Blog Tour Stop with Mary Martinez

Author Mary Martinez has graciously added writersblockbuster to her list of blog tour stops. She has a giveaway planned, so read on, McDuff!

Lesli: Mary, welcome. You're the first author to be interviewed here.

Mary: Thanks, Lesli, for hosting the sixth day of my blog tour. Anyone who would like to know the schedule can check it out here. http://www.marymartinez.com/news.html#events Each blog a different question from the host. Sort of like a continuing interview. I will also have two giveaways at the end of the blog tour. At the bottom, I’ll tell you how you can participate.

Lesli: I'm sure everyone can guess what my question will be. What's the longest writer's block you've ever had, and how do you deal with it now?

Mary: Interesting question, Lesli, had you asked me this question a year ago, my answer would have been short and simple. At that time I’d never had writer’s block. I truly thought it was an excuse writers use when they’d frittered their writer’s time away with nothing to show for it.

Then last year happened. Stress I guess is what caused mine. But last fall I lost all desire to write. I didn’t have any ideas, I literally thought about giving up writing. I didn’t have any desire to sit down and edit, query. I was worried. I thought “I’ve invested blood, sweat and tears and now the passion is gone, what am I going to do?”

I was under a lot of family stress and I will not bore you with the details. However, I was also stressed about the fact that when I had time to write I couldn’t think about writing. My characters were not talking to me. No ideas were popping into my mind at odd times. Stories were not keeping me awake at night. I was no longer the writer I thought I was. Which made me more stressed because….

Anyway, as you can imagine it was frustrating. I was stressed; I was stressed over the fact I didn’t want to write. I was stressed over the fact that I didn’t seem to care. A vicious cycle of stress.

Then one day I thought, “There’s nothing I can do about this now, I don’t have time and I’m making myself sick.” So I gave myself permission not to write until January 1, 2011. I didn’t let myself even think about the ‘not’ wanting to write, or ‘not’ having time or ‘not’ having any ideas. I just shoved all thoughts toward the beginning of the year. I knew that 99% of my personal stress issues would be resolved by then.

Best thing I ever did. Sure enough before the end of the year, I had an idea sprout and it’s still blossoming.

So if things are spinning out of control. Step back and give yourself permission to not write or even think about it. Give yourself a deadline of when you need to start again.

Thank you again, Lesli for having me on your blog.

Lesli: Thanks Mary. Good luck on the rest of your tour. And for those of you who have visited, here's a treat for you--a blurb for Mary's new release, CLASSIC MURDER: MR. ROMANCE with the giveaway info at the end.


Adam enjoys a lifestyle most men only dream of. Then one day he wakes up to find the morning headlines blaring, "Another victim falls prey to Mr. Romance. Who is next?" He suddenly realizes his way of life is not only frivolous, but deadly.

Dubbed Mr. Romance by New York society for his romantic adventures, Adam Fernando Russo loves women. But lately he realizes how lonely it is coming home to an empty house. Can he settle for only one woman? After he makes a list of qualities worthy enough to merit giving up his desirable existence, suddenly recipients of his coveted attention mysteriously fall prey to a murderer. The murders seem unrelated with one exception--all the victims have recently returned from a fabulous weekend rendezvous with Mr. Romance.

Adam’s assistant, Katie Sinclair, knows Adam is innocent with airtight alibis. The police are at a loss so Adam and Katie work together to discover the link between the murders. As luck would have it, their plan to prove the murderer is copying classic Cary Grant movies goes astray just as Adam realizes his perfect woman has been by his side all along.

Available from BookStrand Publishing (Electronic Format, Print coming in spring 2011) http://www.bookstrand.com/classic-murder-mr-romance

For an excerpt and to see the trailer visit my web site: http://www.marymartinez.com/mrromance.html

Now to the giveaways, everyone one who participates by commenting on each day of the tour will have their name placed in a drawing for a Photo Album and a signed copy of Watching Jenny.

Everyone who participates and comments on half of the days will have their name in a drawing for a download of Classic Murder: Mr. Romance (or they can wait until it’s in print for a signed copy)