Bailey Bristol

From The Author's website;

Bailey Bristol

While many of you know me as Mary Schwaner, coloratura soprano, graphic artist and IT geek -- and yes, one of you even knows me as Grammie -- Bailey Bristol is the pen name under which I write all my historical and contemporary suspense novels.

As Bailey, I promise to take you to the most amazing places...places you hadn't thought about visiting, to be sure. Whether it's backstage at the opera house in Vienna or at the bottom of a coal shute in Mounthaven, Ohio -- the 1890's or present day -- the characters you will meet are uniquely Bailey's.

Of course, I suppose here's the place that I should warn you that some of Bailey's villains are downright evil, so don't say I caught you offguard when Baron Walraven springs one of his antique instruments of torture on you. Let's face it. Evil is evil in all its many hues. So forgive me if occasionally Bailey paints in the darker tones.

With family and true love as over-arching themes in my stories, I hope to bring you tales that will make you weep, smile, and recommend the books to your friends. If I manage that, then I have accomplished my mission.

I do love to hear from my readers, so please use the contact menu to send me a note. I promise to share them all with Bailey...the good, the bad, and the downright evil!

Hugs,

Mary

Mary's bio

Mary Schwaner

Coloratura Soprano...Artistic Director...Computer Guru...Author

Granddaughter of a concert violinist, Mary began her musical career in elementary school with the family string quartet, but gave up the violin to study opera at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. There she performed many leading roles for the School of Music opera department before completing her Master’s Degree in 1971. The following year she represented Nebraska in the Regional Metropolitan Opera Auditions in Minneapolis.

Mary devoted much time in the past thirty years to performing, directing and promoting musical endeavors throughout Alabama, California and Nebraska.

She maintained a private studio of voice and beginning piano students for fifteen years in Omaha, Alabama, and California, and briefly taught studio voice at the University of Alabama - Huntsville.

She spent four years as founder and Artistic Director of the Young People’s Pocket Opera in Alabama, touring public schools in northern Alabama on a federal grant from the Top of Alabama Regional Educational Services Agency.

As Music Discipline Chair for Panoply of the Arts, she managed the musical aspects of the first annual Panoply in the Park in Huntsville, Alabama. She arranged for 1,100 musicians from various instrumental and vocal ensembles throughout the Tennessee Valley to perform on a rotating schedule on three stages over a four-day period. The 1982 event was attended by over 25,000 people, and continues as an annual event in Huntsville.

A move to California resulted in four years as Founder/Artistic Director of the Lake Forest Showboaters, a community music theatre company in Mission Viejo, California, which has now passed its 20th season.

Indulging her special interest in building audiences for the opera, Mary composed an opera for second graders called The Koala Bear Opera, a musical reading of James and the Giant Peach, and has produced more than a dozen Summer Stage Magic music theatre workshops for children.

Mary has soloed under the baton of Roger Wagner, and has performed in productions with Beverly Sills, Richard Tucker, and many other operatic notables. She was featured soloist in the world premiere of three choral plays by Jean Berger.

She served several years as Auditions Manager for the Nebraska Metropolitan Opera Auditions Committee and was Sigma Alpha Iota music sorority Patroness of the Year in 1992.

In Mary’s “other life”, she is a computer tech support specialist and has worked as Web Developer for the Nebraska Legislature, a major architectural-engineering firm, and The National Arbor Day Fo