A Letter of Introduction

Hi! I’m Mary, and this is my blog.

First off, I should explain that I am not that Mary Morris–the celebrated author of several story collections, novels like The Jazz Palace, and memoir like All the Way to the Tigers. If you’re looking for that Mary Morris, just google the name we share. I promise, she will be the first author who pops up!

The author of Vanishing Animals & Other Stories, The Jazz Palace, All the Way to the Tigers, and more

The Mary Morris you’ve found here at marymorris-writer.com does write various things, and she’s a lifelong reader of a little bit of everything, from narrative and historical nonfiction to horror to romcoms to superhero comics to fanfiction to the works of the other Mary Morris pictured above. The Mary Morris you’ve found is pictured below.

The author of this blog and some other stuff

I’m delighted to say that as a writer, I have published short fiction, short nonfiction, and even a poem over the past few decades. I also co-write urban fantasy and paranormal romance under the pen name Phoebe Walker, two of which are published, and write contemporary romance novels under my own name. (While I do read everything, romance is my favorite thing to read.) I’ve got various writing projects going at pretty much all times!

But I was not always such. Once upon a time, I had just graduated with an MFA in creative writing and severe burnout from that program. I spent several years, back when I was Mary McGlasson, working as a copy editor, freelance writer, and newspaper reporter while raising my daughter and for the most part avoiding writing as a creative or personal exercise. I also got a divorce and moved back to my hometown—classic mid-twenties life in the ’00s.

Later, I got a full-time gig as an English professor at a teeny-tiny community college near my hometown, and I both found my calling and rediscovered my love for writing. A year or so into my teaching career, just a few months after my mother’s death from cancer, I got my first publication in an online literary journal, a little scrap of flash nonfiction called “Our First Kiss.” Getting that acceptance helped renew my belief in myself as a writer, and I will never cease to be grateful for it.

During my twelve years of teaching full time, I remarried and became Mary Morris, built a house, birthed two more children, became a grandmother (!), and continued writing and publishing short works in various lit mags. I also completed my first novel, something I had never managed in two decades of writing literary fiction. What changed? I decided to write what I loved most—romance.

When I started writing a contemporary romance that had been bouncing around my head for awhile, I was able to truly throw myself into it with my whole heart and finally finish a full-length novel. Romance is quite simply my happy place, and I’ve found a wonderful, welcoming community for that in Chicago-North Romance Writers, where I am honored to serve as vice president and director of programs for 2024. (If you’re reading this and are a romance writer, come check us out! We’re not just for northern Illinois authors!)

Today, I live in the middle of the woods in southeastern Illinois with my husband, our two youngest children, and miscellaneous cats, while my oldest daughter, my grandson, and my bonus grandson pop in to visit as often as I can get them out here. I teach creative writing to grad students and reading/writing enrichment to middle-school students. I edit fiction as a freelancer for an independent publishing company and editing service. And I write as much as possible.

I’m lucky enough to have wonderful writing friends and critique partners all over the country, so I get to read for them and provide feedback on their work as well as scream with them in the group chat over all things good and commiserate with hug GIFs over all things bad. It’s a joy and a privilege to be part of their lives and their writing journeys. And through CNRW and other writing groups on Discord and Facebook, I get to support other writers of all genres in various ways, from simple encouragement to critiquing queries and chapters.

Outside of writing, I serve as a founding member of my rural area’s first dedicated Pride group and an advocate for the queer community however possible. I volunteer, donate, and in general hope to help make the world a better place for all.  

I also spend as much time as possible with my weird and brilliant children, my handsome Viking of a husband, and my friends and family. In my “spare” time, I read those aforementioned books and fanfic, watch TV and movies, play board games, take hot baths, build LEGO structures, and play online word games.

My life is many things, but it is never, ever boring.

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If you’re still with me, thank you for reading to the end! You’ll find that my future blog posts may wander over 1,000 words, but I’ll do my best to make them worth your time.

If you would like to connect or have questions about any of the above, feel free to reach out to me via my contact form. In the meantime, happy writing and happy living!