Marissa Malson never dreamed of writing a book, but then a story began buzzing around in her head. She started to tap out the prologue and first three chapters of a cozy mystery novel, The Not So Average Life of Average Jane, on her phone.
She had no clue how to publish it, but she kept writing. Here’s her story about how the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop inspired her — and changed her life:
“Thanks to a trip to my alma mater, the University of Dayton, I found the answer. I visited the campus with my parents and sister (fellow UD alum) for a basketball weekend to watch our beloved Flyers play, but we had all day to kill before the evening game. So, we decided to head to campus, grab a coffee and take a walk,” she remembers.
“Coffee was not easy to find on a Saturday morning. Every place we tried was closed, but I thought for sure the coffee shop in the library would be open. After all, as a student I spent many Saturdays there fueled by caffeine. When we walked in, a large exhibit caught our eyes — a tribute to Erma Bombeck, renowned humor writer, bestselling author and University of Dayton graduate. Her books, her columns and even her famous typewriter were all on display.
“As we exited the exhibit, a poster advertising for the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop caught my eye. Hosted every other year to “encourage and inspire writers in the same way that celebrated columnist and author Erma Bombeck found encouragement and inspiration at the University of Dayton,” it just so happened 2024 was an Erma Bombeck Workshop year. The event was just a few weeks away. I signed up and it changed my life.
“Thanks to that workshop I learned what to do with my manuscript. I heard some of the brightest people in the writing world explain all the ways I could publish. I heard from authors about their challenges and successes. I learned where to find an editor and what makes a great book cover. And even though I have a background in marketing, I learned how to apply my knowledge to marketing a book.”
Malson describes her debut book as a “light-hearted mystery, filled with humor, intrigue, suspense and lovable characters.” She’s now using her digital marketing experience and authorship journey to help fellow independent authors. She’s the owner of Just A Good Book Publishing, which provides editing, book marketing, cover design and publication plans for authors.
Read about her journey to publication in her words and through a University of Dayton feature story.