Marian L. Thomas is a dynamic story-teller with five engaging and dramatic novels to her credit. Her books have been seen on national television stations such as the Oprah Winfrey Network, Ovation, and the A&E Network. She has been featured in print magazines, newspapers and a guest on local, national and online radio stations.
BPM: Tell us about your most recent work. Available on Nook and Kindle?
I Believe In Butterflies is my 2017 contemporary fiction release. It’s a resonating story told through the insightful voices of three women navigating life and love. The digital editions (Kindle & Nook), will release on May 14, 2017. The print editions (Paperback & Hardcover), are scheduled for release on May 21, 2017.
Watch the commercial for I Believe in Butterflies by Marian L. Thomas
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6BEWzRVasC2dDg2VGtYRmF1cG8/view
I Believe in Butterflies by Marian L. Thomas is currently on digital pre-order for $4.99 (Reg. $6.99) on Kindle and Nook. Save 25% for a Limited Time – Valid through May 14, 2017, go here: https://www.ibelieveinbutterfliesbook.com/buy-book
BPM: Give us some insight into your main characters or speakers. What makes each one so special?
Emma Lee Baker is a woman who knows and speaks her mind. She comes from a long line of cooks, maids, babysitters, shoe shiners, and a generation that believed in birthing babies like they were going to get money for doing so. She has lived in Georgia all her life. She has seen black folks hung. She has seen black folks looked down upon. But, she has also seen white folks that have treated black folks with kindness.
Emma has one daughter—Honour Blue Baker. Their relationship is more like burnt toast and year-old jam.
Honour Blue Baker has a secret—one that she must finally find the courage to reveal in order to find her peace. Honour’s story is one of grief and how past decisions can shape your future and even your heart.
Lorraine has spent her whole life believing in three things: love, butterflies and that she was white. When she discovers that her long-held beliefs are nothing more than fallacies, all she’s held dear is shattered.
Believe In Butterflies is not a typical story of three women. It is more than that; it is an unparalleled story of three women on a journey of hope, courage, and love.
BPM: Is there a specific place/space/state that you find inspiration in?
I have a small nook in my bedroom that transforms into my “writing space,” once a year.
BPM: What advice would you give aspiring writers that would help them finish a project?
Walk away when needed, but not for good. It’s okay to take a break. To breathe. To rethink. To find inspiration. Just don’t let that away time into something you don’t come back from.
BPM: What period of life or topics do you find you write about most often?
Many of my characters cross generations. I think that’s important. Most women will tell you that they were molded by older women, women their age, and even those from a younger generation. As women, we learn from each other.
BPM: How do you feel when someone disagrees with something you have written?
I try to respect it. It’s not easy, just being honest. You put your “everything” into your work, and although you know not everyone will like it, it still stings when someone doesn’t.
BPM: Share one specific point in your book that resonated with your present situation or journey.
In I Believe In Butterflies, Lorraine gets some much-needed advice. Advice about learning to be a woman. Sometimes, we forget it’s a journey. It’s a discovery. It’s not getting caught up in how others define what it means to be a woman, but rather, writing your own definition and doing so in a way that you can be proud of it. That advice resonated with me. It reminded me that I have my own journey. My own path. Don’t compare it. Just walk on it. One step at a time.
BPM: Can you share some stories about people you met while researching this book?
In researching the “one-drop rule,” I found an article about a woman, who for over 70 years, believed she was black. She was 72 when she discovered that both of her biological parents were white.
BPM: What does literary success look like to you?
A room full of readers. It’s not awards. It’s not book sales. It’s walking into a book signing and seeing a room full of avid readers who enjoy what you have penned to a page. For me, that’s literary success.
BPM: What projects are you working on at the present?
I am working on my next book, The Caged Butterfly. The story is centered around a woman who began secretly bleaching her skin when she was eight years old. It will be a story about learning to love yourself, overcoming your fears, facing struggles and finding strength in forgiveness.
In the Fall of 2018, I also would like to bring my first book, Color Me Jazzmyne, to the theatrical stage as a musical that focuses on Jazz, Life, and Love.
BPM: How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Website: https://www.marianlthomas.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarianLThomas01
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marian.l.thomas
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marianlthomas09
Thank you, Ella Curry and Black Pearl Magazine, for this interview. Readers, please feel free to subscribe to my quarterly newsletter via my website. It’s a great way to learn about my book tours, events, or new book releases. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this interview. Let’s keep in touch!