Category Archives: Writing

Part I – Books versus TV, Narrative Voice versus Scripted Scenes: Longmire, Outlander

July 19, 2020 by Mara Purl

A Guest Post by Mara Purl

Every author wants their novels to be made into a film or a television series. Right?

So let’s take a look at how these two worlds of “series”—both the readable and the viewable kind—connect, overlap, or compete. Some people discover a great series first on TV, then want to dig deeper by reading the original books. Some don’t want to see the adaptation on a screen until they’ve delved into the books, sometimes referred to by producers as “source material.”

Here we’ll take a look at works by Diana Gabaldon (the Outlander series), and Craig Johnson (the Longmire series).… Read more

Posted in Art and Entertainment, BBC Radio, Books, careers, Mara Purl, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, narrative voice, Novel series, Radio, Radio Drama, Serial Drama, Soap Opera Fiction, Television series, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Polishing the Silver

November 27, 2019 by Mara Purl
I enjoy the work as a meditation of gratitude—which often begins around Thanksgiving week. It’s a reminder that our gifts—and talents—need to be polished so they shine brightly enough to be shared.
Posted in about issues of the heart, AHA Moments, Art and Entertainment, Authors, Connecting through books, Creativity, family history and genealogy, Family values, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Gifts, Gratitude, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, life's purpose, Live Your Best Life, Mara Purl, Metaphors, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, Mother, Mothers & Daughters, Nurturing the soul, power of the universe, self-growth, sychronicity of life, Women's Fiction | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Authors & Legacies

September 21, 2019 by Mara Purl
These authors, and their works, shall not be forgotten. The written and published word is being burnished anew, illuminated with a fresh light from the powerful Colorado sun.
Posted in Art and Entertainment, Authenticity, Authors, Book Marketing, Books, Creativity, history, inspiring through fiction novels, Louis L'amour, Love of Books, Mara Purl, Men's fiction, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Non-Profit Organizations, Nurturing the soul, Opening up to New Worlds, Publishing, Western Fiction, Women's Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Why Do Words Count?

March 27, 2019 by Mara Purl
Words are the connective tissue between idea and expression. We tell ourselves about our ideas with words, using them to move from vague conjecture to clear concept.
Posted in American West, Authors, Book Marketing, Books, Colorado, community and transformation, Connecting through books, Editors, Heart and head connection in books, history, inspiring through fiction novels, involvement in issues near and dear to heart, life's purpose, Live Your Best Life, Louis L'amour, Love of Books, Mara Purl, Personal Essays, Publishing, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Short Shorter Shortest Fiction

June 10, 2018 by Mara Purl
New trends in fiction include novellas, novelettes, short stories and flash fiction. This intro points to a comprehensive guest post All About Shorter Fiction.
Posted in Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, Authors, Authors and Publishers Services, Blog Tours, Books, Connecting through books, E-Books, e-books by Mara Purl, Editing manuscripts for good writing, Louis L'amour, Love of Books, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, new methods of marketing books, Novel series, Opening up to New Worlds, When Hummers Dream e-book, When Otters Play by Mara Purl, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Writer at Work, Otters at Play

February 14, 2018 by Mara Purl
So here was this cute, inventive, self-sufficient creature who was an “index species”—that is, one whose presence was a key to the ecological well-being of its own region. I was liking these furry, sweet-faced critters even more than I thought I would.
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Cozumel – European Legacy in the Caribbean

January 26, 2018 by Mara Purl
Since I write about a small, coastal town that draws tourists both with its picturesque beauty, and it's local arts and crafts, I always find it fascinating to find parallels in other locations. So Cozumel deserves a closer look. At least we scratched the surface of that beautiful island off the Yucatan, and we look forward to returning to those sparkling waters for further adventures.
Posted in Authors and Publishers Services, Bellekeep Books, Book Marketing, Connecting through books, Creativity, Cruising, ideas for books, Live Your Best Life, Mara Purl, Marketing, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Ocean Elements, Opening up to New Worlds, Small Town Fiction, Travel, Women authors, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Meet my Guest Author Roger Seiler

June 23, 2017 by Mara Purl

In today’s post, I’m hosting author Roger Seiler on one of the stops along his Blog Tour. I’ve been the guest of some marvelous Blog Hosts during my own previous tours, and was delighted to be host to such an accomplished person as Roger Seiler. Enjoy!

MASTER OF ALASKAMasterOfAlaska cover

Roger Seiler’s new book is the perfect read for anyone interested in history, particularly about the storied expanse of lands and archipelagos connecting the northernmost regions of Russia and Alaska that stretch like a taught sinew between and across time and cultures.

Eons earlier, we read, Native Peoples traversed these land-water bridges to travel southward, branching into groups that became the Tribes of North America.… Read more

Posted in Alaska, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, Authors, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Blogging, Central Coast, Coastal regions, Connecting through blogs, Connecting through books, E-Books, e-books by Mara Purl, Environment, Mara Purl, Men's fiction, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Santa Barbara, Syncronicity between bloggers, Travel, Uncategorized, When Otters Play by Mara Purl, Women's Fiction | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Paternity Test

June 14, 2017 by Mara Purl
My father let us see that love really is reciprocal. I helped him walk when he was ninety-nine, reassured him his journey made sense, made a difference, and had value greater than the gold of kings. When it came to the real paternity test, he passed with flying colors. Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Acting, AHA Moments, Art and Entertainment, BBC Radio, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, Heart and head connection in books, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Japan, life's purpose, Mara Purl, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Mother, Writing | 5 Comments

Cousins Reunion

May 11, 2015 by Mara Purl
I came away with the impression that most of the greats and grands of the family were quite heroic in their way, surviving the Great Depression, serving in the Great War, and coming home to tend their farms and care for their families.
Posted in about issues of the heart, Authors, Bellekeep Books, familial history, Family, family history and genealogy, Family values, Finding treasures of the heart in books, head and heart connection, Heart and head connection in books, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Live Your Best Life, Mara Purl, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Novel series, Nurturing the soul, self-growth, Small Town Fiction, Travel | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment