Author Mary Martin Weyand's Bio
It was the huge trees that towered above our little home in Nebraska that set the tone of my life. Curly-tailed squirrels scampered up tree trunks, while scolding me for chasing after them. At the ripe age of five, and tired of stalking, I'd tramp alone to the wooded area at the foot of our property. Fresh mint blanketed the ground, making an edible picnic cloth. I'd pick a bouquet, and contemplate what I'd do if a big old bear showed up. I wisely knew that I'd invite the bear for a cup of mint tea.
From that time forward, hiking up mountains, and through valleys, became my passion. The seduction of the American landscape, its natural wonders, and stories about America's brave inhabitants called me to write. But of course, practical needs, like putting food on the table, got in the way - for a time.
My professional work life began with newspaper publishing in Ventura County, California, and culminated with a twelve-year stint as owner of a California based marketing company. I sold my company and devoted time to produce Portraits of Success, an award-winning book I edited for Lupus International. Now, I've turned to my real love, writing for children. Picture books, poems and historic fiction stories have slipped from heart to keyboard. They are now followed by the latest, a non-fiction manuscript, Of Giants And Grizzlies.
From that time forward, hiking up mountains, and through valleys, became my passion. The seduction of the American landscape, its natural wonders, and stories about America's brave inhabitants called me to write. But of course, practical needs, like putting food on the table, got in the way - for a time.
My professional work life began with newspaper publishing in Ventura County, California, and culminated with a twelve-year stint as owner of a California based marketing company. I sold my company and devoted time to produce Portraits of Success, an award-winning book I edited for Lupus International. Now, I've turned to my real love, writing for children. Picture books, poems and historic fiction stories have slipped from heart to keyboard. They are now followed by the latest, a non-fiction manuscript, Of Giants And Grizzlies.
Of Giants and Grizzlies is my latest work.
True tales, still unpublished, were told by the first civilian superintendent of Sequoia National Park, Walter Fry. These were deftly recorded in "Nature Notes" during his tenure as Superintendent and subsequently as Commissioner, a position he held until his death in 1941. Of Giants and Grizzlies retells some of his adventures in the park in the early 1900's, and explores how the same flora, fauna and landmarks are faring today.
Of Giants And Grizzlies is a non-fiction narrative written for middle grade students and nature lovers of any age. |
An excerpt from Chapter 7;
The Bird That Walks Underwater ...I crawled in under the waterfall and stood within about four feet of the nest when five baby hatchlings poked their fuzzy heads out of the door of their nest, blinked their eyes and looked at me. They showed no fear. I admired them for a few minutes and had just turned to go away, when all of a sudden one of the parent birds came dashing through the waterfall and buzzed wildly about my head. It uttered shrill zit, zit, zit notes of anger and fear. Just then, all five of the young birds scampered from the nest, went head over heels down the wet slick rocks, where they were caught by the waterfall and dashed into the swirling pool below... - as told by Walter Fry. |
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The American Dipper Bird caught Walter's attention almost 100 years ago. Today you can find this water-loving songbird along Sequoia's rivers and streams.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Jones [email protected] |
