Featured Writer: Marilyn Pellini

BIOGRAPHY

A native of Providence, and graduate of the University of Rhode Island, Marilyn Pellini was a teacher in both Providence and Katonah, New York, where she currently lives. A dedicated community volunteer, she was president of the local PTA, the Katonah Village Improvement Society, and the Women’s Civic Club of Katonah. Her poetry and articles have been published in Westchester Parent, Bay State Parent, and On the Water magazine. She wrote for Brick Magazine and currently writes for the Katonah/Lewisboro Times. Taking first place in a writing contest sponsored by the Women’s Clubs of New York State, she presented her book at their convention in Albany.

INTERVIEW

confetti: Who or what inspired you to write?
Marilyn Pellini (MP): When my husband, Al, died in a bizarre fishing accident, I was overcome with sadness but also with anger. I began writing him nasty notes about how could he have taken the foolish chances he did, and thus “going” and leaving me behind. I was the one who had 12 operations and two extremely serious cancers—I was supposed to, and definitely expected to, go first. How was I to navigate this horrible new status?

confetti: How would you characterize your writing style? 
(MP): Since I do not write fiction, my style makes me want to be clear, simple, and concise. If ever there is a chance for a touch of humor, I enjoy adding that to lighten my sometimes heavy subject matter. (Death being about as weighty as one can get.)

confetti: Who is your favorite writer, and why?
(MP): I really enjoy reading eclectically, so do not have a favorite author. Subject matter and style are much more important to me than reading all by one specific person.

confetti: What are you currently reading?
(MP): The title is: All the beauty in the world. Very different than much of what I have read recently. It is the true story of a young man who takes a job as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of art and stays for many years. Simultaneously, I am delving into Ask Not which is about John F Kennedy’s famous inauguration speech. The book before those two was historical fiction titled, The Paris Architect.

confetti: What are your three favorite books? 
(MP): Very seldom do I read fiction. Never do I do mysteries. My favorite genre is biographies or anything that I can learn something from. That being said, my very favorite of all time was Gone with the Wind. My next top choice, The Women, followed by Anne of Green Gables. Ever, ever so many more could be added to this list. All of these mentioned I realize seem to go against my favorite genre. Anne was a surprising choice for me, because I read it as an adult. My husband and I visited the Anne of Green Gables author’s cottage in Canada and bought a copy of the book for our then three-year-old granddaughter. Since it would be a while before she got to it, I read it aloud to Al while we drove along the beautiful Canadian byways. We both loved it!

confetti: What are your three favorite movies?
(MP): Since I have only watched, in my life, four movies over a second time or even third time, I’d have to make my list four long instead of three. They are: Gone with the Wind, Pretty Woman, Mash, and Dirty Dancing.

confetti: What is your favorite song of all time?
(MP): Now mind you, I was married many, many years ago, and asked that our first dance together be to “Hawaiian Wedding Song.” The words were so beautiful and meaningful, and although we could not afford to go to Hawaii for our honeymoon, we did spend one winter there upon retiring, staying on the three primary islands each for a two week period.

confetti: What advice would you give to young writers?
(MP): 1. Stick with it!
2. Ask people you love and trust to read your work, and ask them if they would give you their truthful comments in writing.
3. Study carefully numerous grammar textbooks.
4. Revise, revise, revise.
5. Avoid using too many contractions and watch for long run-on sentences. Be careful of your paragraphing too.

ABOUT WRITING DEAR AL

        The thought of ever writing anything at all never entered my head. Writing something useful and needed was very far afield for me. My book just seemed to evolve. I lost my dear husband, Al, in a bizarre fishing accident. Authorities attributed his death to drowning.

        At first, I wrote nasty, mean, terribly sad letters to him, almost always commencing with the same first sentence, “How could you go and leave me behind?” In fact, that question was my original title for the book, but my publisher preferred, Dear Al, A Widow’s Struggles and Remembrances, which I came up with as an alternate on the spur of the moment.

        I was definitely supposed to go first, because I have had 11 operations, two of which were very serious cancers. That is obviously not what happened. God must still have something left for me to do here. I just hope He gives me a hint or clue soon as to what that is. (I do belong to five women’s clubs and even at my age—old—I try to do my share.)

        I believe my book can be helpful to both widows and widowers, and I make sure I bring a signed copy to each wake and funeral. Those who have lost a dear one tell me they have read it over many times, relieved to know they are not crazy, just deep in mourning.

        So here I share a few letters from Dear Al. They are part of a larger story—one that I hope will bring others hope and comfort in their times of hopelessness and grief.

PUBLICATIONS

JOURNALISM

“Out of the Mouths of Babes” published in Katonah/Lewisboro Times

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