About Mary Stella
A voracious book fan since first learning to read, Mary Stella fell in love with romance novels while pursuing her English degree decades ago. A professional writer since someone first paid her to write radio commercials while she was still in college, she always dreamed of writing a book someday. Eventually, she realized that a book wouldn’t spring fully written from her brain so she’d better get cracking.
All Keyed Up, a humorous contemporary romance set at a dolphin facility in the Florida Keys with a determined researcher and a stubborn DEA agent, was her debut novel, originally published in print format a few years ago.Key of Sea, published a year later, proves that an ex-trophy wife can create a new life for herself, find love again with a hot younger man, and successfully battle land crabs.
Mary updated both books prior to releasing them electronically. She’s hard at work on a new project, which will also be set in the Florida Keys – the beautiful, fun, slightly abnormal island chain that she calls home.
Mary loves to hear from readers. Please email her at mary@mary-stella.com
The Interview
Could you please tell us a little about your book?
All Keyed Up and Key of Sea are humorous contemporary romance novels set in the Florida Keys. All Keyed Up takes place at a failing dolphin facility where a woman wants to make her name as a marine mammal research scientist. Her dream runs into conflict with the nephew of the facility’s owner. He’s an injured DEA agent with his own plan to save his beloved aunt’s dolphins. Whether or not they can work together to succeed in their goals is a challenge and the sensual sparks between them only complicate matters – at least in her eyes. He’s not the least conflicted. 
Key of Sea tells the story of a woman who returns home to the Florida Keys after her older, wealthy husband kicks her to the curb. She’s pushing 40, she’s not a size 4 any longer and she absolutely doesn’t know what she’s going to do for the rest of her life, but she has to figure it out. At home, in addition to her loving grandpa and her best friend, she’s also back on the radar of the hot younger man whose heart she unknowingly broke years before. He’s definitely got his sights set on her once more.
Who is your biggest supporter?
I’m so lucky to have a great circle of friends – all of whom are also writers – to support me and I do my best to support them in return. We understand the challenges we all face and know how to be excellent cheerleaders, listeners, or motivators.
Your biggest critic?
I’m the hardest on myself always. I always want my writing to get better and better and I worry that I’m not portraying the story in my head in an entertaining enough way for readers. Thank goodness for the support group that reads my work and assures me when I’m on the right track, or helps me readjust if I need to.
What cause are you most passionate about and why?
I’m a huge supporter of marine mammals and ocean conservation. I’ve lived all of my life by the ocean. I’ve loved dolphins and whales since I was a little girl. Mankind is the number one threat to the health and survival of the world’s seas. All of marine life needs us to be more pro-environment in our every day practices. They need us and we need the ocean to be healthy!
Do you have any rituals you follow when finishing a piece of work?
Yes. I celebrate with a bottle of champagne and call my closest friends to say, “It’s done! I typed The End!” We don’t live near each other so we have to celebrate together in a virtual sense.
Who has influenced you throughout your career as a writer?
Jennifer Crusie, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and Nora Roberts. They set a high bar for excellence and I learn so much from reading their books – the second and third times. The first time I’m so captured by the story and characters that I’m absolutely transported into the books.
What is the most important thing in your life right now?
Family, friends, my dogs – always!
What is the most important lesson you have learned from life so far?
As long as you’re alive and kicking, it is never too late to pursue what makes you happy. I made a major life change when I was 43. I published my first book when I was 45. I have a wonderful life. If you want to do something, you can set your mind and your energy to accomplishing whatever it is that you want. Never doubt it and go for it!
What is your favorite past-time?
I love being out on the water. I have a boat that I can take out to just cruise in, go fishing or snorkeling, or even to get together with friends at the sand bar. I love, love, love the ocean.
Thanks so much for letting me join you today!
About All Keyed Up
A Man with a Plan
At home in the Florida Keys on medical leave, undercover agent Jack Benton is on a mission to save his beloved aunt’s failing dolphin facility. He’s positive he can close a seven-figure land development deal, until his sassy Aunt Ruby accepts the proposal of world renowned marine mammal scientist Dr. Vic Sheffield. Against his better judgment, Jack must cooperate with the project or break Ruby’s heart.
A Woman with a Dream
Things aren’t what they seem. More than the Keys temperature heats up when Dr. Victoria Sheffield finesses her way into the facility under the guise of her famous father’s name, hoping to finally establish herself as a top notch researcher. A lifetime of behavioral observation hasn’t prepared her, however, for a suspicious, sexy homo-sapien like Jack. She’ll need every last point of her elevated I.Q. to outwit this wily alpha male. He knows she’s hiding something, and sooner or later he’ll figure it out. In the meantime, not only his suspicions are aroused by the beautiful brainiac.
Two Hearts on Fire
When dreams collide and passion storms, it’s no wonder everybody’s All Keyed Up!
About Key of Sea
In her youth, Dora Lee Hanson set her dreams on distant goals. A more exciting life waited, if not over the rainbow, then at least somewhere out of the quiet Florida Keys. The twenty-something beauty left home for a modeling career, but a wealthy magnate swept her off her ostrich-plumed mules. Unfortunately, after more than a dozen years of marriage, the wicked wretch kicked her to the curb. Facing a very uncertain future, she returns to her beloved grandfather and the home she eagerly left behind all those years before.
Successful Keys fishing guide Bobby Daulton has the life he always intended, with one notable exception. He never caught Dora Lee, the love of his youth. After all these years, he never expected her to blow back into his world with tornado force, but he’s a far cry from the kid who once let her slip the line and escape.
When an ex-trophy wife with a mid-life crisis hooks up with the hot guy whose heart she unknowingly broke years before, the passionate pair rock more than the romance boat. Dora Lee has her eye on a brand new dream. Bobby has his eye on Dora. He’s fallen for her again, hook, line and sinker, and this time she won’t swim away.
Mary! Stop that thinking. : ) You do an awesome job of getting the story out of your head and on to the page, and making it believable. I was caught up right from the start. Love your characters.