Marissa PYNK Monteilh shares her personal success as an author

I met author Marissa PYNK Monteilh online three years ago and even though we have not yet met in person, I feel like we would get along swimmingly. Monteilh is an author and her Facebook updates often include questions about relationships – for her steamy novels no doubt – that elicit streams of responses from her followers. I asked her to share her success story with me, and well – she did.

LCL .- What do you consider to be your personal success story?

MM.- My ten-year long career as a published author is my success story. I’ve been a commercial actress, Fox News reporter, model, relationship talk-show host and also worked in banking and in human resources, yet I always yearned for a profession that would allow me to explore my passion and my gift of writing. The same gift that my seventh-grade teacher acknowledged many years ago. In 1998, I penned my first book, May December Souls, which was semi-autobiographical. I shopped the manuscript around for two years and it seems it was rejected by more people than I submitted it to, however, at the recommendation of Michael Baisden, I self-published the book in 2000. By 2001, I had an agent, and thirty days later, I had a book deal with a major publisher. Thankfully, I’ve been writing at least one book per year since then. I love words. I was determined and encouraged and I’ve worked hard to learn how to write, and to complete my works. I am doing what I love to do – write.

LCL.- What are the traits that you believe helped you achieve your goal or overcome your obstacle?

MM.- My parents were both entrepreneurs and actors/entertainers with very intense creative energy. My father was a well-known tenor saxophone player and my mother owned a real estate company, among other careers. I inherited the daring, fearless natures of my mom and dad, and I always remember their encouraging words, telling me that I can do anything, and that all ideas are gifts from God, that it all depends upon whether or not you allow yourself (and others) to talk you out of the blessings. My strength and determination is in the blood.

LCL.- What people in your life have been key to your achievement?

MM.- Throughout my writing career, the people in my life who have been key to my achievement are, first and foremost, my three children. For more than a decade, they’ve believed in my writing and supported me, and they’ve been patient and understanding of my passion. Also, a great friend named Vicky Rice, who challenged me to start writing and became my discipline-coach back in 1998, held me to my promise to myself that I would finish my first book, and I will always be appreciative to her for that.

LCL.- How did you cheer yourself on during your “down” or doubtful moments?

MM.- I still have doubtful moments when I wonder if I should continue writing books. There are times when I wonder if the love I have for penning novels is requited. But still, every time I say I won’t, I do. I continue to birth another idea and the fever in me that fuels the excitement to start writing that book burns on, and so, I continue to pump out the stories. Along the way I do remember to be grateful, stop, and think back to what it was like making a living doing what I did not enjoy, and somehow, I manage to continue. I don’t know how long I will write, but for now, the little writer-light in me is still shining bright.

LCL.- In one sentence, sum up what you would tell another person who is having a hard time and would like to achieve a goal of any kind, or who is going through a difficult moment.

MM.- I would say that the hard times are actually a good sign that not only is a learned-lesson ahead, but the fruits of the labor will be so much sweeter once the storm is over - sunshine is ahead.

LCL.- Anything else you may want to add?

MM.- I’d like to add that I admire and appreciate Lorraine Ladish, not only for her accomplishments and successes, for following her dreams and doing the hard work, but also for her beautiful spirit. I am thankful for the opportunity to be a part of Success Diaries.

LCL.- (I blush)

Please follow Marissa's blogs on Novel Spaces, where she contributes along with ten other authors, and on her crusade website Just Say No to Married Men



http://www.lorrainecladish.com/

Nicolás Manservigi, Author and Singer, publishes his second book at 25.

In 2002 my book The Challenge of Writing and Publishing was released. I was living in Spain then and one night I received an e-mail from a teenager in Argentina named Nico, who had read my book and told me he wanted to write and publish.

Being a published author takes you places. It connects you with readers. Some write to you once, then you write back and that´s the end of the exchange. Other times, the relationship continues, often through time and distance, and you get to experience the reader´s evolution – perhaps even watch his writing career unfold. This was the case with Nico - Nicolás Manservigi - who was first my reader and then - I became his.
He published his first book, El portador (The Carrier), in 2007 and I interviewed him for La Palma, of the Palm Beach Post. He did not stop there. His book Paisajes internos (Interior Landscapes) will soon be released. He is also an opera singer, he writes scripts, and he´s got the looks. Born in Tucumán, Argentina, at 25 years old, he´s already achieved more than many people twice his age.
“I would say that most of what has happened in my life has been a success. Some of the things I have overcome are my insecurity and low self-esteem. Having conquered that, I became an opera singer, wrote and published novels and have written film-scripts. The biggest success comes when you decide to pursue your own happiness,” says Manservigi.
He describes himself as being persistent and determined. He admits that “artistic careers are fickle and therefore only those who are truly passionate about their art actually make it.”
Manservigi says his parents, brothers and close friends have supported him all the way.
Despite his appearance of having it all, he still has doubts and moments of insecurity. He does not stay in a slump for long, however.

“I am usually balanced, but I despair when I don´t achieve what I want. When I was writing my first novel I was out of college. I fell into a depression, and writing helped me get out of it. Being in a creative state always helps when I am emotionally distressed.”

He shares that the key is self-knowledge. “The better I know myself, the easier it becomes to identify what takes me into a dark mood. It is a struggle, but I can honestly say that I have always been able to come out of difficult moments thanks to singing or writing.”

His message to others in pursuit of their own dream and success:

“Do not allow anyone to tell you that you can´t. We don´t know other people´s potential and we should never put the brakes on someone else´s dreams. Setting up roadblocks to someone else´s evolution is mean and lowly.”

Nicolás Manservigi´s website: http://www.nicolasmanservigi.com.ar/

http://www.lorrainecladish.com/