Clyde Edmond Fisher's Podcast
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Clyde Edmond Fisher's Podcast
Dreaming A Store Into Reality
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A Store Dream In Hard Times
SPEAKER_00Welcome to Copilot Podcasts. An 11-year-old girl in 1930s America decides she's going to own a store. Not play store, not dream about it, but actually own one. During the Great Depression when her family has nothing. Today we're diving into Mary J's Community by Clyde Edmund Fisher, a historical novel based on a true story that shows how one woman's impossible dream created economic, spiritual, and friendship gains for an entire community. By the end of this episode, you'll understand how this book captures the essence of American entrepreneurship during our nation's darkest economic hour, and why its themes of community support still resonate today.
Why Clyde Edmund Fisher Told It
SPEAKER_00So let's start with the author himself. What do we know about Clyde Edmund Fisher and what drove him to tell this particular story?
SPEAKER_01Fisher is fascinating because he brings this incredible educational background to his storytelling. According to the page content, he has multiple degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a Bachelor of Arts, and a Master's degree from NCCU, SAYU, and Shaw University. But what's really compelling is that he learned at an early age to play a role in his community, and he currently works with groups of multicultural communities.
SPEAKER_00That community focus really comes through in the book, doesn't it?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. And his publishing career began in January 2014 with the release of Mary Jay's Community. So this has been his flagship work for over a decade now. He's also worked with several major corporations in key executive positions, which gives him this unique perspective on both business and community dynamics.
Mary J’s Early Losses And Vision
SPEAKER_00Now let's talk about Mary Jay herself. According to the onlinebookclub.org review, this is based on a true story. What's her background?
SPEAKER_01Mary Jay grew up in the 1930s during the Great Depression as the fifth child of nine. She lost both of her parents at a young age and was cared for by her grandmother Mag. But here's what's remarkable. She knew by the age of 11 that she wanted to be a store owner.
SPEAKER_0011 years old during the Great Depression. That's either incredibly naive or incredibly visionary.
SPEAKER_01Right? And as the Great Depression was ending and World War II had begun, Mary Jay met the man she wanted to marry, Pap Fisher, who was 10 years her senior. Her grandmother wasn't a fan, so Mary Jay and Pap eloped.
SPEAKER_00So she's making bold decisions from a young age. What happened after the marriage?
SPEAKER_01Once she was married, her grandmother accepted Pap into the family. Mary J moved with Pap to his home, where he lived with his mother and sister. Pap had lost his father and stayed to continue farming his parents' land. Mary Jay still had her dream of becoming a store owner and hoped her marriage to Pap would be beneficial in reaching that goal.
SPEAKER_00But farming during that era wasn't exactly a path to prosperity, was it?
SPEAKER_01Not at all. In addition to farming, Pap made moonshine, and at times his profits were stolen, that is when the police weren't finding his still and destroying it. So money was tight. As the years went by and children came along, Mary Jay was losing hope she would ever have her store.
SPEAKER_00That's such a relatable struggle, having this big dream, but life keeps throwing obstacles at you. The moonshine detail is interesting too. It shows the
Marriage, Farming, And Moonshine Survival
SPEAKER_00economic desperation of the time.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And what I find compelling is how Fisher structures this as a question throughout the book. Would Mary Jay get her store? Would Pap be able to help her fulfill her dream, or would it become a source of contention between them?
SPEAKER_00Let's talk about Fisher's approach to character development. The onlinebookclub.org review mentions he did an outstanding job with this.
SPEAKER_01The reviewer noted that there were many fictitious characters in the book, and Fisher included a list of characters at the beginning to help readers keep them straight. The characters had names that are quaint and sometimes humorous: Willie Welt, Plump, Show Alter, and Soland, to name a few.
SPEAKER_00Those names are amazing. They sound like they could be from a Dickens novel or something. There's something so evocative about depression-era naming conventions.
SPEAKER_01Right? And according to the review, Fisher's writing style is engaging, and the storyline touches the heart of the reader. It's about family and friends helping each other and forming a close-knit community with a strong religious foundation.
SPEAKER_00That religious foundation aspect is interesting. How does that play into the overall themes?
SPEAKER_01Well, the book description consistently mentions that this story shows the economic, spiritual, and friendship gains that one person's dreams can create. So it's not just about individual achievement, it's about how one person's vision can uplift an entire community spiritually and economically.
SPEAKER_00That's a really powerful message, especially for that time period. What about the book's reception? How has it been received?
SPEAKER_01The onlinebookclub.org review gave it three out of four stars, which is solid. On Goodreads, it has a five rating, though that's based on just one review. The Goodreads reviewer said it was a great story of a young woman full of dreams.
SPEAKER_00It's interesting that it's classified as historical fiction. The online book club notes that historical fiction is typically defined as novels written at least 25-50 years after the book's setting.
SPEAKER_01That's a good point. Since the story is set in the 1930s and the book was first published in 2014, that definitely fits the criteria. But what makes it unique is that it's based on a true story, so it bridges that gap between historical fiction and memoir.
SPEAKER_00Let's talk about the book's evolution.
Craft Choices And Reader Reception
SPEAKER_00I noticed there are multiple editions. What can you tell us about that?
SPEAKER_01The original was published in 2019 with 252 pages, but there's also a second edition from September 2020 with 254 pages, and then another version from July 2021 with 429 pages. So Fisher has been expanding and refining this story over time.
SPEAKER_00That's almost double the length in the latest version. That suggests he's really committed to developing this story and these characters.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. And what's interesting is that the core message remains consistent across all versions. It's about a determined and hardworking woman who shows the special bonds that a community can share.
SPEAKER_00Now, I want to dig into something that really strikes me about this story. We're talking about a woman in the 1930s who wants to be a business owner. That's pretty revolutionary for the time, isn't it?
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Women's economic opportunities were severely limited during the Great Depression. The fact that Mary J not only dreamed of owning a store, but actively pursued it, despite financial obstacles, family responsibilities, and societal expectations, makes her story particularly compelling.
SPEAKER_00And the community aspect seems central to how she achieves this dream, right?
SPEAKER_01Exactly. The book description emphasizes that this story shows how one person's dreams can create economic, spiritual, and friendship gains for others. It's not just individual success, it's about lifting up the whole community.
SPEAKER_00That's such a different narrative from the typical American dream story of individual achievement. This is more about collective prosperity.
SPEAKER_01Right, and that reflects Fisher's own background and values. Remember, he learned at an early age to play a role in his community and currently works with groups of multicultural communities. That community first mindset really comes through in the storytelling.
SPEAKER_00Let's talk about the obstacles Mary Jay faces. The book mentions death and finances as major challenges. How do these play out in the story?
SPEAKER_01Well, she lost both parents at a young age, which is the death obstacle. And financially, even after marriage, money was tight because of Pap's farming struggles and the moonshine business being unreliable due to theft and police raids.
SPEAKER_00The moonshine element really grounds this in the historical reality of prohibition and the economic desperation of the era.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. And as children came along, Mary J was losing hope she would ever have her store. That's such a relatable struggle. Life circumstances making your dreams feel increasingly impossible.
SPEAKER_00What I find interesting is how Fisher frames this as a question throughout: will she get her store or won't she? That creates real narrative tension.
SPEAKER_01And it reflects the uncertainty that so many people faced during that era. The Great Depression wasn't just an economic crisis, it was a crisis of hope and possibility.
SPEAKER_00Now, Fisher has an interesting background himself. He's got this business education and corporate experience, but he's also described as an evangelist and lecturer. How do you think that influences his storytelling?
SPEAKER_01That combination is really unique. His business background gives him insight into the economic realities Mary J faces, while his role as an evangelist and lecturer suggests he's comfortable with inspiring and teaching through storytelling.
SPEAKER_00And he's been working on this story for over a decade now, since 2014. That serious commitment to these characters and
The Blueprint For Community Entrepreneurship
SPEAKER_00this message.
SPEAKER_01Right. And in February 2021, he took on the role of advisory board member for his own organization, which suggests he's building something larger around this work, maybe a platform for community-focused storytelling.
SPEAKER_00That makes sense given his focus on multicultural communities. It's like he's practicing what Mary J. preached, using individual success to benefit the broader community.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And what's interesting is that this isn't just a historical story, it's a template for how entrepreneurship can work in community-centered ways.
SPEAKER_00Let's talk about the writing style. The reviewer mentioned it's engaging and touches the heart. What makes it work?
SPEAKER_01According to the onlinebookclub.org review, Fisher's writing style is engaging, and the storyline touches the heart of the reader. The reviewer specifically noted the strong character development and how the story is about family and friends helping each other.
SPEAKER_00And those character names we mentioned Willie Welt, Plump, Showalter, Saland, they add this almost folkloric quality to the story.
SPEAKER_01Right. They're quaint and sometimes humorous, which probably helps balance the serious economic and social themes with moments of lightness and humanity.
SPEAKER_00Now, I'm curious about the true story aspect. How much of this actually happened versus how much is Fisher's creative interpretation?
SPEAKER_01The onlinebookclub.org review specifically calls it a historical coming-of-age novel based on a true story. So while the core events and Mary J's journey are real, Fisher has clearly added fictional characters and narrative elements to create a complete story.
SPEAKER_00That's a smart approach. It gives him the emotional truth of the real events while allowing for the kind of character development and narrative arc that makes for compelling reading.
SPEAKER_01And it allows him to explore broader themes about community, spirituality, and economic cooperation that might not have been as clear in just the factual events.
SPEAKER_00Speaking of themes, let's dig into this idea of economic, spiritual, and friendship gains. That's a pretty comprehensive vision of what success looks like.
SPEAKER_01It really is. Most business stories focus just on the economic gains, but Fisher is arguing that true entrepreneurship creates value across multiple dimensions: financial prosperity, spiritual fulfillment, and stronger social bonds.
SPEAKER_00That feels especially relevant today when we're having conversations about stakeholder capitalism and businesses having broader social responsibilities.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. Mary Jay's story from the 1930s is actually a model for how business can work in the 21st century, creating shared value rather than just extracting profit.
SPEAKER_00And the religious foundation aspect adds another layer. It's not just about making money, it's about serving something larger than yourself.
SPEAKER_01Right. And that spiritual dimension probably helped sustain Mary Jay through all those years when her dream seemed impossible. It wasn't just personal ambition, it was a calling.
SPEAKER_00Now let's talk about the book's place in contemporary literature. How does it fit into current conversations about historical fiction and community narratives?
SPEAKER_01What's interesting is that while it's published independently, the Amazon listing shows it's independently published, it's tackling themes that major publishers are also exploring: community resilience, economic justice, and alternative models of success.
SPEAKER_00And the fact that Fisher keeps expanding and refining it suggests he sees this as more than just a book. It's almost like a manifesto or a teaching tool.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. Going from 252 pages to 429 pages shows he's really developing the ideas and probably responding to reader feedback and his own evolving understanding of the story's significance.
SPEAKER_00Before we wrap up, I want to come back to Mary J herself. What do you think makes her story so compelling that Fisher has dedicated over a decade to telling it?
SPEAKER_01I think it's because she represents this perfect intersection of individual determination and community support. She's not a lone wolf entrepreneur, she's someone whose success depends on and creates success for others.
SPEAKER_00And the timing is crucial too. She's pursuing this dream during one of the most economically challenging periods in American history.
SPEAKER_01Right, which makes her story both inspiring and instructive. If Mary Jay could build something meaningful during the Great Depression, what's possible for us today?
SPEAKER_00So when you step back from all of this, what's the lasting message of Mary Jay's community? What should readers take away from this story?
SPEAKER_01I think the core message is that individual dreams and community prosperity aren't opposing forces, they're mutually reinforcing. Mary Jay's success creates economic, spiritual, and friendship gains for everyone around her.
SPEAKER_00And that's a model we desperately need today. Too often we think about business as zero-sum competition, but Fisher is showing us a different way through Mary Jay's example.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And the fact that this is based on a true story makes it even more powerful. This isn't just idealistic fiction. It's proof that this kind of community-centered entrepreneurship actually works.
SPEAKER_00Plus, Fisher's own background, working with multicultural communities, his business education, his role as an evangelist shows he's not just writing about these values, he's living them.
SPEAKER_01Right, and that authenticity comes through in the storytelling. When you read about Mary Jay's journey, you're not just getting entertainment, you're getting a roadmap for how to build something meaningful.
SPEAKER_00So here's what this really comes down to. Mary Jay's Community isn't just a historical novel about one woman's dream. It's a blueprint for how individual ambition and community support can work together to create lasting prosperity. Fisher has given us a story that's both deeply rooted in the 1930s and urgently relevant for today. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a community leader, or just someone trying to figure out how to make your dreams work alongside other people's needs, Mary Jay's Journey offers both inspiration and practical wisdom. Remember that 11 year old girl who decided she was going to own a store during the Great Depression? She didn't just achieve her dream, she proved that the best dreams are the ones that lift everyone up. Thanks for joining us on Copilot Podcasts. And remember, your biggest dreams might just be your community's greatest opportunity.