Goodreads asked Pjo Riley:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Pjo Riley I have always been fascinated by the near-mythical aura surrounding screen stars of certain past periods. Marilyn Monroe is one of the figures who captured my imagination for her box office qualities but what appeared to be her vulnerability as a woman in a male-dominated film world. I knew a little about her personal story but read more and watched her movies and purchased a documentary about the last movie she mae ("The Misfits" - filmed in and around Reno). That got me to thinking, and you know -- thinking can be dangerous!

Also, while researching the theologies that MM subscribed to during her life, I found myself in Reno churches and a synagogue, which led me to write my first memoir, "Atheist in Church." Just goes to show that you can never be quite sure where your writing will lead you.

flag