What inspired you to write your memoir?
What started as a search for a discarded decorative Buddha statuette, led me and my BFF Julie to a place called The Imagine Center, a mystical retail shop (that also offered classes in a variety of spiritual and mystical modalities) in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. All of a sudden, we were hooked. Julie and I spent two years on an accelerated spiritual path, attending every metaphysical workshop, class and event around LA that we could. Julie is a celebrity ghost writer, and suggested that I write a book on our adventures delving into the spiritual/occult side of life. Writing this book was an incredible journey and experience that I am forever grateful.
The Buddha Made Me Do It is my fifth book, and third memoir.
About your Book:
What starts as a search for a decorative Buddha statuette leads one woman on a spiritual journey that will change everything.
Marla lives the good life in Los Angeles… happily nesting in a new Valley dream house. She plays Cupid for a living, helping LA’s most discriminating singles find love, whilst hubby, Adolfo makes music and entertains the movers and shakers playing piano and singing at an exclusive steak house in Beverly Hills. After a dozen years of matrimony, they are still madly in love but her handsome Latin husband can be a teensy bit of a control freak and looks askance at Marla’s new age interests.
Like any self-respecting Angelino she works out religiously, embibing on green juice, practicing yoga, she is a vegan and can recite affirmations and practice Law of Attraction with the best of them.
It’s not until a frantic search for a discarded Buddha statuette that Adolfo suddenly can’t live without; that leads Marla through the door of The Imagine Center. Drawn in by the mystical energy, she convinces a friend to join her in some classes on attracting abundance. Soon, she and her skeptical but willing friend Julie are being schooled by the charismatic Goddess Tauheedah on all things magical.
Marla and Julie dive deeper into their studies and self -realization. Among other things, they soon find themselves talking to angels on a Spirit Board, attending a Hindu Bajan, mastering the pendulum and candle Magick.
But there is a line the intrepid friend’s won’t cross: Orgasmic Meditation.
Marla tries to help Julie get healthier by tempting her with “green gunk” (what Julie calls Marla’s juice) and lends a sympathetic ear when Julie is spurned by her hunky neighbor, and then gets involved with a married fireman, by attending weekly clandestine rendezvous at a local Dunkin’ Donuts, but nothing seems to work.
Meanwhile Marla starts collecting certifications as an energy/crystal healer, deepens her communication from the beyond, all whilst attempting to appear like a normal middle aged housewife in the Valley as she dodges insults and accusations thrown like stink bombs from Adolfo , “Have you lost your mind? Are you hearing voices? Angels aren’t real, come on!”
Growing in her spirituality, yet, exceedingly frustrated with her persnickety clientele; mature men with bald pates and pot bellies who imagine themselves as Dorian Grays, forever young and handsome, and worthy of the most exquisite young women in the Universe to share their lives with. Marla’s alternating universes are giving her spiritual whiplash. Can she continue to straddle both worlds and remain a free woman?
How did you decide how to publish your book and where is it published through:
I decided to self publish and I did that through Amazon: Create Space and KDP.
How do you see writing a Memoir as different from writing other genres of books?
I love writing memoir. The Buddha Made Me Do It is my third memoir. My first two books were dating advice books, which are much different, however, I also had many personal stories in those books as well. But memoir is more challenging that self-help because of the characters, and storyline that has to have follow through, tension, forshadowing etc.
Author Bio:
Born in Tacoma, Washington, “The City of Destiny,” Marla was destined to move to Los Angeles where she shoots her arrow of love on a daily basis as a professional matchmaker, helping countless couples connect with their soul mates.
She is the author of two other memoirs, Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker and Hearts on the Line. Marla has been interviewed on the Today Show, WGN Chicago Morning News, San Diego Living, Urban Rush, CTV Calgary, Better TV, KUSI San Diego Morning Show, and over 100 radio shows including Coast to Coast AM with George Noory.
Her husband Adolfo has asked her, “Marlita, do you want to go to the moon too?” referring to her many interests—a true Gemini. Yet nothing has fascinated her like her profound adventure far beyond the moon and into the vastness of cosmic spirituality.
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