Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a multi-genre author based in northwest Montana. Along the winding trail to becoming a novelist, I’ve been the queen of odd jobs! I’ve lived in far-flung corners of the United States and worked as a journalist, school bus driver, Good Humor ice cream girl, fishing boat mate, and race horse hot walker, among other things.
Bell-Bottom Gypsy: A Jessie Morgan Novel is my third published novel and a departure from my other novels, both of which are historical fiction set in the 1650s. Bell-Bottom Gypsy is a wild 1970s ride… an adventurous coming of age journey along America’s back roads. It is Book One of the Jessie Morgan Series.
My first novel, Spirited Away – A Novel of the Stolen Irish, paints an intimate portrait of 1650s Irish slavery in the Caribbean. It was a 2013 finalist in The Kindle Book Review’s Best Indie Book Awards as well as a quarter-finalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards Competition. The book has 226 Amazon reviews.
Daring Passage, my second novel, tells the rest of the story begun in Spirited Away. Delighted readers call it “a stunning sequel.”
I’m already working on Book Two of the Jessie Morgan Series.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is Bell-Bottom Gypsy: A Jessie Morgan Novel. I was inspired to write it because I wanted to capture the feeling of the early ’70s, a unique time in America — especially for young women. The novel is loosely based on my own experiences on the road during those years. (Loud emphasis on the word LOOSELY!) Again and again I have told some of my travel stories to friends. I kept thinking, “Shut up and write these stories down!” So, finally I have done that and I’m so glad I did it. Happy reading!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Is it unusual to write books in a recliner, on a laptop? If so, then yes, I do have unusual writing habits.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Toni Morrison, Barbara Kingsolver, Anna Quinlen, Anne Tyler
What are you working on now?
Book Two of the Jessie Morgan Series!
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Honestly, I don’t have a favorite. I try to use as many as I can, and I appreciate all of them.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Yes. Go for it, and write what you want to write. Try to develop a very thick skin for the criticism that is bound to come with publication. We authors really put ourselves out there when we publish our books. Don’t let anything stop you!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I love this advice quote from Thoreau: “Our lives are frittered away by detail. Simplify! Simplify!”
What are you reading now?
I just finished Michelle Obama’s memoir, and it was great.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am tackling this four-book Jessie Morgan Series, which will keep me plenty busy for a while. Beyond that, I have no idea.
What is your favorite book of all time?
To Kill a Mockingbird. I absolutely love this novel.
Author Websites and Profiles
Maggie Plummer Website
Maggie Plummer Amazon Profile
Maggie Plummer’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account