Prize, one of the highest honors in the writing world.

Publishers who publish stories and poetry can nominate up to six pieces of published writing per year to submit for a Pushcart Prize. While many publishers do this, being chosen out of all the pieces each publishes per year is, in itself, an honor.

I received a message this morning from Silver Boomer Books that they have nominated my flash story, “The LContinue

Posted on December 8, 2008 at 1:30pm — 7 Comments

Mary Deal

After the Book Tour

In October, I spent ten glorious days in California at various book signing parties and functions.

Later, Susan Reeve, Supervising Librarian at the Rio Vista Library, sent this letter:

"Thank you for bringing an excellent program to the Rio Vista Library. Twenty-four people attending is quite a crowd for us. I learned a lot about your craft and the discipline it requires. And you are clearly inspired, yet modest about your gifts."

The next evening after the library function, I attended a clas… Continue

Posted on December 1, 2008 at 6:20pm —

Mary Deal

Return from Book Tour and Out Again

Aloha Everyone!

I've recently returned from a book signing tour and long-overdue family visit. Once returned home, I found orders for more books in the mail and have been joyfully handling that big job of autographing, packing and shipping. Had hoped to be back on TWB soon. However, I am now preparing to leave for another trip - to Honolulu for at least a week. That should be my last trip of the year. From then on, I've got two books that need a final run-thru before publishing. I've also begun… Continue

Posted on October 28, 2008 at 12:31pm — 8 Comments

Mary Deal

Stereotypes in Writing

The following is an article from my Web site, Write Any Genre. It's truly amazing how stereotypes have been engrained in our psyches; sad how we are slow to change those beliefs. My article shows that I am guilty of this, but having seen the changes needed in my story, it will never happen again.


Stereotypes in Writing



Stereotypes become engrained in us through culture and habits.

When we writers create characters, we should know t… Continue

Posted on August 25, 2008 at 3:00pm — 2 Comments

Comment Wall (189 comments)

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At 9:24pm on September 3, 2009, Sir Markus Cross said…
It's GREAT to see you around, Mary! We've missed you! You'll always be the Queen in my eyes!
At 9:59am on June 9, 2009, Shai Adair said…
I was thinking about you today - how are you? I know you're incredibly busy but I wanted to let you know I MISS YOU!! How's that for eloquent? :) Of course I miss your contributions and opinions to my pieces but more than that, you add a certain Mary Deal uniqueness that leaves a bit of a hole when you're absent. This note is not to make you feel guilty for not being present, but rather to let you know how important you are here. Like I said, this note is not to make you feel guilty, however if guilt would bring you back.... ;)

I hope all is well, dear. I hope they're flocking in droves to buy your books!! May your heart be light as well as your burden and may you have energy to your step as that of a grade school hopscotch player. :) (Sorry - 'hopscotch player' was the best I could do before the caffeine kicks in this morning.)
At 7:21pm on May 26, 2009, Sir Markus Cross said…
Guess what I just got in the mail? That's right, my blowup doll. I also got "The Ka" and "River Bones". I'm not going to work the rest of the week. I have reading to do. (plus my new doll)
At 9:48pm on May 19, 2009, Sir Markus Cross said…
I sure did. I said, "I'll pay with my blood for Mary's books, but I'm not paying a dime for shipping." If only there would have been someone there to hear me.
At 7:20am on May 18, 2009, Sir Markus Cross said…
I just ordered The Ka and River Bones. I'm excited!
At 4:23am on May 5, 2009, Sir Markus Cross said…
How have you been? I haven't heard form you in a while and wanted to let you know you've been missed. Is that too mushy? I'm trying to hold onto my street cred.
At 4:22pm on April 27, 2009, Brian L Porter said…
Thanks for the vote Mary. Hope you've been keeping well. Great to hear from you. How's things in sunny Hawaii?

Best regards

Brian
At 11:38pm on March 28, 2009, Shai Adair said…
Thank you so much!! I have been studying and having a blast. The road signs reflecting... that was remnants from when I was trying to make it a screen play. Good catch! I'll ditch it. "Said Maggie and said Anne"... Oops! I missed it. Easy fix... Colorado 'bringing' - this all makes such good sense. And I'll put "in" and "to" together.

POV is where I start to struggle. I was reading a site that described POV http://jerz.setonhill.edu/writing/creative/shortstory/ #4 Choose a Point of View. The one I was trying to go with was "Third Person Omniscient" thinking I could reveal the thoughts of all my characters but I think I just don't get it. Am I perhaps getting ahead of myself? Maybe I should try the whole 'omniscient' thing on my next novel?? POV seems like it should be so easy. I feel a little silly that I'm not catching it. I'll look it up (I have all the books I ordered but one at this point). I'll get it, dang it, if it kills me! :)

Thank you BIG time!!! I did a little jig when I got your comment. I'll post the finished "first bit" when I'm done and then move on to the rest of that chapter. :)
At 11:14am on March 27, 2009, Shai Adair said…
My husband hasn't killed me yet but I think that's because he's been delayed out of town. Two of the books arrived yesterday and one is due to arrive today so he may only see one arrive. I'll tuck them away somewhere safe like a squirrel hides nuts! :)

Eliminate most of a whole character? Ouch! You're experienced at this so you're probably a little less tender about it. My characters almost feel like real people at this point. Wow, do I have a long way to go! I found information on a website about POV and I've been reading your 'Write Any Genre' site. WEALTH of information!! Blessings on you for being willing to take the time to give this poor novice some direction.

Cheers,
Shai
At 12:09am on March 25, 2009, Shai Adair said…
I began writing Sticks and Stones around the 4th quarter of 2007. Its up to about 93,000 words and I have one major piece of plot to finish... Oh how I wish I had found Writers Box and you back when I started it! I've poured over it, changed it - major changes, written and rewritten... but I love it. I'm sure you're right - I'll probably pour over this thing 50-100 times before I'm satisfied. I am so thankful for your input. I'd reached a point where I just needed to get the thing readable. Its really been bugging me - I can feel its less than rhythmic but just haven't learned the skills yet to really fix it.

And by the way, I bought all four of the books today online. :) My husband's going to kill me! But I'll die happy.

Cheers,
Shai
 
 

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