M.K. (Marcia) Preston

I’ve commented before that the State of Oklahoma seems to produce more than its fair share of popular "cozy" authors. M.K. Preston is another. I first read one of her books when I reviewed Song of the Bones for Mystery News – and my inclination was to say “go out and find this book and read it – you’ll love it.” I also read (but did not review) Perhaps She’ll Die, Ms. Preston’s first mystery, and loved that one, too. It’s no wonder she’s won all kinds of awards. M.K. (Marcia) Preston is an author mystery lovers should put at the top of their “must read” list. I plan to read her fiction, too.

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Books:

Mysteries (under the name M.K. Preston)

• (2004) Song of the Bones See Review
• (2002) Perhaps She’ll Die

Fiction (under the name Marcia Preston)

• (2006) The Piano Man
• (2005) The Butterfly House

Author Profile:

Marcia Preston (M.K. Preston) grew up on a wheat farm in central Oklahoma. From her father she learned the art of storytelling; from her mother, a reverence for books; and from Oklahoma’s red earth, a love of wildlife and the outdoors.

Writing as M.K. Preston, Marcia is the author of an Oklahoma mystery series featuring Chantalene Morrell, daughter of a Gypsy mother and a redneck father. Song of the Bones won the 2004 Mary Higgins Clark Award for suspense fiction, and also the 2004 Oklahoma Book Award in fiction. The first book in the series, Perhaps She'll Die, was nominated for the 2002 Mary Higgins Clark Award, and for Macavity and Barry awards in the Best First Mystery division.

Her two most recent novels are general fiction. The Butterfly House, a women’s novel under the byline Marcia Preston, was released in January 2005. The Piano Man (April 2006) deals with the emotional and psychological results of a heart transplant.

Marcia earned degrees from University of Central Oklahoma, taught in public high schools for more than a decade, and worked for a time as PR and publications director for the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. Since 1986 she has edited and published ByLine, a trade magazine for aspiring writers (www.bylinemag.com). She also oversees the farm where she grew up, which was homesteaded by her grandparents. She lives with her childhood sweetheart and first husband (it’s the same guy) beside a creek in central Oklahoma, where she gardens and dodges tornadoes.

Profile and photo from author website.

Author website: www.marciapreston.com