Alex (Formerly Lisa) Marcoux:
CLASS OF 1978
Leominster High SchoolClass of 1978
Leominster, MA
Alex (Formerly Lisa)'s Story
I never aspired to be a writer. In my youth I wanted to be a police detective, but somehow the Leominster High School counselor convinced me that I had the aptitude for science and I headed off to the University of Massachusetts, at Amherst. I earned a BS in Food Science, and quickly ended up in a General Foods lab where as a food technologist, I was instrumental in the product development of a product some of you may have heard of¿.Crystal Light... the first ¿great tasting¿ diet soft drink.
As it turns out, food scientist wasn¿t the only job title I¿d have. I've worked in product development, technical sales, business ownership, and I even worked for The Insider at a tobacco company.
But even with all of these endeavors, something was still missing in my life. I moved to Colorado in 1991 at the dawn of the anti-GLBT initiative, Amendment 2 and with the hateful political climate, came the inspiration for my first book, Facades. This is when I learned about interference. We are all destined to do something with our lives and when we don¿t do it we receive interference from the Universe. And I did. Like a ship lost at sea, I was adrift and I did not understand what I was meant to do with my life. When blinded to the truth, the winds of fate work desperately to get us back on course. The more I resisted writing the more interference I received.
In my late 30s, I surrendered¿kicking and screaming¿and I began to write. The first publisher that asked to read Façades contacted me a mere five days after I had dropped it in the mail. I took the publisher¿s interest as a sign that I was heading in the right direction. The book got published by The Haworth Press in 2000 and eventually I received a Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Pen Award for it.
Ever since, I¿ve been called an author - a hat I¿d never have worn even in my wildest dreams. Truth be told, up until Façades, I didn't like to write¿ I shuddered at the thought of writing holiday cards!
Some people have asked me why I chose to write mysteries. Perhaps it was that unsatisfied childhood yearning to be a police detective. Maybe it was my spiritual journey and intuitive training that lured me to tell tales with paranormal twists. My first mystery/thriller, Back to Salem is a Lambda Literary Award Finalist and an InsightOut Book Club selection.
My most recent novel¿A Matter of Degrees¿is another thriller featuring Jessie Mercer, my protagonist from Back to Salem. This was undoubtedly my greatest undertaking. During the research and writing of this complex tale, my office walls became wallpapered with flow charts, timelines and blueprints to this grand conspiracy novel. The book was released in 2006 and is a Golden Crown Literary Award Finalist, as well as a Gaylactic Spectrum Award Nominee for speculative fiction.
The more I allowed my creative self to emerge, the more opportunities arose. Recently, I was asked by indy film producer, Atlantis Moon Productions if I¿d be willing to let Back to Salem be made into a short film. Not only did they want my book, they invited me to try my hand at writing the script! I figured, if my protagonist, ...Expand for more
Jessie Mercer can write novels and screenplays, ¿Why can¿t I?¿ Humbly, I now realize what a challenge it is to write for the big screen. My script Back to Salem ¿ The Short Film was selected for the project which was produced in late 2008 and currently being submitted to film festivals across the country for viewing. Of course I can¿t end my screenwriter career with the short.Â
I¿m currently working on adapting the novel, Back to Salem for a feature-length film. I think I can! I think I can! Better yet, I know I can! I know I can!
First novels, then screenplays, then I began asking, "What¿s next?". That¿s when it came to me, ¿I should take a stab at creative nonfiction.¿ Since 2003 I have presented workshops on a spiritual practice I discovered when I started writing. That¿s when I discovered that this process can help everyone. We can use it to obtain direction and guidance to our questions from life¿s signs. So to share this process, I¿ve written a narrative nonfiction book, I call Lifesigns. This spirituality or self-help book is close to completion and I look forward to the day I can share it with all of you!
And for my Jessie Mercer fans ¿ I¿m in the midst of the next book. It¿s unclear when it will be wrapped up, since my publisher was recently acquired by a scholarly nonfiction press but I have no doubt the universe will guide me to the perfect publisher to get my next nail biter into your hands. So hang in there - this next one is worth the wait!
Groucho Marx once said, ¿I¿d never want to belong to any club who¿d have me as a member.¿ I¿ve always found that quote amusing, but I¿ve never taken it to heart.  I am a member of many creditable writers¿ organizations, like the Mystery Writers of America, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, Lambda Literary Agency, and Lighthouse Writers. These are the groups that stimulate my growth as a writer.  But it¿s the spiritual and intuitive groups I belong to that nourish my soul and in turn strengthen my written words. I¿m a member of the Association for Research and Enlightenment, and a graduate of their Wayshower training (psychic development program). I¿m also a member of the Wayshower Association. While I have never claimed to be ¿a psychic¿, I¿m a former member of the Intuitive Task Force, a group of professional psychics that assisted families and law enforcement agencies in locating missing children and working cold cases. I currently study advanced courses on Ernest Holmes¿ philosophy, faith and way of life - the principles of Science of Mind.Â
For five years I have conducted workshops on spirituality, creativity and inspirational writing. I teach how accessing our innate gifts ¿ our intuition ¿ can enhance or creativity. I particularly love teaching about the spiritual practice of Lifesigns ¿ how we can all use our everyday signs to improve our lives.
I live in the suburbs of Denver with my wonderful partner, a terrific teenage son (yes they exist), a Shih Tzu named Maxie who suffers from separation anxiety and Shamu ¿ our whale-sized cat!
In my spare time ¿ I¿m a freelance writer and marketing consultant.
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Register for Free to view all yearbooks!
Reunions
Photos
Alex (Formerly Lisa) Marcoux is on Classmates.
Register for free to join them.
Already registered? Sign in