Children's Author from Phoenix Area

My name is Mary Jantz! I write picture books for ages 3-9 and middle-grade books for ages 10-14. My journey with writing has certainly been interesting, as I hold degrees in both teaching…and nursing! My favorite way to write a picture book is to incorporate personification, and nearly all of my stories (especially my middle-grade books) feature strong arcs, often centered on identity and resilience. I am beyond excited for this conference and will bring some physical copies of my best work. Stories that have already found their way into the world of publishing, and one middle-grade novel that hasn’t…yet. I have 11 self-published books on Amazon, and a middle-grade novel about a teen’s journey into the world of wheelchair basketball, which will be coming with me to Austin in case it finds the right hands. I’m hoping this conference can shed some light on how to market myself more effectively, connect with other writers and industry professionals, and grow my career as an author. I also have 3 boys who play baseball year-round in Arizona, and that has been a huge part of my life for the last decade. I am also a life-long distance runner and have run 10 marathons, including the Boston Marathon 4 times. Can’t wait to connect with you all!