Mary has published dozens of Sunday School papers, magazines including “Counselor” and “Clubhouse” and two CHICKEN SOUP books. Her work has earned awards from Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and Word Weavers International. She participates in critique groups and attends workshops and conferences in Illinois, Iowa, Tennessee, Michigan and California. She has served in SCBWI, as puppet ministry director, an AWANA leader and speaker, and is the President of Word Weavers West Suburbs in the Chicago area. Mary is currently marketing several completed middle grade novel manuscripts. Her life goal is to love Him more so more love Him.
This picture of me at one-year-old makes it clear that when I was very young I was cute and well behaved. Look at how I sat so nicely and smiled and only drooled a little. And how about that curl!
By the time I was in third grade I was a serious student. In fifth grade I had a teacher who really didn’t like me no matter what I did or didn’t do she gave me her special frowny glare on a regular basis. I’ve forgotten her name on purpose. But I did write a story about a writing assignment that earned me her special frowny glare and a huge red F. Just to spite her I submitted my story to Chicken Soup for the Preeteen Soul and now the whole world can read how mean she was to me.
Getting that F made me believe I’d never be a writer but it didn’t stop me from reading. I read with a flashlight under my covers after I was supposed to be sleeping; I read during math and science with my book hidden behind the text book; and I loved the summer when I sat on the banana seat of my pink and white bike and pedled home from the library with books toppling out of the white woven basket hanging from my handle bars.
When I grew up I still loved to read but not just for myself, I read to my children. As they got older I read with them and before I knew it all that reading turned into writing books for kids because those books have always been my favorites.
5 FUN FACTS
- I have 7 children-but they are all grown up and not as much fun as they used to be.
- I have eighteen grandchildren. The oldest are teens and the youngest is a baby-don’t tell them but my favorites are the ones in the middle because they’re the most fun.
- I know how to be a pancreas- because I have a grandson who has Type 1 diabetes and his pancreas is broken.
- I have a miniature poodle who loves to catch frogs to play with-but that never ends up being fun for the frog.
- My favorite food is popcorn made on a stove with lots of light tasting olive oil and salt but no butter – I also love cookies.