Marilyn Bay Wentz

Author Bio:

Marilyn Bay Wentz is a third-generation Coloradoan, who as a child was thrilled to learn that she was a small part Native American. Unfortunately, her part-Sioux grandfather, because he was born in the early 20th century, was embarrassed to talk about his Native heritage and probably knew few details because his parents were even more reticent about it. The lack of information led her to read and research Native Americans as well as the origins and historical treks West by the settlers with whom they interacted, and, in some cases, intermarried.

Wentz grew up on a family farm in northern Colorado, where she gained knowledge of crop and livestock production. Today she is an avid gardener. She loves to freeze, can and dry food and herbs from her substantial garden and has taken the view that more than one trip per month to the grocery store is too much. She and her family operate Prairie Natural Lamb, raising lambs that she directly markets to a faithful customer base. She raises and trains horses for fun and is a certified Colorado 4-H horse show judge and level rater.

In addition to raising lambs, Wentz earns a living writing and editing newsletters and magazines and handling public relations and promotions for clients, most of them agricultural organizations like the National Bison Association and the American Grassfed Association. Prior to establishing her home-based public relations and writing business, she was communications director, first for the National Farmers Union and later for Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Before that, she was public relations manager for the U.S. Meat Export Federation. Wentz started her career with the Taiwan public relations branch of Saatchi and Saatchi Advertising, then the world’s largest advertising agency, where she learned about large and small-scale promotional campaigns. At the age of 21, she spent six months in rural Costa Rica on a 4-H intercultural exchange. She is fluent in Spanish and speaks Mandarin Chinese.

Wentz has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Northern Colorado. She and her husband David are the adoptive parents of two great daughters. Kelly recently married Trenton Brawner, and Shannon is a homeschooled teen.

She has authored hundreds, perhaps thousands, of news releases, feature stories and web posts over nearly three decades of her public relations, writing and editing career. Prairie Grace, historical fiction set in 1864 Colorado Territory, is her first novel, and she hopes it will be the first in a series of historical fiction novels. Wentz’ goal for her writing, whether fiction or non-fiction, is to educate and impact readers.