M. H. Collins

Marilyn Collins draws her love of history from hearing family stories told and retold.  Old pictures, fragile china, leather bound books and a WWI helmet worn by her father, were childhood treasures--each a connection with her past.

She is a native of Arkansas and a descendant of early German settlers who came to the Ozark Plateau in the early 1880s.  These enterprising pioneers owned saw mills; created furniture showcased in area museums today, and were sent as missionaries to the Osage Indians. Her grandmother was the first businesswoman in her town.

Collins is an award-winning author who has written three history books and over 100 articles in regional magazines.  Her articles focus on history, art, tips for writers, gardens/nature, and profiles of interesting people.  She speaks on topics from her "Workshop for Writers" series and "Saving Cherished Stories" series, based on her latest book, Write History Right.

She has held professional positions for the American Association of University Women, National Washington Cathedral Association, and served as Director of the Beaufort Historical Association and a local Main Street organization. In the Washington DC area and in North Carolina, she was owner of Wilson Collins Marketing and Management Consultants. Currently, she is owner of CHS Publishing.

"A desire to save cherished stories before they are lost in time is the reason I wrote Write History Right," said Collins. "The book is a guide to help writers tell the valuable story of their hometown, family, or church."