Leo, Mabel R. 1937-

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LEO, Mabel R. 1937-

(Mabel Maglone Leo)

PERSONAL: Born June 30, 1937, in Sailor Springs, IL; divorced, 1965; widowed, 1988. Ethnicity: "Irish."

ADDRESSES: Home—1274 East Avenida Hermosa, Phoenix, AZ 85014-2910; fax: 602-266-7364. E-mail— mibbles@att.net.

CAREER: Writer.

MEMBER: National Association of Women Writers, Romance Writers of America, Arizona Authors Association, Arizona Book Publishing Association, Phoenix Writers Club.

AWARDS, HONORS: Short story prizes from Society of Southwestern Authors for "Christmas Secrets" and "Mushrooms at Seven."

WRITINGS:

The Saga of Jack Durant (biography), MIBS Publishing (Phoenix, AZ), 1998.

America—the Italian Dream: Life the Italian Way in the U.S.A., MIBS Publishing (Phoenix, AZ), 1998.

(Under name Mabel Maglone Leo) Deadly Choices (novel; second volume of a trilogy), MIBS Publishing (Phoenix, AZ), 2002.

Other books include Dear Sweetheart, the first volume of a trilogy of novels (under the name Mabel Maglone Leo), Because We Are Friends, a collection of short stories, essays, and memoirs, and Yahoodywho?, a children's book, illustrated by Neil Strickland, all published by MIBS Publishing (Phoenix, AZ). Author of "Ethnic Cuisine," "Hints from Helpful Hanna," "Mystery Couple," and "Poem of the Month," weekly columns for local newspaper in New Port Richey, FL. Contributor to periodicals, including Arizona Senior World.

WORK IN PROGRESS: Dark Secrets, a novel, the third volume of a trilogy, under the name Mabel Maglone Leo; Yahoodywho Too!, a sequel to Yahoodywho?

SIDELIGHTS: Mabel R. Leo told CA: "What is my primary motivation for writing? When I discovered the pencil and that with it I could make marks on paper, it was pure magic. Then I learned about words and now, as a young friend who had just read my children's book recently told me, 'You're the lady who put the words on the paper.' She summed up my goal in life. I'm the lady who puts the words on the paper. I can be anyone, go anywhere, do whatever I want. Pure magic.

"Who or what influences my writing? Everyone and everything about me. I try to be aware of what other people take little notice of and then use it to surprise my readers. The first book, The Saga of Jack Durant, was brought to my attention by friends who had been frequenting this man's restaurant for over thirty years, always on Monday, at 11:30 a.m., lunching in booth 21. The research revealed a much more dangerous man than anyone suspected. The second book, America—the Italian Dream: Life the Italian Way in the U.S.A., was for my late husband, a first-generation Italian American. He wanted to write the true culture of Italians in America but wasn't given the time, so I did it for him.

"Yahoodywho?, my children's book, was also influenced by my husband. He lost his voice to cancer and missed most singing and laughing out loud. My lion had lost his roar; thus, the story of the lion king who loses his roar.

"Because We Are Friends came from memories of my childhood, the small town where I was born, my great-grandmother's wisdom, and my visit to Ireland, land of my ancestors. The book includes the stories 'Christmas Secrets,' a memory of Christmas alone with Grandma, and 'Mushrooms at Seven,' a short story of romance in Ireland.

"Then my first adult romance book, Dear Sweetheart, the story of the dangers in rekindling a romance after thirty years, spawned a series of romance and suspense. Not only have I moved from one genre to another, I am now using the name Mabel Maglone Leo, instead of Mabel R. Leo. The stories in the romance-suspense series move from a setting in Arizona to my hometown of Sailor Springs, Illinois, where the Maglone name is well known."