Bio
Mary Flynn is a highly diverse award-winning author of fiction and poetry as well as an acclaimed international conference speaker and leadership program facilitator with the Disney organization (retired). Her debut novel, “Margaret Ferry,” won the gold medal in Fiction and two silver medals in Religious and Christian writing. Her most recent book, “Disney’s Secret Sauce—the little-known factor behind the business world’s most legendary leadership,” has taken honors in the Royal Palm Literary Awards 2019 Competition. All of Mary’s books enjoy five-star ratings on Amazon.
Mary was a full-time staff writer for Hallmark Cards in Kansas City and later became a writer and editor for the leading publisher of stories and comprehension tests used in the U.S. public school system. Her observational humor has appeared in the Sunday New York Times, Newsday and other dailies and magazines.
Mary’s hilarious “Confessions of a Hallmark Greeting Card Writer” continues to enjoy rave reviews with audiences everywhere, as she shares the ins-and-outs along with the mishaps behind the scenes at Hallmark. She also presents a fun and quirky “Peek Behind the Magic,” based on her years with Disney.
During her fourteen years with Disney Institute, the second most recognized training brand in the world, Mary appeared before almost three-quarters-of-a-million professionals, many of them top executives and CEOs, often sharing a convention platform with speakers that ran the gamut from Malcolm Gladwell and a host of other bestselling authors to Tony Robbins and the President of AOL. Her subjects ranged from Disney’s Approach to Leadership Excellence and Service Excellence to Disney’s Approach to Hiring and Training, Corporate Storytelling and Creativity. Her training programs continue to transform organizations of every kind.
Mary has also written three illustrated children’s books, including Mrs. Peppel’s Pillows, which was a finalist in the Royal Palm Literary Awards Competition, as well as more than a dozen short stories, one of which, Jeremiah’s Orchard, appears in the esteemed Saturday Evening Post’s 2014 Anthology of Great American Fiction. Her book of poems is scheduled for release in the fall.
Mary currently hosts a live radio talk show that airs daily on Salem Media’s WBZW 1520 AM, afternoons from 3:00 to 5:00. Visit: maryflynnwrites.com
Donna Craft
An amazing artist whose quirky and imaginative illustrations have delighted a generation of readers of children's books, as well as collectors of bright and visually compelling art. A master of whimsy, color and design, Donna swiftly and flawlessly interprets the story with her signature style. Her dynamic illustrations enrich every story and captivate readers, young and old alike.