On today’s episode, we get to chat with Marie W. Watts, a Women’s Fiction author with one crazy back story from which she draws heavily to create her quirky, well-developed characters facing and overcoming obstacles in life.

Her own journey began with what appears to be a perfectly normal middle-class childhood for the 1950s and 60s in Baytown, Texas. Two caring parents, a brother 18 months younger to fight with, a stay-at-home mom, vacations to interesting places, and a good education.

But it wasn’t normal…. During her preschool years, she knew the name of the stockbroker—Merril, Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, and Smith—and watched her mother sit by the phone, smoke cigarettes, and talk to her broker. It wasn’t until 7th grade that Marie realized college was not mandatory!

The other strange thing that happened was that her parents, particularly her dad, had the same aspirations for both her and her brother. Apparently, her dad had lived a very sheltered existence until he was shipped to Europe in WWII and didn’t want that for his children. She remembers, as a small child, standing with him in a phone booth, rain hammering down, and, with his coaching, calling the operator and placing a call to her uncle to tell him the family’s arrival time.

Along with her brother, Marie learned to play ball, mowed the lawn, and was expected to excel at school. The rude awakening didn’t come until fourth grade when she stood on the sidelines, watching her brother try out for little league. One of the other boys attempted to catch a slow grounder but it rolled between his legs. Incensed, Marie realized she could play baseball better than half the boys but wasn’t allowed to try out because of her sex!

Time passed. Marie graduated from college, got married, had children (two fantastic girls who gave her three wonderful grandsons), and then came the divorce during Houston’s oil bust of the 1980s. Jobs were scarce, but she managed to land at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, investigating employment discrimination; eventually remarrying and moving to the private sector as a human resource manager and director. Later she opened her own business, focusing on encouraging diversity and preventing discrimination.

Her adolescent dream, however, was never far from her mind. She would envision life, dressed in her Girl Scout Camp uniform (white shirt, dark green shorts, and green knee socks), patrolling the borders of the island she owned. Occupation—writer.

Dreams never die; they just get postponed. She currently owns a 50-acre ranch in central Texas (her island), named Las Tortugas. And, although she can’t fit into her Girl Scout uniform anymore, she writes.

You can learn more about Marie and her blog, “Stories About Life” on her website www.mariewatts.com

Support your local bookstore & this podcast by getting your copy of Tough Trail Home at https://bookshop.org/a/90599/9781685133917

A little about today's host-

Kristi Leonard is a modern Renaissance woman deeply rooted in the book world. When she's not immersed in crafting novels, she's orchestrating writing retreats through her business, Writers in the Wild, or lending her voice to non-fiction audiobooks. She leads the Women’s Fiction Writers Association as the president of the board, and interviews her writer pals as one of the hosts of the Author Express Podcast. She will start querying her first book in 2024.

Beyond the realm of words, Kristi embraces the Florida sunshine by hiking with her writer-hiker group and leisurely walks on the beach. She and her husband juggle a couple side businesses and take turns sharing the couch with their goofy Golden-doodle, Maddie. Kristi enjoys travel adventures