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Mary Connealy

Goodreads author profile

url

http://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscomMAC

born

March 20, 1956 in Oakland, NE, The United States

gender

female

website

http://www.maryconnealy.com

genre

Historical Fiction, Romance, Religion & Spirituality

member since

November 2008

About this author

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I wrote my first book when I was about twelve. A romance novel. I shudder to think what a twelve year old could know about romance. I have no idea what happened to the manuscript. I suppose my mother found it, and burned it while screaming in horror, but I’ve always been afraid to ask. Was it a hundred pages? Two? I have no idea, but I seem to remember just writing FOREVER! So I’m guessing two pages long at least.

As a new bride I marched straight out of journalism school and into the kitchen, I did a lot of scribbling. I still have those heartbreaking works of staggering genius, Ode to Roast Beef, things like that, all born out of the ‘Write What You Know’ school of literature.

I began writing more seriously when my baby went to kindergarten...more I wrote my first book when I was about twelve. A romance novel. I shudder to think what a twelve year old could know about romance. I have no idea what happened to the manuscript. I suppose my mother found it, and burned it while screaming in horror, but I’ve always been afraid to ask. Was it a hundred pages? Two? I have no idea, but I seem to remember just writing FOREVER! So I’m guessing two pages long at least.

As a new bride I marched straight out of journalism school and into the kitchen, I did a lot of scribbling. I still have those heartbreaking works of staggering genius, Ode to Roast Beef, things like that, all born out of the ‘Write What You Know’ school of literature.

I began writing more seriously when my baby went to kindergarten. Not writing well of course, but just putting words on paper. No one does anything well the first time. I’m sure Babe Ruth missed the first ball pitched to him. I’m sure Picasso smeared pages with paint-y fingers when he was a kid—as I remember he went back to that later in life. I’m sure Beethoven played the eighteenth century version of Chopsticks before went for the sonatas.

My writing journey is similar to a lot of others. Boil it down to persistence, oh, go ahead and call it stubbornness. I just kept typing away. I think the reason I did it was because I’m more or less a dunce around people—prone to sit silently when I really ought to speak up(or far worse, speak up when I ought to sit silently).

So, I have all these things, I want to say, in my head; the perfect zinger to the rude cashier, which you think of an hour after you’ve left the store, the perfect bit of wisdom when someone needs help, which doesn’t occur to you until they solve their problems themselves, the perfect guilt trip for the kids, which you don’t say because you’re not an idiot. I keep all this wit to myself, much to the relief of all who know me, and then I write all my great ideas into books. It’s therapeutic if nothing else, and more affordable than a psychiatrist.

So then a very nice, oh so nice publishing company like Barbour Heartsong comes along and says, “Hey, we’ll pay you money for this 45,000 word therapy session.” That’s as sweet as it gets.

My journey to publication is the same as everyone’s except for a few geniuses out there who make it hard for all of us. And even they probably have an Ode to Roast Beef or two in their past.(less)

859 posts
Mary Connealy's Blog

In Too Deep review

Click to Buy on Amazon
A nice review ofIn Too DeeponNO ORDINARY MOMENTSbyJolanthe CLICK HERE

Mary Connealy http://www.maryconnealy.com/

View more on Mary Connealy's website »

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Published on May 25, 2012 06:52 • 5 views

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combine editions
Books by Mary Connealy

Average rating: 4.06 · 4,203 ratings · 764 reviews · 28 distinct works

	Montana Rose 4.08 avg rating — 480 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Petticoat Ranch (Lassoed in Texas #1) 4.10 avg rating — 483 ratings — published 2006 — 5 editions	My rating:
	Calico Canyon (Lassoed in Texas #2) 4.11 avg rating — 419 ratings — published 2008 — 5 editions	My rating:
	The Husband Tree (Montana Marriages, #2) 4.24 avg rating — 340 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Doctor in Petticoats (Sophie's Daughters, #1) 4.23 avg rating — 333 ratings — published 2010 — 4 editions	My rating:
	Gingham Mountain (Lassoed in Texas, #3) 3.99 avg rating — 321 ratings — published 2009 — 5 editions	My rating:
	Out of Control (The Kincaid Brides, #1) 3.74 avg rating — 304 ratings — published 2011 — 7 editions	My rating:
	Wrangler in Petticoats (Sophie's Daughters, #2) 4.21 avg rating — 237 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Wildflower Bride (Montana Marriages, #3) 3.87 avg rating — 241 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	My rating:
	Sharpshooter in Petticoats (Sophie's Daughters, #3) 4.15 avg rating — 238 ratings — published 2011 — 4 editions	My rating:

More books by Mary Connealy…

Series by Mary Connealy

Lassoed in Texas Trilogy (4 books)
by Mary Connealy (Goodreads Author)

4.08 avg rating — 1,264 ratings

Montana Marriages (4 books)
by Mary Connealy (Goodreads Author)

4.10 avg rating — 1,086 ratings

Sophie's Daughters (3 books)
by Mary Connealy (Goodreads Author)

4.20 avg rating — 814 ratings

Kincaid Brides (3 books)
by Mary Connealy (Goodreads Author)

3.83 avg rating — 429 ratings

Wild West Weddings (2 books)
by Mary Connealy (Goodreads Author)

4.06 avg rating — 270 ratings

More series by Mary Connealy…

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Mary's Recent Updates

Mary Connealy wrote a new blog post: In Too Deep review In Too Deep review Click to Buy on AmazonA nice review ofIn Too DeeponNO ORDINARY MOMENTSbyJolanthe CLICK HERE Mary Connealy http://www.maryconnealy.com/ read more »
May 25, 2012 01:32pm · like
Mary Connealy joined the Christian Mystery/Suspense Fans and Catherine West's Readers Group groups.
Oct 27, 2011 04:57pm · see group
Mary Connealy made a comment in the group Christian Historical Fiction — What's So Great about Historical Fiction? topic "As much as I love historical fiction, reading it and writing it, I would NEVER want to live back then. I am seriously in love with air conditioning. A...more "
Oct 01, 2011 04:01pm
Mary Connealy made a comment on her profile "Pamela wrote: "Hey Mary...Thanks for accepting my friend request." Hi Pamela. "
Aug 29, 2011 03:54pm
Mary Connealy made a comment in the group Christian Historical Fiction — Where to find Chistrian Historical fiction? topic "Charmaine, if you don't mind waiting for older books, cbd.com has several of mine on super sale once in a while. Right now Cowboy Christmas costs $2.9...more "
Jul 20, 2011 12:02pm
Mary Connealy added a quote "Of course she'd told him she would, but if the man hadn't registered her sarcasm, then he wasn't making full use of his ears." — Mary Connealy
May 23, 2011 07:50pm · add quote added! · more quotes by Mary Connealy
Mary Connealy said "yes" to attending the event: Blogoversary Week: Reminiscing Themed Weeks! date: March 28, 2011 12:00AM location: Seasons of Humility blog, The United States description: Join me the last week of March/first week of April for the "Seasons of Humility" blog's first blogoversary! We'll be reminiscing some of the themed weeks that have been celebrated on the blog this past year, and we'll have some return appearances from some very special guests, including authors Laura Frantz, Julie Lessman, S. Dionne Moore, and Leanna Ellis! With giveaways, fun interviews, and more, you won't want to miss this!
Mar 27, 2011 06:19am
Mary Connealy made a comment on Look what I got: "No contest, Deana. He's just precious. "
Mar 10, 2011 11:15am
Mary Connealy made a comment on Is it Missouri? Or is it a BLT?: "I've heard it makes your hair shiny. LOL Gagging....... "
Mar 04, 2011 08:41am

More of Mary's books…

Quotes by Mary Connealy

“We're married. I will protect you. I will die for you. Better than that. I will live for you.”
― Mary Connealy, Sharpshooter in Petticoats

10 people liked it

“The decent, strong person had to do decent, strong things like love unlovable people and keep peace even when it wasn't easy.”
― Mary Connealy, Doctor in Petticoats

tags: character , integrity

7 people liked it

“Of course she'd told him she would, but if the man hadn't registered her sarcasm, then he wasn't making full use of his ears.”
― Mary Connealy, Petticoat Ranch

7 people liked it

See all Mary Connealy's quotes »

Polls

Which new release book would you like to read for our CFD Optional, September's 2nd Group Read?

Love Finds You in Lancaster, Pennsylvania by Annalisa Daughety

4 votes 28.6%

The Colonel's Lady by Laura Frantz

3 votes 21.4%

To Die For: A Novel of Anne Boleyn by Sandra Byrd

2 votes 14.3%

Never the Bride: A Novel by Rene Gutteridge

2 votes 14.3%

River's Song by Melody Carlson

1 vote 7.1%

A Most Unsuitable Match by Stephanie Grace Whitson

1 vote 7.1%

Restless in Carolina: A Novel by Tamara Leigh

1 vote 7.1%

Out of Control by Mary Connealy

0 votes 0.0%

Dancing on Glass by Pamela Ewen

0 votes 0.0%

The Judas Gospel by Bill Myers

0 votes 0.0%

14 total votes

1 comment

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Quotes Mary Likes

“Of course she'd told him she would, but if the man hadn't registered her sarcasm, then he wasn't making full use of his ears.”
― Mary Connealy, Petticoat Ranch

7 people liked it