Margaret Dilloway has been a writer ever since she learned how to write. In high school she was a California Arts Scholar in creative writing and she won a National Council of Teachers of English writing award. She practiced writing in a variety of forms, such as being a theater critic and a contributing editor for two weekly newspapers, doing technical writing, and writing plays, before publishing three critically acclaimed books for adults: How to Be an American Housewife, The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns, and Sisters of Heart and Snow. Her research for Momotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters included a trip to Japan and a samurai sword-fighting class. Dilloway lives in southern California with her husband, three children, and a goldendoodle named Gatsby.From Dilloway's Q & A with Deborah Kalb:
Q: Sisters of Heart and Snow follows women in two different time periods. How did you come up with the idea for the book and for its structure?Visit Margaret Dilloway's website and blog.
A: My mother was from a samurai family so I knew I wanted to write something along those lines. I looked up "samurai women" and found Tomoe Gozen, who lived in the 12th century, and wanted to write about her. She was a female captain, said to be the best archer in Japan, an incredible swordswoman, and...[read on]
Coffee with a Canine: Margaret Dilloway and Gatsby.
My Book, The Movie: The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns.
The Page 69 Test: The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns.
My Book, The Movie: Sisters of Heart and Snow.
The Page 69 Test: Momotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters.
My Book, The Movie: Momotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters.
Writers Read: Margaret Dilloway.
--Marshal Zeringue