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MEET MARJORIE COWLEY
by Bonnie O'Brian

When and why did you start writing?

Marjorie Cowley

I started to write very late, in my sixties. Because I was happy as a calligrapher and graphic designer, as well as teaching prehistoric archaeology to students, it never occurred to me to try something new. Then I wrote and calligraphed a poem for my first grandchild and illustrated it with wonderful Eskimo prints. I put it all together and, with Kinko’s help, I had a book! This was such an exciting and rewarding project that I decided I wanted more of this in my life. I started to take classes at UCLA in writing for children, and I started my first book, DAR AND THE SPEAR-THROWER, in my first class. I’ve never stopped writing and now I’m on my fourth historical children’s novel. For me, writing is a benign addiction.

What are the topics of your books?

Because prehistory has fascinated me for years, my first two books, DAR AND THE SPEAR-THROWER and ANOOKA’S ANSWER, have a prehistoric background. My third novel, THE GOLDEN BULL, takes place 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia; it will be published in 2007. The book I’m working on now, BLACK HORSE PRANCING, occurs in both Nubia and neighboring Egypt in the eighth century, B.C.

Do you enjoy researching or writing from your imagination?

I love the combination of creating stories that are embedded in ancient cultures. My aim is a story that holds readers in a setting that is accurately depicted. Doing the necessary research is a joy for me, particularly my correspondence with scholars who have generously given me their time, expertise, and encouragement.

When you speak to students, what questions do they ask and what do you want them to get out of your author visits?

Because I try to make my visits a conversation instead of a lecture, I ask students a lot of questions and often get marvelous answers. I focus on the subject of prehistoric archaeology, the books themselves, as well as the craft of writing. Of course, I get the usual “where do you get your ideas,” but this question can be expanded to include an examination of what is the point of telling and listening to stories, how has reading changed our lives, or a discussion of how they can make their own writing more satisfying for themselves and for their readers. Once student are encouraged to explore these subjects, their responses can be rich and wonderful.

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