Highlights & Sidelights
This may be more than you ever wanted to know about Mary, but just in case you're wondering, here's the whole story.
Author: Mary is the best-selling author of more than one hundred ten Christian adult, gift, and children’s books, animated videos, and CD-ROMs. Sales of her books now top seven million copies, including My Little Bible (Word Publishing, 1991), which received both the Gold and Platinum Book Awards presented by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association and has now sold more than 2 million copies, and The International Children’s Story Bible (Word Publishing, 1990), which received The Gold Book Award and approaches 1 million copies sold.
She also wrote Just Imagine! with Barney the dinosaur (The Lyons Group, 1992)—the first picture book featuring Barney, which sold more than 1.3 million copies.
Mary’s books have appeared on best-seller lists in the Christian market more than one hundred times. One of her best-sellers, Hugs for Women (Howard Publishing, 1998), was on the CBA Marketplace list for fifteen months and was a finalist for the 1999 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award from The Inspirational Network.
Publishing Professional: As a production editor under contract for more than ten years with Thomas Nelson, Inc., Mary supervised the production of best-selling books by such well known authors as Billy Graham, Max Lucado, Charles Swindoll, Patsy Clairmont, Chuck Colson, Luci Swindoll, Pat Robertson, Women of Faith, Dee Brestin, Kathy Troccoli, and numerous others.
Mary’s books have appeared on best-seller lists in the Christian market more than one hundred times. One She now serves as president and publisher for Creative Enterprises Studio (CES), the book publishing division of Books, Bach & Beyond, Inc.
CES is host to almost 200 topnotch freelancers, who work through CES for major Christian traditional publishers, such as HarperCollins Christian, Thomas Nelson, Zondervan, Harvest House, and others. of her best-sellers, Hugs for Women (Howard Publishing, 1998), was on the CBA Marketplace list for fifteen months and was a finalist for the 1999 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award from The Inspirational Network.
Award Winner: In May 2002, Mary was awarded the Spiritual Development Award from Howard Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, recognizing her extensive Christian publishing career. She has also had more than one hundred other works published, including magazine articles, poetry, plays, and songs.
With a Bachelor of Science in Business Education degree from Abilene Christian University (ACU), Mary has minor equivalents in Journalism and Bible. Her master’s work is in Journalism, Communication, and Radio/TV. Her alma mater honored her in 2004 with the Distinguished Alumni Citation for her extensive contributions to Christian publishing.
Music Ministry: Mary also serves as co-leader of the Legacy Singers, the Music Outreach Ministry of her church. She also served in this same role at her previous church for more than seventeen years. This ministry led their fellowship in such forward-looking events as a cappella musical dramas, five mission-outreach concert tours in more than eight countries, televised community outreach events, and many other venues. A soloist with the choir, her friends call her their local Kate Smith (or Patsy Cline when she goes country).
Missionary: During her years in ministry, Mary has served as a missionary in several countries, including New Zealand, Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Thailand. She has also traveled to a number of different states with her a cappella jazz group, Infinity, to bring God's message in song.
At Home: Mary enjoys travel, collecting miniature and rare books, writing poetry and lyrics, and singing. She works as a telecommuter from her home in Bedford, Texas, where she shares a home with her best friend and Christian sister, Charlotte Greeson, a professional musician with whom she collaborates to write Christian songs and hymns, Mary's 98-year-old mom, and a little Shih Tzu named Aria.