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"A Family Tradition for 127 Years" / "Undertow" now available Former museum curator Mary Lynne Williamson - PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, October 19,1993 - 19 Get set for fall to the tune of just ... ET -- i eA a oA publishes mystery novel By Julia Dempsey Port Perry Star Mary Lynne Williamson's nights are filled with passion andintrigue. A waitress by day, the 27- year-old spends her evenings locked up with her computer Yriting romantic mystery nov- els. Ms. Williamson, who served as the curator at Scugog Shores Museum Village from 1988-90, told the Port Perry Star she has always enjoyed writing. But it took a bet with her sis- ter Kathryn for her to pursue her hobby as a career. After showing her sister a first chapter of yet another pos- sible book in March of 1988, Kathryn gave her younger sib- ling an ultimatum: Finish the book by Labor Day and she would take her out for an expen- sive dinner. If not, Ms. William- son would have to take her sis- terout. "She wanted to go to a place where the meals were $300 a plate," Ms. Williamson said. "I couldn't afford not to finish the book." Completing "Undertow", a 187-page romantic mystery set in Nova Scotia, turned out to be the easy part. As an unknown writer, finding a publisher proved to be more difficult. "I had given myself until I was 30 to have something pub- lished," she said, adding she planned to rethink a career in writing if she had not accom- plished her goal by then. But the news Ms. Williamson had been hoping for came in January of this year when Ava- lon, a New York-based publish- ing firm, accepted her novel. It was published in the spring. Avalon officials were im- pressed with her work and con- tracted Ms. Williamson to write another romantic mystery. "The Gemini Game", set on a thor- oughbred horse farm in South Carolina, will be published in time for Christmas. The writer has also completed another novel, "Mariana", which is set in England. Avalon is not interested in the book be- cause of its length. At 450 pages, "Mariana" is more than double the length of Avalon's 200-page limit, Ms. Williamson said. The "Mariana" manuscript is presently being considered by Trans World, a publishing firm in England. Ms. Williamson is now start- ing her fourth novel tentatively titled "The Splendur Falls." It will be set in Chinon, France. When the Star spoke with Ms. Williamson last week, she had Just returned from a two-week 'research trip to France. MARY LYNNE WILLIAMSON "I have visited all the loca- tions in my books," Ms. William- son said. "It's hard to write about a place unless you've been there." While visiting the locations, she takes a lot of photographs, asks a lot of questions, and re- searches the history of the area. "All of my novels are set in the present day, but they usually have an element of history add- ed to them," Ms. Williamson said. History is important to the former curator. When selecting a pen name, Ms. Williamson chose Susanna Kearsley, a com- bination of her great-great- grandmothers' names. Ms. Williamson decided to use a pseudonym because of the length of her name and to avoid any confusion that may arise be- tween her and Mary Anne Wil- liamson, another published au- thor. After leaving the Scugog Shores Museum Village and Port Perry in late 1990, Ms. Wil- liamson returned to Port Elgin to help her parents run their bed and breakfast operation. She said her present four- day-a-week schedule at Kleo's Family Restaurant helps pay the bills while still allowing her plenty of time to write. "I have to do some writing every day," Ms. Williamson said, adding she keeps a log of how many hours she writes and how many pages she completes each day. "I am a terrible procrastina- tor,soifIlook at mylogandI see I haven't done much writing lately, I feel incredibly guilty. Guiltis a great motivator." Ms. Williamson also edits the Ontario Museum Association's annual journal. "It has kept my thumb in the museum pie," she said. ON OCTOBER 25, VOTE Alex Shepherd Wd iberal Authorized by Ted Rytwinski, Official Agent for Alex Shepherd. an 4 CYLINDER........ $59.95 ~ 6 CYLINDER....... $69.95 ...... 8 CYLINDER........ $89.95 ...... Our complete trouble-shooting tune-up includes: installing spark plugs adjusting timing, belts SSNS checking distributor cap, spark plug wires and carburetor linkage checking cooling system, hoses, PCV valve, air and fuel filters 10% OFF ALL PARTS. Remember -- an out-of-tune engine loses efficiency and uses more fuel Tune-up today! WINTERIZING v Pressure Test Cooling System & Rad. 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