Dec 20, 2022
Marlene Wagman Geller always wanted to write. Believing that success is not in succeeding but in trying, Marlene was determined to live out her dream of being a writer. A teacher, Marlene was in Toronto, Canada, where she taught high school English and then moved to San Diego, California in 1986 to teach at a Tijuana San Diego border school which she says, “surviving that was badass enough.” Her life changed in 2008 when she published her first book with Penguin, Once Again to Zelda: The Stories Behind Literature's Most Intriguing Dedications. Marlene took a leap of faith sending it out as everyone said her chances were few to none. However, she abided by the belief that dreams do not have to be for sleeping. Marlene has now published 11 books with traditional publishers and is the author of five books dealing with badass women. They are as follows, StillI Rise: The Persistence of Phenomenal Women, Fabulous Female First: Because of Them We Can, Women Who Launch, Women Who Shattered Glass Ceilings, Unabashed and Women of Means. Marlene says she's a badass through association with these women, but there is a lot more to her badass story.
What You Will Hear in This Episode:
02:21 Marlene’s personal story
07:58 Becoming a published author
11:17 Major challenges
12:41 Marketing
16:16 Lesson Marlene learned about herself
17:16 Badass role models
22:34 Common denominator in Marleen’s writing
26:48 Writer's Block
29:13 Tips for aspiring writers and overcoming rejection and persistence
36:00 Newest book
Quotes
“It's not that big a leap of faith from reading books to wanting to see your own name on the spine of a book.”
“The chances of publishing with a traditional publisher is sort of akin to winning the lottery. When you try, you're buying hope, but you're not really buying reality.”
“The failure in life is not in the not succeeding, it's in the not trying.”
“Dreams don't have to be for sleeping.”
“In life you have to make your own fortune.”
“It's not the 99 that reject you, it's the 1 that accepts you.”
“I think the difference between those who succeed and those who fail is simply those who didn't give up.”
Mentioned:
Peyton Place - Grace Metalious
Eureka: The Surprising Stories Behind The IdeasThat Changed The World
Still I Rise: The Persistence Of Phenomenal Women
The Secret Lives of Royal Women
Connect with Bonnie
https://bonniemarcusleadership.com/
Gendered Ageism Survey Results
5 Tips to own the superpower of your age
Purchase my book Not Done Yet on Amazon:
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