Marie Benedict, Writer, Historical Fiction (Photo by Jo Ann Mathews)
Women and Adversity:
March, Women’s History Month
Marie Benedict
Writer of Historical Fiction
As I said in my post about Pam Jenoff, I can’t let Women’s History Month pass without featuring women who write historical novels.
Marie Benedict is well known for digging into history to find women who were overlooked despite their accomplishments. She says her mission is to “excavate from the past the most important women in history to really shine the light on them and their contributions, their legacies and the modern issues.”
I met Benedict in January when she gave a presentation and book signing at Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. She was gracious enough to answer the two questions I ask women who have made a name for themselves as successful writers:
- What obstacles did you have to overcome when you decided to be a writer?
- What obstacles do you face now that you are a successful novelist?
First, let’s learn a bit about Benedict.
Marie Benedict bio:
- Born Heather Marie Benedict in 1969 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Graduated from Boston College, concentrating on history and art history
- Graduated from Boston University School of Law
- Practiced law in New York for 10 years
Personal life:
Married James Terrell in May 2002
The couple has two sons
Writing life:
Benedict published seven books under her married name, Heather Terrell, before she began publishing under Marie Benedict
- The Chrysalis was the first published in 2007
- The Boundary was the last published in 2014
Benedict began writing under Marie Benedict with:
- The Other Einstein in 2016 and followed it with seven more books, most recently
- The Mitford Affair in 2023
She has two audible books:
- Smoke Signal
- Agent 355
The answers to my questions:
- What obstacles did you have to overcome when you decided to be a writer? She says:
- First of all, it was risky. I had a very successful, established career as a lawyer.
- What obstacles do you face now that you are a successful novelist?
- It’s time. I published one-to-two books a year. Trying to balance that.
Learn more:
www.authormariebenedict.com
http://agnes-books.blogspot.com/2017/01/before-my-research-for-other-einstein-i.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/18/books/review/marie-benedict-only-woman-in-the-room-best-seller.html
The History of Marie Benedict | Stories About the Best-Selling Author (girlsthatcreate.com)
My ebooks available at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com:
Honoring 23 Black Women, Recognizing 23 Notable Mothers, Saluting 23 Faithful Suffragists
