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EXPERT BIOS: Animal Care - Humor (A - H)
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AGING Raised in the South on a tenant cotton farm, Shirley W. Mitchell had a passion to make her life and others' lives more productive. Seeing what aging did to those, her quest has been to "Promote Positive Aging" for all, especially for those who are approaching or are Golden 50 or beyond. A National Author/Columnist/Writer/Speaker and Celebrity Radio Talk Show Host, Shirley is known as "The Golden Egg of Aging™" and " the Original Baby Boomer Promoter" because of her tremendous insight years previous to the coming of the Baby Boomer Wave of Aging Younger. She’s a mother of three and a grandmother of eight. An unexpected divorce later in life promoted a more positive approach to her future and what was to play in it. Her books are The Beauty of Being God's Woman (Strode Publishers 1981), Spiritual Sparks for Busy Women (Strode Publishers 1982), The Christian Writer's Diary (self-published), Fabulous after 50™ (New Leaf Press 2000) – the first book in the series of Inspirational and Motivational books, with two more slated for publication, and Sensational after 60™ (New Leaf Press 2005). Shirley is also the Co-Author of three books - Love Notes for Mom, Love Notes for Dad and 101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life with Self Growth Inc.. Her weekly newspaper Column, "Fabulous after Fifty™" in the Sand Mountain Reporter has been going on strong now for over 15 years, and is the model for her On-Line Syndicated Column, "Spiritual Sparks for Baby Boomers™"". She also has an On-Line Newsletter called, "Passionate Sparks™". Shirley became a regular Contributing Columnist for the On-Line "Senior LifeStyles Magazine" out of Westminster, Colorado, and a Featured Columnist-Writer for "Passionate for Life Magazine" out of California. Shirley is Managed and Represented by Lighthouse Coastal Literary™ in Daphne, Alabama. Agent@lighthousecoastalliterary.com, Shirley is comfortable writing or speaking about: Aging... BabyBoomers... SeniorLife... Aging Outside theBox... Fighting Mid-LifeFears... The Important SecondHalf... How to be Fabulous after50... Exercise - Aging's GoldenEgg... How to be Sensational after60... Ageless Living and EndlessEnergy... Passion + Persistence + Prevailing = PIZZAZZ
Penny Leisch has a passion for working with animals. Pets by Penny and Reiki4Paws are designed to serve pet guardians and pet care professionals. Penny is an Usui Reiki Master Teacher, a Karuna Ki Reiki Master Teacher, a Sacred Flames Reiki Master Teacher, and an empath and animal communicator. Although she is an AADP Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, she continues to study with special emphasis on courses that promote wellness, as well as those that facilitate healing and comfort in ill or injured animals. She is also fully certified to treat humans in the same areas. She and her husband have been actively involved in rescue work for over twenty years and often adopt special needs and/or senior animals. In addition, her traditional education includes training and experience in psychology, medical social services, and business. Like many holistic practitioners, Penny comes to holistic studies from a background dominated by science and was not easily convinced of the value of nontraditional treatments. Personal experience and research convinced her, not only of the value, but that there is a need for practitioners, teachers, and information. She points out that the scientific evidence and research supporting nontraditional treatments for humans and animals grows daily. Today professional practitioners of nontraditional modalities are highly skilled, ethical, and well-educated. Of course, as with all services, traditional and nontraditional, one must shop carefully. As a writer, teacher, and small business consultant, her client list includes Florida Pet Book, WriteCraftweb, Inspired2Write, the City of Tempe, Garden and Hearth, Walsh America, Allwoodwork.com, Funds For Writers, Camping & RV Magazine, Warner Wrangler, Loving Pets Magazine, KTVK, and others. Her mother-son story, Like A Rock, appears in Cup of Comfort for Mothers & Sons http://www.pennyspensandpics.com/pennyleisch/cocmsinfo.html (Adams Media), released April 19, 2005. Penny also writes ad and web copy for pet industry businesses and businesses with a holistic lifestyle mission. Her latest client is Embracing Hue Ltd. She says it is an area that requires the special touch of someone who knows the industry intimately. Selling cars, soft drinks, and floor covering is just not the same. In this industry, clients need someone to craft words that convey their vision through their product or service. http://www.pennyleisch.com http://www.petsbypenny.com Penny writes on most subjects related to the following and offers workshops, seminars, or speaking in Arizona: * Benefits of Reiki for people and pets Some reprint articles are also available for a very nominal cost. Raised among books and art, Suzanne Blaney first chose the art route, becoming a nationally known, award-winning artist with many one person exhibitions and a list of patrons throughout the U.S. and Europe. From 1986-1998, she served on the Board of Directors for the international organization, Pastel Society of the West Coast. In 1992, Suzanne was appointed “Fellow” of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacturers & Commerce, London, England, and six years later was invited to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace celebrating the Royal Society’s 250th anniversary. She was introduced to HRH Prince Phillip at this “extraordinary event” attended by about 4,000 people from around the globe. Her first book, utilizing her knowledge of art, is The Little Book About Pastel (ZANDEL Books 2003). Suzanne lives in Northern California. http://www.suzanneblaney.com Pamela Harper is founder and president of Business Advancement Inc. (BAI), which helps companies accelerate progress toward their key business objectives. She graduated with honors from Northwestern University, where she majored in Organizational Behavior, and has been an adjunct faculty member at New York University's Management and Marketing Institute. Pamela is author of Preventing Strategic Gridlock: Leading Over, Under & Around Organizational Jams to Achieve High Performance Results (Cameo Publications 2003). She explains that "the book is based on lessons learned from more than 20 years' experience as both an internal and external consultant to leaders of high growth/high change companies." http://www.businessadvance.com --------------------------- Tricia Molloy is a seasoned entrepreneur and business consultant who knows how to work joyfully on purpose. She started her own marketing and public relations firm in 1988 to support the success of other passionate small-business owners. As a New Thought business leader, Tricia applies universal principles to run her company and counsel clients and colleagues. She is also a coach, speaker, workshop leader and freelance journalist who has written more than a hundred business profiles and stories for newspapers and magazines. Divine Wisdom at Work™ 10 Universal Principles for Enlightened Entrepreneurs (Aha! House 2006) is the first in a series of books. Tricia graduated from New York University with a BA in broadcast journalism. As an executive radio talk show producer in the 1980s, she won several Associated Press awards. Tricia lives in Marietta, Georgia, (a suburb of Atlanta) with her husband, Rick Reyer, their 11-year-old twins, Connor and Allyson, and their “joyful” Golden Retriever, Honey. J For more information on Tricia Molloy's marketing and public relations services, please visit http://www.molloycom.com Molloy Communications. You can reach her at 770-565-1231 or tricia@divinewisdomatwork.com. http://www.divinewisdomatwork.com
Tricia can discuss or write articles on these topics:
Jacque Miller, owner of Career Dimensions of Arizona is a Human Behavior
and Nutritional consultant who passionately supports local and national issues
regarding small business, education and women's health. As a radio talk show
host in Denver, Colorado, she gave voice in the 1980's to a variety of similarly
related topics, interviewing those who supported and opposed such matters. Today
on her internet radio show “HealthStyle Choices” she gives voice to Business,
Health and Christian topics. --------------------------
Stephanie Chandler is the author of The Business Startup Checklist
and Planning Guide (Aventine Press) and From Entrepreneur to
Infopreneur: Make Money with Books, E-books and Information Products
(Wiley, coming Fall 2006).
CAREERS AND EMPLOYMENT Mrs. Francina R. Harrison, "The Career Engineer," has over ten years of experience in workforce development services. She has contributed to programs designs for welfare reform, correctional treatment, private rehabilitation and faith-based groups, which has helped thousands of individuals return to work. As the co-owner of Harrison & Associates, a career consulting company, she provides work/life consulting services, coaching services and conducts career development seminars for career seekers, professional groups, business owners, non-profits, universities and adult education centers. Francina is the host and creator of "Push Up Your Career" Internet TV show, is a freelance columnist and speaks on matters concerning workforce development and increasing human potential. It's this "non-traditional" and "soul" stirring delivery of career consulting that has this Navy spouse and Norfolk State University graduate interviewed on the Tavis Smiley nationally syndicated radio show, Chicago Tribune, Next Step Magazine and as a featured writer in The Black Collegian Magazine. Mrs. Harrison is also featured in regional, national media outlets and hundreds of sites on the Internet, branding her presence, around the globe. Francina has released her first book titled, A Mind to Work: the Life and Career Planning Guide for People Who Want Need to Work (iUniverse 2004) and she is also the creator of the "Don't Get Anxious - Get Prepared" audio CD series which launched nationally in August 2005. The motivator is a member of the National Association of Female Executives, Human Capital Institute, Empowerme Network, Career Engineers Network, Business Network International, Commonwealth Workforce Network and participates in a host of other professional associations. Francina graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor in Social Work and received her Masters in Social Work (MSW) from Norfolk State University in 1997. She is married to an active duty Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer, has two wonderful children and resides in Virginia Beach, VA. http://www.thecareerengineers.com
--------------------------
Cliff Hakim
is founder and principal of Rethinking Work, a Boston-based career-consulting
firm established in 1990 and focused on mid-life transition and change. He
earned a master's degree in special education at
Boston College and
subsequently counseled learning disabled young adults on work issues and placed
them in jobs. From here, Cliff joined an executive search firm specializing in
the placement of training and development professionals. Later he started his
own search firm which opened the door to his current practice. Cliff has always
been a compassionate and curious soul. When he was nine and friends mocked a
crippled man selling pencils, Cliff wept inside - here the man was expressing
himself - simply doing his best. Cliff is author of We Are
All Self-Employed: How to Take Control of Your Career (2003) and
When You Lose Your Job (1993) both published by Berrett-Koehler
Publishers.
http://www.rethinkingwork.com
--------------------------
A glance at Heather Resnick's two websites reveals someone
passionately interested in the plight of women and families.
http://www.womenreworked.com is
about empowering women in employment transition, from getting back into the
workplace after an extended absence, switching careers or becoming an
entrepreneur. She is pleased to be connected with F.A.C.E. - Family Abuse Crisis
Exchange
http://www.facel.org where a portion
of her proceeds will be donated; that helps empower families to become
financially self-sufficient.
http://www.mshumptydumpty.com is the
site of Heather's first novel, Ms. Humpty Dumpty, about a woman
who falls off the wall and tries to put her pieces back together again (no
publisher as of yet). A cancer warrior, lover of
life-long learning who earned a B.A. in later life and community volunteer,
Heather is author of Women Reworked (2006, to be published by
Creative Bound Inc. and available late December, 2005). Thought-provoking
stories of many inspirational women who jumped hurdles to achieve success fill
Women Reworked. It is unique in that it is also an extensive
resource guide to help women discover the myriad of government and non-profit
agencies across the United States
and Canada which will help them achieve their dream career. Heather provides her
message of fulfilling your life's purpose by motivational speaking and advising
women. She is a regional representative for the International Women's Writers
Guild - IWWG -
http://www.iwwg.org
------------------------- Called a networking expert by the
Chicago Tribune, Lillian D. Bjorseth is a speaker, trainer and
author who helps to improve business networking skills to insure more sales and
career success. She spent more than ten years at AT&T where she trained top
executives in public and communication skills, and spearheaded the company's
public relations efforts internationally when it entered the commercial computer
marketplace. In 1990, Lillian founded Duoforce Enterprises, a successful
Chicago-area business leads organization. Lillian is author of
Breakthrough Networking: Building Relationships That Last (Duoforce
Enterprises 2003). A graduate of the top 10% from the
University of Missouri School of Jouralism, Lillian had spent a few years in the
newspaper business, "but the pay was so poor, my first husband practically had
to subsidize me to pay the baby sitter, and, especially if I wanted to eat
'out,'" she recalls. "I spent many years in PR, including 11 at AT&T before I
started my own business. I always liked to schmooze and promote and was
naturally persuasive. I 'fell' into networking when I started my business and
realized my contacts were on the east and west coasts and I lived in the
Midwest. Every time I thought about having to work for someone, I networked all
the more. Eventually, it became my forte. The rest is history!"
http://www.duoforce.com --------------------------
Paul and Sarah Edwards
have been called the nation's "self-employed experts" and "gurus of the home
office." "Our focus is helping individuals
and couples identify post-corporate careers," declare Paul and Sarah, who have
developed self-employment lifestyle expertise over 25 years. "We came to this
field from practicing law and psychotherapy," they say. "What attracted us was
the very real possibility that, unlike our parents, we live in a time when we
could do work we like doing while living the lives we want to live. We've shared
the story of how we did this for ourselves in our book, The Practical
Dreamer's Handbook. Now through both our books and our special approach
to counseling and coaching, we focus on helping others define and realize
fulfilling and rewarding lifestyles." Paul and Sarah Edwards are authors
of 16 books, all published by Jeremy P.Tarcher/Penguin Books, except for the For
Dummies books: Working From Home, now in its fifth edition and the
first commercially published book on the subject, The Best Home Businesses
for People 50+, The Best Home Business for the 21st Century, Changing Directions
Without Losing Your Way, Cool Careers for Dummies, The Entrepreneurial Parent,
Finding Your Perfect Work, Getting Business to Come To You, Home-Based Business
for Dummies (For Dummies), Home Businesses You Can Buy, Making Money with Your
Computer at Home, Secrets of Self-Employment, Teaming Up: The Small Business
Guide to Collaborating with Others, The Practical Dreamers Handbook, Why Aren't
You Your Own Boss?, and Making Money in Cyberspace, which
received the best general computer book award from the Computer Press
Association. --------------------------
Wes Spence is a recognized authority in the fields
of employee relations and personal time management. He has authored two books:
The Busy Manager's Guide To Employee Relations Excellence (Author
House, 2003); and Day Planners, Your Ultimate Success Tool (Author
House, 2005). He is known for down-to-earth solutions for challenges facing
today's managers. Most recently, he has been focusing on doing seminars on
personal time management. Those seminars have been very well received. Wes is an honor graduate of Lamar
University and a graduate of the State University of New York. Among his other
achievements, he is a Certified Management Consultant (CMC) and a Senior
Professional in Human Resources (SPHR).
--------------------------------------------
CHILDREN'S BOOKS and BOOKS FOR
PARENTS/TEACHERS/LIBRARIANS Max Elliot Anderson
was a reluctant reader as a child, despite having a father who authored more
than 70 books. Ken Anderson was author of the popular Winky Series of the 40's
and 50's and owner of a film production studio. Max grew up in the business and
in 1978 was named Best Cinematographer for his work on the feature film,
Pilgrim's Progress - the first feature film for actor Liam Neeson. No one could have imagined that Max would become a
writer - and he has surely exceeded anyone's expectations. In just a few years,
he completed 33 manuscripts for a chapter adventure series for boys 8 and up,
seven of them already published. The books are written from a Christian
perspective and Max uses the elements of mystery, suspense and a few good, old
fashioned scares from his childhood radio shows as the basis for his novels -
from a stolen car plot in The Newspaper Caper, to a foiled
terrorist plot in Mountain Cabin Mystery, to an international
wildlife poaching operation in North Woods Poachers. Readers tell
Anderson that his books read like exciting movies - which he says helps him
bridge the gap between today's electronic distractions and a need for kids to
develop good reading skills. A teacher has been reading Max’s books to her third
grade class and the students beg her to keep reading. She told one of her boy’s
parents about how much their child enjoyed one of the books and they have gotten
all seven that are out. “At last we’ve found something that will interest him in
reading.” Max’s eighth and most recent book is Reckless
Runaway for readers 8 and up, especially boys. All his books are
published by Baker Trittin Press. Reviews:
http://maxbookreviews.blogspot.com
--------------
Sybilla Cook received her MALS from Dominican University in Illinois and a Masters in
Curriculum and instruction from the University of Oregon. She has been a media specialist in Illinois and Oregon, taught
library science at the college level, and is the co-author of three books about the Battle of the Book program. (A 70-year-old program
that uses in-school contests to promote and encourage children's reading). Sybilla was the first person to receive the Elementary Library Media Specialist of the Year award from The Oregon Educational Media Association.
Sybilla is co- author of Books, Battles and Bees: A Reader's Competition Resource for Intermediate Grades
(American Library Association 1994), Battle of the Books and More: Reading Activities for Middle School Students
(Highsmith Press 2001) and Elementary Battle of the Books (HIGHSMITH 2005). She is the author of
Walking Portland (Falcon Press,
now part of Globe Pequot 1998), now in its third printing, a book reviewer, and has published articles in many journals and magazines. --------------
Lana Jordan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a minor in journalism from Texas Tech University in 1986
and has been writing, editing, and publishing ever since. Over the last 18 years, she has worked as an editor for a magazine
publisher, a family history publisher, and for individual writers. Lana is the author and publisher of two books: Journey to
Motherhood (a guide to pregnancy and childbirth from a mother's perspective) and The Sleepytime Ponies Trick a Trickster
(a read-aloud storybook about magical flying ponies that take children and their mother on an adventure to Thailand).
Lana is the founder of Jorlan Publishing, an author services and book publishing company, for which she is a publishing consultant and an editor. Areas of expertise include publishing (with emphasis on self-publishing), editing, and home-schooling. Lana has home-schooled her children for the last ten years, and has served on her county school district's Homeschool Advisory Board for four years.
http://www.jorlanpublishing.com --------------
Wendy Orr's dad was in the Air Force so the family moved around a lot. Wendy was born in Canada
and grew up in France, Canada and England. After meeting her Australian husband, the couple moved to Australia, where their two children were born. Wendy worked as an occupational therapist until suffering a serious auto accident.
She is author of 24 books for children, teens and adults including an ALA Best Book for Teenagers,
Peeling the Onion. Her book, Nim's Island (Allen & Unwin 1999) is in development as a feature film with
Walden Media and 20th Century Fox, and she has set up a blog just for the book, offering news about the film and suggestions for
using the book in the classroom.
http://www.nimisland.com/blogspot.com.
The book can be found in bookstores in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, USA, Canada, Korea, Spain (in Basque as well as Spanish
editions), Italy and Germany, and will soon also be available in Brazil. --------------
John Prophet earned a Master's Degree in Special Ed from Boston University and has had careers in teaching, management and sales.
He writes suspense mysteries for young adults and has turned out five Casey Miller mysteries since 2001, all from iUniverse:
Mystery At Salt Marsh (2001), Body In the Salt Marsh (2002), Mystery at Salt Marsh Winery
(2003), and Body in the Salt Marsh Boatyard (2004). A Jaded Affair (2005), the fifth Casey Miller mystery,
is now available at all major outlets. To order call toll free: 877-823-9235.
John chairs two writers' groups in Harwich, Mass and frequently visits schools. www.authorsden.com/johnprophet
--------------
Kate Stormer is the author of Casey's World books (named for Kate's miniature schnauzer). Currently, there are three
picture books in the series: Casey's Four Holiday Celebrations (2003); Casey's Unexpected Friend (2003)
and A Stranger in Casey's World (2004). The Rescue of Little Red (2005) is the first book in the new Casey's World chapter book series. “Having a series of books allows me to build characters and messages that I can share from one book to the next,” says Kate.
“Every story lets me repeat important statements, which help children understand and cope with certain life issues.
Children become emotionally attached to each doggie character, and identify with the problems and struggles of each dog in the books.
It is from here that the child can connect his or her own situation and problem resolution to those of Casey and her friends.” For example, A Stranger in Casey's World carries one of Kate's most important and wide-spread messages…we must
encourage our children to become aware of what is happening around them at all times. This awareness will help reduce the possibility
for a stranger to approach them. Kate adds that it could be difficult for a child to quickly recall a parent's instructions regarding
strangers because that message is only one of so many other instructions given regularly to a child (“eat your vegetables, look both
ways before crossing the street, brush your teeth, be kind to everyone, don't go anywhere with a stranger, etc.). She firmly believes
that the child will more easily and quickly remember the lessons shared in A Stranger in Casey's World, and will take the appropriate
action. “This book will save a child's life someday,” emphasizes Kate, “and that will make all the writing, marketing and money I have
invested in this book worthwhile.” Kate created an entire program to emphasize this message, and has presented this program at the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association
annual conference. In this program, she guides educators through the customization of a lesson plan that uses A Stranger in
Casey's World as the central tool to teach awareness and “stranger safety,”as well as offers an accompanying Parent's Guide
that the educator can copy and send home with each child. “We must, of course, have help from the child's parents or guardians to
continue this education at home,” explains Kate. A Wisconsin resident, Kate is passionate about delivering these special lessons to children and their parents. In addition,
Kate has formed a group called Authors To Go!, in which a small group of local authors speak to groups about book writing,
publishing and their experiences in creating each of their books. They appear at no charge and have been warmly welcomed at
retirement communities, libraries, schools, book organizations, community events, community organizations, and local businesses.
If anyone is interested in starting an Authors To Go! group in their town, please contact Kate at kate@caseysworld.net or 608-335-0401. Please visit the Casey's World website at
http://www.caseysworld.net Kate can write or talk about
the following: * several avenues of
publishing, including what to consider and what to avoid * co-authoring --------------
Margot Finke is an Australian-born children's book author who lives in Oregon. The first two of her 7-book series of rhyming picture books about
Australian and U. S. critters are published by Writers Exchange E-Publishing: Kangaroo Clues (2004) and Never Say BOO to a Frilly (2005). They can also be purchased from her website. Margot says, "My rhymes are more non-fiction, because they tell about the real animal, not some imaginary story that involves them. They are educational and fun, all at the same time.”
Margot finds it advantageous to be an Aussie author. “My accent intrigues kids and teachers,” she says, “Australian animals are
wonderfully different and intriguing." --------------
After Elaine Masters and her husband moved to Hawaii 17 years ago, she became fascinated by its history and
ethnic diversity. She has since written many children books, all with Hawaiian themes and published by Island Heritage Publishing.
The Thief in Chinatown (1998), followed by Yumi and her Best-Forever Friend (2000) and Kalani and
the Night Marchers (2001), high-low chapter books, make a trilogy about the early Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese,
and Hawaiian immigrants. Her latest book is Momi's Birthday Surprise
(2006). Lullaby Moon, published in 2002 and illustrated by well-known illustrator Tammy Yee,
received the Po'okela Ka Palapala award for best children's book published in Hawaii in 2002. The Royal Waker-Upper (2003)
was a nominee for the same award a year later. Footloose the Mongoose & The Jumping Fleas and Lullaby Moon both made the best seller list in Hawaii.
Elaine is also published on the mainland, with Teach Us to Pray, translated into more than fourteen languages, and Handbook
for Day Camp and Day Care, a how-to book for running children's programs in churches.
Elaine graduated with honors from UMKC and is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World, Who's Who of Authors,
and Who's Who of Women. Elaine has also had many articles published in magazines, particularly in the field of education,
Christian living, foreign travel, and fiction for children. Now, she uses her past classroom teaching experience to visit schools,
enticing children into the wonderful world of books.
http://www.authorsden/com/elainemasters Elaine can write and speak on:
* the craft of
writing
Rae Pica, a children's movement specialist, has written more than a dozen books for educators, such as
Teachable Transitions: 190 Activities to Move from Morning Circle to the End of the Day (Gryphon House 2003), and
Wiggle, Giggle, Shake: 200 Ways to Move & Learn (Gryphon House 2001). Your Active Child: How to Boost Physical, Emotional & Cognitive
Development Through Age-Appropriate Activity (McGraw-Hill-Contemporary Books 2003), is her first trade book Written for parents, it details the importance of physical activity in the child's life and education.
A lyrist and vocalist for the Moving & Learning Series, Rae has made presentations throughout North America and is the most widely published author in the field of movement education. She served as adjunct faculty with the Department of Kinesiology at the University of New Hampshire for 13 years and has shared her expertise with such groups as the Sesame Street Research Department, the Head State Bureau, Centers for Disease Control, and Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues.
http://www.movingandlearning.com --------------
Called a "rising star" by Multicultural Review, Cynthia Leitich Smith
writes fiction for everyone, but has a particular affection for young
readers, from kids to twenty-somethings. Her writing is known for its
diversity, humor, lyricism, and mid-to-southwestern settings. To date
she has published three children's books, short stories for middle
grade and YA anthologies, and looks forward to upcoming releases. All three published books have won a multiple of awards. For example,
Jingle Dancer (Morrow/Harper 2000), for ages 4-up, Indian Shoes (Harper 2002) for ages 7-up, were both
named a Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies; and Jingle
Dancer and Rain Is Not My Indian Name (Harper 2001), for ages
10-up, were both finalists for the Oklahoma Book Award. Cynthia's
upcoming books will be Santa Knows (Dutton, 2006), a hoilday
picture book for ages 4-up, and Tantalize, a gothic fantasy for
ages 14-up. Cynthia’s website at
http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com, offers articles,
interviews, reading recommendations, publishing news, and annotated
links. It was named one of the top 10 writer sites on the Internet by
Writer’s Digest, and it was recognized among "Great Sites for Kids" by
the American Library Association in the "Authors/Illustrators" category.
Cynthia lives in Austin, Texas, with her four cats and her husband,
award-winning children's book author Greg Leitich Smith
http://www.gregleitichsmith.com. His comedic 'tweener novels include:
Ninjas, Piranhas, and Galileo (Little Brown, 2003), which won a
Parents' Choice Gold Medal, as well as Tofu and T.Rex (Little
Brown, 2005).
------------ After editing for a major publishing house, Hetty Gray
formed Sugar Creek Publishing, publisher of her three books, Net Prophet:
The Bill Garrett Story (2001), a biography of the first Negro to play
basketball in the Big Ten Conference at Indiana University in 1947; a work of
fiction, The Brown Paper Sack (2002), written expressly to raise
funds for The Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel; Love to the
Third Power (2004), a series of five Christian stories, each
followed with a reference to passages from Scripture, and A Bee On Your
Face (2004), a children's book tailored for toddlers to second graders
replete with hand painted illustrations by professional Indiana cartoonist Dee
Bonner.
http://www.sugarcreekpublishing.com Floriana “Flossie” Hall, 78, is a late bloomer. As
recently as 1995, while in church, she was inspired to write her first poem,
Love Never Dies, which won the Editor’s Choice Award in The National Library of
Poetry’s Anthology, Sea of Treasures. She went on to publish about 400 poems in
various books and magazines in the United States, Great Britain and India,
winning 10 first prizes, four second prizes, six third prizes, nine Editor’s
Choice Awards and eight Honorable Mentions. Flossie is founder and coordinator
of The Poet’s Nook, local poets who meet monthly at the Cuyahoga Falls Library
in Ohio. Her first book, self-published in 1999, is Small
Change (now called The Adventures of Flossie, Robbie and Juney),
the true story of her life as a child during The Great Depression. This was
followed by Daddy Was a Bad Boy (CeShore Publishing Company 2001),
an adult version of Small Change - written in a Christian manner - about not
blaming childhood for adult failures. Flossie is
also author of Out of the Ordinary (AuthorHouse 2002), a
compilation of her short stories about angel happenings and God-incidences, and
Touching the Hearts of Generations (Floriana Hall 2005) poems for all
ages. Flossie’s latest book, Hearts On The Mend (PublishAmerica
2006), is designed to help surgeons and patients understand what patients
experience during recovery. The book was inspired by Flossie’s quadruple bypass
surgery two years ago. “Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer
of women?” she asks. “I would not be here today except for a chance remark to my
doctor, for I had no symptoms, but finally four tests discovered I was 100%
blocked, so I had quadruple heart bypass September 4, 2003.”
http://www.expage.com/flossiesbooknook
------------------------------------- Pamela S. Thibodeaux is author of both fiction and
non-fiction books, short stories and essays. Her writing has been tagged as
"Inspirational with an Edge!" and reviewed as "Steamier and grittier than the
typical Christian without decreasing the message." She is also a multiple award winner, including three Coeur
awards given by Coeur de Louisiane, a non-profit corporation affiliated with
Romance Writers of America, whose goals are to promote excellence in romance
fiction. Pam is co-founder of the Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, La. Since the initial publication of Pamela’s two novels,
Tempered Hearts and Tempered Dreams published in
2000/2001 by Writer Exchange Epublishing, the entire five-part series has been
contracted by Com Star Media, a small press publisher. The newly edited versions
of Tempered Hearts and Tempered Dreams were
released by Com Star Media in Nov. 2005. A committed Christian, she firmly believes in God and His
promises. God is very real to her and she feels that people today need and want
to hear more of His truths wherever they can glean them. Although her writing is
Inspirational, she does her best to encourage readers to develop a personal
relationship with God. The grandmother of two lives with husband Terry in
Louisiana.
http://www.pamelathibodeaux.com John Stoddard Klar is the author of Christian Words,
Unchristian Actions: George W. Bush and the Desecration of Christianity in
Modern America (WinePress Publishing 2006). He was an accomplished
attorney when his life was irrevocably changed by crippling fibromyalgia, caused
by Lyme disease. In the depths of his physical torment, this lifelong hedonist
found God for the first time, and was led to a devout trust in the Truth of
Jesus Christ. He lives in rural Vermont, where he took up the task of writing
this book despite debilitating pain, in order to serve Jesus Christ and
humanity. “Christians are called by the New Testament to emulate the
example of Jesus Christ, and to shed their past lives and become more like Him,”
John contends. “Is a nation that calls itself Christian exempted from this
mandate? Have America’s Christians held their country’s government accountable
to Christian standards?” This
conservative Christian attorney holds George W. Bush accountable to the
standards of Christianity that Mr. Bush espoused to gain office. “George
W. Bush gained the White House by bearing the standard of Christian faith,” says
John. “But if George W. actually represented just more politics as usual, and
not a shift in the Oval Office toward Christian integrity, wouldn’t the American
Christians who trusted him want to know?” John practiced in court for years as a criminal, family and
personal injury litigator. He represented the University of Connecticut School
of Law in the 1989 National Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Competition, and was
a member of the Law School’s moot court board. After closing his law practice, John and his wife moved
from Connecticut to Vermont and farmed for seven years, before selling the farm
last year.
John is comfortable writing and speaking
about most political and legal issues, and many issues relating to Christian
faith.
As his book reflects, he has a strong
Christian faith which he brings to most subjects, hopefully not too
forcefully.
His chief focus presently is his current
book’s thesis – that George W. Bush walks a decidedly unchristian walk.
A retired college dean, Betty Jo Tucker serves as Lead Film Critic for ReelTalkReviews.com and is the author of two
movie-related books: Confessions of a Movie Addict (Hats Off Books 2001) and Susan Sarandon: A True Maverick
(Hats Off Books 2004). She writes monthly film commentary for The Colorado Senior Beacon, and her movie reviews also appear on Z Review
in the United Kingdom as well as on The Romance Club Website and on News First Online, an NBC-affiliate television Website.
She discusses movies every Monday afternoon with host Don Grady on his popular Louisiana Live radio show and is the resident movie
reviewer for “Laura's Much Ado about Books,” a new radio talk show on Voice America. She teaches an online writing class titled
“The Reel Deal: Writing about Movies” for the Long Story Short School of Writing. Betty Jo's academic credentials include a doctorate in
educational psychology from the University of Northern Colorado and a master's degree in counseling from Colorado College.
While serving as Dean of Humanities at San Diego Mesa College, Betty Jo supervised expansion of the film studies curriculum,
designed an “Exploring Human Values through Film” course and coordinated the “Reel to Real Film Forum” program. She belongs
to the Online Film Critics Society and is a founding member of the San Diego Film Critics Society.
Because of a passion for film, Betty Jo and her husband Larry, who co-authored a little romantic memoir called
It Had To Be Us (under the pseudonyms of Harry & Elizabeth Lawrence), see approximately 200 movies a year.
They live -- where else -- only ten minutes away from Cinemark's Tinseltown, the only multiplex theater in Pueblo, Colorado
http://authorsden.com/bettyjotucker
* Movie reviews
Genie Davis is a novelist, writer of non-fiction
articles for magazines and e-zines, and a screenwriter. She is currently
producer/writer/director for Liza Boo Productions in Hermosa Beach, CA. Other credits include reality programming HGTV's Weekend
Warriors and House Hunters; The Learning Channel, A Personal Story, (2001-2003).
Documentaries for PBS, Hospital Satellite Network, Art in Your Eye (1997-1999).
She was a staff writer for ABC Daytime Television, Port Charles (1999-2000); and
screenwriter on several feature film scripts optioned/in development; a comedy,
Losing Hope (2001) produced. A graduate of Boston University, Genie did graduate studies
in film at UCLA. Genie can
write and talk about the following areas:
Screenwriting, novel to script, script to novel, writing for genre
fiction, following your writing muse
---------------------------
Karen Adler is the president/owner of Pig Out Publications, Inc. Since the company was founded in 1988,
it has earned several superlatives - it's the only company in the world specializing exclusively in publishing and
wholesaling BBQ and Grill cookbooks. It's also the only book publishing company to exhibit at national barbeque
trade shows like the Hearth Patio & Barbecue Association. And it is one of only a few publishing companies that
make people laugh when they hear the name. Karen built a relationship with many of the publishing companies she wholesales for. In 1999, Ten Speed Press
invited her to write a series of 4 small grill books. She said, "YES!" The series is the Best Little BBQ Cookbook
Series which has sold over 100,000 copies. She introduced her friend, Judith Fertig to the president of Harvard
Common Press, then became Judith's agent and signed her to a 3 book contract in the late 1990's. Another opportunity came to both of them when Harvard Common Press lost an author for a book on grilling fish.
(Karen had self published Hooked On Fish On The Grill in 1992.) When they told the publisher
that Karen was an expert on the subject, he signed them to write Fish & Shellfish Grilled & Smoked.
Two years later he signed them for four BBQ Queen cookbooks to be released in 2005-2008. The first,
BBQ Queens' Big Book Barbecue, was released in April 2005. Weeknight Grilling with the
BBQ Queens will be released in March of 2006. The two BBQ Queens, Karen and Judith, have competed in The Battle of the Sexes BBQ Contest, and have won more
times than not. They teach cooking classes throughout the country at schools like the Viking Culinary Centers,
Central Market's Cooking Schools in Texas, Dorothy Lane in Ohio, KitchenArt in Indiana, etc. They also headline
cooking festivals like the Seattle Grillfest, Wegman's Culinary Festival in Pennsylvania, and a Season of a Taste
in North Dakota. They have appeared on the DIY Network, The Food Channel, and the Better Homes & Gardens Cooking
Show. They continue to hone their skills and broaden their market with an upcoming tour as they host a BBQ Queens
Meet the Gauchos Culinary Tour of Argentina. Learn more about their dynamic accomplishments and the breadth of their careers at http://www.BBQQueens.com. Learn more
about Karen's wholesale company at
http://www.pigoutpublications.com ---------------------------------
David Lebovitz is a popular and enthusiastic cooking instructor around the world. His classes feature extraordinary and outstanding desserts that are easy to prepare for home cooks using the
best seasonal ingredients.
He received much of his training at Alice Waters' world-famous restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California,
where he spent over 12 years in the pastry department working with Lindsey Shere, creating desserts to complement
the seasonal menus. His culinary education includes learning the art of chocolate at Callebaut College in Belgium
and advanced coursework in baking and the art of confectionery at the renowned Ecole Lenôtre in Paris. David was named one of the "Top Five Pastry Chefs in the Bay Area" by the San Francisco Chronicle, and
he's received critical acclaim in such publications as Bon Appétit, Chocolatier, Cooking Light, Food and Wine,
Gourmet, Condé Nast Traveler, Cook's Illustrated, Newsweek, The New York Times, People, Saveur, Sunset and
USA Today. David has appeared on both local and national television programs on PBS, the Discovery Channel
and NBC's Today Show. His books are Room for Dessert (HarperCollins 1999), a finalist for an IACP/KitchenAid Cookbook
Award; Ripe for Dessert (HarperCollins 2003) and The Great Book of Chocolate (Ten
Speed Press 2004), cited as one of the top books of the year by The New York Times and Food and Wine
magazine. David lives in Paris and leads lively one-day Chocolate and Bakery Tours of Paris
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/paris.html, as well as week-long chocolate tours of
Europe
http://www.davidlevobitz.com/tours.html
, including France, Belgium, Spain, and Italy several times a year. David recommends to other cookbooks authors to concentrate their energies around the holidays. "That's when
most people buy cookbooks, for gifts or holiday baking."
During the day, Linda Repasky is a full-time manager with the federal government. In her spare time she writes and does
punchneedle. Her book, Miniature Punchneedle Embroidery, will be released in January 2006. The publisher is Martingale/That Patchwork Place,
“After having read so much about how book promotion is generally left to the author,” says Lind, “I was stunned when the publisher contacted me and asked me to promote the book last month at the International Quilt Market in Houston, which is the largest trade show for the quilting trade in the world. They paid for my travel/lodging/expenses, and sponsored my doing two formal presentations during the show's “schoolhouse” for shopowners, and then had me at the publisher's booth for two days doing demonstrations and mini-lessons.
“Even though the book hadn't yet been released, there was a huge amount of interest (yippee!), so that was heartening to see.”
Along with teaching the craft, Linda “makes and sells some of the related tools, mainly to help make this somewhat obscure form
of needlework more accessible to others,” she says. “Actually, punchneedle has suddenly become 'hot' and is now being sought out
by many quilters, rug hookers, needleworkers, and others, so it's coming out of the shadows and getting a good bit of attention
(this surely is why the publisher has been so eager to promote the book so actively).”
Jayne A. Hitchcock is an author and
an internationally recognized cyber crime expert. She volunteers with the U.S.
Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime, the National Center for
Victims of Crime, and numerous law enforcement agencies worldwide. Jayne is a
valued resource to these agencies in the solving of Internet related crimes.
Additionally, she has worked tirelessly with our legislators in the drafting and
passing of many of this country's Internet laws. Shirley Cheng
(b. 1983), a blind and physically disabled poet and the author of five books by
age twenty-three, has had severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since only eleven
months old. Owing to years of hospitalization, she received no schooling until
age eleven. Having mastered grade level in all areas after only about 180 days
of special education in elementary school, she entered a regular sixth grade
class in middle school. Unfortunately, Shirley lost her eyesight at the age of
seventeen. After a successful eye surgery, she hopes to earn multiple science
doctorates from Harvard University. As she says, "Although I'm blind,
I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains.
This is the kind of spirit and attitude that has allowed me to go for the gold
medal and accomplish my life's passions, including writing and publishing three
books after I lost my eyesight, doing math and chemistry in my head without
Braille or vision, and finishing the entire elementary school with merely 180
days of attendance (and on the first day of school, I didn't know English)." Shirley is the author of
Daring Quests of Mystics (Lulu Press 2005), a soothing read to relax the
mind, body, and spirit; an empowering autobiography, The Revelation of a
Star's Endless Shine: A Young Woman's Autobiography of a 20-Year Tale of Trials
and Tribulations (Lulu Press 2005), to bring humor, hope, and healing;
and Dance with Your Heart: Tales and Poems That the Heart Tells
(Lulu Press 2004), a collection of inspirational and fantasy short stories(fairy
tales, fables, and myths) and poems for the heart from the heart. She wrote her
books using a screen reader on the computer and completed every self-publishing
task, including formatting her manuscripts, on her own without vision. She type
with only her two index fingers at about 60 words per minute. With highly acclaimed experts
like Dr. Wayne Dyer, Tony Robbins, and Brian Tracy, Shirley co-authored
Wake Up...Live the Life You Love: Finding Your Life's Passion, Second
Edition (2007), the latest installment in the bestselling Wake Up...Live the
Life You Love series; she is also the co-author of 101 Great Ways to
Improve Your Life, Volume 2 (Self Improvement Online Inc. 2006), along
with leading experts Jack Canfield, John Gray, Richard Carlson, Alan Cohen, Bob
Proctor, et al. She had been published twice
before her writing career. One of her short stories, Mary Miller, the Elusive
Lady, received Honorable Mention and was published by the Poughkeepsie Journal
in 1997, and a poem, The Colors of the Rainbow, earned merit status and was
published in Celebrate! New York Young Poets Speak Out in 1999. In 2006, Shirley tied for 1st
place in the national writing contest for Be the Star You Are! founded by New
York Times bestselling author, TV/radio personality Cynthia Brian, garnering her
a third appearance on Cynthia's live radio show. Shirley's winning entry, titled
The Jewel from Heavenly Father, is dedicated to her beloved mother Juliet
Cheng. Shirley is also an advocate of
parental rights in children's medical care, and aide/caregiver monitoring and
screening for students with special needs and disabled people. As a parental
rights advocate, she wants to help today's loving parents protect and keep
custody of their children. "When doctors ask yes or no, parents should have the
right to say no," says Shirley, who is the survivor of the 1990 five-month
internationally broadcast news of mother Juliet Cheng's custody battle with a
doctor. Juliet was on CBS This Morning with Paula Zahn. Shirley promotes aide advocacy
for the disabled because she was mistreated and abused by one-to-one aides when
she attended school. "The trouble with the uncaring aides actually lies in the
authorities," she says. "If they listened to my complaints and kept a close
watch on the aides, I wouldn't have gone through all the suffering." Shirley is available for
interviews, speaking engagements, book signings, and inspirational events. She
has been on nearly 20 radio shows, including Be the Star You Are! three times,
The Donna Seebo Show, and Stu Taylor on Business. She was featured in World
Journal, the largest Chinese national newspaper in North America, in July of
2004. Visit her
website at
http://www.shirleycheng.com
and e-mail her at
AuthorShirley@yahoo.com
Shirley can speak and write about inspirational and motivational topics,
such as:
* How positivity can make you "ultra-abled" ---------------------------------
"My world turned dark, but my life became radiant with hope," says Jan
Eckles. Although she has no physical sight, God graced Jan with insight as
an inspirational speaker and writer. In addition to being published in five
books, and in national and regional magazines, she is the author of Trials
of Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life
(Xulon Press, 2004).
Jan can write and speak about:
*Turning disabilities such as blindness to abilities with creativity and
Prill Boyle is a classic late bloomer. Years ago, she dropped out of college, married young, and had two
children. She ended up at Harvard-as a secretary, not a student. Twelve years later, divorced, remarried and tired
of doing clerical work, she enrolled at Georgetown University and earned both a B.A. and M.A. in English. After
graduating at age 38, she became a high school teacher. Then in January of 2000, Prill read an article in The New York Times about a 65-year-old Kentucky woman
who had waited 39 years to join the Peace Corps and was leaving that day for Ukraine. Boyle was so inspired by this
woman's persistence and courage that she decided to take her own leap of faith. At age 47, she left her teaching
job, became a full-time writer, and today is the author of Defying Gravity: A Celebration of Late-Blooming
Women (Emmis Books, hardcover 2004, softcover 2005). Profiled among the 12 in-depth stories--13
including Prill's--are a woman who became a flight attendant at 71 and another who became a medical doctor at age
50. The book has been translated into Chinese and will be coming out in Taiwan in late 2005.
Now 51, Prill and her husband live in Westport, Connecticut where she is working on her second book.
She has been featured on numerous radio and television programs and has spoken to groups all over the country,
including at the United Nations, about the rewards of late blooming.
For more information, visit
http://www.prillboyle.com ---------------------------------
Allyn Evans is founder of QueenPower.com, a dynamic on-line community
for women, and author of the newly released book: Grab the Queen Power: Live
Your Best Life! A Competent Toastmaster, Evans speaks to audiences
about cultural influences and individual choices. She received her undergraduate
degree in Psychology from the University of Mississippi and her MBA from Texas
Tech University. Published in a variety of on-line and print publications, Evans
is working on her second book, Beyond Ophelia
Evans' work centers on her love of writing and her desire to help other women
meet the challenges of successful living. As a young woman, Evans found she
always got in the way of her own progress creating obstacles and allowing her
deeply ingrained fears to stop her at every turn. Compelled to come to grips
with herself, the native Mississippian dug down into her cultural heritage to
figure out what went wrong and why. This self-study expanded to include the many
women Evans interviewed for her work in the uplifting "Grab the Queen
Power." The culmination of her community-building endeavor was the creation
of QueenPower.com, where many women have found the strength, both in numbers and
within themselves, to succeed.
As Evans' daughter nears pre-adolescence, her work on female empowerment zeroes
in on creating empowered women by cultivating emboldened spirits in young girls
and adolescents. With plans to complete three books in 2006, Evans days are
filled writing, interviewing, and speaking, that is, when she 's not playing
tennis! Evans now resides in Oklahoma with her husband and eight-year-old
daughter.
For more information about Allyn Evans, please visit:
http://www.queenpower.com/Evans/authors.html
-----------------------------------
Dotsie Bregel is founder and host of Boomer Women Speak http://www.BoomerWomenSpeak.com, the # 1 site on all search engines for "baby boomer women"
now receiving over 1.5 million hits every 30 day period. Due to the success of giving her generation of women a
voice she launched the National Association of Baby Boomer Women,
http://www.nabbw.com, an association that empowers baby boomer women to find their passions and live life to
the fullest. Dotsie is an expert on all issues concerning her generation of women. She has been mentioned in Time Magazine
and AARP Bulletin, among dozens of newspapers across the nation. She has done many radio and internet radio
interviews and been interviewed for several publications. She also appeared in the outside audience of The Early
Show (CBS) Her site offers many opportunities to promote your work. Submit for any of the following pages on her site:
Resources for Women, Links, and Boomer Books. Her popular online neighborhood offers opportunities for women to
talk about middle age, eldercare, empty nest, travel, plus 40-some more topics. Dotsie is always looking for
authors to promote in the Featured Author Book Club Forum on her site. Books about writing and books of interest
to baby boomer women are considered.
Toni Leland grew up loving horses and books and has managed to life her life enjoying both. Her professional life is steeped
in the equine industry, where she serves as a graphic designer, advertising consultant, and publisher of magazines, books and
videos about horses.
Toni has been writing non-fiction articles about horses for many years. Her fiction career began in 1997 with two children's books.
She has since written three novels for adults about - what else - horses: Hearts Over Fences (2004), Winning Ways
(2004) and Gambling with the Enemy (2005). All are published by Parallel Press (the fiction imprint of her publishing company, New Concord Press) and are featured selections of the Equestrian Book Club (a Bookspan Book of the Month Club).
New Concord Press publishes books in a variety of genres. Toni explains that the parent company--Equine Graphics Publishing--was started 17 years ago. “As we branched out into non-horse books, New Concord Press came into being,” she says. “We also have a division devoted entirely to books and videos about Miniature Horses--SmallHorse Press.
Toni lives with her husband in southeastern Ohio.
http://tonileland.com
http://www.newconcordpress.com
---------------------------------
Charles Montgomery was born, and grew up on, a cattle ranch. His father was a world champion roper who also turned out roping, reining, and race horses. In the early 40's he set three world records with a horse called Jeep B. At the age of 11, Charles rode a daughter of Jeep B and won the California Futurity at Salinas California.
After service in the army and graduation from San Jose State, he wrote copy, sold advertising and performed various other jobs at
Sacramento Union until its demise. After that he was a consultant and troubleshooter for Freedom News Corp's various newspapers.
In the early 90's he attended the Sierra Writers Camp, a resident four week 24 hour a day camp on writing the novel held by
published writers. Charles is author two novels, Killing Judas (Commonwealth Publishing of Canada 1998), and the
forthcoming Seduction and Betrayal from PublishAmerica.
At his site, http://www.authorsinc.com Charles holds free classes on
writing the all important first chapter of the novel.
A dual citizen of Canada and the United States, Earle F. Zeigler (Ph.D., LL.D., D.Sc.) has taught, researched,
and administered programs at four universities (Western Ontario [twice], Illinois, Michigan, and Yale).
Having published 39 books and monographs and 406 articles, Dr. Zeigler writes primarily on North American human values,
ethics, and personal decision-making.. The top five awards in his field in North America have been bestowed on him.
Zeigler has also received two honorary doctorates and is listed in Who's Who in Canada, Who's Who in America,
& Who's Who in the World.
It wasn't until 2002 that Earle's first trade book was published, Who Knows What's Right Anymore?
A Guide to Personal Decision-Making. He since written five more, including Telling It Like It Should Be
(Challenging Human Values in North America) (2004), all published by Trafford Publishing. Lisa Lenard-Cook is a quick study who knows from experience how long
it takes to make dreams a reality. The authorlink.com fiction columnist has been
writing her whole life, but didn't begin her freelance career until the mid
1990s when a book producer she'd met in Dolores, Colorado contacted her about
writing books for a new series. Could she write a book about astrology in three
months? Even though she didn’t know anything about astrology, Lisa jumped at the
opportunity. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Astrology is now in its
third edition, and Lisa went on to write CIGs to Tarot, Numerology,
Palmistry, Drawing, and Reincarnation. She also wrote the Guide to
Dreams for DK’s Keep It Simple Series. In 2000, Lisa saw a brief blurb announcing the Jim Sagel Award for an
unpublished novel written by a New Mexican. She uncloseted
Dissonance,
which she'd first written in 1995, revised it extensively, and sent it off. A
year later, she learned from contest judge Kevin McIlovy that he'd selected
Dissonance for the award. The book went on to be published by UNM
Press in 2003. It’s garnered many other honors, including being shortlisted for
the Pen Southwest Book Award and selection as an NPR Performance Today Summer
Reading Choice and as the countywide reading choice of Durango-La Plata Reads.
UNM Press published
Coyote Morning in 2004. Lisa is currently revising a novel she first wrote fifteen years ago. She
teaches writing in private classes and also mentors both beginning and more
experienced fiction writers. “The Art of Fiction,” her monthly column on fiction
writing at
http://www.authorlink.com/
has been called “a refreshing approach to the art of fiction writing.” She loves
to hear from readers and writers, and cheerfully (mostly) responds to queries.
Write to her at
lisa@lisalenardcook.com Lisa lives in New Mexico. ------------------------- Helen Dunn
Frame
has been writing and editing non-fiction materials since high school and has
been published in the U.S., England and Germany.
------------ Brad Whittington was born
in Fort Worth, Texas, where he lived for 20 years before leaving in mid-90’s.
Before writing his first book, he lived in Texas, Ohio, South Carolina, Arizona,
and Colorado, “annoying people as a janitor, math teacher, field hand, computer
programmer, brickyard worker, editor, resident Gentile in a Conservative
synagogue, IT director, weed-cutter, and in a number of influential positions in
other less notable professions.” Today, Brad is a product manager
in the telecommunications industry, a position that requires a lot of travel. In 2003, his first published
novel, Welcome to Fred (2003) was published and in 2004 it won the
Christy Award for a first novel. The book is a coming of age story set in the
small East Texas town of Fred, Texas. His subsequent books are Living with
Fred (2005) and Escape from Fred (2006). He also
has a second book coming out in 2006, co-written with Phil Little, called
Hell in a Briefcase. All his books are published by Broadman & Holman
Publishers. Brad lives in Hawaii with his wife.
----------------
Larry Pontius is author of Waking Walt (iUniverse 2002), an
award-winning thriller based on the urban legend that Walt Disney didn’t die but
is out there somewhere in cryonic suspension. A former Disney executive, he
joined the organization in 1974 as director of marketing for Walt Disney World.
Two years later he was promoted to vice president of marketing for Disneyland
and Walt Disney World and transferred to Disney corporate headquarters in
Burbank. He left the Walt Disney Company in 1980 and returned to Central Florida
where he founded his own advertising and video production firm. Waking Walt won the Florida Writers
Association’s Royal Palm Award for 2003 as best speculative fiction book of the
year.
Raised in Jackson, Michigan, Larry Pontius attended Michigan State University,
graduating in 1962 with a master's degree in Advertising. Following graduation,
he spent ten years in the advertising agency business; as a copywriter at Leo
Burnett Company in Chicago, a copy supervisor at Grey Advertising in Detroit,
and as creative director of Grey Advertising’s two Australian offices in Sydney
and Melbourne.
Larry has won the Effie Award from the American Marketing Association, an Andy
from the Advertising Club of New York, a Clio for international advertising, and
Bronze Lions from both the Venice and Cannes Film Festivals. In 1978 he was
chosen as the Outstanding Alumni of the College of Communication Arts at
Michigan State University.
In addition, he is the author of the poetry book, Lyrics of Life
in four-part harmony.
Larry lives in Longwood, Florida with his wife, Harriet. Currently, he is
working on his second novel: Future King
-------------------------------
One month before graduation from high school in her native
Indiana, Carolyn Smith, aka Carolyn Russell, learned she’d been adopted.
She relied heavily on this experience for her first novel, Beyond the Lies
(www.wings-press.com 2003). Her second novel is Hole in Her Heart
(PublishAmerica 2004).
--------------------
Judith Woolcock Colombo was born and raised on the
island of Jamaica. She came to the United States in 1969 to attend Fordham
University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1978, Ms. Colombo
earned a Masters in Philosophy from the New School for Social Research.
Judith can write and speak about: * what the
writing process is for me.
----------
Tricia McGill spent most of her working life in the
fashion industry. It wasn't until she retired early that she was able to fulfill
her dream of being a full-time writer. Although her published novels cross
numerous sub-genres (Historical, time-travel, futuristic, contemporary,
mainstream) they are all romances. Traces of Dreams won the
Romance Writers of Australia's Romantic Book of the Year Award in 2003. Her
Time-Travel, White Clover, was voted Best Electronic Book of 2001
by the Romantic Times Book Club Reviewers, and Amaryllis was a
finalist in the Romance category at the Independent E-Book Awards.
-------------------- Erica Miner
was a violinist with the Metropolitan Opera, who had studied music at Boston
University and the New England Conservatory of Music. Performing in this
high-pressured milieu while raising her two children on her own, she felt
gratified, confident that she had reached the pinnacle of her field. Then a car
accident ended that career. Searching for a new artistic
outlet, she drew upon her lifelong love of writing to give her inspiration. She
studied screenwriting with famed script gurus Linda Seger and Ken Rotcop, as
well as poetry, winning a number of awards in both categories. Eventually Erica set out to
write about her life as a musician and single mother and published her first
novel,
Travels With My Lovers
(Authorhouse 2002), winner of the Fiction Prize in the 2003 Author Book
Awards. Drawing from her experiences and adventures traveling solo in
Europe with and without her children, Erica penned her novel with a
dual goal: first, to entertain; and second, to speak to all generations of
women, past, present and future, and encourage them to express their emotional
freedom. She has now completed the screenplay adaptation of her novel.
In addition,
Erica has developed a number of seminars and lectures related to
writing in general and Travels With My Lovers in particular.
Highly rated on her recent lecture tour with Celebrity Cruise Lines, Erica has
been booked for two more series in coming months. Erica has just completed her
second novel,
Murder In The Pit,
a suspense thriller about assassination and intrigue at the Metropolitan Opera.
Presently she is hard at work on her semi-autobiographical novel series,
tailor-made for "baby boomers," which chronicles the life journey of a young
girl from her adolescence during the politically and socially volatile '60s
through the transition into the New Millennium. www.ericaminer.com Erica can speak on: * A journey
from violinist to novelist: how you, too, can re-invent yourself * Journaling as a tool for
healing, self-wisdom and empowerment * Journaling in Films: the
impact of journals on the silver screen * Jumpstart your
Journaling: Methods and exercises for journaling success * How to integrate Journaling into
your own life * Sex and the Single Mom: how to be a single
mom and still have a personal life * How not to be a ‘Desperate Housewife’ * Confessions of a
violinist: Opera Stars I Have Known
After writing
in the early morning hours, Aaron Lazar works as an
electrophotographic engineer at NexPress Solutions Inc, in Rochester, New
York. Double
Forté (2005) is his
first book in the LeGarde Mystery Series, (www.legardemysteries.com);
Upstaged (2005) is the second. Numerous books have been written and
ready to go. Aaron just finished writing Counterpoint,
his ninth. His books are published by PublishAmerica. His column,
Seedlings, can be found on Bob Burdick’s The Back Room, A Cozy
Retreat for Writers and Readers
www.bobburdick.com/thebackroom and The Futures Mystery Anthology
Magazine.
www.fmam.biz/whatsnew.shtml Aaron resides
in Upstate New York with his wife, three daughters, two grandsons,
mother-in-law, dog, and four cats.
-------------------- Marilyn Meredith
is the author of the Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, published by
HardShell Word Factory and Golden Eagle Press between 2000 and 2004 and the
latest, Calling the Dead from Mundania Press, in August of 2006. Hard Shell Word Factory has just
published Wishing Makes It So (2006), “one of the most bone chilling
novels I have ever read!” wrote Amanda Killgore for Huntress Reviews.
One of the first authors to embrace
e-publishing, Marilyn has several books that are available in both e-format and
trade paperback, among them, the award winning mystery Guilt by
Association (Treble Heart Books 2002). Christian horror is another of the
genres she writes in - The Choice (PageFree Publishing 2002) and
Deeds of Darkness (2003) and Cup of Demons (2005)
both from Treble Heart Books, are prime examples. Marilyn is a writing teacher, serves
as a judge for many writing contests, and is a popular speaker at many writing
conferences. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America,
EPIC, and The Public Safety Writers Association. She spent the first
part of her adult life following her Navy husband around from one duty station
to another, having and raising five children. During this time she was also a
telephone operator, pre-school teacher for developmentally disabled children,
and day care center teacher. “At the same time hubby and I opened up a
residential facility for six developmentally disabled women, I began writing and
publishing in earnest,” she says. The couple is no
longer operating the facility but Marilyn continues to be involved in the
business in several ways. She’s
the training chairman for an
organization of residential care providers, does their monthly newsletter and
writes program plans for new people going into the business) Marilyn is a prime example of a
“never give up” attitude. Her first book was rejected nearly 30 times before
being accepted for publication.
http://www.marilynmeredith.blogspot.
----------------- Lisa Drucker, writing under the pen name, Jacqueline
de Soignee, is author of a humorous novel called Princess-in-Training
Manual (Red Dress Ink/Harlequin 2003). RDI is Harlequin’s chick-lit
imprint, and did a ton of promo upon publication, including a Times Square
billboard, US Weekly hot book pick, and booksignings at Bloomingdales. Currently managing editor for a reference publisher, Lisa
was senior editor for seven years at a prominent lifestyles publishing house
whose main title was Chicken Soup for the Soul. A cum laude graduate of Vassar College, Lisa has a master’s
degree in communication from the New School for Social Research in NYC. The New York native lives in South Florida. Though
specializing in non-fiction, Lisa’s first love is fiction and she is busy at
work on several fiction projects. However, she only began writing fiction after
relocating to Florida, “where the tropical heat seemed to percolate” her
creative nature. |
