Hello Marian and welcome to APOOO.  Thanks for allowing us to host the Virtual Book Tour for your latest release, Strings of Color.

1.)  How long have you been a writer?

Marian:  I wrote my first book manuscript in high school.  I also did some writing in the sports and news fields during college, but didn’t really put “writer” on my resume.  Then, 2009 hit and Color Me Jazzmyne was released.  Things began to change.  A thought I once had in high school became a dream.  The dream became a reality and that reality turned me into a writer.

2.)  Did you always know you wanted to write? 

Marian:  The concept of writing was always in the back of my head — lingering there patiently.  The words “just get it done” were a phrase my old boss use to say to me whenever we discussed my finishing my book manuscript.  It felt great to finally say, “It’s done.”

3.)  What inspired you to write this specific storyline with Strings of Color? 

Marian:  Readers, and the fact that I didn’t feel as if the main character had come full circle with her own inner feelings.  Sometimes, when a relationship ends, people need and want a sense of “closure.”  I suspect book characters are no different.

4.)  For those who dream of one day writing a novel or their own store, what advice would you give them? 

Marian:  Publish yourself first!  Build a solid platform.  Get your name out there via social networks, blogs and published articles.  Then write your book.

5.)  Are the character names in your books important to you?  Without giving too much away, is there a reason you made the characters’ names so closely related? 

Marian:  They are extremely important and I love that question.  When I read a character’s name, I like to think that the name given simply couldn’t be anything else.  That it fits the character’s personality so well, that to change it—would be changing the character.  My characters names display the depth of the connection within the family. When it comes to family, I think we sometimes forget how connected we really are to each other.

6.)  Tell us about your writing environment.  Do you need it to be really quiet, or do you need to have background noise?  Are there any specific foods or drinks you need available? 

Marian:  No background noise.  At least that’s what I keep reminding my hubby when I’m writing.  It’s hard for me to stay focused, and any little thing tends to throw me off my writing game.  Did I mention that I like popcorn?

7.)  When you’re not writing, what are some other hobbies, or things you like to do? 

Marian:  I love to draw and paint.  One day, I would like to open a gallery that combines art by me and books by me.  Is that too much…me?  Maybe.  Then again, maybe not.

Meet the Author:

Exciting Atlanta novelist, Marian L. Thomas, released her third Clean Fiction title, “Strings of Color” on April 2, 2012. Ms. Thomas’s “Strings of Color” probes the ever-intriguing themes of  race, family strife, love, teen pregnancy, friendship and abuse. And yet, her tales that seem to pre-sage current tabloid headlines are spelled out in ways that suit delicate moral tastes.

While Ms. Thomas is a dynamic storyteller with three romantic and dramatic novels to her credit, she distinguishes herself by refusing to lace her work with profanity and sexually explicit themes.

Her third installment in the ‘Jazzmyne’ series— “Strings of Color” is quickly filling up book club calendars and she is a prominent personality on  nationwide motivational speaking circuits.

Published in paperback  by L.B. Publishing, “Strings of Color” will be sold at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, Books-a-Million.com and will be available for the Amazon Kindle and Barnes and Noble Nook, electronic books.

Avid readers can  order this dramatic novel at bookstores, nationwide or through their local library.

Book Synopsis:

Life can grab a hold of you like captivating strings of color. It is a lesson that four women will learn as they each travel down a journey filled with lies, betrayal, and shocking secrets.

Simone. Is immensely talented, yet everything she has ever known will be ripped apart. Her love will be tested. Her heart will call out for a strength that could only exist in moments like this, and her tears will carry her through the storm. Will she be able to give her heart to the love of her life while fighting to open her heart to a mother she has never known?

Naya. While facing her greatest loss, will she be able to find the key to strength, the will to continue on, and the endurance to make it through one of the darkest moments in her life?

Monà. Within her heart is a secret so deep that it could shake the very foundations of two lives. Will she be able to finally look into the eyes of a daughter she has only known from a distance?

Misty. Two paths are set before her; one could lead her back to the life of fame and prominence, which she so desperately wants; and the other could give her the love she so desperately needs. Will she choose the path that is best for her future, or for her heart?

Web-links:

 Face-Book: http://www.facebook.com/MLT.ColorMeJazzmyne

Twitter: http://twitter.com/MarianLThomas01

Author Site: http://www.marianlthomas.com

Blog: http://www.thewritersinkspot.blogspot.com

Purchase Link:

Amazon .com :  http://tinyurl.com/purchansestringsofcolor