The below posts are examples of Marlene Sanchez’s writing. If you would like to hire Marlene for a project, please use the contact page.
The Fear of Submission
Hooray! You finished your masterpiece. Now what do you want to do with it? Put it away?! You can’t do that! You have to show it off. There are people waiting to read it. You worked hard to finish it, and it deserves some recognition. Of course it does! Don’t argue with me! As writers, we’re our own worst critics. We don’t think our work is good enough, so we bust our butts then hide it away in a drawer. I felt the same way with my novel. I had too many emotions running through me at the same time. Excitement, fear, nerves, elation. ...
read more5-Minute Memoir: Juggling Life, Work, School, and Writing
Life sometimes takes on the same traits as a juggling act at the circus. I’m sure I am not the only mom out there trying to do too much at one time. It hasn’t been easy trying to get my life together as I have gotten older. I am a full-time wife and mom of two wonderful boys who happen to be 19 and almost 8. Yes, you read correctly, my eight year old is the second marriage surprise, but he is the life in my soul. I also work full-time, and my hours are not always completely set in stone. On top of all, that I have returned to school to...
read moreBlack Widow Excerpt
CHAPTER ONE His breathing became shallower as she set her drink on the table in front of him. She could sense his panic as she raised her eyes to look into his eyes. Her lip curled up ever so slightly as she looked into his glassy stare. She heard him gasp for air. She leaned forward, still fixed on his face. “Is it getting harder to breathe for you, baby?” The man stared back at her, his eyes wide as saucers as he continued to gasp for air. “This is what happens when you piss off the...
read more“Firsts” are Only the Beginning…
I don’t remember my first taste of steak, but my mother does, and she’s told the story so many times it feels like memory. I was only two and we lived in Hopatcong, NJ at the time, and were visiting my (maternal) grandmother in NYC. My parents were eating dinner and fed me a small piece of steak. Now, here’s the thing, I wasn’t really too keen on solid food yet. I would always spit it out, so I don’t know what possessed them to try a piece of steak of all things. They thought they were triumphant since I didn’t spit it right back...
read moreThe Novel That Almost Wasn’t
Talking about myself has never come easy. I just always feel like I come off as conceited, so I’m pretty sure I will never find the need to write my autobiography. I just don’t think I’m all that interesting, though some people think I’m hilarious… Go figure! Through my soul searching for a topic, I thought of a story that I would probably share with my own creative writing class if I was the instructor. I hope my little bit of inspiration is enough to keep others motivated to grasp that brass ring. Or as Ed McMahon used to stay at the end of...
read moreGambling, Betting, and Secrets… Oh My!
Organized crime and gambling of all kinds have gone hand in hand for decades. The most obvious and recognized of course being Las Vegas casinos. How many movies and TV shows have depicted the well-dressed “wise guy”, usually in the most extravagant hotel casino, running the whole thing? The most popular and well known being Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo’s 1972 film, the Godfather. Organized crime is not a fictitious plot to watch on the big screen; it is real and revolves around everyday life more than people probably care to admit....
read moreEnglish and Literature Will Not be the Death of You
Everyone has their own passion in life, and sometimes your passion may get a frown of confusion, or a questioning look of “really?”. Who we are and who we want to be is something you free from your heart, but not everyone sees it the same way you do. Throughout my years I have discovered that there are many people out there who are completely confused by my love for writing. The problem starts in school the moment an English teacher gives a writing assignment, and all the students moan like wounded animals. My confusion…...
read moreSpecial Delivery
Tracey Marigold looked at the stack of invoices in front of her. Today was delivery day. She knew Sam, her regular UPS driver, would be there at any time with her weekly packages. Selling ‘Magnifique’ cosmetics had turned into a full time job for her. The demand had risen over the last year and now she couldn’t get her products in fast enough. Her delivery schedule had quickly changed from once a month to once a week. It was amazing. Tracey’s house was the last stop on Sam’s route. At five-thirty on the dot her doorbell rang. Smiling as she...
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