About Fran Fisher:
Mary Frances Fisher, a lifelong resident of Cleveland, OH, has spent the majority of her career as a legal nurse consultant and is currently signed with Pro Model & Talent Management. With Germaine Moody and writer contributions from over 100 countries, she co-authored her first published work in 2013, 50 Seeds of Greatness (www.50seedsofgreatness.com).
Her additional writing experiences include several short stories published by Transcendent Publishing: "Earning My Wings" in Touched by an Angel: A Collection of Divinely Inspired Stories and Poems, October 2013; "Mercy's Legacy" in Best of Spiritual Writers Network 2013, December 2013; "Be Careful What You Wish For" in The Best of Spiritual Writers Network 2014, January 2015; and "The Gift" in Finding Our Wings: A Collection of Angelic Stories and Poems, March 2016; and the second place winner for "Leap of Faith" in The Best of Spiritual Writers Network 2016. She has also written a screenplay based on "Mercy's Legacy" and in 2023 won the Firebird Honorable Recognition for "Earning My Wings".
Mary Frances lives in a suburb of Cleveland with her family.
What inspires you to write?
My two novels were a labor of love. In 2010, two years after the death of my mother, I needed an outlet for my grief and decided to write a book casting her as the main protagonist. My first draft took a year to complete but something felt off. I asked my son to review a few chapters and his insight was a poignant observation: are you writing a murder mystery or an homage to the O’Malleys? I was stunned when I realized the only correct answer was both! I began the arduous task of separating my first draft into two separate, but incomplete, books. I decided to complete Paradox Forged in Blood first believing a historical murder mystery had a greater appeal from a first-time novelist. Completion of my second novel, Growing Up O’Malley, was delayed by working a full-time job and undergoing multiple spine surgeries with several interval procedures. However, I did write six stories (all published) and a screenplay based on one of the stories. The impetus for my short stories? They were all based on dreams!
What authors do you read when you aren’t writing?
Vince Flynn (deceased far too soon; however, I met the writer taking over his series who is equally as talented); Harlan Coben; David Baldacci; Jodi Picoult; and, Dan Brown to name a few.
Tell us about your writing process.
Completing my first novel was complicated by never taking a basic writing skills course—a problem resulting in the above response. But I love a good mystery and the challenge of creating a scenario where hints of the murderer are embedded in the story yet disguised to keep the reader guessing—a process that appealed to my sense of adventure. Whenever I came across a problem with no obvious solution, I’d take a break for a day or two, longer if needed, until the answer became clear. Both of my books (due to an interval of seven years between them) were not written in sequential order; instead, chapters were written as I recollected events from memory, absent a diary or timetable. This dilemma required creating a table in Word noting years, events, and page numbers. After sorting the table, I moved chapters to assure events were in chronological order. I then reworded the start/end of each chapter to make certain the transition and flow were smooth. My next book, a compilation of published short stories, will eliminate that problem.
What advice would you give other writers?
I’d highly recommend four things:
1. Take a basic writing course before jumping into your first novel. If I had done this, my two novels would have been completed much earlier with less stress.
2. Create a basic outline to keep the story moving in chronological order.
3. If you include historical events in a work of fiction, they must be accurate; therefore, consult several sources to confirm facts (books, documentaries, and internet research.) I believe a book that nurtures the reader with historical content will not only draw them into the story but enrich their sense of adventure by chronicling little known backstories surrounding poignant events. Examples from Growing Up O’Malley include: What was one of the most popular type of crimes during the Great Depression; why was the Mafia crucial to FDR’s “Day of Infamy” speech after the Pearl Harbor attack; who fired the first shot on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor; why was Pearl Harbor attacked; how did Germany create supermen to wage war at lightning speed (aka blitzkrieg attacks)?
4. Create tables of main and ancillary characters. The former should include physical attributes (ex., hair and eye color, birth year, unique characteristics—this will prevent a disproportionate number of people with blonde hair and blue eyes.) The latter is important to prevent duplication of names leaving the reader confused.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
For my first book, I wrote multiple query letters (slightly revised with each rejection) and consulted a variety of websites accepting new submissions. The list has changed over the years but a recent search noted the following publishers by genre: https://publishersarchive.com; https://kindlepreneur.com; and, www.bookbaby.com to name a few. For an in-depth response, please refer to the blog on my website, www.maryfrancesfisher.com, “Steps to get your book published.”
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
A: That’s a tough question. Many genres are in decline and there’s a decrease in hard-cover book sales. However, I don’t believe it’s fair to lump all books together to provide realistic statistics applicable to all novels. In my opinion, success depends on two things: the quality of the story, and the caliber of writing. It’s been said that all stories have already been told. So why bother writing a book? The appeal of a new book is, quite simply, in the writing style that can make an old story feel like new. You need to ask yourself: can your audience relate to the story; do you draw a reader into the narration to make them feel as though they, too, are part of your tale; have you addressed every issue or problem in your book; and, is the story well-founded and credible? After all, it only took one author (J.K. Rowling) to produce a series of books that encouraged an entire generation of children, and adults, to delight in sharing fantastic adventures. Who knows—you could be the next J.K. Rowling!
What genres do you write?: Memoir
What formats are your books in?: Print, Both eBook and Print
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All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
