Little Writer

November 29, 2022

Little Writer

by Marina Hill

GENRE: Historical Fiction

A retelling of the classic coming-of-age story Little Women through the intimate lens of Jo March.

It's 1862 and fifteen-year-old Jo March would rather be fighting in the war, like her papa, than improving her knitting skills on the home front. But societal conventions for the "gentle" woman-and her steadfast adoration for her three sisters-force Jo to stay behind and support the family, all the while rolling her eyes at Aunt March and daydreaming of becoming a famous author.

At home, love abounds in the March girls' lives in the form of family, friendship, patriotism, religion, and-to Jo's chagrin-romance. As each sister navigates their ascent into adulthood, Jo unwittingly ventures down a path of self-realization, using her gift of written prose to craft her voice, and thus, her truth. Perhaps, just maybe, she can strike balance between the freedom of independence and the warmth of partnership...

In this visionary adaptation, Little Writer tells the March sisters' timeless journey to womanhood with a multiracial cast of characters, reimagining history to include diverse communities without elaboration.

Excerpt:

When spring rolls around, my sisters and I love to stay outside.

One blossoming afternoon, while I’m in the coop to feed the chickens, I spot Laurie, Beth, and Amy around the redbud tree. Laurie latches onto a branch to shake the tree loose of any lingering magenta petals. Flowers begin raining on Beth and Amy, who lock hands and spin together. Their skirts fly about them and I smile at their girlish laughter.

Once I return to feeding the animals, Laurie appears behind me. “What d’you have there?”

“Teddy! Come in. I want you to meet my chicken, Aunt Cockle-top.” I point to her and, though Laurie enters the coop, he says far from the roaming animals.

“Please keep that from me,” he says, shaking some magenta flower petals from his curls as he skirts away.

“Don’t be afraid,” I exclaim, cleaning my hands on my linen apron before scooping up Aunt Cockle-top. She flaps her wings.

Teddy stumbles backward. “Jo!”

“She’s just a chicken. Face your fears!” I haul Aunt Cockle-top into the air toward him.

He yelps and loses his footing without trying to catch her. My chicken falls on top of him and he screeches, “She bit me!” to send me into a deep laughing fit.

“Josephine!” Marmee’s scolding voice startles me. My laughter is slow to dissipate as she brings a whimpering Laurie inside.

About the Author:

Marina Hill is a writer with a keen interest in all things undiscovered. She grew up in the New Jersey side of Philadelphia, watching Eagles games and roughhousing with her plethora of older brothers. She attended Baruch College in NYC and has over a dozen publications of her other works. If she isn’t daydreaming about her next story, she’s studying history or yearning to dash into the forest, build a farm, and never look back. Marina never lives in one spot for too long and loves to travel with her dog.

Q&A With the Author

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

This book brought me tremendous healing. I plan to rewrite Little Women from the perspective of all four sisters, but I relate to Jo the most. Taking her character and merging our experiences and emotions was a healing journey that helped me be much kinder to myself.

Do you have any other books you are working on that you can tell us about?

Like many authors, our debut novel is not the first novel we’ve written. I have a plethora of works in progress! However, I have two at the forefront. One is about two princesses—the Chosen Ones—who must stop a group of people trying to free an evil god. It takes place during ancient times in a fictional African-inspired country. The second one is about a stable girl who’s tasked with studying the once-extinct dragons because she’s the only one they will let near.

Can you tell us about what you have planned for the future?

Even though I’m in the seventh year of my writing career, I’m just getting started. I have many projects and plans, but the priority right now is Little Writer. I want to cherish this stage in my life and study how this novel reflects everything I’ve learned and everything I can improve. I’m never done learning.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been telling stories my whole life! I started writing as soon as I was taught and haven’t stopped since, but I began writing my first novel at thirteen.

Bookish platform links

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61022196-little-writer

Website https://themarinahill.com/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thepaintingauthor/

Purchase links

Barnes & Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/little-writer-marina-hill/1141470299?ean=9798986290805

KOBO

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/little-writer

Apple Books

https://books.apple.com/us/book/little-writer/id6442894240

Amazon