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Martha Engber

Goodreads Author

Born

in Aurora, IL, The United States

Website

http://marthaengber.com/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/marthaengber

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Memoir

Member Since

November 2008

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Martha Engber is the author of six books. SCATTERED LIGHT (https://vineleavespress.myshopify.com...), the sequel to WINTER LIGHT, an IPPY Gold Medal Winner for YA, will be published Nov. 25, 2025.

Her other fiction includes THE FALCON, THE WOLF AND THE HUMMINGBIRD, a historical novel, and THE WIND THIEF. Her nonfiction includes BLISS ROAD, a memoir about her neurodiverse family, and GROWING GREAT CHARACTERS, a resource for writers.

A workshop facilitator and speaker, she’s had a full-length play produced in Hollywood and fiction published in a variety of literary journals. She and her screenwriting team have optioned a TV series to a studio. She encourages readers to connect via her website, MarthaEngber.com. ...more

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Martha Engber’s books

Average rating: 4.51 · 323 ratings · 218 reviews · 9 distinct works • Similar authors

	Bliss Road: A memoir about living a lie and coming to terms with the truth 4.35 avg rating — 107 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Winter Light (The Mary Donahue Chronicles Book 1) 4.67 avg rating — 92 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Falcon, the Wolf, and the Hummingbird 4.38 avg rating — 42 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Scattered Light 4.78 avg rating — 37 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Wind Thief 4.40 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Growing Great Characters from the Ground Up: A Thorough Primer for Writers of Fiction and Nonfiction 4.50 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 2007	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The 50-Word Stories of 2021: Microfiction for Lovers of Quick Reads by Jessica Bell (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Carolyn R. Russell (Contributor), Peter Snell (Contributor) 4.53 avg rating — 15 ratings — published 2021	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Growing Great Characters From the Ground Up: A Thorough Primer for the Writers of Fiction and Nonfiction 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Berkeley Fiction Review, Volume 15 by Jacqueline Carpenter (Editor), Lauren Alwan (Contributor), Roy Glassberg (Contributor) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Martha Engber's Blog

My New Website and Blog!

Hello everyone!

I’d like to announce I have a new website! Please join me there to read my blog, learn about my upcoming books and register for events and workshops.

Series by Martha Engber

The Mary Donahue Chronicles (1 book)
by

Martha Engber (Goodreads Author)

4.67 avg rating — 92 ratings

Martha is Currently Reading

Martha is currently reading

Dream Kids

by Michael Wayne Hampton (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Martha said: " The Dream Academy is anything but a dream for Bryce Hughes, who attends the experimental high school meant to challenge students and help them reach their potential. Instead, the wealth and spoiled upbringing of his fellow students push Bryce toward ...more "

Dec 20, 2022 08:04AM · see review

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Martha rated a book it was amazing Leave the Kid Alone: A Fractured Remembrance by Steve Zettler	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Steve Zettler hits the ball out of the park with his hilarious forthcoming memoir, “Leave the Kid Alone”! He writes from the viewpoint of his seven-year-old self grousing about having to operate the family’s inn and restaurant’s industrial dishwasher ...more
Jun 29, 2026 01:40PM · 1 like · like · see review
Martha rated a book it was amazing Turn Right at the Rainbow: A Diary of Househunting, Happenstance & Home by Roz Morris (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Rarely do I find nonfiction memoirs nowadays that combine what Roz Morris accomplishes in her newest book “Turn Right at the Rainbow”: warm humor; lyrical writing; travel through physical, emotional and time landscapes; and a whimsical, yet deep rumi ...more
May 20, 2026 11:13AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Turn Right at the Rainbow by Roz Morris. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Turn Right at the Rainbow by Roz Morris <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martha rated a book it was amazing I Am Twig, Bone, Feather: a memoir in fragments by Angie Athanassiades (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I’ve read so much fiction and nonfiction in long book form that when I read this spare, poetic memoir, I Am Twig, Bone, Feather, I felt I’d been lifted into the air. There I gradually transformed through some ethereal means that can only happen amids ...more
May 11, 2026 07:54PM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of I Am Twig, Bone, Feather by Angie Athanassiades. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — I Am Twig, Bone, Feather by Angie Athanassiades <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martha rated a book it was amazing Perfect Little Worlds by Clifford Mae Henderson	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
A story that touches on anything Alzheimer’s might seem too heavy from the get-go, but “Perfect Little Worlds” injects so much humor and humanity that I found myself alternately smiling and tearing up. In 1989, Lucy Mustin, a middle-aged lesbian cake ...more
Feb 25, 2026 09:56AM · 1 like · like · see review
Martha rated a book it was amazing Illegitimate: A Memoir by Maddie Lock (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
To find out you don’t have the same father as your siblings is one thing. To find out your beloved grandma took part in a Nazi secret eugenics program that encouraged healthy women to have babies by men with Aryan features in order to purify the race ...more
Feb 14, 2026 02:54PM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Illegitimate by Maddie Lock. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Illegitimate by Maddie Lock <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martha liked Joanne Nelson's review of Scattered Light: "Scattered Light, Martha Engber’s well-researched follow up to Winter Light continues the story of Mary Donahue. Mary has grown up and is doing just fine—keeping busy trying to make partner at her law firm as well as stay ahead of her haunting childho" Read more of this review »
Jan 29, 2026 07:23PM · see review
Martha liked Cheryl Young's review of Scattered Light: "Scattered light took me on an unexpected journey. What starts out as a surprising love story between a bi-racial couple turns into a suspense thriller. Current drama is mixed in with past traumas, and a good dose of politics is also thrown in. Almost" Read more of this review »
Jan 29, 2026 07:23PM · see review
Martha liked Christal Niederererere's review of Scattered Light: "I loved the first and was excited to find out there was a sequel. Mary Donahue clearly had a lot to sort out after her wild ride in the first book, and I'm glad this wasn't overlooked. The characters were so real and likable, I was always rooting for" Read more of this review »
Jan 29, 2026 07:22PM · see review
Martha rated a book it was amazing Floating in the Middle by Frances Rivetti (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
This book sings about nature like no other! Set on the gorgeous, but rough California coast north of San Francisco, seven friends unite for a weekend in a remote beach house. Rather than just fun and games, however, Tam, the protagonist, has come to f ...more
Jan 12, 2026 07:05PM · 2 likes · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Floating in the Middle by Frances Rivetti. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Floating in the Middle by Frances Rivetti <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Martha is now following Cee R.'s reviews
Dec 03, 2025 11:44AM · like

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Vine Leaves Press: Martha Engber's Interview with Suzanne Maggio	2	4	May 30, 2023 06:36AM
Vine Leaves Press: Martha Engber's Interview with Cameron Cowan	2	4	Jun 01, 2023 06:59AM
Vine Leaves Press: Martha Engber's Interview with Jaime Alexandro	2	4	Jun 08, 2023 09:24AM

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Martha’s Quotes

“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
― Leo Tolstoy , Anna Karenina

tags: family, first-sentence

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Martha’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-2) post a comment »

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message 2: by Martha

Dec 17, 2010 10:07PM

Hey Nanette.

Nice to hear from you. My daughter just got home from college so we're all settling in for the holidays here at home.

What are your plans?

reply | flag

message 1: by Martha

Nov 26, 2009 08:18AM

Hey Jane.

Sorry for responding a month late. I must have accidentally changed the settings on my account and so haven't been receiving updates.

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