Famed writer to demonstrate authoring
Marilyn Meredith will provide a free demonstration on How To Become An Author at the Porterville Art Association at 151 North Main Street, Porterville, at 10: a.m. on Saturday January 23. This event is open to the public.
All persons attending this event must wear a mask that fully covers their nose and mouth, practice social distancing, and sanitize their hands. There’s free parking in the front and rear of the gallery.
This is a chance to meet the famous mystery writer Marilyn Meredith. She has been working steadily at preparing her materials and books to do her free demonstration.
Tempe Crabtree, one character in Meredith’s books, is resident police deputy at Bear Creek in California. Her grandmother had been a Native American, a Yanduchi Indian, and at school she herself had been teased because of her Indian blood made obvious by her straight black hair, copper skin, and prominent cheekbones. Though surprisingly blue, her eyes were the same almond shape as her grandmother’s. She’d been called ‘half breed’ and ‘squaw’ by some of the kids. During her growing up years, she’d found little reason for pride in her ancestry.” But now, she says, “I don’t even think about it.” She had lost her first husband, a highway patrolman, “in the course of duty,” but has a 16-year-old son, Blair, who lives with her.
In the first book, she’s engaged to be married to Pastor Harry Hutchinson. It’s no part of her job to do detective work, yet, confronted with a mystery, she “can’t help asking questions and trying to figure out exactly what did happen.”
Meredith says she married the “cute sailor” she met on a blind date and they raised 5 children and now have 18 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. Born August 24, 1933, in Glendale, Meredith is the daughter of Murl (a master plumber) and Genevieve (a homemaker) Mitchell; she married Arnold D. Meredith (retired from U.S. Navy); She’s raised 5 children: Dana Van Scoy, Lisa Aguilar, Mark (deceased), Lori Owens, Matthew.
She attended Ventura College and has had many jobs through the years: telephone operator, day care and nursery school teacher, teacher in a preschool for developmentally disabled children, and, with her “hubby,” owner-operator of a licensed residential care home for developmentally disabled adults (for 22 years). She lives in Springville.
Reading and writing have been a part of me since I was a little girl — a very long time ago. I love to hear from readers who have enjoyed my books. I’ve made many new and good friends among the readers and writers at various mystery conventions and conferences,” Meredith said.
Meredith is the author of some 30 books, including the Tempe Crabtree series as well as the Rocky Bluff Police Department series (written under the name of F.E. Meredith) and other mystery, historical and “Christian horror” books. She was one of the first authors to embrace e-publishing but her books are also available in paperback. She speaks at writing conferences, mystery conventions and festivals and book fairs. “I’ve also written several standalone books for Kindle and paper,” she said.
The Deputy Tempe Crabtree series is an award-winning series. She’s a member of MWA, three chapters of Sisters in Crime and on the board for the Public Safety Writers Association.
In one book Deputy Tempe Crabtree joins the search for a missing hiker in the high Sierra. Her decision to help involves her in the complicated relationship of two couples, murder, and a threat to her life, and an encounter with a familiar legend, plus help from her friend, the ghost hunter.
“I love to hear from my readers or have them visit my webpage at http://fictionforyou. com,” Meredith said.