Monday, April 25, 2016

Marilyn Meredith's Early Life

Today my dear friend, Marilyn Meredith returns as my guest. She is one of the most prolific writers I know, publishing two mysteries each year—one in each of her series. Although I’ve known her for quite a few years, I didn’t know much about her early life. So I asked her about it.

My Early Life

Lorna, who is a good friend as well as a fellow author, asked me the following questions about my early life.

Where did you grow up?

My first five years were spent in my grandparents’ second house in South Pasadena. It was at the end of the depression, and my father didn’t have a job for a while. When the economy got better and my father went to work for Paramount Studios as a plumber, my parents were able to buy a house in Eagle Rock (a suburb of Los Angeles). I lived there until I was eighteen, graduated from high school, and left by train to travel to Cambridge, MD to be marry the cutest sailor I met on a blind date.

How large was your family?

Mom, Dad, and my younger sister. When we moved to Eagle Rock, my grandparents on my mom’s side moved into the house in South Pasadena. My grandparents on my dad’s side lived in Highland Park as did my dad’s sister, husband, and her four boys. Her eldest son had cerebral palsy, though no one knew what it was at the time. My dad’s youngest brother and family lived one block away from us and another brother and his family were close by. My mom’s only sister and family weren’t far either. We had many family dinners, picnics and celebrations with everyone.

What were your interests?

I love to read. I’m sure that is no surprise. I would get ten books every week from the library and wished they’d let me have more. Of course, I also wrote my own stories and plays for the neighborhood kids to act in. During junior high, I put out a magazine I wrote and illustrated.

As for sports, the only thing I was really good at as a kid was swimming. I loved to swim in the ocean. (Something I can’t even imagine doing anymore.)

Did you travel as a kid?

I grew up during World War II, and there was gas rationing. My dad rode his bike to work at Paramount Studies (at least 10 miles away) to save gas ration stamps so we could go on vacation. The first vacations I remember were camping at Yosemite National Park. We made many trips to the beach, and later, when my dad built two boats, one outboard and inboard for water skiing, we spent many summer vacations camping at Bass Lake. And yes, I loved to water ski too.

Were you a good student?

Yes, in everything but math, though I managed to pass. I wasn’t too great in chemistry either—blew up a test tube once. I loved my English classes.

Did you go to college? Where?
Marilyn with her first child
Marilyn, Hap, Dana, Lisa & Mark
I didn’t go to college until my youngest child (of five) was in kindergarten. Started at Ventura College with one class, then two, and kept adding them. I was working at the same time, plus raising the kids who were still at home. I graduated with an AA degree in Early Childhood Education, and took other college classes at Oxnard College, and later at Porterville College.

Did any of these impact your writing? How?

Reading, of course, had the greatest impact on my writing. My love of the beach and the ocean is reflected in the setting for the Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery series. Because of my cousin with cerebral palsy, I had a great interest in children and adults with developmental disabilities. I ended up working in many situations with persons with developmental disabilities and I’ve included them as characters in many of my books.

Thanks for asking these questions, Lorna, it was fun to answer them.

Marilyn aka F. M. Meredith
A pile of rocks is found on a dead body beneath the condemned pier, a teacher is accused of molesting a student, the new police chief is threatened by someone she once arrested for attacking women, and Detective Milligan’s teenage daughter has a big problem.
F. M. Meredith (also known as Marilyn Meredith) is nearing the number of forty published books. Besides being an author, she is a wife, mother, grandma, and great-grandmother. Though the Rocky Bluff she writes about is fictional, she lived for over twenty years in a similar small beach town. Besides having many law enforcement officers in her family, she is counts many as friends. She teaches writing, loves to give presentations to writing and other groups, and is a member of Mystery Writers of America, three chapters of Sisters in Crime, and on the board of Public Safety Writers Association.
Facebook: Marilyn Meredith
Twitter: @MarilynMeredith
Contest: Once again, the person who comments on the most blogs during this tour, can have a character named after them in the next Rocky Bluff P.D. mystery. Tomorrow you can find me here:

25 comments:

  1. Thank you, Lorna, for inviting me to visit. I see, as usual, a typo of mine. Those gremlins always manage to sneak in and leave a makr.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Always a joy to have you because you bring a new book with you!

      Delete
  2. Marilyn, that's exactly the kind of blog entry I like to read. I could relate to much of your life story there. Dad riding the bike to work during WWII.
    Actually, he just sold the car. Bikes for the whole family. If we traveled (San Antonio, even to Corpus Christi) it was by train.

    Writers amuse me when the y blog about -- writing! In our blogs we hope to reach - readers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Dac, I love it when the blog host tells me what they want me to write. On my own blog I do give writing tips at times, but mostly I have guest blogs from other authors. On a blog tour, it's all about me and whatever gook I'm promoting.

      Delete
    2. I agree, Dac! Thanks for stopping by.

      Delete
  3. Loved this look into your past, Marilyn! What a wonderful interview, Lorna. I really enjoyed. Especially interesting how it was to live during the war. Thanks ladies for a great post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, Madeline. Now that people have said they liked peeking into my past during WW 2, I'll have to do a blog on that one of these day. Like how I paid 50 cents for a piece of bubble gum because you couldn't get it during the war.

      Delete
    2. I was so happy I asked the questions!

      Delete
    3. Please note that my latest book, Mrs. Odboddy Hometown Patriot, include many aspects of life during WWII and humor as well. Now that I know you lived during that time, Marilyn, I may have to interview you for info to go into the third book in the series. I love WWII facts. Thanks for sharing that part of your life with us. You are a fascinating character, writer and blogger.

      Delete
  4. Wonderful interview, Marilyn. My great-aunt and uncle lived in Eagle Rock for over 50 years. Love the photos and it was fun to learn a bit more about you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was surprised to learn Marilyn grew up so near to where Larry and I grew up in Alhambra. His grandfather lived in Highland Park--riight next to Eagle Rock.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for stopping by Marja. Eagle Rock was a great place to grown up. And Lorna, I had friends who lived in Alhambra.

      Delete
  5. Great post, Marilyn. Fascinating to read about your young years and see the photos (gosh, you look about twelve in that pic with your first child! LOL). Brought back many memories of my own upbringing... thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was 19 in the first photo, Sussan. I ended with 5 kids in all.

      Delete
  6. This was fun to read and learn about your early life and see the pictures. You and Hap were/are a very handsome pair. I also liked the interview style for this particular blog, as well. Well done, ladies.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Jackie. I know Marilyn fairly well, but I had never asked these questions before. I learned quite a bit, too.

      Delete
    2. Yep, Jackie, my hubby was handsome--that's what attracted me to him in the first place. Now, we're old and looks don't mean much--love him a jillion times more now than I did back then.

      Delete
  7. Nice to know a little more about your background, Marilyn. We are people first, then writers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Actually I'm people a lot more than I'm a writer--though writing does take up a lot of my time. Thanks for the comment.

      Delete
  8. I enjoyed it too...and I always learn from Marilyn's blogs. I thing readers are most attracted to writers who are PEOPLE FIRST...that makes the best connection.

    Lorna, you always do such a find job on your blog. I read it often and too often forget to compliment you on it!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for popping by Billie! And the typo thing, it just happens.

      Delete
    2. Thanks for the kind words, Billie! I blame my typos on the menehuni!

      Delete
  9. Of course, I see two typos in my little comment...boo!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Whew! Marilyn, you've had a busy and productive life, starting from a young age. Great post.

    ReplyDelete