By Mylena C. Ferman
Since publishing her debut book in 2012, Maria DeVivo has balanced writing Amazon bestsellers, teaching middle schoolers and raising her daughter.
Maria writes three nights a week after school with the goal of 1,000 words per writing session. She is not as disciplined in every aspect of her life, but she takes pride in her primary job as a middle school language arts and journalism teacher.
Maria has encouraged her students to develop their writing voice for over 25 years.
“When I’m teaching, I have to give my kids my attention,” Maria said. “They deserve that.”
Due to her ‘old-school’ teaching style, students cannot take writing assignments home and must write them in class with pen and paper.
“I force them to write critically. I force them to write creatively, whether they like it or not,” she said.
While her first series, The Coal Elf Chronicles, was inspired by her students and written with young adults in mind, Maria wanted to take her writing career in a different direction and write something for the adults in her life. This decision led to the Dawn of the Blood Witch series, which takes place in a world where witches are evil and determined to take over.
Maria’s success as a writer was not without obstacles, however. She often relies on her husband, Joe DeVivo, for support.
“He stood by me through this whole thing,” Maria said.
Joe helps support Maria emotionally, gives a male perspective for characters, edits finished manuscripts and has even helped write a few passages. Their daughter, Morgan DeVivo, is also a published author.
Like her mother, Morgan is balancing school with writing; has her own writing schedule; has a book, Sun and Moon, set to release later this year; and is writing a new book.
“This one that she’s writing is very dark,” Maria said. “I’m very proud of her for that.”
Maria’s book, Witch of the Midnight Shadow, will be the seventh book in the Dawn of the Blood Witch series, and it is set to release later this year. You can find out more about her at www.mariadevivo.com, on Facebook at ‘Maria DeVivo – Author’ or on her Instagram page @authordevivo.
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