Mary Grace Bertulfo
Fiction. Nature writing. Nonfiction.
Mary Grace is a wordsmith based in Chicago who has written internationally for television, magazines, books, journals, and children’s education. From stories of sea-faring and womanhood to deliciously cold prairie treks in 18 degree Midwestern weather, her writing explores her twin passions: Filipino culture and the wonders of nature. The unique and the universal.
Over the last 15 years, Mary Grace has been devoted to bringing nature stories and Filipino-based fiction out into communities. She has worked with people from many different walks of life and backgrounds united in a common love of stories, creativity, and reading. Through her writing, Mary Grace encourages audiences to read for pleasure and education.
She is active with: Kandila, a four-woman writers & artists collective devoted to Asian American arts, global consciousness, and peace. Families of Asian American Students (FAASt). The Step-Ins Book Project. And the Historical Novel Society.
Mabuhay means live. Live powerfully, live lovingly. Through her writing, Mary Grace encourages you to do just that.
WRITING CREDITS
Television
The Know Your Heritage Show. CBS and Central City Productions. Two seasons.
Fiction, Poetry, & Essays
- “Shiny Black Boots”. YA short story. Growing Up Filipino, Volume 2. Editor Cecilia Brainard. PAHL and Anvil Press. 2010.
- “The Fullness of Time”. Creative nonfiction, essay. Finding God. Editors Cecilia Brainard & Marily Orosa. Anvil Press. 2009.
- “Secret Doors”. Essay. Uptown Writers Space feature for May 2008.
- “Windsong”. Short story. Amerasia Journal.
- “Isang anak Sa Pamilya”. Poem. Pacific Ties.
Magazine Articles – Samples
- “Promise on the Prairie.” Feature article. Sierra Magazine.
- “Sounds in the Darkness”. Cover story. Chicago Wilderness Magazine.
- “Ralph Frese: Urban Voyageur”. Feature article. Chicago Wilderness Magazine.
- “New Roots: From the Golden State to the Prairie State“. Essay. Chicago Wilderness Magazine.
Children’s Education
- “Hands and Faces”. Poem. Celebrate English! Coursebook. Pearson Education, Asia.
- “People of the Rainforest”. Script for children’s educational video. ERI Communications & Schlessinger Productions.
READINGS & PANELS
The Chicago Children’s Museum. The Flipside of Culture performances at U.C. Berkeley. Pangarap, Filipino American Literature Forum through U.C.L.A.’s Asian American Studies Department. The Uptown Writers Space.
CURRENT WRITING PROJECTS
Fiction. A historical novel set in the sixteenth-century Philippines. A fiercely determined woman leader. Tattooed warriors. Canoes. Ankle-length hair. The power of grandfather crocodile. An armada. The scent of ylang-ylang flowers drifting down the mountain-side. Love in the time of war and a clash of religions.
Nonfiction. A collection of 25 oral histories and photographs of Filipina Americans about growing up, becoming women, and navigating Filipino and American cultures. A community project with co-author, Bay Area photographer Elaine Serina.
Available at Amazon.com & PALH
Click on the anthologies for more info.
