"Be an opener of doors"
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Meet Marybeth
Author /Speaker/Librettist
Sometimes I feel like my mind is like that of a magpie, picking up sparkling, exciting stories and little known facts, and flying away with them. Here's hoping I can carry you with me.
Lately, I've been flying high on the wings of spirituality for adults that I'm looking forward to sharing---Check out my Following St. Francis site.
For the young at heart, I have created a musical with composer Owen P. Olson --
"Lucette! Paul Bunyan Meets His Match."
With memorable catchy tunes, the musical tells my story of the tall tale character Lucette who sets the giant Paul Bunyan to three humorous love tests. Wait to see how she transforms Paul Bunyan (and his team of lumberjacks) from indiscriminate loggers into caring foresters through three fun love tests.
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Like Lucette, I feel most comfortable outdoors, on a hike or cross country ski, in a tent or canoe, skating on the lake, or sitting on a beach staring into the water. But those are not the best places to write a book. So I have to pull myself back to my notebook or computer.
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I'm blessed with a large fun lively family of origin and the one my husband, David Mataya (a painter, musician, and designer) have nurtured, with three incredible grown children and a terrific son-in-law. We love adventures in all wild places and parks (always with books in my packs!).
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Thanks for visiting me here and taking a wander!
Marybeth Lorbiecki
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Marybeth Lorbiecki, M.A., is an award-winning author of numerous books for adults and children, and a requested speaker on the varied topics she has explored.
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"There are two things that interest me:
the relation of people to each other, and
the relation of people to the land."
- Aldo Leopold
Marybeth and husband David atop Spruce Knob, Seneca Rocks, W.V.
And now for something completely different...
a fun and informative podcast with my daughter Mirjana.
Using my research about Larry Gibson, Kayford Mountain, and the movement against mountain-top removal coal mining, we'll be offering soon "Appalachian Hellraisers & Mountain Prophets".
Featured Interests From Her Works
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Adult Nonfiction
Children's Books
Special Topics
"Her passion, energy, engaging personality and sweeping knowledge made for a most convincing, fast-paced presentation, which, in turn, stimulated active and enthusiastic audience participation. It was a great program!"
- Otto Byhre
Adult Education Coordinator, Plymouth Congregational Church, Minneapolis
"Marybeth was marvelous! ... Her presentation was warm and witty, full of life and of respect for one of nature’s early protectors. Sharing her sensitivity to our vulnerable environment, she successfully conveyed how Leopold’s vocation and avocation grew into a passionate “fierce, green fire.”
- Katie Chaffee
River Falls Public Library,
River Falls, Wisconsin
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“All the teachers were very impressed with her presentation. Down-to-earth and personable. She had great information to share with the kids about the process of writing & publishing books."