The World of a Busy Writer and Octogenarian

Living to 100 Club

Our guest on this Living to 100 Club podcast is Dr. Marjorie Burns, who goes by the name, Bijee. In this conversation, we learn about Bijee’s latest period of her life as the author of a new book of fiction, The New Cadets. And, as a very busy octogenarian, we learn about her attitude to “keep it moving.” Now in her 80’s, our guest hikes, bicycles and skis in her home state of Washington. She has a 27-foot climbing wall in her home, which she puts to good use. Why does she stay so physically active? Does her chronological age ever tell her to slow down? As a writer of academic books, papers and journal articles, how did she come to write a children’s book? What was the inspiration for The New Cadets? And how will this new series of children’s books unfold? Mini Bio Marjorie Burns, author of The New Cadets, was born and raised in Portland, Oregon. She studied at the University of California, Berkeley, earning her PhD with a dissertation on fantasy and children’s literature in nineteenth-century England. She taught English literature and writing at Portland State University for more than 30 years and has published extensively in her field, largely on the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. She is now retired from university teaching, and as a healthy, vibrant octogenarian, lives in the Cascade mountains of Washinton State. Marjorie's Latest Book The New Cadets