SIGN MARA’S GUEST LIST
Keep up to date on Mara's appearances, new book releases and more.
FREE BOOK
Choose a book, download its postcard, send it to Mara. Receive a free book!
The Milford-Haven Novels, Novellas & Novelettes have now won more than 60 book awards!
Prequel Novella
Novelette
#1 Artist AdventureNovella
#2 Artist AdventureNovella
#3 Artist AdventureNovel One of the Pentalogy
Novel Two of the Pentalogy
Novel Three of the Pentalogy
Novel Four of the Pentalogy
Holiday Novelette
Holiday Novelette
Holiday Novelette
PEARLS OF WISDOM
Tag Archives: transformative fiction
Whales’ Tales by the Dock of the Bay
Writing is tough. It takes hours, weeks, months, years of solitude and focus. It requires “killing your darlings”—a writer-term for throwing out your favorite passages. It means wrestling with characters, struggling with storylines and remembering why the heck you’re putting yourself through all this torment in the first place. Then there are days when writing is just plain fun. For me, this often occurs when I get do a research field trip. I’m not entirely stupid about this—I choose favorite locations where my story just happens to take place. So I got to spend today in Morro Bay, one of the most delightful spots along California’s gorgeous Central Coast.… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, AHA Moments, Art and Entertainment, Authors, Authors on Talk Shows, Book Clubs, Book Marketing, Books, California, Coastal regions, community and transformation, Connecting through books, e-books by Mara Purl, eco-location, Ecology, Environment, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, Journalism, Love of Books, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Marine Mammals, Marketing, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Music, Novel series, Nurturing the soul, Opening up to New Worlds, Personal Essays, saving whales, Small Town Fiction, Soap Opera Fiction, Songwriters, Sperm whales, synchronicity, Whales, When Whales Watch by Mara Purl, Wildlife, Women authors, Women's Fiction
Tagged author Mara Purl, California coast, Greenpeace International, Milford Haven, novel series by Mara Purl, save the whales, sperm whales, The Milford-Haven Books, transformative fiction, whales, women's fiction
Leave a comment
Uni-Tea of Head and Heart
Every journey has its especially sparkling moments, and for my Winter Western States Book Tour, this was it. Elegance and style, generosity and community, connections with old friends and new—a unifying experience for all. The setting—a historic home in the mountain canyons of Santa Barbara; the time—Valentine’s weekend; the opportunity—helping others.
I had the privilege of working with a superb charity in co-creating a fund-raiser/ friend-raiser author tea. This is truly my favorite kind of event because of its synergy—which makes it a win-win-win: for the charity, for the guests, and for the author. In this case, there’s a fourth winner: the community of Santa Barbara, which benefits so directly from the services this charity provides.… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Bellekeep Books, Book Clubs, Book Marketing, Books, California, Connecting through books, energy, familial history, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Heart, Integrating lifes purpose through art, joy, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Novel series, Nurturing the soul, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Santa Barbara, synchronicity, Uncategorized, What the Heart Knows, What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl
Tagged Gratitude, marcia reed, prosperity, The Milford-Haven Books, transformative fiction, Unit y of head and heart, Unity Shoppe, What the Heart Knows, women's fiction, women's fiction novels, www.marapurl.com
Leave a comment
Fiction: Tricks or Treats?
Perhaps cracking the cover on an unknown book is something like opening the door to strange children on Halloween. “Trick or Treat” they cry. We consider it mostly an idle threat, because we know if we’ve opened the door at all, we’re going to deliver a treat, and therefore not expect to be tricked. And perhaps this is analogous to shelling out our twenty-five dollars for a hardcover book: we expect to receive a treat and we don’t expect to be tricked.
But what’s the point of fiction? Is it to trick the reader into thinking that the characters they’re reading about and the circumstances in which they find themselves are real?… Read more
Posted in about issues of the heart, Art and Entertainment, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, authors and entertainment world, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Books, Business, careers, Connecting through books, Creativity, Domestic Violence, Escapism through romance novels, Finding treasures of the heart in books, Gifts, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, history, ideas for books, inspiring through fiction novels, Intuition, Logical Thinking, Love, Love of Books, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, of lives through books, Opening up to New Worlds, physical and emotional process of creating art, plot and structure, Power of the universe, power of the universe, Power of Universe, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels for romance junkies, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, self-growth, Small Town Fiction, Soap Opera Fiction, Transformation, Travel, Uncategorized, What the Heart Knows, What the Heart Knows by Mara Purl, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged author Mara Purl, books offering sugar coated versions of reality, changes of The Milford Haven Books, cracking covers on books. treats found in fiction, entertaining readers through fiction, Fiction, fiction that shows readers how novel life can be, fiction tricks readers into thnking characters are real, hardcover book by Mara Purl, intersecting plot lines in fiction stories, mara purl newsletter, novels that feed the soul, plot lines running across the universe, sense of possibility in novels, smart readers and stories, transformative fiction, tricks found in fiction stories, women's fiction, writing, writing tricks that keep readers coming back for more, writing tricks that pique readers interest, www.marapurl.com
1 Comment
Blog Tour Visit #15: Girlfriend Books
There’s nothing in the world like Girlfriends. I’m talking about Girlfriend with a capital “G”, the fond appellation that signifies the way one woman feels about another woman she trusts, respects, and loves.
Women’s Fiction, which is what I write, exists in the Girlfriend Zone. Why? Because it sparks conversations, reminds us of our escapades, engenders the kind of reflection that inspires growth and encourages self-esteem. So my new novel What the Heart Knows and my conviction that as I write my books I’m having a conversation with women friends, made me a perfect match for the wonderful GirlfriendBooks.com blog.… Read more
Posted in Art and Entertainment, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, authors and entertainment world, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Book Marketing, book marketing using websites enewsletters and blogs, Book Reviews, Books, Business, Collaboration with other writers, Connecting through blogs, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, E-Books, e-books by Mara Purl, flow of life, Girlfriendbooks.com, Gratitude, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, history, ideas for books, Innovative marketing, Innovative marketing, inspiring through fiction novels, Intuition, joy, Love, Love of Books, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, new methods of marketing books, Novel series, of lives through books, physical and emotional process of creating art, Power of the universe, power of the universe, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, reading book choices bridge to publishers, relationships, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, Science, self-growth, Small Presses, Small Town Fiction, Soap Opera Fiction, sychronicity of life, synchronicity, synchronicity, Transformation, Travel, Uncategorized, Virtual Book Tours, Virtual Book Tours, What the Heart Knows, When Hummers Dream by Mara Purl, When Hummers Dream e-book, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged Advance Reader Copies of What the Heart Knows, books we know you will love, changes of The Milford Haven Books, domestic goddesses on books you'll love, Fiction, financially savvy women on books you'll love, girlfriend get aways, girlfriend getaway destinations, girlfriend zone, Girlfriendbooks, girlfriends, girlfriends inspiring growth self reflection and encouraging self esteem, Maria Micollucci Girlfriendbooks, Maria Micolucci, Mother Teresa on judging people, Mother Theresa quote on judging people, relationships, shopping trips with gal pals, The Milford-Haven Books, transformative fiction, transforming lives through books, trust love and respect among girlfriends, What the Heart Knows, When Hummers Dream e-book, women's fiction, women's fiction novels, women's fiction on books you'll love, writing, www.Girlfriendbooks.com, www.marapurl.com
Leave a comment
Blog Tour Visit #13: Dad of Divas
My father—affectionately known as Pere, thanks to the French part of our heritage—is the happy dad of two daughters. And, with both of us being in the entertainment biz one way or another, one might even say he’s the father of two Divas, though both my sister and I try to keep our drama on the stage, rather than anywhere else.
When did Pere find out he was a dad of divas? Was it when, at age three, I insisted on performing a show each evening on the hearth? (I thought it was a stage.) Was it when I came home, at age twelve, with the lead in “Cinderella in Flower land?”… Read more
Posted in Acting, Art and Entertainment, Artists, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, authors and entertainment world, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Book Marketing, book marketing using websites enewsletters and blogs, Books, Business, careers, Collaboration with other writers, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, E-Books, e-books by Mara Purl, Family values, flow of life, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, history, inspiring through fiction novels, Intuition, life's purpose, Love, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Men wearing hearts on sleeves, Men's fiction, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, new methods of marketing books, Novel series, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, of lives through books, Opening up to New Worlds, parenting girls, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, Science, self-growth, Small Presses, synchronicity, Transformation, Uncategorized, Virtual Book Tours, Virtual Book Tours, What the Heart Knows, When Hummers Dream by Mara Purl, When Hummers Dream e-book, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged author Mara Purl, authors and drama, books as gifts, changes of The Milford Haven Books, Chris Lewis Dad of Divas, community of men that are Dads of Divas, Dad of Divas Blog, dads of two daughters, drama on stage, Fiction, heart, life through the lens of a story, Mara Purl at Lincoln Center, Mara Purl on Dad of Divas, Narrative writing, reading to girls at birth, relationships, sense of wonder in stories, The Milford-Haven Books, the wonder of a good book, transformative fiction, transforming lives through books, transported to other worlds through books, What the Heart Knows, women's fiction, www.marapurl.com
Leave a comment
Blog Tour Visit #8: Art Biz Blog
“Art for art’s sake” is a phrase that derives from the nineteenth century French expression “L’art pour l’art”—meaning that the intrinsic value of art is the art itself, separate from any utilitarian function. Wikipedia goes on to explain a connection to “inner-directed” or “self-motivated” individuals.
Artists—and I use the term both specifically to mean those who create fine art with their hands, as well as those who practice and live by other art forms such as acting or composing or writing—most certainly have to be self-directed. For one thing, no one in their right mind would recommend the life of an artist to anyone who could happily do something else.… Read more
Posted in Acting, Artists, Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Book Marketing, book marketing using websites enewsletters and blogs, Books, Business, Business Coaching for Artists, careers, Creativity, Current Event, E-Books, flow of life, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, Heart and head connection in books, heart of an artist, inspiring through fiction novels, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Intuition, Left and right side thinking, life's purpose, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, musician-singer-songwriter, new methods of marketing books, Novel series, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, Of Baby Boomer Women, of lives through books, Painting, physical and emotional process of creating art, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, Reading Guide for What the Heart Knows, relationships, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, self-growth, Skill sets, Small Town Fiction, Transformation, Uncategorized, Virtual Book Tours, Virtual Book Tours, What the Heart Knows, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged acting, Alyson Stanfield - art biz coach, Alyson Stanfield on art history and French Impressionists, Alyson Stanfield on supporting artists careers, art biz blog, art biz coach, art for arts sake, artists, artists and coaching teams, artists are inner directed, artists as self motivated people, author Mara Purl, book I'd Rather Be in the Studio, changes of The Milford Haven Books, composing, emotional physical and mental processes of making art, Fiction, heart of an Artist, I'd Rather Be in the Studio by Alyson Stanfield, intrinsic value of art, l'art pour l'art, Mara Purl about painting, Mara Purl as theatre apprentice, Miranda Jones protagonist of Milford-Haven Novels, Narrative writing, Personality traits of artists, Romantic poets:, spirit and soul, The French Impressionist painters as romantic poets, The Milford-Haven Books, themes of books head vs heart, transformative fiction, transforming lives through books, What the Heart Knows, women's fiction novels, writing, www.marapurl.com
4 Comments
Blog Tour Visit #5: Works in Progress
Perhaps invention and reinvention is a perpetual state of affairs for authors, We’re always working on something: outlining or polishing, restructuring or fine tuning. And not only do we do this with our projects. We tend to do with ourselves too.
Such is the intriguing mix of information on Works In Progress, a blog posted by Betty & Friends. Actually, the blog host is Betty Carlton, and it’s her generosity that caused her to create her world of Betty and Friends.
Betty spent a full career in the insurance business, then at the eleventh was laid off. But, rather than retire, she reinvented herself as an author.… Read more
Posted in Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, Baby Boomers and Empty Nest Women, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Books, Books for Baby Boomers, Business, careers, Collaboration with other writers, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, E-Books, energy, Family values, flow of life, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, history, Innovative marketing, inspiring through fiction novels, Intuition, joy, Life in Baby Boomer years for Women, life's purpose, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, new methods of marketing books, Novels for Romance Junkies, Of Baby Boomer Women, of lives through books, plot and structure, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, self-growth, Skill sets, Small Presses, Small Town Fiction, Transformation, Uncategorized, Virtual Book Tours, Virtual Book Tours, What the Heart Knows, When Hummers Dream by Mara Purl, When Hummers Dream e-book, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women authors, Women's Fiction, womens literature, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged author Mara Purl, Betty Carlton and friends, blog careers, books in progress, books in progress, changes of The Milford Haven Books, Days of Our Lives, energy, insurance to author careers, inventing and reinventing ourselves, Joy, Lisa Day, mara purl newsletter, Milford Haven Novels, non-traditional vs traditional romance publishers, novelist Mara Purl, outlining stories, Rebel Ink Press, restructuring and fine tuning writing projects, The Milford-Haven Books, The Stepbrothers, transformative fiction, What the Heart Knows, When Hummers Dream e-book by Mara Purl, women's fiction novels, works in progress, www.marapurl.com
5 Comments
A Hummer Hovers Near Your E-Reader
Hummingbirds are pure magic. Part helicopter, part jewel, they fly across thousands of miles from their winter homes to become an integral part of our summer. Their trilling songs and aerial ballets are a spice as sweet as the nectar they sip.
As far as I’m concerned, E-Readers are pure magic too. Now, instead of attempting to lug four books per flight, I carry one slim volume which inexplicably contains scores of titles, with no meaningful limit to how many volumes I can download.
Magic converges with magic for me today, as my first E-Book flies off the pages. When Hummers Dream is a short story that immediately precedes book one of my novel series, What the Heart Knows.… Read more
Posted in Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, Bellekeep Books, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Book covers by artist Mary Helsaple, book covers painted by artists, Books, Business, Cambria, Connecting through books, Creativity, Current Event, current events, E-Books, e-books by Mara Purl, Escapism through romance novels, Fictitious town of Milford-Haven, flow of life, head and heart connection, head and heart connection, Heart, inspiring through fiction novels, Integrating lifes purpose through art, Intuition, Love, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, mission and core purpose in life, new methods of marketing books, Novel series, Novels for Romance Junkies, Of Baby Boomer Women, of lives through books, Painting, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels for romance junkies, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, self-growth, Small Presses, Small Town Fiction, Transformation, transformation through AHA moments, Travel, Uncategorized, Using watercolor images for book covers, Virtual Book Tours, Virtual Book Tours, What the Heart Knows, When Hummers Dream by Mara Purl, When Hummers Dream e-book, Women and Romance Novels, Women's Fiction, Writing
Tagged artist-protagonist in Mara Purls fiction, author Mara Purl, Cambria California, changes of The Milford Haven Books, e-readers, Fiction, fiction writing by Mara Purl, Hummingbirds, Mara Purl on non-fiction, Mary Helsaple, transformative fiction, When Hummers Dream e-book., When Hummers Dream on Amazon Kindle, When Hummers Dream on Barnes and Noble Nook, women's fiction, women's fiction novels, writing, www.marapurl.com
Leave a comment
Blog Tour Visit #3: Romance Junkies
What fun to be featured today as a guest of Www.RomanceJunkies.com. Though they chose a tongue-in-cheek name, their elegant site reveals a multitude of cross-connected authors and readers actively engaged in every aspect of Romance Fiction.
Founded in 2003 by Kat Brown, the site now has 60 reviewers, scores of author links, ten categories, and 2,500 loyal followers who communicate with one another on a regular basis through forums, and 1 million hits per month.
A key part of the site is the Romance Junkies Blog, where I’m the featured guest today, www.RomanceJunkies.com/RJBlog/?p=1150, as are my new books When Hummers Dream (free e-book this month) and What the Heart Knows (hardcover next month).… Read more
Posted in Author Mara Purl on Blog Tour, Bellekeep Books by Mara Purl, Blog tour of author Mara Purl, Blog Tours, Books, Business, Creativity, Current Event, current events, e-books by Mara Purl, Escapism through romance novels, flow of life, head and heart connection, Heart, history, Innovative marketing, inspiring through fiction novels, Love, Magical moments, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl, Mara Purl Romance novels, Mara Purl using new marketing methods for Books, Marketing, Milford Haven, Milford-Haven Novels & Stories, new methods of marketing books, Novels for Romance Junkies, Nurturing the soul, of lives through books, plot and structure, Publishing, Re-Build your Life, relationships, Romance novel readers, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels by Mara Purl, Romance Novels for romance junkies, Romantic fiction, romantic novel storylines, self-growth, Small Presses, Small Town Fiction, Transformation, transformation through AHA moments, Uncategorized, Virtual Book Tours, Virtual Book Tours, women and romance novels, Women and Romance Novels, Women's Fiction, Writing, writing romance novels
Tagged adventure in fiction writing, author Mara Purl, Avid romance readers, changes of The Milford Haven Books, escapism through romance fiction, Fiction, Kat Brown Romance Junkies, Kim Athehue Eusella, meter reader by Mara Purl, plot and structure of romance fiction, romance fiction, romance junkies, romance novels, The Milford-Haven Books, transformative fiction, value inspiration and education through fiction, When Hummers Dream e-book by Mara Purl, women's fiction, women's fiction novels, writing, www.marapurl.com
Leave a comment