Introducing Kelly Stone

Dear Reader,

Hello! I’m Kelly Stone, and I’ve wanted to be a nationally-syndicated columnist since I was 12 years old. In middle school, we started a school newspaper, and I contributed an advice column. Because the column was new and unestablished, I not only wrote the responses but also the submission letters! Making up the persona of each adolescent soliciting advice was challenging and fun, and I appreciated the opportunity to develop my own voice and style as I crafted my responses. Obviously, it was a perfect fit for me to serve as an advice-giver because I knew so very many things at that age, and it was a unique opportunity to show off my sage wisdom and dozen-years life-experience. *nail polish emoji* In high school, I became the editor of our literary magazine, “Enigma,” and in college, I wrote monthly newsletters for my sorority, “The Red Hot Reader,” and for the Student Association for Campus Activities, “The Scoupe.” One day, after one of my mass communication classes in Old Main, I caught my professor in the hall and asked her what I needed to do to become a food critic. I thought it would be so fun to wear disguises and eat fancy foods in upscale restaurants while people truly valued my opinions and tastes.

Though I am still quite passionate about food and despite the fact that eating and wearing costumes are among my favorite activities, I never became a food critic. Instead, I grew up to be a professional sex educator AND a stand-up comedian. Later, as I entered my thirties, I became a mother. I went on to write a small guest column in the “University Star,” the “Health Beat,” and for a brief time, I wrote a Sunday Humor column for a site (LoveHays.com) called “The Martian Mommy.” That site eventually went down, but my branding as The Martian Mommy continued. I created a personal blog under the same name and began hosting a morning talk show on KZSM. org called The Martian Mommy Show.

Now, I am earning my PhD in Human Sexuality at a prestigious university in Portugal, and I still very much want to grow up to be a nationally-syndicated columnist. During a Carpe Diem moment of inspiration, I decided to pitch my columnist goals and desires to my small town newspaper. I mean, a gal’s gotta start somewhere, and there’s no place like home — even when that home is temporarily on the other side of the world. San Marcos has significantly fostered and fueled my feminist adult development, and I believe it’s the most logical place to incubate and grow my column with ever-broadening and far-reaching readership.

This is where you can play a role in helping my dreams become reality, and I need your input and support. I want to write an engaging, motivational and educational column that includes responding to your questions, comments, letters and postcards. This column also needs a name, and I would absolutely adore receiving suggestions and feedback to get our relationship started. Can you please send your thoughts by contacting me through my website (kellystone.org)?

How often would you like to read my column? Best day to read? What should we call it? My pitch included potential titles such as “K. Stone Writes Home,” “Postcards from Porto,” “Rivertown USA,” “Musings from Martian Mommy” and other fun ideas. I firmly believe that readers can offer even better suggestions, and it’s a great way to engage our first dialogue!

So…I just met you, and this is crazy. Here’s my column. Write me maybe?

Xoxo,