Maria Grosskettler
Lover of Words. Teller of Stories.
Whether it’s your story or hers, Maria has been called the "Wizard of Words." From novels, thought leadership, and business spotlights to email campaigns and student engagements, Maria knows how to compose the perfect melody of words to inspire any audience.Â
Explore the stories she has shared and send her a message to let her tell yours.


Tracks
Maria's Debut Novel
Twelve-year-old Natalie Carpenter wants nothing more than to follow the old train tracks straight out of her no-nothing, go-nowhere, nothing-but-bad-memories town, but when a stranger arrives seeking to unravel mysteries left behind by his recently deceased mother, what started out as the worst summer of Natalie's life is about to dramatically change.
From abandoned train stations to old museums to encounters with a famous actress and even to a haunted hotel, Natalie and her new found friend, John Paul, race to piece together clues that could very well solve a half-century old missing person case and even lead to the discovery of a fabled hidden treasure. More importantly, will the secrets they reveal help heal deep wounds of the past, including Natalie’s own?
In The News
Check out Maria in the news!

November 26, 2020
By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer
Bayside Gazette

Teacher Publishes Novel Based On Ties To The Community
By Emily Allgair
Severna Park Voice
Portfolio Peek
Some samples of stories written by Maria.



Burley Oak Founder Pledges to Stay Small
Craftbeer.com
Life is a series of choices, chances, and at times, unfortunate circumstances. When Bryan Brushmiller lost his job at a construction company in 2008 with a wife and daughter at home, that was an unfortunate circumstance. When he decided to turn his homebrewing hobby into a job in 2011, that was not only a choice, but a chance;Â a chance that what he had taught himself in brewing, with a biochemistry degree as a background, would be good enough to sustain Burley Oak Brewing Company as a business in the small town of Berlin, Maryland.
Business Spotlight: GameOn Bar + Arcade
Naptown Scoop
Let’s go back to the ‘90s. Dr. Dre’s California Love blasts on the speakers. You sweet talk the lunch lady for a few extra tater tots. And you’ve got the high score on the Pac-Man machine at the local arcade. What a time to be alive… Luckily, you can get that feeling right on West Street. Albeit with better food. And booze—provided you’re 21, of course. GameOn Bar + Arcade sits in a 102-year-old former firehouse. Inside, spray-painted video game characters adorn the walls, retro arcade games flash and beep, and there’s a bar. More on that later.
Pickle Parties for Progress
EdCircuit
What do pickle parties, Taki nachos, and dodgeball have in common? Stone County Middle School, that’s what.
But why, you ask? Because they are middle schoolers and if something is cool on social media or trending on TikTok, then the administrators will work to throw that into the incentive pot for student participation and progress in a learning program called i-Ready.