Mary Peers pens ‘The Wisdom of Wood’  by Dawn Feldhaus, Post-Record staff
published  November 29, 2011,

A Camas resident who has had a life-long interest in the symbolism of mythology and dreams has written a book on those topics.

Mary Peers, 60, has finished “The Wisdom of Wood, Vol. 1: Hazelnut,” and she has plans to write at least two more.

“I wanted to write a mythologically based novel that would help with the strengthening of marriage and families, and to create two new mythic characters, man and woman, who would have access to the wisdom of the past, yet be able to bring it forward into the 21st century,” she said.

It took Peers approximately eight years to research Celtic mythology and write the book. She is starting to conduct research for “Volume 2: Oak,” and she expects it will be at least a year before it is completed.

“I currently see there being three volumes, but I don’t like to hold that in stone as sometimes these things progress,” Peers said.

The first book is about Samuel Alexander’s discovery of an ancient ring in England, as well as his 8-year-old granddaughter inheriting the ring and a journal.

“Not until the age of 21 will she accept her destiny and travel the journey mapped out in her grandfather’s journal,” the book’s description states. “Enter Sophie’s world filled with mythological characters that lay claim to her soul, and watch as she transforms them and herself and in the process reawakens the long-lost ‘wisdom of wood.’”

Peers has studied art, linguistics and dreams.

Honor Valor, a teacher of Celtic mythology and writing at Marylhurst University, in West Linn, Ore., reviewed Peers’ manuscripts for the novel.

“She helped me to sort of become more in touch with the mythology of that time,” Peers said. “The characters were too much in a dream state. I needed to move the mythology out of the past into the life of a young girl. I was getting stuck in fantasy, instead of making it real in her day-to-day life. She challenged me to create a more realistic story line.”

Peers described “The Wisdom of Wood” as a love story appropriate for individuals in their mid 20s and older.

“I wanted to write something that would strengthen marriage and families and create two honorable characters that might be intriguing to young people,” she said. “A male appears toward the end of the [first] book. Book two is about their ongoing journey together.”

In addition to the writing, Peers did the drawings and charts in the book.

Although she has always considered herself a writer, she said she did not become more serious about it until about 12 years ago. Peers has won two honorable mention honors and two second place awards through the Willamette Writers Kay Snow competition. She has also received an honorable mention nod through “Writers Digest.” All of the recognition was for her poetry and non-fiction essays.

While continuing her studies in mythology and fiction writing, Peers has written articles for Northwest magazines including “Lacamas Life.”

“Wisdom of Wood” was published by Amazon’s self publishing company, CreateSpace. The book is available to purchase, in print version and on Kindle, through www.Amazon.com. It can also be purchased through www.createspace. com/3560181.

DOWNLOAD ARTICLE