Born in Egypt to Armenian parents, started learning English at age 11.
Attended an English high school in Cairo. Worked for the United Nations in different countries in Africa, reporting experiences to readers at home, in the Armenian language. Traveled extensively for leisure. Imported American since 1967.
Majored in Business Administration. Practised Internal Auditing for income, wrote for soul gratification and performed community services as necessary, to fain favors in heaven. Contributed to several newspapers in Armenian and in English. Was fluent once in French, and conversant in Arabic and Spanish. The above self-biography is taken from Mary Terzian's website
She published a book in 2005 titled “The Immigrants' Daughter”.
Currently she is preparing her second book.
Azad-Hye wrote on the subject at the following link.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Source):
Born and raised in Egypt, Terzian is a well-traveled freelance writer. She authored “The Immigrants' Daughter“, won a Best Books 2006 Award, and later Dan Poynter's 2012 Global E-Book Award, both in multicultural nonfiction.
Terzian learned languages almost by osmosis. Employment with the United Nations in Egypt, Congo and Togo expanded her multicultural horizons. She tested Lebanese soil but preferred to immigrate to the United States in 1967. She followed Comparative Literature courses at Columbia University in New York but, because of adverse circumstances, she moved to California. Majored in Business Administration in Los Angeles to ensure steady income.
Terzian became a bookworm through mother's influence. She crawled through anything in print, from books, newspapers,magazines, dictionaries, to reading advertising boards, tin cans and flyers. Words and languages fascinated her. An all time teachers' favorite, she was great cause for concern to Stepmother and Father for her “abnormal” addiction to reading. She developed an eclectic taste for books because of her multicultural background.
Terzian's love affair with writing caught fire after cooking a chicken in a teakettle for a compatriot, while in Pakistan. After roaming in Africa, Europe, in the Soviet Union, and the Middle East, she settled in the States. She has contributed several articles, press releases, vignettes and boring business reports between career, single parenting, and extra-curricular activities. Some of her articles are published online.
Excerpts from her book, “The Immigrants' Daughter,” posted online at Amazon.com and other public websites, have interested three educational institutions, one of them the Department of Education in Queensland, Australia, for the benefit of teachers and high-school/college-prep students.
Interesting interview with Mary Terzian in Armenian language:
