It takes blood, sweat, and tears to draft out a story, let alone create and publish a novel. There are countless wanna-be authors, but very few actually make it from concept to finished product. Marguerite Nardon Gruen, is one of those authors.
Marguerite is a first-time author, whose idea for her novel came to her in in her sleep, quite literally. Her novel, "The Band 4 - The Air We Breathe" began as a dream. With hard work and dedication, Marguerite has turned that dream into a reality. The book, a very compelling, readable debut novel, tells the story of two people from completely different worlds who are brought together by something bigger than either one. Once they meet, their lives are changed forever. I recently asked her about her author’s journey and what it was like to write her first novel.
“The Air We Breathe” is your first novel. How did the idea for your story come to you
The Band 4 – The Air We Breathe happened by accident. I had a dream one night. Weeks later I couldn’t stop thinking about that dream. I felt it was trying to tell me something. I sat down and wrote it out so I wouldn’t forget any details of it. Then I kept expanding on the story. I thought about this couple Marguerite and Chase in my dream and what life could be like for them being that she was from Pennsylvania and he was from London and a part of the biggest band on the planet. In my dream they meet by chance. She is on a holiday in London having just escaped the grips of her strict overbearing parents and he is on the eve of resigning from his band. He is in turmoil because his band mates are one quarter of each other – not one quarter of the group. He knows it will kill them but doesn’t feel he can go on anymore. He is in a terrible place personally and professionally until he meets Marguerite. There is a supernatural aspect to the story. They can feel each-others emotions. They are both in the same coffee shop in London and she feels someone dripping with anxiety. It throws her because she doesn’t know anyone in London. She went to the coffee shop to read her book and relax. She goes to the clerk and asks what he is drinking because she pinpoints that distress to him and sees she is right. He is just sitting there staring at the table and at nothing. She asks the clerk to make what he is drinking in decaf – takes the drink to him and he immediately thinks – here comes a fan and he didn’t really want to speak to anyone. She slides the decaf coffee over to him and takes his coffee right from his hands – shocking him. She says to him very sympathetically/softly “I can feel your anxiety 6 tables away. You should stay away from caffeine”. This throws him too and before he knew it – he was following her to her table. She looks up and sees him standing there and invites him to sit down because it seemed like he wasn’t going to go away. That is the dream I had. In the coffee shop. I have no idea where that came from but it has been on my mind since the spring of 2015.
You’ve mentioned running home to write every day after getting off of work. Were you writing in secrecy or did your family and friends know of your soon-to-be new profession?
I wrote myself notes all day on thoughts I had about a new story or situation they could be in. Then at night I would write them all out. I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t know where I was going with the story. I knew I had to write it but never thought past that until I sent the manuscript to my sister Jeanine and she told me if I didn’t try and publish it I would always wonder ‘what if’. She loved it. I sent it to 2 other friends and they loved it too. I was blown away. I never wrote before. It seemed I just couldn’t stop thinking of this story. When I told my friends and family I wrote a book they were floored. They couldn’t believe it and they were shocked because I didn’t let on to anyone what I was doing. My neighbor asked me one day – why my office light was on at 1 in the morning. I finally told her and she was shocked and happy for me also. So no one knew until I sent it to the publisher.
You have mentioned that writing was something you never dreamt of doing. What were your career aspirations growing up?
Truthfully – I thought I would just have a simple little job to help out at home and raise my children. It turns out my husband and I have no children and I have a great profession I love. I control inventories for major snack company across the US. It has never been my aspiration to be a writer. But something happened once I had that dream and it kind of woke me up. So far I have loved writing every word and when I read back a chapter to myself I just look at it and think – I just wrote that! I couldn’t believe it and I am the one that did it!
Why did you pick the rock world as the setting for the novel?
I actually dreamt that part of it. I dreamt he was in the biggest band on the planet. I don’t know where that came from. I love music but all kinds. I can listen to classical, rock, folk – all kinds. I also dreamt the supernatural aspect of it. I am a big fan of unusual and different. I loved writing that part of it.
Did the inspiration behind their love story come from your own personal life?
No not at all and I am not knocking my husband. He is great. We are married 36 years.
I would write a chapter and then add the romance part of it. I would put myself in her shoes and think – what would I like him to do during this issue or situation or vice versa. I think every woman fantasizes how romantically or royally she wants to be treated. Also, I want everyone to feel the love between the couple and the special bond they have with each other. It’s unbreakable and they truly cannot breathe without each other. When Chase was thinking of how he could explain how he felt about Marguerite – he felt saying I love you to her was not sufficient enough. Then one day he says to her ‘You are the very air I breathe’. He felt saying that - was stronger than I love you. So that was their term of endearment to each other.
What has surprised you the most about this experience?
I had no idea I could write a manuscript – turning it into a book. I look at it and just think – how did this happen? I don’t know where all of those thoughts came from and am still stunned I accomplished publishing a book.
The whole process is an experience. Finding a publisher, going through all of the processes. The most difficult part is getting the book out there. I am on social media allot and have joined some on-line book clubs and they have many members but not everyone needs another book to buy. It seems all of us self-publishers are in the same boat. We all ask each other the same questions. How do I get this out there and how much will it cost me? No one had a good answer about that one either. If you have a limited budget it is very difficult.
Which character of yours do you feel the closest to?
I feel close to Marguerite. I gave her an Italian heritage which is my decent. I wanted her to be the matriarch of the group probably because I am the oldest of 4 siblings. I have a sister and 2 brothers who have all supported me throughout this process. I wanted her to be the center of their family and friends and believe I have accomplished that. Everything comes full circle towards the end of the book. You will see why the band mates love her so much and in the next book ‘Ed’ you will see why the children mean as much to him as he means to them.
You’ve mentioned of there being a sequel in the works, focusing on the best friend character, Ed. What can readers expect with Ed’s story?
Keeping with the supernatural aspect of the book – Ed has a lot of that going on. He is a brother to Chase and Marguerite and you will find out why very quickly in the next book. Also, Ed is a very emotional book. It is a very loving story but also heartbreaking. You will meet Chase and Marguerite’s children again along with their spouses and their children. So everyone is back with a much bigger story.
I only wrote Ed because my family and friends keep asking me for more. They don’t want to stop reading about Chase and Marguerite. At the time – I was blank. I was so busy concentrating on “The Air We Breathe” that I hadn’t thought past it until everyone asked. Then one morning I woke and was thinking about Ed and thought – I could write his story. That is how that happened.
The third book is completed also. It will just be called Mam and Chase. It will be about their memories of things they went through with their children and just how difficult it was for Marguerite with Chase being on the road so much leaving her with their 5 children. There are allot of good stories told in that book along with the continuation of their lives.
What is your advice to writers or aspiring?
If you are on the wire about publishing your book – just do it. As my sister told me - you will always wonder “what if” and it would be terrible to think that for the rest of your life. That probably was the best advice I ever got.
To learn more about Marguerite and her debut novel, “ The Band 4 -The Air We Breathe,” visit her website: www.margueritegruen.com/
