Mary Stanton facts for kids

Mary Stanton, born in 1947 in Winter Park, Florida, is an American author. She is famous for her eight-book children's fantasy series, Unicorns of Balinor.

She also writes mystery novels using the pen name Claudia Bishop. Under this name, she has written many books in the Hemlock Falls series. She also wrote three books in the Casebooks of Dr. McKenzie mystery series. Mary Stanton has also helped edit three mystery story collections.

About Mary Stanton

Mary Stanton is the oldest daughter of William Bishop Whitaker and Carole Whitaker. Both of her parents were college professors. When Mary was born, her father was the Dean of Men at Rollins College.

In the early 1950s, her father joined the Navy again. His family moved with him to Japan. Later, he worked for the State Department and was posted to Hawaii. There, he was the Director of Educational Services for Southeast Asia.

Early Life and Education

Mary Stanton grew up in Hawaii. She graduated from Kailua High School. In the late 1960s, she left the island for college.

She attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. She earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy and literature from the University of Minnesota. She also studied law for a year and rehabilitation therapies for a year in graduate school.

Mary worked several different jobs in Minnesota. These included being a nightclub singer and a medical examiner. She also worked as a claims adjuster.

Starting Her Writing Career

Mary Stanton began her career as a copywriter in the early 1980s. She worked for companies like Xerox Corporation. In 1985, she started her own marketing communications company. Her company focused on writing applications for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Her clients included big companies like Xerox, Westinghouse, American Express, and Eastman Kodak. She sold her business in 1992. By 1994, she left the business to become a full-time writer.

Stanton's first book was a fantasy story called The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West (1984). It was published in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The next book in the series was Piper at the Gate (1989).

In 1994, she sold her first mystery novel to Berkley Books. Since then, she has written many mystery novels as Claudia Bishop. She has also written several children's books, including the popular Unicorns of Balinor series.

Mary Stanton also wrote non-fiction articles. These articles were about horse care and veterinary medicine. They appeared in national and regional magazines. She also wrote three scripts for the TV cartoon Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. One of her scripts was for the episode "Song of the Rainbow."

Books by Mary Stanton

As Mary Stanton

Heavenly Horse Series

• The Heavenly Horse from the Outermost West (1988)
• Piper at the Gate (1989) (also known as Piper at the Gates of Dawn in the UK)

A Magical Mystery Series

• My Aunt, the Monster (1997)
• Next Door Witch (1997)
• White Magic (1997)

Unicorns of Balinor Series

• The Road to Balinor (1999)
• Sunchaser's Quest (1999)
• Valley of Fear (1999)
• By Fire, by Moonlight (1999)
• Search for the Star (1999)
• Secrets of the Scepter (2000)
• Night of the Shifter's Moon (2000)
• Shadows over Balinor (2000)
• Unicorns of Balinor (omnibus collection) (2006)

Beaufort and Company Series

• Defending Angels (2008)
• Angel's Advocate (2009)
• Avenging Angels (2009)
• Angel's Verdict (2011)
• Angel Condemned (2011)

Anthologies (Collaborations)

• Fantasy Tales for Girls (2006) (with Jane B. Mason and Sarah Hines Stephens)

As Claudia Bishop

Hemlock Falls Mysteries Series

• A Taste For Murder (1994)
• A Dash of Death (1995)
• A Pinch of Poison (1995)
• Murder Well-Done (1996)
• Death Dines Out (1997)
• A Touch of the Grape (1998)
• A Steak in Murder (1999)
• Marinade for Murder (2000)
• Just Desserts (2002)
• Fried By Jury (2003)
• A Puree of Poison (2003)
• Buried By Breakfast (2004)
• A Dinner to Die For (2006)
• Ground to a Halt (2007)
• A Carol for A Corpse (2007)
• Toast Mortem (2010)
• Dread on Arrival (2012)
• A Fete Worse Than Death (2013)

The Casebooks of Dr. Austin McKenzie Series

• The Case of the Roasted Onion (2006)
• The Case of the Tough-Talking Turkey (2007)
• The Case of the Ill-Gotten Goat (2008)

Anthologies (Collaborations)

• Aliens: Tales to Warp Your Mind (1994)
• Death Dines at 8:30 (2001) (with Nick DiChario)
• Death Dines In (2004) (with Dean James)
• A Merry Band of Murderers (2006) (with Don Bruns)