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The idea of author was born over two decades ago and rooted from the unlikeliest of origin. My annual family Christmas letter describing the adventures and shenanigans of growing up "Wake".
The accolades streamed in over the decades, encouraging me to put pen to paper describing the situational hilarities that seem to find my family, and me.
I've been told my writing voice, sometimes off color, is entertaining and authentic.
This Page represents my work as I begin the journey of deliberate and consistent writing in a variety of genres. You will find the personal, sometimes painful, always honest, stories of my life, coupled with humorous observations of life as it unfolds before me.
My favorite authors are Erma Bombeck and Garth Stein. I read Ms. Bombeck as a young adult and her work has undoubtedly influenced my style. Ms. Bombeck was a local celebrity from Arizona and I found her as entertaining on the interview stump as she is in print. Mr. Stein caught my attention nearly a decade ago with his remarkable novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain as told from the voice of a dog named Enzo. I love dogs. A. LOT. Our dogs have always provided great fodder for my annual letters. Lisa Genova is quickly becoming a new favorite; Still Alice; Inside the O'Briens; Left Neglected and Love Anthony. Her novels give readers gut wrenching and deliberate immersions into the first subtle, then ravaging progression of brain diseases, injuries and disorders that systemically affect the entire family of the stricken. Ms. Genova also hails from my mother's home state and near neighborhood in Massachusetts, so the added bonus of her descriptive Boston familiar and iconic locations pull me affectionately into the backdrop to my mother's youth.
My dream of being recognized as a best selling author may or may not materialize, but in the meantime, I am doing what I love in the hope of touching people with my written word and establishing a following.
I hope you will find my work identifiable and worthy of your time. I welcome feedback. I actually thrive on it. So let 'em rip, the good the bad and the "ouch, did that person just say that?"
Enjoy!
It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else
~ Erma Bombeck
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MARY WAKEFORD IS FOLLOWING |
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Mary Wakeford:
I appreciated the nomination of The Toddles are Coming, Part Two, for Story of the Month, and vote. #Honored
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September 9, 2019 at 12:44PM
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Mary Wakeford:
It has been way too long and I've missed my FanStory friends and their contributions. I hope to ease my way back to commited writing while caring for my two newest grandbabies, now three months old.
I appreciated hearing from so many of you on my recent birthday. Thank you so much. It is good to be connected and missed.
I appreciate you all, and will attempt to make it up to you in reviewing your work once again.
Happy Saturday evening, you've all been missed!
Mary
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August 26, 2017 at 11:04PM
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DR DIP: I missed your quirky humour Brin!
xdip
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August 28, 2017 at 2:38AM
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Mary Wakeford:
Good morning FanStory friends. First of all, my apologies for the lack of attention to your writings of late. My family has experienced a few medical challenges of late, but everything is good now as we await the births of a grandson, and a granddaughter mid-May.
We are also in the process of buying a home and moving within the month, so that has factored into my online presence here as well.
I hope to be back writing, as well as reviewing, come the first of June, and I apologize profusely for my absence in reviewing your work. Brunhilda is overly stressed out and has for the time being chased away my muse.
Have a blessed Easter with your families.
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April 11, 2017 at 10:47AM
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damommy: Glad to see you. 8-)
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April 11, 2017 at 7:50PM
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bichonfrisegirl: Keep well, Mary! We look forward to your return to Fanstory. Hugs, Connie
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May 3, 2017 at 12:03PM
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Mary Wakeford:
Thank you to FS for nominating "Patty" for Story of the Month, but especially for the reviews, votes, and two comments; one by RGStarr, the other anonymous that 'Patty' garnered. So very appreciated.
Patty's sisters were thrilled when I gave them the news 'Patty' was nominated for SOM.
Congratulations to Humpwhistle for the win, which was well deserved. Happy Sunday!
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March 5, 2017 at 1:07PM
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Irish Rain: Happy Sunday to you Miss Mary!!!
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March 5, 2017 at 9:12PM
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Mary Wakeford:
And just like that, by morning light and a case of bed head, my status dropped back to Getting hot. I knew it wouldn't last.
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February 21, 2017 at 9:35AM
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I am Cat: Lol, ah the elusive temperature hype... I'm still "warm" evidently. Ah well, I truly feel no different, nor do I write any worse than I did when I was "exploding"...
Seems I'm more in one piece though! You can come sit by me! Lol
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February 21, 2017 at 11:47AM
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damommy: It goes up and down so much, it's not worth keeping up with. 8-)
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February 21, 2017 at 5:37PM
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Linda Engel: I never think of looking at that.
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February 24, 2017 at 8:41PM
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Linda Engel: I'll come sit by you Cat. maybe with me get enough of us together we can be BLAZING.
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February 24, 2017 at 8:43PM
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Mary Wakeford: We can create our own little bonfire!
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March 1, 2017 at 11:11AM
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Mary Wakeford:
It finally happened. FanStory has deemed me 'Hot'. I can barely remember when it took fifteen minutes, a blow dryer, and I was twenty pounds lighter.
#ittookayearonhere
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February 21, 2017 at 12:17AM
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I am Cat: congratulations, I was wondering where mine went. LOL ;-)
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February 21, 2017 at 12:44AM
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Mary Wakeford:
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February 17, 2017 at 5:04PM
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Mary Wakeford: Got involved...pooped out!
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February 17, 2017 at 5:06PM
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damommy: For goodness sake, you worked him too hard. LOL
So cute.
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February 17, 2017 at 5:45PM
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F. Wehr3: Awesome! Love it!
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February 18, 2017 at 10:59AM
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Mary Wakeford:
LOL...in follow up to my The Nitty Gritty quiz
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10210377018516146&id=1063265500
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February 17, 2017 at 9:17AM
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Mary Wakeford:
Moose and Buck...our little Christmas goldie is growing up fast!
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February 10, 2017 at 12:45PM
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damommy: Awwwww. So sweet.
I have a kitten who is now six months old. He didn't grow a lot at first, but he's getting there. He thinks he's as big as the rest. LOL
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February 10, 2017 at 12:48PM
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Mary Wakeford:
Just a friendly heads up to FanStory newbies. Having just come across a three-star review from a "Standard" or non-paying member, be sure to change your options when you are in preview mode and getting ready to go live with a story or poem and change the following:
*Click on SHOW ADVANCED OPTIONS
*NON-WRITER REVIEWS - click on down arrow NO
*ALLOW BLINDER REVIEWS - click on down arrow NO
This may save you some grief down the road, when a troll dings you with a 1, 2 or 3. Screen shots attached.
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February 8, 2017 at 10:27PM
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DR DIP: I never knew this option existed and I have just discovered where to add music to your poem
dip
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February 9, 2017 at 8:52AM
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Mary Wakeford:
My popularity status has made significant drops with the new year, and its only January 24th. I've gone from Hot to Getting Hot to Warm. Tomorrow will likely bring Getting Warm.
FanStory at least gives me the opportunity to know how the dinosaurs must have felt...At this rate, I expect to be frozen by March.
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January 25, 2017 at 1:48AM
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giraffmang: See... I knew "Global Warming" was a myth...
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January 25, 2017 at 3:01AM
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F. Wehr3: Lol, shouldn't we have more descriptive terms for our status? How about instead of warm we use steamy. Yes, I'd rather be steamy.
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January 26, 2017 at 2:10PM
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Mary Wakeford: Russell, in Arizona steamy is not a good thing. A dry, searing heat is the preferred reference. :D
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January 28, 2017 at 11:08PM
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Margaret Ford: It's probably a good think to remember that the dinosaurs became extinct. Just sayin...
Margaret
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February 7, 2017 at 2:57AM
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Mary Wakeford:
Did FanStory just go red, or is my computer about to croak?
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December 19, 2016 at 1:36PM
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Susanjohn: i like it!
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December 19, 2016 at 1:49PM
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Gloria ....: Haaaaa, It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. We had this last year too. :))
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December 19, 2016 at 1:54PM
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damommy: It must be your computer. No! I'm kidding you. Isn't it pretty? I wish it could stay that way a while. 8-)
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December 19, 2016 at 7:21PM
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Ideasaregems-Dawn: What red? (snicker...put the bottle DOWN!)
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January 1, 2017 at 12:40PM
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Mary Wakeford:
When you type in 'excellent' on a review via your small phone display, then auto-correct changes the word to excrement without your awareness or approval...
Sorry damommy!
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December 14, 2016 at 11:18AM
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damommy: I knew that. I was funning you. LOL
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December 14, 2016 at 2:34PM
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giraffmang: Maybe the smart phone in it's clever way was telling you that something's wrong with the ratings system...
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December 14, 2016 at 6:01PM
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giraffmang: I misspelt its just for you...
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December 14, 2016 at 6:02PM
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damommy: Gee, thanks. Mary was talking about my writing, and say what you want, I don't think it's excrement. LOL.
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December 14, 2016 at 8:00PM
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giraffmang: Of course it isn't
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December 15, 2016 at 3:43AM
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damommy: Giraffmang, I knew we're just kidding here. 8-)
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December 15, 2016 at 12:17PM
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Mary Wakeford: Haha everyone! Absolutely NO whiff of excrement in your writing damommy! All in fun :)
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December 15, 2016 at 2:26PM
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damommy: Y'all are so funny! LOL
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December 15, 2016 at 2:45PM
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Mary Wakeford:
And this is why I write...
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December 7, 2016 at 4:16PM
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Joy Graham: Amen to that!
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December 7, 2016 at 11:02PM
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Mary Wakeford:
http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/5-ways-combat-author-anxiety?utm_source=wir&utm_campaign=wd-bak-wir-161129&utm_content=901681_WDE161129&utm_medium=email
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December 6, 2016 at 9:27AM
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Short Works |
    
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Novels |
   
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Review Stars |
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None yet. 
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 | Patty reached "Recognized" status. | February 25 at 2:08AM
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