Hi! I’m Mary McClelland-Kerr. When I think about it, even from the time I was a child I believe I have always enjoyed telling stories. Throughout my life, I have gravitated to studies and jobs that allowed me to be a storyteller in some way. 

I conceived of the idea for my first book, The Nightsinger: Her Story Begins, in 1987, the same year I graduated from college. The story has grown over the years. Now, it is almost done. It’s been a long journey. It was supposed to be a stand-alone story, but I found myself writing offshoots that would make a series. 

Why would I make the name of my company the same name as the title of my first series of books? The name has a special meaning for me. I will reveal more as we come closer to time for launching The Nightsinger: Her Story Begins. What I hope is that what I’ve begun with Nightsinger Press will go beyond a series of books of the same name. 

I have always loved fantasy and fairy tale stories with, of course, romance. Adventure, too. Lots of adventure. So, I suppose it would make sense that I would turn to that genre when becoming a fiction writer. Even from the time I was a little girl I felt that nature spoke and sang to me. That along with the fairy tales and Disney films that liberally used personification, it would be natural, I suppose, that I would give the natural elements personalities in my writing. They really do have personalities…don’t they? Yes, I’m sure of it.

I have BA in Theater Arts with an acting emphasis and a music minor from Brigham Young University. I kept going back and forth between music and theater and I finally settled on theater (my poor parents!).

 My favorite roles are the ones that stretched me as an actress. Two of those are Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion and Stella Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire. These were not professional jobs, but that does not matter to me. I treat every job like it’s a professional job.

One of the jobs that shaped me the most was working in Creative Services at KTVO Television. It’s a small market television station in Kirksville, Missouri and Ottumwa, Iowa. When you work in Creative Services, the name pretty much says it all. I produced and wrote commercials and long-form videos. I voiced and edited my commercials. I directed shoots and often directed business owners who were not comfortable in front of a camera. I sometimes shot my own commercials in the studio. I was sometimes in front of the camera as commercial talent or when I was moonlighting for the public affairs department. My colleagues dubbed me “the soft sell queen” for my ability to do soft selling ads. I also produced historical moments and a film for the Centennial of the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and historical moments for Ottumwa, Iowa’s Sesquicentennial.

One of the things that happens when you work in theater and television, particularly a small-town station and small theaters, is that you learn to fly by the seat of your pants. Creativity is the name of the game, and often you have to make something out of almost nothing.  

Other fun jobs I’ve had include being a tour guide for the Ramses II exhibit at BYU. I was also a ghost tour guide for 10 years in Old Town Alexandria for Alexandria Colonial Tours (previously Doorways to Old Virginia). I also worked for Washington Walks in Washington, DC. I love history and being a tour guide is a fun way to perform and interact with people. I found the Ghost Tours were especially fun. 

 My love of storytelling has never stopped. I hope you continue the journey with me.