It’s A Book Thing Presents: An Interview with Linda Murphy Marshall, author of Immersion: A Linguist's Memoir

Author’s Bio: Linda Murphy Marshall has a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literature and an MFA in Creative Writing. She was a multi-linguist for the government for 30 years, working with more than a dozen languages, going on dangerous work assignments to Africa. She worked as a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Maryland’s Center for Advanced Study of Language/CASL, a language think tank, specializing in African languages. 

Her 2022 memoir, Ivy Lodge: A Memoir of Translation and Discovery received a starred review from Kirkus. Her second memoir, Immersion: A Linguist’s Memoir, was published in 2024. She is an Associate for the National Museum of Language and a docent at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Her essays have appeared in more than two dozen publications, including the Los Angeles Review, Dorothy Parker’s Ashes, The Catamaran Literary Reader, Maryland Literary Review, Brevity’s Nonfiction Blog, and elsewhere.

 

Deliah Lawrence: Who or what inspired you to become an author?

Linda Murphy Marshall: I’ve always been obsessed with languages, with words: First English, then — believe it or not — Pig Latin, then foreign languages, so writing came as a natural outgrowth of my love of language. And I’m an avid reader, so I’d read a favorite book and think, “Maybe I could do that! Write a book!”

 

DL: How do you overcome the challenges of writer’s block?

LMM: I have two timers: one that counts up, and a Pomodoro timer that I can set to an hour, for example, to count down. It helps me to have something concrete or I can become undisciplined. I also manage writer’s block by joining writers’ groups, particularly ones that are generative in nature, where they give you a prompt to get your creative juices flowing.

 

DL: What is your writing process like?

LMM: I write my first draft — of a book or an essay — fairly quickly, and then I review it multiple times, tweaking it here and there, writing multiple drafts before the final work. I also read it out loud when I -think- I’m finished, and that uncovers a multitude of “sins.” In addition, I’ll use the CONTROL and FIND function on my computer to ensure that I’m not repeating words like “and,” “very” “so,” etc.

 

DL: Is there a specific author or book that influenced you significantly, either growing up or as an adult?

LMM: When I was still “just” an avid reader and not yet a writer, I read Anna Quindlen’s books Living Out Loud (1988) and Thinking Out Loud (1993), both books a series of essays. These books inspired me because they showed me that, even if you’re writing nonfiction, it can be interesting, beautifully-written, and not boring or dry.

 

DL: What is the most valuable piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?

LMM: The most valuable advice I’ve ever received is to not give up: don’t give up if your work is not accepted by journals or publishers. Don’t give up when you get that isolated bad review for your book. Don’t give up when you/re having a bad day and can’t seem to write a decent sentence. Just keep on keeping on: ignore the naysayers and your own lack of self-confidence, and keep writing.

 

DL: If you were hosting a dinner party which three authors, past or present, who would be your dream guests and why?

LMM: Anna Quindlen, Ann Patchett, and Anne Tyler! All derivatives of “Anne!”  I love their writing: beautiful and intelligent, and have read most everything they’ve each written. It would definitely be an interesting dinner party.

 

DL: What strategies do you use to successfully market your book(s)?

LMM: I pay attention to what other authors are doing, and I read about strategies: book signings, library talks, interviews, book festivals. It requires you to pay attention to what’s going on, yet to see where you feel comfortable. If you’re not comfortable in large groups, don’t put that on your to-do list. And I have to prepare myself for the inevitable rejection; not every bookstore, library, university, etc. will want you to give a talk/do a reading. It’s okay. Don’t take it personally.

 

DL: What tips or resources would you recommend for aspiring writers?

LMM: I’d recommend, first and foremost, that writers read as much as they can, especially in the genre in which they plan to write, but not exclusively. I’d also recommend that they develop a network of fellow writers to give each other feedback and ideas for being in this always-challenging field. Writing can be a lonely business so it’s good to have a cadre of kindred souls to bond with or — depending on the case — to commiserate with. 

I would also recommend being in a small group of fellow writers (people you trust), to share your work with. I’m in a group with two other women, and we share our work every month. Their feedback is invaluable, especially since sometimes you’re too close to what you’re writing to see mistakes or things that don’t work.

 

DL: What is your favorite quote or passage from a book?

LMM: My favorite quote is by Calvin Coolidge, about persistence: “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and dedication alone are omnipotent.”

 

DL:  Would you like to share an excerpt from Immersion?

LMM: Sure, here's an excerpt from Immersion: A Linguist’s Memoir:

 

“At some point, my new colleagues vanished…. I remained alone in the decimated embassy. I didn’t hear a sound.

 

I needed to get out of this bombed-out building or I’d collapse in a pile of tears; they’d have to carry me out. I needed to stop looking at orphaned shoes, singed working aids, beat-up dictionaries identical to ones I used back in the States, the same drab gray metal desks and chairs, the same metal coat racks, lamps, the same government-issue wall clocks…. Except that here everything lay in pieces or had been twisted, uprooted, bent out of shape or stood at an odd angle, even unrecognizable in some cases.

 

The sun peeked through open chinks in the wall as though intent on offering some measure of optimism in an otherwise depressing building…..I wanted to sit down on the floor next to one of these twisted desks and cry: for the Kenyans and Americans who’d died here, but also for my father, whom I’d never see again. My emotions were all mixed together in a heaping pot of self-pity and hopelessness.”

 

Note: Readers can get more information here:

• Website: https://lindamurphymarshall.com
• Instagram: @LindaMurphy Marshall
• Book Buy Links: Barnes & Noble; Amazon; Bethany Beach Books; Ivy Bookshop 

DL: Thank you so much for joining me today. I’m sure my readers will enjoy learning more about you and your work.

 

LMM: Thanks so much!