Interview with Author MaryLu Tyndall!

Today we're talking with author MaryLu Tyndall. On the home page of her website she asks - "Pirates and God? How can the two coincide, you may ask?" Well, that's good question! Pirates have captured the world's imagination in recent years with The Pirates of the Caribbean movies (some of my favorites!) and in truth, these swashbuckling, sword-slinging villains do carry a romantic side - at least in our imagination. :)

But to add God to the mix? MaryLu has done just that in her first three–book series "Legacy of the King’s Pirates." They include: The Redemption (July 2006), The Reliance (February 2007), and The Restitution (August 2007). These books are not just book titles, or the names of pirate ships, but as MaryLu puts it - ah…so much more.

Tell us a bit about yourself, your writing, and your publishing journey.

I was raised in South Florida and spent much of my time as a child on the warm beaches, dreaming of adventures at sea. I loved to write and would often make up stories in my head at night as I was falling asleep. But because I had a very rough childhood and was not a Christian for many years, I ended up taking a windy road through my young adult life. I wrote a few novels for fun as I went through school but never had the courage or confidence to try to submit them. I majored in Computer Science of all things, got married, had kids, and settled into an extremely boring job at a computer company. After the Lord rescued me from the pit I had dug for myself—which I won’t go into—I asked Him to show me the right path for my life. A few years later, I had some free time at work and decided to write a novel for fun—a Christian pirate novel, of course, since I had just seen the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Through a series of incredibly miraculous steps, by the following year, I had an agent and a contract for a 3 book series. I’m still in shock over what God did because I have never taken a writing course and never submitted anything prior to that. I know now that He called me to write, at least for this season, and when His timing is right, it’s time!

What is the greatest historical novel you’ve ever read and why?

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The characters are so deep and fascinating and the dialogue so incredibly intriguing that I find myself going back to read it over and over again. Besides, it is also a great romance!
One of my favorite historical series is Mark of the Lion by Francine Rivers.

We share the same passion for the same books!

Did you have any experiences that prompted your love of fiction and historical fiction in particular?

No experiences in particular, just a love for history. History and English were my favorite subjects in school. Since childhood, I’ve always been drawn to historical movies and books. And I’d much rather read fiction than nonfiction. I just love a good story! I think you have to feel that way about both fiction and history in order to write a good historical novel.

How much time does it take to research your stories – what balance would you say there is between research and actual writing?

Half and half. There’s a tremendous amount of research involved in writing an historical and my kind of brain does not hold details very well, so I have to study the time period extensively, writing down all the minute facts about their daily life and what was happening around my characters at that time politically and socially. Part of my research also involves reading as much good fiction set in my time period as I can.

Describe for us, if you will, your writing style, as in plotter vs. seat of the pants, and do you put more time into developing characters or plot or are they equal?

I’m definitely a seat of the pants writer. I’ve tried to plot, but I never seem to follow the outline once I get started. In fact, I usually don’t even follow the story’s original synopsis. I start with a theme for the story, some major point I want my readers to see. I usually have a beginning and an end in mind and a couple of disasters along the way, but the majority of my preparation goes into character development. I believe it’s the characters that really drive the story and move the plot forward. If your characters are flat, it doesn’t matter how great your plot is, your readers won’t care enough to continue reading.

Thanks MaryLu! Come back tomorrow for more from author MaryLu Tyndall. In the meantime, check out MaryLu's blog to learn more about her.

And if you post a comment, you'll have a chance to win a copy of MaryLu's latest book The Restitution.

Until tomorrow...