Mary Dezember
Author photo by Lauren Cherie Photography.
Author photo by Jason Collin Photography.
Engaging with art while leading a tour.
Musing with the Muse.
Author
Dr. Mary Dezember creates stories and poetry as portals to possibilities—inspiring readers to find their magic for a new and better day. Mary lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, USA.
“I believe it helps to make life magical, even if that means simply cuddling a cat, donning a tiara, talking with a unicorn, channeling the muse, or reading a good book,” Mary says.
A lover of the beauty and power of language, she adds, “We spell words and, arranged well, words can put a spell on us.”
Her novel and her two books of poetry explore the rite of passage to identity, including the hero’s emotional and intellectual quest.
She holds a doctorate in Comparative Literature with an emphasis in Comparative Arts from Indiana University. Her Ph.D. minors are in Art History and Performance Studies. She is a scholar of the arts, literature, writing and a creativity advocate. In addition to being an author of novels, she is a poet, Professor Emeritus of English at New Mexico Tech (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology), and an art tour guide with Santa Fe Art Tours.
For twenty-one years as a Professor of English, she taught creative writing, film and social issues, literature, art history, comparative arts, and a variety of courses on the arts. She also served as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Chair of the Communication, Liberal Arts, Social Sciences Department.
In addition to authoring her own stories, she teaches writing courses on how to create stories in fiction, nonfiction and poetry that connect with readers through compelling characters, crafting, style, imagination, and social consciousness.
Mary states, “I am a mother, friend, animal lover, nature lover, poet, author, professor, life citizen, and an advocate for creativity, the imagination, the arts, and social consciousness.”
Her novel, Wild Conviction, (Brilliant Moon Press), is a richly historical, coming-of-age, socially conscious, epic adventure with touches of magic and love. It examines the historical basis for contemporary social issues and the rite of passage to identity, including the hero’s emotional and intellectual quest. Wild Conviction is the Gold Winner of the 2024 Human Relations Indie Book Awards, Historical Realistic Fiction; Finalist in the 2024 Feathered Quill Awards; and Red Ribbon Winner in the 2023 Wishing Shelf Awards.
Her publications also include several non-fiction essays and articles, fiction, and two books of poetry: Earth-Marked Like You (Sunstone Press) and Still Howling (CreateSpace Independent Publishing), with the title poem being First Place winner of the Best Beat Poem Contest, 2016, sponsored by Beatlick Press.
Professor Emeritus of English
She holds a doctorate in Comparative Literature with an emphasis in Comparative Arts from Indiana University.
In addition to being an author of novels, she is a poet, Professor Emeritus of English at New Mexico Tech (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology), and a scholar of the arts, literature, and writing.
For twenty-one years at New Mexico Tech, she taught creative writing, film and social issues, literature, art history, comparative arts, and a variety of courses on the arts.
She also served as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Chair of the Communication, Liberal Arts, Social Sciences Department.
Arts Educator & Scholar
Tour Guide for Santa Fe Art Tours
From the Santa Fe Art Tours website:
“Our tours invite you to look at art in a new way while whisking you through Santa Fe's charming neighborhoods, hidden courtyards, off-the-beaten path art venues, and landmark museums and galleries.
You’ll discover the stories behind the work on view, pick up tips for looking at art with an inquisitive eye, chat with local artists, and experience Santa Fe through its thriving art scene.
Our tours offer a unique opportunity to explore the dynamic Santa Fe art scene with an art insider, so you’re guaranteed to see fascinating artwork and get more out of the gallery-going experience.”
Mary Dezember, PhD
Dezember, LLC
Author who writes, educates, facilitates, publishes, performs related activities and provides related services.
Author
Poet
Educator
Professor Emeritus of English
Arts Scholar
Arts Activist
Creativity Champion
A Lover of Language, Art and Creativity