Today’s post has kindly been written by a blogging friend of mine – TB Markinson.
The official TB Markinson details you’ll find below but I actually came across TB’s blog one day when I was looking out for fellow people who had lists of things they wanted to see and do in life. People that never stand still but constantly push the limits on what can be achieved. One of the area on her 50 Year Project was to become a published novelist, something that resonates very closely with my goals of creative writing so we became good blog buddies.
Turns out though TB Markinson has not only written and published one novel but has published a rather delightful second (I know, because I’ve read it), and is on her way to the third with a strong following of readers (me included), looking out for the next story.
I’m also rather jealous because TB is not only a great writer, but she’s also American which is quite a coincidence because that’s the country where I am at this very moment!
Over to you TB
____________________
New York, New York!
While Sophie is gallivanting in New York, she’s been kind enough to hand over her blog for a day to me. And in honor of Sophie’s trip, I decided to write about the Big Apple.
My partner and I go to NYC once a year to attend the US Open (tennis) and hang out in the city for a few days.
I had some difficulty picking a topic to write about. Should I write about the time I thought I was going to be murdered in Queens? Or the time I pissed off Andy Murray’s mom? Nope, I’m going to write about Bubba Gump. (Sophie says - I really want to hear about the Andy Murray’s mom story!)
For those of you not familiar with the restaurant chain, it’s based on the film Forrest Gump. It’s a total tourist trap—complete cheese. And yet, it’s part of our NY tradition. Every time we go to NYC, we head to Bubba in Times Square. Neither one of us remembers how the tradition started, but we stick to it now. It’s been going strong for seven years now.
Back in 2011 we weren’t sure we’d make our trip to NY. In July of that year, my partner moved from Boston, Massachusetts to London, England. I stayed behind for three months in Boston to close our apartment and to oversee the packing and such. It was a busy summer for both of us. While I was taking care of all the stuff in Boston, my partner was starting a new job and setting up a new office for her company. We were apart for three long months.
We decided not to forego our trip to NY. Initially I planned on flying to London to visit, but then we decided to meet in NY instead since I would be living in London. I took the bus from Boston to Times Square and arrived first.
We planned on meeting at Bubba Gump. I know, it should have been at the top of the Empire State building—at least that’s what happens in the movies. But this place is special for us. I sat at the bar and waited for my partner to arrive. I kept a close eye on the staircase, waiting.
If you haven’t been to Bubba, they always show the movie Forrest Gump at the bar. The sound is off, but I’ve seen the movie so many times, I don’t need to hear it to follow along. It took much longer for my partner to get through customs. Before arriving I had this idea in my head that I would catch a glimpse of my partner and then I would run up and give her a hug and tell her how much I missed her.
Instead, I got caught up watching Forrest Gump and felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around annoyed since someone was disrupting my movie. It was my partner, who couldn’t help smiling about the fact that I had missed my chance for a romantic moment like in the movies.
Oh well, you can’t script life. You can only live it. And I’m lucky to have the most loving and supportive partner, who I love dearly.
Thanks so much, Sophie, for hosting me today. I hope you enjoy your trip to the Big Apple. It’s an amazing city.
________________________________________
Marionette
What’s this novel all about then?
Paige Alexander is seventeen and has her whole life in front of her. One day her girlfriend comes home to discover that Paige has slit her wrists. Paige isn’t’t insane, but she acts like she is. Why?
After the incident, Paige agrees to go to therapy to appease her girlfriend, Jess. However, Paige doesn’t believe that therapy will help her. She believes she’s beyond help. Paige doesn’t want to find herself and she doesn’t want to relive her painful past in order to come to terms with it. What Paige wants is control over her life, which she hasn’t had since her birth.
During her childhood, Paige is blamed for a family tragedy, when in fact, her twin sister, Abbie was responsible. Abbie doesn’t come forward and Paige becomes the pariah of the family.
To add to Paige’s woes while attending a college in a small town in Colorado, the residents are in the midst of debating whether or not gays and lesbians should have equal rights. Tension is high and there’s a threat of violence. She isn’t out of the closet and pretends to be straight at school since she fears what will happen if her parents find out she’s a lesbian. Will she end up dead like her best friend, Alex?
About the Author:
T. B. Markinson is a 39-year old American writer, living in England, who pledged she would publish before she was 35. Better late than never. When she isn’t writing, she’s traveling around the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in England, or taking the dog for a walk. Not necessarily in that order. Marionette is her second novel. A Woman Lost was her debut novel.
Mailing List:
Sign up to TB’s New Release Mailing List here. Your email will never be shared and you will only be contacted when a new book is out.
Links:
Twitter
Facebook
Blog
Goodreads
Amazon Author Page
If you want to check out the novels yourself head on over to Amazon – available to download right now!
__________________
Photo’s courtesy of TB Markinson
