By the mid-1980s, she and her investment-banker husband had two houses, two cars, and distant expectations of getting the brass ring.  They agreed, however, that living in the moment was more important than conventional notions of success. Seven months later, they sailed out of New York Harbor en route to the rest of the world.

Since leaving New York in 1985, Mary has lived and/or worked in Panama, New Zealand, Australia, Germany, Mexico as well as New York City.  In 2000, she moved to Des Moines where she now makes her home.   In her post-sailing career, she has worked as a consultant to Fortune 500 companies as well as the nonprofit sector.

After six career changes, Mary abandoned the corporate world to be a writer. Her first book, a memoir entitled Sailing Down the Moonbeam was published in 2008.  Her first novel, A Fitting Place, was published in May of 2014.

She is now actively interested in bioethics and health care, and is co-teaching a honors level course in the Philosophy Department at Drake University, focused on the conflict between modern medicine and faith traditions from around the world.

To learn more about Mary Gottschalk, visit her website.