When she was 20 years old, Mary Redman joined the Navy and began her military life journey. While living in Spain, she met and married a fellow sailor. Mary experienced many joys and challenges as a military wife and mother. She managed pack-outs, gave birth, visited emergency rooms, heralded holidays, bid farewell to grandparents, and attended numerous school events while her husband was deployed.
Military life gave Mary many unexpected opportunities, from attending the running of the bulls in Spain to teaching English in Japan and exploring American history with her family in Virginia.
Her experience with military deployments encouraged her to write The Wishing Tree, a picture book about a young girl who writes her hopes and prayers on ribbons and ties them to a small wishing tree while her dad is deployed.
Mary has three grown sons and lives with her husband in Southern California.