Pen Name:
None
Genre:
Memoir, Romance, Historical Fiction, Travel
Website:
Other Contact Info:
mccsmize@gmail.com
Bio
Mary Candace Mize was born in Albuquerque, attended Vanderbilt, graduated from Brandeis University and acquired an M.A.T. Degree from Simons College. Her brother, a diplomat, invited her to Gambia. She traversed both coasts of Africa for six months, steamed up the Gambia River and spent five days on the Niger River on her way to Timbuktu to watch salt caravans come off the Sahara. She was robbed in Ghana at knifepoint when the robber asked her if she had any ballpoint pens. In Zimbabwe, a crocodile chased her, and in Ethiopia she saw the blind leading the blind, holding hands in groups of six or seven in a village where everyone was visually impaired. She worked in Colombia on the Amazon for a man who wrestled anacondas for National Geographic specials and participated in a monkey census with biologists, waving her arms and screaming as she ran around a small island while they counted. Her favorite job ever. She rode to La Paz, Bolivia, on top of a freight car. From Santiago, Chile, she island-hopped across the Pacific to New Guinea, before working in Sydney, first as an elementary teacher and then a school librarian. Two years later found her at the American School in Islamabad, Pakistan, traveling weekends to Kabul, Afghanistan. Then she traveled from Pakistan to Europe by bus to work at the American School in Genoa, Italy. During her visits to 81 countries, she found the world a friendly, helpful place and loves the third world. She returned home to New Mexico and met her husband two days later, and they have a wonderful son. She became a librarian and a teacher of gifted until retirement. She is currently writing a memoir called Amazon Cast of Characters about her job on the Amazon River.
Books
Title: The Flypaper Witch Murders
Publisher: RMK Publications (2020)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Historic trials shocked the world in 1929. The Flypaper Witch Murders is a story of crimes in a village, tyrannized by a gang of men, and the price the women pay for deliverance. The midwife, whose father was murdered by the same group of oppressors, seeks revenge. The fast-paced plot showcases the myths and rituals of Finno-Ugric tribes, shamanism, and Hungarian folkways. At a time when domestic violence is condoned, shell-shocked men return home to find wives self-reliant and unwilling to tolerate abuse. Russian POWs had infiltrated some beds, so the stage is set for conflict. The Midwife and Piri propel the story, working together and at odds, one toward destruction, the other toward independence. The village itself is a character, and stories of peasants, a gendarme and a journalist weave a tale full of intrigue, romance, and terrible justice.
The Flypaper Witch Murders has garnered awards from the 2021 New Mexico Press Women’s Communications contest as well as the SouthWest Writers 2020 Writing contest.
Available for Sale
Short Stories
“Zsofi” ♦ Genre: Romance
Anthology: Seeing the World in 20/20
Publisher: SouthWest Writers (2020)
The year 2020 fits Confucius’ curse “May you live in interesting times.” As the premier Writers association in the southwestern part of the country, SouthWest Writers is all about writers helping writers succeed. The annual writing contest is open to anyone. It provides challenges for poets and authors and gives them an opportunity to fly. This book contains the top award winning entries in each category: Biography/Memoir, Humor, Social Consciousness, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Mystery, Animals, Philosophy, Historical fiction and more. There were over 230 entries in the competition and each entry was reviewed by at least two judges whose published works have received acclaim.
