Getting to know you Thursdays with Merrillee Whren

Welcome back to Merrillee Whren to my blog. Merrillee has a new release out with Love Inspired this month. It looks like a really good read. 

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself? 
I've been married to my
wonderful husband for over 35 years. We have two grown daughters and one
granddaughter. We live in Florida near the beach and share out house with
one big gray cat.

2. When you were a child did you have a favourite book or books? 
My mother read to me every night before I went to bed. One year she read Old Bones the
Wonder Horse. I loved that book and when I was older I read it myself.

3. Do you have a favourite Genre to both read and right write? 
I read and write romance. I love stories about people falling in love, and I insist on
a happy ending.

4. Did you have favourite authors growing up who have influenced you? 
When I was younger I read books by Phyllis Whitney, Mary Stewart and Victoria Holt.
My favorite author during my early teen years was Lenora Mattingly Weber.

5. When did you know you wanted to be an author? Even though I had written
stories ever since I could write, I didn't know that I wanted to pursue
publication until I was in my mid-thirties.

6. How did you go about becoming an author? 
I started writing a story like I wanted to read. I sent it to a publisher, but it was rejected. Eventually, I
discovered Romance Writers of America. I learned a lot about the craft of
writing and the business of writing through this organization. I kept
writing and submitting until I finally sold my first manuscript to Love
Inspired.

7. If you were not a writer what would you like to be?  
I used to be a teacher, but I don't believe I'd like to go back to the classroom. However,
I think I would enjoy being a tutor for one or two students at a time.

8. Outside reading and writing what do you like to do?  
I love to play tennis and walk on the beach near my home. I also like to work in my yard
and play bridge, but I don't have much time for either of them. The yard
work becomes a necessity from time to time because we have a huge yard with
lots of palmettos that have to be trimmed back twice a year or the place
becomes a jungle.

9. Do you have a place you love to visit or would love to visit? 
I always say we live in the perfect vacation spot, so we never have to go on
vacation. But I enjoy visiting other parts of the world. I would truly love
to visit Australia and New Zealand. It is the long plane ride that keeps us
from going. My hubby and I have talked about doing a long cruise to
Australia after we retire. (Jenny here the flight may seem long but its 
not that bad. If you did a bus trip in the States many of them are longer than
the flight. and you could break the trip in Hawaii.)

10. If you could have a meal with 3 living people who would you choose and

why? 

I know most people would choose someone famous, but I'm not really into
sharing a meal with famous people that I don't know, so I would choose my
three brothers. We don't see each other very often because we live far
apart, and we are very seldom all together at one time. It would be a treat
for the four of us to sit down and share a meal.

Finally can you tell us about your current books and/or any that will be
coming out soon. Also where we can find you on the web.

www.merrilleewhren.com
My current Love Inspired book is MONTANA MATCH. It takes place on a Montana
ranch and features a minor secondary character from my previous book, LOVE
WALKED IN. The heroine of MONTANA MATCH was a teenager in LOVE WALKED IN.
Here is a blurb:


Nanny to six-year-old twin girls isn't exactly the position Brittany Gorman
is looking for. But she needs a job. And the twins' struggling single dad,
rancher Parker Watson, needs all the help he can get. Soon Brittany is not
only assisting with the girls, but also helping Parker make peace with his
past. It seems Brittany's finally found a place to belong. And with two
little matchmakers on the loose, there's no telling what the future holds.
As her time on the ranch runs out, can Brittany and Parker find the strength
to face that future--together?