About Mary Weber
hi!
I’m Mary.
The Basics
I met a boy in childhood & kissed him when we were both 17. Now we’re raising 3 muggles on a vintage ranch where I write books & wear plaid pants like those golfers on TV.
The Rest
In other news, I was born to parents & an older brother who had a haircut that was two parts Beatles, one part Drew Barrymore in SCREAM. The four of us lived a relatively quiet life in which my
brother was a riot of fun – always challenging me to things like “Put your face close to the granulated dish detergent; it’ll be fun!” just so he could shove my head into it (and yes it feels like the fires of Mordor errupting in your brain). Or “Who can stay up in the rafters longest without wetting their pants?” (I lost. Don’t ever ask me about it again.)
Until a surprise 3rd sibling showed up, followed by a 4th. After that, I think my parents gave up, because they went ahead and had two more.
The Early Years
According to old pics, I spent most of my childhood eating or playing poker in my underwear while my sister dressed like a mermaid for four straight years and sang Ariel to the neighbors like some weird Cindi Lauper prodigy. Our middle brother refused to touch fruit, while the youngest two boys were regularly forgotten at church by our pastor parents – at which we’d hear my mother holler, “Tom, you left the boys again!” And my dad would holler back, “Less mouths to feed!” before he’d drive the mile to pick them up.
I suspect this is directly connected with my parents’ decision to go out and buy our first TV (which is better than drinking, I suppose). This led to my TOP GUN Kelly-McGillis-hair-phase and a hot minute interest in being a fighter pilot. Until I realized Tom wouldn’t actually be my lover, so what was even the point of that movie then?
As I mentioned, my parents were pastors, which was fine unless you were the teen who thought it’d be a cool idea to open a coffee shop next to the local porn store. Then everyone just looked at you as if you were personally responsible for the contents of Satan’s playground and wondered what your parents did so wrong. (In case you are also now wondering this, the answer is everything. Because – as I tell my own teen children – parenting is just a prelim to therapy and we live for the glory of ruining your lives.)
Although, the truth is, my parents saved mine a number of times. I mean, my mom used to tell us, “You can do whatever you want, just know I pray you’ll always get caught.” Which we did. Because apparently Jesus listens especially hard to moms. Probably because if he didn’t, they’d holler at him that he’d left us.
The Boy
At seventeen I began dating my now husband who I’d known since three months old. He had the nicest calves I’d ever seen (as an adult, not baby, eww) and only washed his hair once a month. He also got placed on trash duty his senior year after donning a Wonder Jack Flash (his own invention) super-suit and jumping across the school roofs during assembly with a wand, shouting, “You’re free! You’re free!”
Clearly I had to have him. We married a few years later and, from then on, he has been my person.
We supported each other through college, the journey of my mom’s cancer, and sleepless nights of deadlines and babies, followed by the terror that comes from teaching other humans – let alone ones whose brains are still developing – how to drive.
The fact that we’ve somehow managed to keep all three of those still-developing humans alive is a credit to the ingenuity of hot dogs and those strap-on kid leashes that everyone says are terrible for self-esteem while secretly envying the use of them. To date, we consider our kids our greatest accomplishment, right above gifting them with a love of 80’s rock, a fear of sharks, and the ability to work quotes from Psych, The Office, and Raising Hope into any conversation.
The Career:
Somewhere in all of that, I decided to become a writer. I wrote a book that earned 87 rejections, but the About Mary Weber bio from it earned me a meeting with a HarperCollins publisher. The next book sold nearly 100,000 copies, so I guess it turned out alright.
Aside from writing, I own CHERRY PIE AUTHOR SERVICES (we do coaching, branding, editing, book launches, & career re-vamps, etc) and co-own The Writer’s Sanctuary with NYT bestselling author, CJ Redwine, of whom I’m a fan. I’m also a rabid fan of old souls, belly laughter, Calvin & Hobbes, and my husband’s sharp wit.
And that is my story. Our story.
My Heart
Which is the other thing maybe I should say. I’m deeply in love with story.
Yours. Your hollering mom’s. Everybody’s . . .
If I could, I’d pull you up a seat on the porch and beg to hear YOUR story. The one which has maybe surprised you, and other times bored you, and probably far too often left you feeling a bit bloodied (I’d totally choke up for the bloody bits because I am the BIGGEST UGLY CRIER you know).
I would listen as you shared your journey, and I’d hold the weight of it with you. Because I know. The taste of heartbreak and waves of grief, the terror of a child’s illness, the complexities of mental health and of being overwhelmed by both the good and the wrong in this world. I’d listen and nod – and stay quiet until you reached the end. Then I’d look you square in the eye and tell you that you are a person of beauty. Because you pressed on through the dark nights and let bravery define you. And we are here for that. We’re here for you. Because despite the differences in our stories, we’re all on this journey together.
And when we embrace that?
We’re powerful. Beautiful. Unstoppable.
~m
If you’d like to chat more about writing or brave living – CLICK HERE for my Owl Letters.
9 True Things
I worked with teens for 10 years & we used to play a get-to-know-you game of “your top weird true things.” So, in honor of them…here you go.
9 Random-ish things people seem to like to know...
(1) I’ve been kissed by Maggie Stiefvater’s goats while her husband drove his fire truck to town to buy us chocolate chips.
(2) My daughters & I recently hiked an active volcano in the dark. And discovered men in lawn chairs roasting hot dogs over the lava flow. As one does.
(3) I once turned around & found Marvel’s Stan Lee standing right behind me. I was too shy to say hello, so I waited until he passed then took a pic of his backside & sent it to my husband. Because I am that person.
(4) I get severe motion sickness EVEN IN ROCKING CHAIRS. This makes me extra fun at theme parks.
(5) My husband and kids were extras in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, but I was cut from every shot. In fact, the director kept scooting me farther from the group. This is all you need know about my acting abilities.
(6) I have never seen the movie, Titanic.
(7) I despised my husband from the age of 4 on for running into the bathroom while his sister & I were brushing our teeth, & using the toilet in front of us. But then he took me to prom and wore a baby blue suit, so I married him.
(8) Marissa Meyer was one of the 1st authors I interviewed as a book blogger. Years later we did a similar silly interview, which you can find in the paperback version of CRESS.
(9) I once spent the evening at a Hollywood premiere with Selena Gomez & Courtney Love. I’ve never washed my body since.
Professional Bio
Short Bio
Mary Weber is the bestselling HarperCollins author of six books, including the Storm Siren Trilogy, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series, and the award winning, STEM inspired To Best the Boys. In her spare time, Mary runs Cherry Pie Author Services as a marketing & career consultant, sings 80’s hairband songs to her three muggle children, and ogles her husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California, which is perfect for stalking aging superstars while wearing sweatpants and fannypacks. You can join her humorous & heartwarming shenanigans on IG (@maryweberauthor) & her newsletter (maryweber.com).
Full Bio
Mary Weber is the bestselling HarperCollins author of six books, including the Storm Siren Trilogy, The Evaporation of Sofi Snow series, and the award winning, STEM inspired To Best the Boys. In her spare time, Mary runs Cherry Pie Author Services as a marketing and career consultant, sings 80’s hairband songs to her three muggle children, and ogles her husband who looks strikingly like Wolverine. They live in California, which is perfect for stalking aging superstars while wearing fannypacks and sweatpants. Aside from books, Mary’s written for Huffington Post, Hallmark, and Writer's Digest, and been featured in USA Today and Bon Appetit. She also has a fun interview in the paperback of Marissa Meyer’s NYT bestselling CRESS. You can find her family in the Netflix hit series 13 Reasons Why or at the local Boba Tea stop. To join her latest shenanigans or get humorous, awesome career tips, visit her at MaryWeber.com or on Instagram @MaryWeberAuthor.
More about Mary Weber
For inquiries regarding Rights, Blurbs, & Permissions – please contact agents Holly Root & Melanie Castillo @Root Literary
For Events, Keynote, Speaking, School, & Skype Visits – please contact Mary at Mary@MChristineWeber.com
Join me!
f.a.q.s
Where can I get copies of your books?
Aww thanks for asking! You can find my books HERE, or request your local library to carry them!
Do you have advice for aspiring writers?
(1) Read & write. (2) Join a critique group. (3) Dig into your soul until you find your own story & voice—the one that’s scared of what people will think if you share all of you. Because we’re all scared. But when you tap into it & give that hidden self a voice? It’ll begin to sing.
what does your arm tattoo say?
It’s a quote by dancer, Isadora Duncan:
“You were once wild here, don’t let them tame you.”
I got it the week I turned in my 1st book (STORM SIREN). It’s something I used to tell the teens I worked with, because I believe each of us is born into this world as wild, passionate beings, created to live wildly passionate stories. Yet, so often in growing up, our society, friends, parents, culture, and too often religion, place expectations on us we’re not meant to carry. Not that expectations are necessarily all bad or wrong, but when we allow those things to tame us to the point that we forget who we are in our souls – who we were born to be – it’s a loss. Because it’s a denial of the wholeness of our stories and the wildness we’re meant to live, with all the heartaches and heartbursts that ultimately serve to awaken us to the fact that we were made for more than this.
Will your books be made into movies? And What are your favorite Fandoms?
I adore Howl’s Moving Castle, Scarlet Pimpernel, Ender’s Game, Secret Garden, Harry Potter, Chronicles of Narnia, The Last Airbender (cartoon version), Agatha Christie, Lord of the Rings, Moulin Rouge, The Princess Bride and Babe (yes, the pig movie – because I cry every dang time. Don’t judge me.) Regarding my own books – my lips are sealed.
what do you do when you're not writing?
I love traveling, baking, & spending time with my family on the ranch. I have three young adults, and I’ve been married to my lover for a couple of decades.
(This is us.)
Did you always want to be a writer?
Oh goodness – I think I’ve wanted to do a hundred different things in life, including writing. Unfortunately, I always considered myself rather terrible at it. It wasn’t until I turned 30 that I discovered maybe that wasn’t true, and then I kind of just never stopped, you know?
If we were to have a tea party, what tea would you serve & who would you invite?
*laughs* Can I say Boba Tea? Is that allowed?
Because I’d have a wildly mad Boba tea party, with some hot chai and Earl Grey on the side. And I’d invite everyone (because everyone needs a place), and we’d sit at a long table with treats and lavish hats, and talk ALL THE THINGS.
And then when the sun went down, we’d light a magnificent bonfire and turn up the music under the white lights in my backyard, and dream of who we can become and how we can change the world.
You’re invited.
