Interview with Mary Langford, Editor for Author Meryl Hershey Beck’s Book, Loss, Survive, Thrive: Bereaved Parents Share Their Stories of Healing and Hope

Hello,

I’m pleased to bring you this interview with Mary Langford, editor for Author Meryl Hershey Beck’s book, Loss, Survive, Thrive: Bereaved Parents Share Their Stories of Healing and Hope (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019).

Please enjoy!

Best,

Vincent Lowry

Interview

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?
My name is Mary Langford. I live in Cincinnati, OH

2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?
I am a writer/ghostwriter/editor. While I’ve not yet authored a book, I’m extremely proud of the developmental editing and editing I did for Author Meryl Hershey Beck’s book, Loss, Survive, Thrive: Bereaved Parents Share Their Stories of Healing and Hope (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019).

3) What is the book about? 
It’s a compilation book about grief containing stories by 27 parents who have lost a child, survived, and gone on to thrive.

4) Where did you come up with the idea?
I didn’t; Meryl did. After she lost her 35-year-old son Jonathan to suicide in 2011, Meryl found books about grief lacking the kind of comfort and hope she was needing. It was during a conversation with her best friend, Robin, a few years later that the idea of Loss, Survive, Thrive was conceived.

5) How long did it take you to write/edit it?
When I first came on board as editor, Meryl asked me to also help develop some of the stories. Including Meryl, only 7 of the book’s contributors were published authors, so it took close to 8 months before Meryl and I were happy with the manuscript she’d be turning in to the publisher.

6) Did you learn anything from the project?
Yes. The death of a child is not only survivable, it’s possible to be happy in life again, and thrive.

7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
The website for the book is losssurvivethrive.com. My website is TheWriteMary.com.

8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to other authors?
I stay in close touch with my clients throughout the editing process. It’s my goal to ensure that every author with whom I work comes away from our time together a better writer.

9) What genres do you like to read?
My favorite genre is biography, including autobiography. I also enjoy reading nonfiction books about recovery and spiritual matters.

10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? 

Sidney Sheldon’s Master of the Game. Before I got hired by Mr. Sheldon in 2001 as his personal assistant, I had not been an avid novel reader. At the time, I was much more familiar with his work as creator of three of my favorite TV series – The Patty Duke Show, I Dream of Jeannie, and Hart to Hart. I hadn’t understood the true meaning of “page turner” until I took a
copy of Sidney’s book, Master of the Game, home to read. When I dragged myself into work a day and a half later, he wondered what had happened to me. “You kept me up all night!” I shouted. Though the book was well over 500 pages long, I could not put it down. I don’t remember stopping to eat and barely got any sleep. It was then that I realized how compelling
great novels are, especially those written by the Master Storyteller himself. Working for my beloved Sidney Sheldon changed the trajectory of my life.

11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?
I don’t have any pets of my own, but I get to be surrogate mom to the most amazing, loving, adorable cat I have ever known – Annie. She lives with me for four months each year while her parents winter in Arizona. Annie is white and black and the most precious little kitty in the
world.

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