Pearle Munn Bishop

Pearle Munn Bishop’s home has always been filled with books, stacks of them.  Pearle is a true Tar Heel as her father was born in Tar Heel, North Carolina. Most of her youth was spent in Tamahawk, in eastern North Carolina.  When she was 14, she wrote a weekly column for a local newspaper and was paid in a free subscription. 

During World War 11, she worked in Baltimore at Glen L. Martin Aircraft. She met Lyle, and they were married three weeks later.  Even when her husband’s Air Force career took the family to live in England, Germany, Japan as well as locations in the United States, the books travelled along with other household goods.  Their five children changed schools more times than she can count on two hands.  She has a nursing degree and used some of that knowledge in her novel. They retired and moved to the mountains of North Carolina, working as ski patrollers at Sugar Mountain Resort.

Welcome to the blog, Pearle.

Thank you so much, Susan.

Tell us about Cleo's Oak.

Cleo’s Oak:   Cleo, a psychic midwife from the 1800s channels her life story through Willow, an egotistical, contemporary sixteen-year-old girl.
x Does a mystical Celtic spirit live in Cleo’s oak?
x Are there really magic circles?
x Can a butterfly lead you out of deep despair?
x Can the dead tell their story through channelers?
            Cleo’s Oak contains answers to all of these questions plus sex, birth, death, marriage, war, religion, adultery and perhaps murder.
            Everyone that ever had a grandmother should read this book. You will agree that across time, human values have not changed.

I know you're the mother of Maggie Bishop, who writes fiction and went to East Carolina University about the same time I did. She obviously picked up your writing gene. Where do you live, and how has your environment affected your writing?

Yes, Maggie is my daughter. My current home is in Appalachian Brian Estates, a retirement home in Boone, North Carolina.  From my windows I see the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, clouds in the sky, birds, vapor trails, stars, moon and forest, all of which inspire me to write.  My heavy housework is done by the staff, my meals are prepared for me.  When I leave my rooms to be with other people, I find that each person has a life story and most of them want to tell it.  I am a good listener.  Unless invited, very few residents enter other people’s room.  Therefore, I have lots of uninterrupted time to write.

Sounds good to me, and I'll bet you've had lots of inspiration from other residents who've lived rich lives.

Do your characters take on a life of their own?

My character, Cleo in Cleo’s Oak, tells her story by channeling, most of the time I felt as though I just held the pen.

What do you think is the greatest lesson you’ve learned about writing so far?

The greatest lesson I learned from writing this book is that, for me, writing is fun.  Rewriting is work.  My advice for new writers is to get it down.  Clean it up later.

Can you tell us your future writing projects?

The manuscript on which I am now working features Lily who lives in Indiana, Virginia, Switzerland and the wilds of Scotland.  Somehow I do not believe this story will be channeled.  Therefore, I would like to visit the above places for research. 

Hey, call me! lol. Maybe Maggie and I "help".

Where can we find your books?

Cleo’s Oak Kindle http://dld.bz/CleosOakKindle

Cleo’s Oak Amazon Paperback http://dld.bz/CleosOakPaperback

Free 1^st chapter http://wp.me/ptCd3-2pZ 

Amazon Author Page http://dld.bz/authorpagepearlemunnbishop  

Pearle, I wish you the very best with your writing. Give Maggie a big hug for me. I hope to meet you  the next time I'm in the Boone area.