Mary Schaffer

Mary grew up in Ozark, Franklin County, Arkansas. A graduate of Arkansas Tech, she taught in public schools and later, after obtaining an M.A. in English from University of Arkansas, taught at the college level. Counting experiences in substitute teaching, she taught classes from kindergarten through senior college courses.

She has lived in a variety of states and her beloved Portugal, where she lived off and on for twenty years. She currently lives in Heber Springs, Arkansas.

Finally, in 2002, she began putting her years of studying and teaching literature and writing into her own writing. What has followed is 9 murder mysteries with a 10^th due out in September 2025. She has written one romance and a nonfiction collection of stories about living in Portugal. She also wrote and published stories about her life growing up in Franklin County.

Looming in the distance are several books waiting to be written: another Ed Flanders book, two short story romances, and a nonfiction collection of stories titled Gathering String.