Mary O'Connor lives in Old Lyme on the Connecticut shore, source of inspiration for much of her work. As a writer and a painter, she is strongly influenced by simple observation of the world's natural life and beauty.  The resulting realization that one need not look far to find an element of peace, of celebration, of joy, provides much of the underlying inspiration for many of the poems that appear in Dreams of a Wingless Child, as well as for her next book on which she is currently working. Tentatively entitled Joy, Everyday Ways and Places to Find It, the new book features interviews with everyday people from throughout the United States and beyond, each providing anecdotal examples and insights into ordinary ways in which they bring peace and joy into their lives.

When not writing, Mary particularly enjoys painting wildlife and landscapes in watercolor and acrylics, some of which can be seen on this site. She also teaches poetry writing to women at the York Correctional Institution in Niantic, CT, and serves on the board of the Judy Dworin Performance Project, Hartford, CT, a nonprofit organization that uses the arts as a catalyst for social change.

Following a professional career in marketing and communications that spanned the worlds of journalism, advertising & public relations agencies, corporate, academic and non-profit institutions, Mary retired in 2007 as Executive Director of the Guilford Art Center to pursue her life's interest in writing.