Today we’d like to introduce you to M Ann Pritchard.
Hi M Ann, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My name is M. Ann Pritchard aka M. Ann Machen Pritchard. I am from a family of 16 children born and raised in East TN. When I was growing up, I had a learning disability that it was hard for me to comprehend things so I was failing in 6th grade. But I had a great teacher, Mrs. Margaret Hampton who cared about me and some other students that were getting behind so she tutored us after school hours to teach us how we can learn the way that was best for us. After I achieved the skills on how to learn the best way for me, there was no stopping me on what I know that I can do in life. When I was a senior in high school another great teacher, Betty Gentry encouraged me that I have a talent for writing stories. I always wanted to become a Published Author since I was about 12 years old but did not have the courage to write my own stories until after my high school days. After high school, I moved to Des Moines, Iowa and became a Makeup Artist at the Playhouse Theatre and was an Actress in the play, ‘No Time for Sergeants’ so I found out other talents that I loved to do. I later moved back to East TN and was the Makeup Artist for the Outdoor Drama, ‘The Wataugan’s’ now called ‘Liberty’. I played the role of Nancy Ward a few times in East TN. I later moved to Minneapolis, MN in June of 1990 and love it here. I am a huge Prince Fan so when I got the opportunity to move to Minnesota it did not take long to move. My whole life changed once I moved to Minnesota both in my writing and Acting career.
As life goes, I raised my family and put my writing career on hold until I was a grandmother at the age of 50 years old before I had published my first book, ‘Phil the Pill and Friends Making Positive Choices’. I wrote my first book to help encourage young children to learn how to read, stay in school to get a good education, learn positive communication skills and make positive choices in life. I added 5 children’s songs that I wrote to make reading more fun. After I saw a need that families are pulling away from each other instead of getting closer together I decided to write my second book, ‘Val’s World Featuring The Family Unity Roundtable’ to help bring families closer together. I even added some of my own recipes to make it more fun and interactive. After I had published my 2nd book, I entered in a National Contest for authors where we had to write a 1,000 word essay on our journey and why we wrote a certain book and the nation voted on who would be the winners. I am very proud and thank everyone that voted for me. I am one for winners of the 50 Great Writers That You Should Be Reading!
My new book, ‘The Spirit of Sixteen’ will be released soon. It is based on a true story and of course, it not a children’s book. My books are available at https://www.amazon.com/M.-Ann-Machen-Pritchard/e/B002BM9DLM.
I was also able to release one of the songs that I wrote entitled, ‘Drugs and Alcohol by MAMP Creations’. After losing some close friends and relatives due to drugs or alcohol, I decided to write the song to try to help people realize that it is not too late to make a change in their lives and to go and get the help that they need. I have trademarked an Anti-Drug T-Shirt and other products that are available on my website at www.mampcreations.com.
When I first moved to Minnesota I was not going to do anymore acting but when I met Christine Clayburg, Actress, Screenwriter, Director, she talked me into acting again and I am glad that I did. I love Acting in films/movies. If you go to my IMDb page at https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7886397/ you can find out more. I am so proud that one of the films that I was in that was directed by Amber Patton and Christine Clayburg won an Award for Best Director of a Short Film at the Frozen Film Festival. It is entitled ‘ The Christmas You Don’t Know’, starring Tucker Smallwood, Vera Wayne, Amber Patton, Bridget Cronin and many others including me, M. Ann Pritchard. Another film project that I have worked on is Minneapolis The Movie you can find out more at www.minneapolisthemovie.com.
I am so proud that I had great teachers and great people in my life that saw several talents in me and helped me along the way. So from when I was a little girl with a learning disability I thought that I would not be able to do much of anything; I am proud to say that I am now an Award-winning Author, Illustrator, Songwriter(BMI), Actress and Producer. Also, I have a small business MAMP Creations. I also have a YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/MANNMACHENPRITCHARD.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No. It was not a smooth road as there were some negative people in my life that did not believe in me of what I can do, because I did not go to college to get a pacific degree in any subject. I only took some college courses to learn what I needed to learn that I could use in my career. It first made me feel down and get discouraged. But I did not let it get me down for too long. I learned how to do the things that I needed by learning online and asking other people questions. Also, by doing research and observing what other people were doing. I even went to the public library to learn how to work on a computer because I did not own a computer or know how to use one when I first started writing my first book but I was determined.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am retired from my regular day job of being an Inside Territory Manager for a Wholesale Apparel company in which I won a Life Time Achievement Quality Excellence Award for having 99.9% Accuracy in my work. I am now an Award-winning Author. I have Self-Published two children’s books, ‘Phil the Pill and Friends Making Positive Choices’ and ‘Val’s World Featuring The Family Unity Roundtable’. I have a new book that will be released soon, ‘The Spirit of Sixteen’ which is not a child’s book and is based on a true story. But I also, do other things. I am a Songwriter (BMI), Actor and Producer. I wrote the 5 children’s songs that are included in my Phil the Pill and Friends Making Positive Choices children’s book. I have another song that I wrote, “Drugs and Alcohol by MAMP Creations’ that I wrote in hopes that it can help people to go and get the help that they need to get out of their addictions. I have written several other songs that I hope to get out into the world someday. I would love it if some of the artists out here would go to my BMI listing and record my songs, as I feel that I am too old now at my age. I am a grandmother you know, lol.
I am most known for my children’s books, especially ‘Phil the Pill and Friends Making Positive Choices’. It was received positively by many including former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, former First Lady Laura Bush and Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. When I met Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York in person she told me that she was so proud and impressed with me because she had never met an Author before in her life that did the writing, illustrations, songwriting and publishing themselves. That made my day for sure! I was so encouraged to keep writing books. When I go out in public most people might not know my name but they know me as the Phil the Pill Lady, lol. So that is what I have been called lots of times and I don’t mind it at all because I know that they have either read my books or know about them.
So I believe that I can say that writing books is what I am most proud of and the most known for in my career. And I am glad because that was always my dream ever since I was a little girl to become a Published Author. I am not only a Published Author but an Award-winning Published Author.
I believe what sets me apart from others is that I have several talents instead of just one thing that I can do. For example, I not only write books but I do my own illustrations. When I need a song for something, I just write one. If an Actor is needed, I can Act. If I am in a film/movie and the director needs a singer, then I can sing. I remember when one of the films that I was in the actress that was supposed to lead the song had lost her voice the day that we had to film the scene, but I told the Directors to not worry because I also sing so I could lead the song and I did. It was a wonderful film and actually was the one that won the award for Best Director of a Short Film, ‘The Christmas You Don’t Know’, directed by Amber Patton and Christine Clayburg. As the saying goes…when there is a will there is a way!
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me in life is that families get back to being families again. There are so many families out here that don’t even talk to their family members anymore and it makes me so sad. I grew up in a large family of 16 children and we were poor but our parents taught us to appreciate what we did have because there are still people out in the world that doesn’t have what we had. They also, taught us to always love, respect, and support each other.
Why family matters so much is that I believe if we all were closer to our families the world would be a better place to live for all of us. Because families will feel loved, respected and supported that hardly anyone would have the desire to hate anyone and cause lots of crimes and violence or feel the need to get addicted to drugs and alcohol or any other kinds of addictions. When people hate each other or commit a crime or any acts of violence or get addicted to something, I believe that they are trying to pacify themselves to try to take away the hurt and pain that they are going through. Hurt people hurt people in some cases. But if they can heal from their trauma and feel loved, respected and supported then they can also find happiness because happiness comes from within. I believe if we can have more happy people out here that the world can be a happier place to be. I believe that happy families can bring a happier world. I always hear about let’s stop the violence. But in order to stop the violence, it starts with the family! Healing our families can help to stop the violence and help to heal the world. At least in my opinion. Thank you for asking this question because it is close to my heart. Family means everything to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mampcreations.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m._ann_pritchard/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/m.ann.pritchard/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MAMPCreations
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MANNMACHENPRITCHARD
- Other: https://www.amazon.com/M.-Ann-Machen-Pritchard/e/B002BM9DLM
Image Credits
M. Ann Machen Pritchard aka M. Ann Pritchard
