Being the Hallmark aficionado that I am, I am always excited when another Hallmark book comes out. While Love Locks was not a beloved movie of mine, I was excited to jump in and savor the magic I knew Cory Martin would bring to this storyline. While I expected nothing less than exemplary, Cory exceeded my expectations, and she was also gracious enough to agree to a quick interview so that my readers and I could appreciate and acknowledge her as a well-respected writer and an inspirational individual.
RH: Why did you decide to pursue a writing career?
CM: I went to college with an undeclared major. I had always loved writing, but I didn’t even think of it as a possible career. Then during one of the general ed classes, I was supposed to write a very dry report, but instead, I turned it into a creative writing assignment. The teacher was impressed and I discovered that I could major in Creative Writing. That’s when I realized being a writer wasn’t just a dream of writing the great American novel one day; it could be a legitimate career. I’ve been pursuing it ever since I declared my major.
I notice you have some pretty amazing educational credits. Please tell us about those and how you think they helped you prepare for a writing career.
I studied Creative Writing at the University of Southern California. I had many amazing professors from T.C Boyle, to Aimee Bender, to David St. John and Carol Muske Dukes, but the best part about going to school at USC and in Los Angeles was that I wasn’t simply limited to classes on fiction or poetry. I took songwriting and learned how to write a screenplay. I even took a class on writing solo performance pieces—monologues to be exact. So my writing experience was never limited. Also, during the summer before my senior year of college, I was accepted into an exchange program at Cambridge University in England. There, I didn’t do much writing, but I studied literature at a university where many great writers had once studied themselves. The best part was The Orchard. It was about a forty-five-minute walk from campus, but it was this little spot in the woods where you could order tea and sit amongst the trees. It was also where Virginia Woolf and other famous luminaries like Bertrand Russell would go to discuss their ideas back in the day. That experience solidified my dream to be a writer one day.
You have done some writing for TV. How did that come about and is it something you hope to do more of in the future?
During my first job out of college, I was the assistant to a producer at a production company. That company, Wonderland Sound and Vision, went on to produce the TV show The OC. I had been working there for three years then, and they knew I was trying to be a writer. I worked hard at my job—doing everything from getting coffee, to adding my ideas to their pitches, to writing up pitch materials, to proofreading and editing documents—that they finally gave me my shot at writing on The OC. I would love to write for TV again, especially now that there are so many different avenues for streaming TV and so many different shows. It’d be great to be a part of that world again.
Before writing for Hallmark, you’ve had a notable writing career. Please give us a brief overview of these other writings of yours.
As I mentioned, I wrote several episodes of the hit FOX show The OC. Then was asked by Scholastic to pen three novels based on that show. From there, I went on to write the documentary Titans of Yoga and the book Yoga For Beginners. In 2016, my memoir Love Sick was published. I am currently working on another yoga book and in the past year, I have ghostwritten ten other non-fiction books.
How did you come to write for Hallmark? Who chose Love Locks for you to write–Hallmark or you or both?
I was introduced to Stacey Donovan, the editor at Hallmark, through a writing group I’m part of. She read some of my samples and decided that Love Locks would be a great fit based on the kind of writing I’d done in the past.
Before writing for Hallmark, were you a Hallmark fan? Had you seen Love Locks prior to writing it?
Of course! Who doesn’t love Hallmark? I hadn’t actually seen Love Locks prior to writing it, but I was in love with it once I did.
What was the best part of writing this novelization, and what was most challenging?
The best part was adding the epilogue at the end. I don’t know about you, but whenever I finish watching a Hallmark movie, I always want to know what happens after the closing credits. After spending so much time with these characters, it was fun to create that other ending and give the characters a life after the movie. The hardest part was holding back and not writing every little thought that every character had. I wanted to dive into each of their lives and really show the reader how they all lived internally, but unfortunately, that’s not the way the convention of these novels works.
Any other upcoming writings/works you can mention?
As mentioned, I am ghostwriting several books right now, and I am working on another yoga book. I also have a screenplay I’m trying to get optioned and am always on the lookout for interesting projects to get involved with.
Yoga is something else you are passionate about. How did you get started with yoga, and why do you feel it is an important discipline?
I started doing yoga a little over ten years ago. I originally started it as a way to get back in shape after working crazy hours at my job in TV. But, I fell in love with the practice and I started to see how it can affect every part of your life. After about five years of practicing, I decided to become certified to teach. I’ve been teaching ever since and find it’s a good complement to a life as a writer because it allows me to interact with others instead of sitting alone at home on my computer all day.
Have you ever visited Paris? If so, please tell us about that. If not, is it something you’d like to do? Why or why not?
I haven’t, but I’d love to go. I’ve always wanted to go, but after working on Love Locks, I’m completely obsessed with the idea of renting a bike and riding around the city all day. Stopping in a café for a croissant, then heading to another little café where I can grab a glass of wine and sit and read a book and people watch. It sounds like the best vacation ever.
Love Locks: Based on the Hallmark Channel Original Movie by Cory Martin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
When I first watched this film on Hallmark last year, I wasn’t overly excited about the characters. I absolutely adored the scenery and the locale (I love Paris), but it wasn’t a top film for me. It had its moments, but it was almost a forgettable movie for me.
Upon first hearing that Hallmark was publishing a novelization of the movie, I initially despaired. I wasn’t a massive fan of the movie, so why would I find this book intriguing? But like any good reviewer, I went into the reading of this book with my mind open. And I’m happy to report that was the best possible way to approach this book.
As I began to read this book, I found that perhaps I had initially misjudged the story. The author did an incredible job of setting the stage and detailing much information about the characters and their backstories. I found that because I had only seen the movie once, I had forgotten so much. The more I read, the more the story drew me in. I found myself adoring each of the characters and understanding their motivations. In fact, while I have not seen the movie again since reading this novelization, I already find myself predisposed to give the movie another chance and watch it from a different perspective.
Rarely would I ever state that a novelization is better than a movie. Perhaps I’d consider reviewing them equally. But my highest praise goes to Cory Martin and Hallmark Publishing for altering my perspective on a Hallmark movie because of this exceptionally-written book. I never found myself wanting for more action; the pace of the story was ideal. The characters were three-dimensional, and I found myself invested in each of the love stories. I greatly anticipate the next time I have the opportunity to watch this movie. While I always loved the actors who portrayed the characters, I was not immersed in the movie. But now as a result of the book, I can honestly declare that I will never view any portions of this movie or book in a negative light.
With an impressive resume and multifaceted skills, Cory provides a well-rounded experience to those who are aware of her prowess and acumen. Not only does she write surpassingly brilliant novels and non-fiction works as well, but she also makes it a priority to live a healthy, pansophic lifestyle. I sincerely doubt there is any kind of writing she cannot accomplish, and I am grateful that Hallmark entrusted her with one of their cherished stories which she expertly transformed into a highly-recommended novelization. I sincerely hope that the powers that be at Hallmark will continue to utilize her skills, and it would be an extra bonus if they decided to use her abilities in other departments such as screenwriting (hint, hint!). As far as I’m concerned, Cory is an ideal fit with Hallmark, but then again, I have an idea she is such an extraordinary person that she would probably fit in just about anywhere.
Therefore, I invite all my readers to check out Cory’s links and consider purchasing a copy of Love Locks (all links are listed below). And remember, all books are available in print as well as ebooks, so there should be something that will appeal to all readers. Furthermore, any author who can induce me to fall in love with a story about which I was ambivalent when first exposed to it…that’s one author I recommend superlatively!
FOLLOW CORY MARTIN
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What a wonderful career she’s had
