Belle and Chloe are loving twin sisters who do everything together. But one day, tragedy strikes when Belle is burned by a pot of boiling soup. Coping with third-degree burns on several areas of her body, she must spend a few months in the hospital for treatment and later have surgery to reduce her scars.
A beautifully illustrated story about coping with trauma and recovery, this picture book for children shares the story of the accident, the impact the event has on Belle’s self-image, her relationship with her sister, and the rest of the family, and the value of family, support, and love during her recovery. The story is inspired by the author's own childhood experience.
Dr. Sardas, a Wisconsin-licensed clinical psychologist, and a burn survivor, with over 25 years of experience in the treatment of childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders uses a cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic perspective. She obtained her training from The Cambridge Hospital-Harvard Medical School, UNT, The University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of the American Psychological Association and National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, and The American Burn Association. Dr. Sardas was nominated for the 2023 Alfred M. Wellner Lifetime Achevement Award. Having many years of counseling experience in multiple settings, Dr. Sardas has worked with children, adolescents and adults with various disorders including mood, anxiety and trauma-related problems. She has clinical experience treating individuals with adjustment disorders, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, trauma (PTSD), ADHD, and family issues. http://www.isardasbooks.com
John began his legal career in 1989 in NYC at an international law firm. During the three plus decades he has practiced law, he's had the opportunity to work on some of the most complex and well-publicized cases in the United States. His work experience, together with the cast of characters he has encountered over the years make up the foundation of many of his stories
John graduated from the State University of New York at Albany and the Maurice A. Dean School of Law at the Hofstra University, where he was inducted into the Inaugural Hall of Fame of the Law School in 2022. He has been selected as a New York Metro Super Lawyer each year since 2007, and is the recipient of The Burton Award for Legal Excellence.
In addition to creative writing, John has a strong interest in music and is a member of the classic rock cover band, ONL.
John lives with his family in Westchester, NY and Naples, FL.
Chad V. Broughman was the recipient of the Rusty Scythe Prize Book Award and the Adobe Cottage Writers Retreat honor in New Mexico. As well, Chad was awarded two chapbook contracts for his short story collections––“the forsaken” and "slighted"––both published by Etchings Press. His fiction can be found in journals nationwide, such as Carrier Pigeon, East Coast Literary Review, River Poets Journal, Burningword, Pulp Fiction, Sky Island Journal, and From Whispers to Roars, and he is anthologized in Write Michigan Short Story Anthology, On Loss, and Scribes Valley Anthology. He is a Best of the Net and Pushcart Prize nominee, and his debut novel The Fall of Bellwether was shortlisted by the First Novel Prize of London, earned the Amity Literary Prize for 2023, and reached finalist status in ScreenCraft’s Cinematic Novel competition. Additionally, the novel’s opening chapter won the First Chapter Contest sponsored by Arch Street Press and, currently, “Bellwether” is ranked in the top ten on Coverfly’s top rated Historical Book/Manuscript projects of all-time.
Chad holds an MFA from Spalding University and served as co-editor for the fiction/poetry blog "Cafe Aphra" based out of the United Kingdom. He teaches English and Creative Writing at the secondary and post-secondary levels but is most proud of his roles as a husband and devoted father to two rambunctious sons.
Sheldon Higdon's work has appeared in nearly 50 publications. He's also an award-winning screenwriter (with a short screenplay being produced in London.) He earned his MFA from Seton Hill University's Writing Popular
Fiction program and is a member of the Horror Writers Association and the SCBWI (The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.) And he writes articles for Kidsburgh.org.
Harker Jones grew up on a dirt road in Michigan in a town so small it doesn’t to this day have a traffic light. Now a Los Angeles denizen, he has written the best-selling, award-winning novel “Until September” and nine screenplays, revealing truths through humor and horror. His short thrillers “Cole & Colette” and “One-Hit Wonder” have been accepted into more than 60 film festivals combined, garnering several awards. His first children’s book, “Violet’s Pretty Purple Playground,” and his second novel, a thriller titled “Never Have I Ever,” are due to be printed in 2024. A published poet, he was managing editor of “Out” magazine for seven years and is a member of both the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and Mensa. He loves cats and carbs and would like to be a one-hit wonder but would settle for being killed in a slasher movie.
Follow his adventures at: HarkerJonesLA.com
Twitter: @HarkerJones
Instagram: @harker_j
Leslie Kain writes “Psychological Fiction With Heart”, about flawed people whose greatest barriers to happiness lie within them.
Leslie was always writing something as a kid — fantasies, poems, secret plans, culminating in running away cross-country at fifteen, never looking back. Her careers in psychology, Government Intelligence and nonprofits limited her writing to professional and research, but when she returned to fiction during spare moments, her short stories found their way into literary journals and anthologies. She developed personal relationships with her characters, who relentlessly nagged her into longer stories. After her 2022 debut novel ‘Secrets In The Mirror’ (which has won numerous Gold and Finalist awards), the main character told her the story wasn't over! Its sequel 'What Lies Buried' — already receiving early kudos — launches May 14 2024. Kain leverages her education, training and experience in psychology to write stories about complex dysfunctional people and families. She earned degrees from Wellesley College and Boston University. Originally from “all over” the U.S. (although a piece of her heart remains in Boston), she now resides in Mexico with her husband and old blind cat Sheba. Follow her on https://lesliekain-psychfiction.com/
Jim Lichtman has been writing and speaking on ethics since 1995. Past clients include The American Bakers Association, Federal Dispute Resolution Conference, Society of Actuaries, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Rhode Island, The 3rd National Character Education Conference, Hampton University Honors College, The Penn State Forum, and US Department of State.
His op-eds have appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Chicago Tribune, Houston Chronicle, Huffington Post, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and The New York Times.
Feature stories and appearances include The New Jersey Star-Ledger, Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Herald, National Public Radio’s Weekend Edition, NY-1, and CNN’s NewsNight with Aaron Brown.
His weekly commentaries can be found at: https://ethicsstupid.com/
Follow him on: X (formerly Twitter) @jimlichtman, and Facebook.
Tracy Mattes is a best-selling author, businesswoman and humanitarian activist. A former world class athlete, Mattes spent more than 25 years as part of the Olympic Family. Her passion has always been to share the values of sport with young children. Mattes was Director of Global Programs for the World Olympians Association and served in nine Olympic Games in various capacities within the organization. She also worked for sport National Governing Body Foundations, including seven years as Executive Director for the USA Water Ski & Wake Sports Foundation. As a competitive athlete, Mattes specialized in the 400-meter hurdles, ranking seventh in the world, and was inducted into three Halls of Fame. Tracy is now looking to further inspire the younger generation to embrace their unique value in the eyes of God, using a Christian Children's Book Series based on her own sweet pup K'noot. Mattes’ career has taken her to more than 74 countries around the world. In 2005, she was selected as a United Nations Special Representative specializing in the advancement of young children through the values of education and sport. This unique global perspective comes through in her writing. She also has worked as a news producer and editor at three NBC affiliates. In 2010, Mattes won one of the top prizes at the 28th Milan International FICTS Film Festival for her documentary film “The Power of Education through Sport” which she produced, edited, and narrated. For her efforts as a world class athlete and her humanitarian work, Mattes was honored by being inducted into the World Sport Humanitarian Hall of Fame in 2009. Tracy received her bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Arizona State University and her master’s degree in international business from the University of Monaco in 2006 and was Valedictorian of her graduating class. Tracy has always shared her strong Christian faith throughout her career, and she currently serves in a leadership position at Community Presbyterian Church in Celebration, Florida, the picturesque town that Disney built. Mattes lives there with her two Maltese dogs, K’noot and Marshmallow, who can hear the Church bells from their balcony. Tracy’s hope is that through her award-winning Church Dog Adventure series, a whole new generation of children will come to know Jesus.
Tania Moloney is the Founder of Nurture in Nature Australia and Nurture in Nature Books, Award-Winning Children's Book Author of Nature Ninja Saves the Natural World, and a nature-loving Mum on a mission.
Since 2012 she has been working and playing with children, educators and parents all over the world to help them nurture strong connections with nature and each other. She presents at national and international conferences, leads engaging professional development programs for educators, and runs innovative nature play and outdoor learning programs in her mobile classroom, The Nature Bus.
Through her work, and her writing, Tania teaches children that taking even the smallest actions to care for their nearby nature can make a positive difference for the planet, while helping them to grow and thrive too.
Nature Ninja Saves the Natural World is Tania’s debut book, but she has secretly wanted to be Nature Ninja since she was 6 years old. Now she can be!
R. L. Rinne graduated from college with a degree in design and embarked on a career in industrial automation. He lives with his wife on the family farm (tending to a variety of animals) and has traveled across the globe. He is still working in automation, inventing new things, and riding motorcycles.
He was fortunate to be a winner in the 2023 AmericanWritingAwards.com contest with his debut novel. He is currently working on sequels for his book series: “Scroll’s Journey”
Website: RLRinne.com
Dr. Isabela Sardas is a licensed clinical child psychologist, author and burn survivor, with over twenty five years of experience in the treatment of childhood and adolescent psychiatric disorders using a cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic perspective. She obtained her training in psychology at Harvard Medical School-The Cambridge Hospital, UNT, and The University of Pennsylvania. She was the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of Childynamics, LLC, a child and adolescent mental health day treatment program for 20 years, specializing in depression, anxiety and trauma. She is a long-time member of The Psychological Association and The National Register for Health Service Psychologists. She is also a member of the American Burn Association and The Phoenix Society For Burn Survivors. Dr. Sardas is an Alfred M. Wellner Lifetime Achievement Award Nominee.
In a career that’s included work as a journalist, a psychologist, and the founder of a national art consulting company, Maggie Smith added novelist to her resume with the publication of her debut, Truth and Other Lies, a women’s fiction novel set in Chicago and released in March 2022 by Ten16 Press. It won NIEA’s Juror Grand Prize, the Star Award for Debut Fiction from Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Foreword INDIES Gold Metal for General Fiction, and was selected for the Women’s Book Association Great Group Reads. Her second novel, a psychological suspense called Blindspot, releases in May 2024.
In addition to her writing, Maggie hosts the weekly podcast Hear Us Roar (225+ episodes), blogs monthly for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and is Managing Editor for Chicago Writer’s Association Write City E-Zine. She resides in Milwaukee WI with her husband and her aging but still adorable sheltie.
Shortly after graduating from USC with a degree in journalism, Alretha soon realized her interest in her major was not heartfelt. Instead of writing news stories, she wanted to write plays and books. Several years later, her church gave her an outlet to fulfill her writing desires through their Liturgical Fine Arts Department wherein Alretha penned twelve theatre pieces—the community response was overwhelming. This led to plays outside of the church, including Alretha’s One Woman, Two Lives, starring Kellita Smith (The Bernie Mac Show), directed by the late four-time NAACP Image Award Best Director recipient, Denise Dowse. The production garnered rave reviews from critics and audiences.
In between plays, Alretha self-published her first novel, Daughter Denied, in 2008 and has received glowing reviews from readers and book clubs across the country. Representing her book and plays, Alretha has been the guest on many radio shows and television shows including San Francisco Public Affairs show Bay Sunday with Barbara Rodgers on CBS affiliate, KPIX. She was also interviewed by KTLA News Entertainment Reporter, Sam Rubin. In 2011, Alretha self-published her second novel, Dancing Her Dreams Away, and it was also well received. Her third novel, Married in the Nick of Nine, spawned a four-book series that was acquired by Soul Mate Publishing in January 2014. The series has since reverted to her. In August 2014, Alretha was awarded the Jessie Redmon Fauset Literary Award for her indie novel, Four Ladies Only. In 2016, Alretha created the Detective Rachel Storme Mystery Series: Justice for Jessica, Losing Lauren, and A Penny for Her Heart. In 2018 and 2019, Alretha debuted two additional mystery books—The Women on Retford Drive and The Truth About Gretchen, respectively. In 2023, Alretha’s novel, The Girl in the Blue Blazer debuted. Her most recent novel is The Daughter Between Them.
Alretha is also an actress and can be seen in numerous commercials and television shows. She currently plays Anastasia Devereaux on Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living that airs on BET.
Deborah Hufford grew up an Iowa farm girl with horses and was a rodeo queen. Her love of horses and Native American history fostered her fascination for the Nez Perce's Appaloosas and their leader, Chief Joseph, which her debut novel, Blood to Rubies, chronicles. She became a career magazine editor, then publisher of The Writer’s Handbook, with credits in the New York Times, NYT Magazine, Connoisseur, other titles. She also taught at the University of Iowa, Northwestern University, and Marquette. Several years ago, Hufford launched a popular historical blog, Notes from the Frontier, that now has 100,000 readers and 400 posts.
Hufford is most proud of her volunteer work for veterans, women and children, the environment, animal rescues, and especially the Chief Joseph Foundation (CJF). A percentage of Blood to Rubies sales goes to CJF's Nez Perce youth programs.
All her life, Hufford dreamed of writing a novel. But it wasn't until she was diagnosed with severe kidney disease, then a related heart attack, that she panicked her time was running out. A year ago, with end-stage kidney failure, her husband proved a miraculous match. That same day, Hufford landed a publisher for her novel! Today Hufford has her husband's shiny new kidney and her debut novel has already garnered awards and accolades from many New York Times bestselling authors. Miracles do happen!
Read more at her author and historical blog sites at:
I'm a debut memoirist with a tragic but redemptive story. It is part a parenting tale, part marriage story, and part scrambling story on how not to lose God. I've written a nice-selling business book before, but this is my first personal work. Now that I've got the writing bug, I'm writing weekly essays in a newletter hosted on Substack
Teresa Strasser is an Emmy-winning writer (Comedy Central) and Emmy-nominated television host (TLC). She’s been a contributor to the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, the Arizona Republic and The Today Show. Her first-person essays have garnered three Los Angeles Press Club Awards, including Columnist of the Year. As a broadcaster, she’s been on The View, Good Morning America, The Talk, CNN, Good Day New York, and was a regular guest on Dr. Phil. Radio and podcast audiences know her as the co-host of The Guinness World Record holding Adam Carolla Show. Her first memoir, Exploiting My Baby: Because it’s Expoiting Me was a bestseller, and optioned by ABC. Her second book, Making It Home: Life Lessons From a Season of Little League got a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, and was called “A Perfect Book” by Good Housekeeping.
Growing up in San Francisco, Teresa was raised amongst the local hippie literati, including the beat poet who lived in her garage rent-free. Her dad was possibly the world’s only Jewish car mechanic, and after a stint delivering batteries, Teresa decided the only thing she wanted to deliver was writing assignments. At New York University, she studied both broadcast and print journalism, and somehow, magically, ended up doing both. Still a teenager, she got her first journalism job writing obituaries, and still thinks there’s not much more interesting to cover than passages, hatch, match, and dispatch. She got her break in Hollywood as a game show writer, and after working on-camera for a few years; she had a full-circle moment appearing on Celebrity Pyramid. “As the celebrity?” asked her dad, incredulous. Yes.
She now lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband — who takes Little League coaching very seriously — and her two sons. You can find her either live on a local morning show called The Daily Mix, or on the sidelines pacing nervously, shouting things that don’t make sense, and being Arizona’s most superstitious baseball mom.
Mark Robinson is an award-winning author who has spent the past 40+ years at some of the industry’s most prestigious ad agencies. Mark has been featured in Fortune magazine, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Advertising Age and was chosen by filmmaker Spike Lee to co-found and manage his new agency, Spike/DDB.
Mark’s 2nd book, “Black On Madison Avenue,” is part deeply personal memoir and part explosive history of what he calls “America’s most un-diverse white collar profession.” Mark is a past member of the Multicultural Marketing Leadership Council, a national touring lecturer and an ongoing mentor for the American Association of Advertising Agencies.
Mark’s 1st book, “Place of Privilege,” tells the story of the first young Black men to integrate the gilded halls of New York’s ultra-exclusive and most prestigious private school, The Dalton School.
Mark lives in Connecticut and is a highly sought-after strategist and advisor to various clients, including political campaigns and community organizations. He also serves on the board of directors of The Connecticut Mirror newspaper.
Dr. Foster is a double board-certified medical doctor and a best-selling multiple award-winning author. He is also a Public Speaker and Rehabilitation Medicine Management Consultant. He is the author or co-author of several scientific articles. His publications include three best-selling books: The Foster's Opioid Addiction Classification Status Guide, The Opioid Epidemic Consumers & HealthCare Guide, and his latest, The Stress Book: Forty-Plus Ways to Manage Stress & Enjoy Your Life. This book is a winner of MORE THAN FORTY (40+) INTERNATIONAL LITERARY AWARDS, Including THE INDEPENDENT AUTHOR NETWORK (IAN) 2022 First-Place Nonfiction Book of The Year, 2023 ERIC HOFFER AWARD Grand Prize Short List of Finalists Book of The Year, and OUTSTANDING CREATOR AWARD Overall Winner (first place), for Best Nonfiction Book – 2023. Dr. Foster graduated from The Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, New York, earning his Doctor of Medicine. Visit his website at www.DTERRENCEFOSTER.COM.
Andrea Hahnfeld is an indie-author who enjoys creating captivating stories. Her debut short story, "The Marvelous Misfits of Westminster," and children's book, "The Tree and the Girl," were well-received, with the latter being a finalist for the Amazon Kindle Storyteller X Award. Andrea shares insights and tips about the writing process on her blog, reflecting her love of reading and writing. When not writing, she can be found sipping on black coffee, brainstorming her next adventure, or chasing her mischievous cats around the house.
Dane Hanson is an award-winning filmmaker, television producer, and comedy writer. Dane got his start in Hollywood playing the dumb guy in more than 60 national commercials.
Dane is internet-famous for "Lie Detector," a video that is still constantly going viral all over the internet. It has over 100 million views combined and has been translated into 16 languages.
His first novel, Worst Knights Ever, was a #1 New Release on Amazon.
Dane is the brother of author E.C. Hanson.
Vincent Howard was born in Denver, Colorado. He was raised in San Diego, CA, graduating from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1981. He served in the United States Air Force for over 30 years and was named as one of Arizona's 25 Most Influential African-Americans in 2011. He retired in 2012 as Command Chief Master Sergeant from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. In addition to writing, he loves singing, playing the piano and learning Swahili.
Sophia Kouidou-Giles is an award-winning author who holds a BA in psychology and a master’s in social work. She has published in “Voices,” “Persimmon Tree,” “Assay,” “The Raven’s Perch,” “The Blue Nib,” “Door is a Jar”. “Transitions and Passages” is her poetry chapbook. Her essays and poetry appear in several anthologies. She is the author of “Return to Thessaloniki” released in the Greek and in the English language under the title “Sophia’s Return: Uncovering My Mother’s Past”. Her novel “An Unexpected Ally is forthcoming in the Fall of 2023, followed by a sequel, Perse, in the Spring of 2025. https://sophiakouidougiles.com
After graduating from Loyola Marymount University with a BA in Technical Theater, Michele Kwasniewski spent over fifteen years in film and television production. Starting out as a film set assistant on movies such as INDEPENDENCE DAY, FACE/OFF, PRIMAL FEAR, and EVITA. Michele eventually switched to the small screen and worked her way up the ladder to production manager, gaining experience on television shows such as BIG BROTHER, ADOPTION STORIES, EXTRA YARDAGE and MEET THE PANDAS. She is also a proud member of the Producers Guild of America. Michele's colorful experiences in the industry inspired her to write THE RISE AND FALL OF DANI TRUEHART series. Michele lives in San Clemente, California with her husband, their son, and their disobedient dachshund.
RISING STAR was awarded Finalist in the category of YOUNG ADULT FICTION for the 2021 BEST BOOK AWARDS and 2022 INTERNATONAL BOOK AWARDS. RISING STAR also was awarded Finalist in the categories of GENERAL FICTION and YOUNG ADULT FICTION in the AMERICAN FICTION AWARDS.
Vy Lien was born in Vietnam and migrated to the United States with her mother at the young age of two. She grew up as an only child with a superhero single mother who set high examples of how to face extreme adversity, persist, and succeed even when having a delicate disposition by nature.
Vy always was interested in human behavior and received her bachelor’s degree in psychology at University of California, Riverside. She then obtained double graduate degrees and joined the medical field as a Physician Associate. Aside from work, Vy enjoys everything culinary arts including cooking and eating home cooked food made from scratch, street food, fine dining, and cruise buffets! She also enjoys international traveling, yoga, and writing children’s fiction books.
Now as a single mother herself to a dynamic toddler, she writes her children’s fiction books at night when the lights go out, in the dark, and when her daughter is finally asleep. Vy’s books feature social themes that children face and also incorporate learning lessons, fun, friendship, adventures, and usually a whole lot of food! Vy reflects on the social situations that she faced as a child and writes books in hopes of helping children, including her own, bravely face and conquer social challenges. She is the author of The Nervous Noodle, the first book in the Growing Pains of the Grains series and also of The Spicy Ghost.
MG author Joseph L. Moore has been a storyteller since childhood. His inspiration comes from listening to his parents and their friends on Sunday evenings talk about their times growing up in the church as young kids, their joy reminiscing, and the adventures they had. Joseph wanted to share their rich history and has woven that into his new young adult coming of age novel, The Call of Jeremiah McGill, a historical fiction story with a Christian backdrop.
Joseph believes a good book is one with honesty, that shares the truth of a situation whether good or bad, and one where the reader can find themselves in the story. In The Call of Jeremiah McGill, a young boy is discovering who he is called to be in life. Joseph hopes his young readers come away from his book learning a bit about history and asking questions about Jesus and their own spirituality, and that it starts a conversation that lasts long after the book is closed.
When he isn’t writing spiritual and enlightening books for young adults, Joseph is a musician and singer and enjoys listening to soft worship music as he writes. Having grown up in the church and in faith, Joseph currently serves as a minister of music of House of Prayer, World Outreach Mission. An educator for nine years, Joseph lives in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, south of St. Louis. The Call of Jeremiah McGill is his debut novel.
Author, speaker, and businesswoman, Mitzi Perdue holds a BA with honors from Harvard University and an MPA from the George Washington University. She’s a past president of the 40,000-member American Agri-Women, and her television series, Country Magazine, was syndicated to 76 stations.
In the 1990s and early 2000s, her Scripps Howard weekly column, the Environment and You was the most widely-syndicated environmental column in the United States.
Mitzi Perdue’s biography, Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless, tells the story behind the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and how Hansen entered the Guinness Book of World’s Records for selling half a billion books. The book provides both inspiration and encouragement for readers to make the most of their gifts.
She has an interesting lens through which to view Mark’s success. Her father was the president and co-founder of the Sheraton Hotel Chain and her husband was the chicken magnate, Frank Perdue. As someone who’s fascinated by people being all they can be, Mitzi studied what factors Mark had in common with these two mega successful men.
Every penny of the royalties from Mark Victor Hansen, Relentless will go to support anti-trafficking efforts in Ukraine.
Barbara Linn Probst is an award-winning, Amazon best-selling author of contemporary women’s fiction living on an historic dirt road in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her acclaimed novels Queen of the Owls (2020) and The Sound Between the Notes (2021) were gold and silver medalists for prestigious national awards, including the Sarton Award for Women’s Fiction and the Nautilus Book Award. The Sound Between the Notes, recipient of a starred Kirkus review, was selected as one of the Best Indie Books of 2021. Her third novel, The Color of Ice, was released in October.
Barbara has also published over sixty essays on the craft of writing for sites such as Jane Friedman and Writer Unboxed, and given workshops and webinars for writing organizations and conferences including the Kauai Writers Conference online, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Writer Unboxed, Jane Friedman, and Story Circle Network. She also holds a PhD in clinical social work and is the author of two nonfiction books and numerous professional articles. Learn more on her website: www.BarbaraLinnProbst.com
Ron Rohrbaugh is a professional conservation scientist and author who spent more than 25 years at Cornell University and the National Audubon Society. Ron got his love of nature through hunting, fishing, birding, and camping in the backwoods of Pennsylvania. His recent works include A Traditional Bowhunter’s Path and LIVING WILD with the Orions, an adventure/historical fiction book series that uses storytelling to teach kids and adults about nature, history, wilderness living, wild food, hunting, and more. Ron’s goal is to engage kids in exciting outdoor adventure and historical fiction that will make them want to jump out of bed to build a shelter in the backyard or get curious about the Native People who lived where they do now. Ron travels the country full-time in an RV with his family, where he’s on a mission to help save wild places, share wild food, and be every child’s gateway to nature. Don’t be alarmed if you see a family toting longbows through a campground, it’s probably Ron! Say hello and join in for some outdoor fun! Please visit www.livingwildmedia.com
Nathaniel Sizemore is a graduate of Vanderbilt Law School, where he served as an Associate Editor of the Vanderbilt Law Review. After practicing at a large law firm in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, he returned to Cincinnati, Ohio, to work in his family’s business. Nathaniel lives in Fort Thomas, Kentucky, with his wife and three children. Visit his website at
Cara Achterberg is the author of four novels and two memoirs. Her novel, Blind Turn, was a Reader’s Choice Silver Medal winner and the Maxy Awards Book of the Year. Her memoir, Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs was a People magazine ‘people’s pick’ and featured on the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family Show. Cara is the cofounder of Who Will Let the Dogs Out, a nonprofit initiative to raise awareness and resources for shelter dogs. Cara lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband, three rescue dogs, and a rotating cast of foster dogs and cats. For more information visit CaraWrites.com.
David Bush is a medical doctor specialized in hematology. He was born in Malta but left for the U.K. at a young age. He returned to his first home in 2003, where he still practices hospital medicine. In addition, he is the co-founder of a support group for patients with blood cancers. Since he gave up his private practice, he has had more time to spend with the family. He enjoys reading, swimming, travelling, and doing any type of D.I.Y. job. He has published a medical book, and many papers in international peer-reviewed medical journals. He also writes analytical opinion articles for a satirical political blog. “General Jack and the Battle of the Five Kingdoms” is his multi-award winning debut novel. It was voted IAN Fiction Book of the Year in 2021. The book has garnered thirty awards so far, sixteen of which are first place. His second middle-grade novel, “The Joyous Adventures of Whizzojack” has also been critically acclaimed, winning four awards so far.
Richard has taught children for almost two decades in inner city and title I schools. He has also worked as a District Wide Behavior Specialist and a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program Principal and has spent many hours with both troubled and non-troubled young people.
Richard comes from a family of storytellers. He grew up as the offspring of two noted gospel singers in Cleveland, Ohio. Despite a happy childhood, his life as a child was often interspersed with the grim aspects of inner city violence. As a small child, Richard’s mother read traditional bedtime stories or told him family bedtime stories passed down over many generations. Although they filled him with an absolute terror of the Big Bad Wolf (and boy did it take awhile for him to recover from that), they also offered him an escape from inner city life. Richard maintains his family’s reverence for a well-turned tale. He hopes his departed mother and uncles look down at his work and that they’re smiling.
From Martial Arts master inducted in the Martial Arts Hall of Fame, to a singer who has sang on the stage as a member of The Platters, to a corporate outside sales representative who left corporate America to teach inner-city children in Washington DC., Richard Ceasor brings a wealth of experience to his writing.
Allison Hong Merrill is a Taiwanese immigrant and the author of the multi-award-winning memoir, Ninety-Nine Fire Hoops. She holds an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts and writes in both Chinese and English, both fiction and creative nonfiction, which means she spends a lot of time looking up words on Dictionary.com. Allison is an instructor, a keynote speaker, and a panelist at various writer’s conferences. She also appears on podcasts, in TV shows, magazines, and journals. Visit her at: allisonhongmerrill.com to sign up for her short monthly email.
Christopher Nelson is the author of The C.R. Patterson and Sons Company: Black Pioneers in the Vehicle Building Industry, 1865-1939. While primarily known for becoming the first Black-owned automobile manufacturer when they built their first car in 1915, the Patterson story of overcoming obstacles and breaking color barriers extends into many areas such as education, sports, business, politics, and helping Booker T. Washington in founding the Negro Business League. Mr. Nelson originally conducted the research as part of a 2009 master’s thesis, which has now been majorly redeveloped and expanded into a book released in 2022. Based on the research for the book, plans are currently underway by a film production company to bring the Patterson story to the big screen.
Mr. Nelson has a background in Archaeology and History and has worked in those fields for nearly two decades. He has a strong interest in the history of transportation, particularly during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and has worked on multiple projects within this topic during his career. Mr. Nelson has taken a recent interest in expanding his storytelling activities. This has come through various stages of involvement in filmmaking. Mr. Nelson is serving or has served in the role of Executive Producer or Associate Producer on several films including both feature length and short films. Mr. Nelson resides just outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
For further information about the book and Mr. Nelson, please visit: www.crpattersonandsonscompanybook.us
Meg Nocero, a magical manifester, is a former federal prosecutor, an inspirational speaker, a transformational coach, and the award-winning author of The Magical Guide to Bliss: Daily Keys to Unlock Your Dreams, Spirit & Inner Bliss and Sparkle & Shine: 108 M.A.N.T.R.A.s to Brighten Your Day and Lighten Your Way.After she was brought on stage in Miami with Oprah Winfrey in 2014, she was inspired to manifest the life of her dreams and founded Butterflies & Bliss LLC and S.H.I.N.E. Networking Inc., a nonprofit that provides educational scholarships to young innovative leaders in her community. She holds a BA in Spanish from Boston College, an MA in International Affairs from the University of Miami, a JD from St. Thomas University School of Law, and a Happiness Certificate with the Happiness Studies Academy. She is also a Certified Federal Law Enforcement Instructor/Mentor and a Love Button Global Movement Ambassador. In addition to being named Miz CEO Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019, Nocero appeared on CNN Español with Ismael Cala and hosts her own You Tube channel and a podcast called Manifesting with Meg: Conversations with Extraordinary People. She lives in Miami, Fl. Visit https://megnocero.com/ to learn more about Meg Nocero.
Author i.b. casey cui, a.k.a. Maritza Roño Refuerzo, is a Cal Berkeley alumna and current pickleball student at her local recreation center. She received her MFA at Mills College, where she studied fiction writing and English literature, as well as enjoyed magazine and newspaper feature writing classes under the tutelage of a former senior editor at Mother Jones. Casey Cui has been a copy editor for tech-media companies GameSpot, Ziff Davis, CNET, and InfoWorld. She co-heads a foundation whose mission is to advocate programs that promote the well-being of dogs and provide children with language and arts enrichment. Ms. Cui is a well-nigh 27-year colon cancer survivor. Her debut novel, Groovy Girl, is about a young, feisty Filipino-American girl whose 19-year-old wunderkind sister is diagnosed with colon cancer, amid the chaos of an animated, dramatic extended family. Partial proceeds of Groovy Girl will benefit four nonprofits, one of which is the Strides for Life Colon Cancer Foundation.
Puja Shah is a visionary poet who shares her voice through written and spoken word, guided meditations, and teaching. Born in Queens, New York, to immigrant parents, she defied teachers who questioned her English skills by winning countless poetry and short story awards in her youth. She has completed over a dozen trainings in various forms of yoga, meditation, and ancient wisdom. With over 10 years of nonprofit experience and a long public health career, she has aligned with girl trafficking awareness causes for her debut novel, For My Sister. More information at www.formysisterbook.com.
Linda Sheehan is the author of Fore Play, the novel Kirkus Reviews calls “A seamy, steamy comedy of errors”. She’s also the author of Decanted, winner of the Reader’s Favorite Bronze Award for Cultural Fiction that Kirkus calls “A highly enjoyable story of love, wine, and passion". Linda began her career in Manhattan where she worked for the CBS Television Network before moving to Los Angeles where she wrote and produced commercials and trailers for movies and television. She now lives in Napa, California, where she's the co-owner of Poe Wines that makes highly acclaimed Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, and Rosé. Besides indulging her passion for great wines, she is an avid horseback rider and golfer.
David Michael Slater is an acclaimed author of nearly thirty books for children, teens, and adults. His picture books include Hanukkah Harvie vs. Santa Claus and The Boy & the Book; his early chapter book series include The Super Doopers and Mysterious Monsters, which is in development for an animated series; his books for teens include Sparks, and the Forbidden Books Series; and his newest title, The Vanishing, a Holocaust fantasy, released 9/29. The book has been praised by Holocaust authors, professors, professionals, and six National Jewish Book Award winners, and discussions are underway with a major Hollywood production company for its film rights. David's nonfiction includes We're Doing It Wrong: 25 Ideas in Education That Just Don't Work--And How to Fix Them and Wingnuts: A Field Guide to Everyday Extremism in America. David teaches middle school in Reno, Nevada. For more, see www.davidmichaelslater.com.
Ashe & Magdalena Stevens reside in Los Angeles, CA with their daughter, two cats and a dog. Ashe studied Theatre and Writing at the California Institute of the Arts. Magdalena, after her successful career as a fashion model, studied Art History at the University of Illinois at Chicago and ultimately graduated from medical school and is now a practicing physician.
Their first published book, Lost in Beirut, is a bestselling, mesmerizing true story of Ashe's remarkable journey in the Middle East. They're currently writing their second book. In their spare time they love to travel, collect art, watch independent films and read books.
Follow the authors' journey on their instagram: @lostinbeirutbook
For more information and press inquiries visit: www.lostinbeirut.com
Tom Trondson’s debut novel Moving in Stereo was published by Calumet Editions. The story revolves around Richard Blanco, a colorful yet troubled professional tennis player navigating his final year on tour. Kirkus Reviews called Moving in Stereo “a throwback 90s tale with a compellingly dysfunctional tennis-playing protagonist.” Trondson taught tennis all over the world (including the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida), was a stay-at-home dad, and learned how to cross-country ski during the pandemic. A native of St. Paul, Minnesota, he holds a graduate degree from Hamline University’s MFA program, where he teaches creative writing. He lives with his family in Minneapolis. Find him at tomtrondson.com.
Made entirely of rum and snacks—International Bestselling Author, Tracy A. Ball, is a native Baltimorean and veteran West Virginian, whose family is a mashup of cultures. She writes real and raw interracial romance with an intensity that burns because she has been busting stereotypes while teaching interracial/generational healing for more than a quarter of a century.
Her published works include: Blood Like Rain, The Other Shore, “Mercury Chain Thomson,” If By Chance: A Shorts collection, Welcome to BBs, Death’s Desire, Big Guns & Bullsh@t, “Imogene’s Flowers,” “Thorns,” “Black’s Magic,” “Truly, Madly, Kiss Me,” “Cumberland Christmas,” Civil Warriors, Dragonfly Dreams, KAYOS: The Bad & The Worse, The Tiger & The Snake, The Right Way to Be Wrong, Mail Duty, White Russian Lies, and Sons of the Nephilim: Honor’s Choice.
Award-winning writer and scholar (Fulbright nominee) Kevin L. Gingrich, PhD, is the author of numerous publications, ranging from The Sons of Chester to children's stories, feature articles, and columns to scholarly articles, including his dissertation, Parechesis in the Undisputed Pauline. Kevin played Division I basketball, and was known as "The Ball-Handling Wizard of the Westwood Gym," performing halftime shows at basketball games and camps all over the Midwest. His greatest trick was "The Impossible Catch," which, as the name suggests, was impossible: catching a basketball behind his back, arms between his legs. Kevin did it with two basketballs at once!
Sepehr Haddad is the grandson of composer Nasrosoltan Minbashian who was the director of the Iranian Conservatory (Tehran Conservatory of Music). A Hundred Sweet Promises is his debut novel which is currently a Top 20 best-seller in Russian historical fiction. Sepehr is also a Universal Music Group (UMG) recording artist, with the Billboard chart-topping duo Shahin & Sepehr. He lives in the Washington DC metro area. For further information on Sepehr, visit: SepehrHaddad.com
Christy Alexander Hallberg is the author of the novel Searching for Jimmy Page, from Livingston Press. She is a Teaching Professor of English at East Carolina University, where she earned her BS and MA in English. She received her MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) from Goddard College. She is Senior Associate Editor of North Carolina Literary Review. Her short fiction, creative nonfiction, book reviews, and interviews have appeared in such journals as North Carolina Literary Review, The Main Street Rag, Fiction Southeast, Riggwelter, Deep South Magazine, Eclectica, Litro, STORGY, Entropy, storySouth, Still: The Journal, and Concho River Review. Her creative nonfiction essay “The Ballad of Evermore” was a finalist for the Sequestrum 2020 Editor’s Reprint Award. Her flash story “Aperture” was chosen Story of the Month by Fiction Southeast for October 2020. Find her at www.christyalexanderhallberg.com/
By day, author Brian Kaufman is a curriculum editor for an online junior college. By night, he’s an award-winning fiction writer with six published novels to his credit. His latest, Dread Tribunal of Last Resort (Cengage, 2021) is a Civil War novel focused on an unusual aspect of the war—rocketry. Coming in 2023 from Black Rose Writing, A Shadow Melody is a historical novel with a horror twist: In the early 1900s, Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, and Harry Browning each worked on devices to contact the dead through scientific means. Only one succeeded…
Kaufman lives with his wife and dog in the Colorado mountains, dividing his time between various passions, including writing, blues guitar, and book-hoarding. Find Brian at: https://authorbriankaufman.com/
Rebecca Miller is the multi-award-winning author of Touch: a work of literary fiction with a sharp contemporary edge, meant to stir questions about a topic not often spoken about. Though there isn’t much in her background to suggest she would ever write a book, the characters jumped into her head one day and wouldn’t let go until their story was told. She is a true believer that everything happens for a reason and has used that mantra to get through life. She lives on a farm in rural Rhode Island with her husband, two children, and a plethora of animals. She is also a realtor and professional photographer.
Frederick Douglass Reynolds is a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Sergeant. He was born in Rocky Mount, Virginia and grew up in Detroit, Michigan where he became a petty criminal and involved in gangs. He joined the US Marine Corps in 1979 to escape the life of crime that he seemed destined for. After a brief stint in Okinawa, Japan, he finished out his military career in southern California and ultimately became a police officer with the Compton police department. He worked there from 1985 until 2000 and then transferred to the sheriff’s department where he worked an additional seventeen years, retiring in 2017 with over seventy-five commendations. He lives in Southern California with his wife, Carolyn, and their daughter Lauren and young son, Desmond. They have six other adult children and nine grandchildren.
A former English professor at Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of North Carolina, Jeannée Sacken is a photojournalist who travels the world documenting the lives of women and children. She also photographs wildlife and is deeply committed to the conservation of endangered species. When not traveling, she lives in Shorewood, Wisconsin with her three cats, named for her favorite photographers. Behind the Lens is her debut novel. The second novel in the Annie Hawkins Green series, Double Exposure, is slated for publication in October 2022.
Visit https://www.jeanneesacken.com/home/ to learn more about Jeannée Sacken.
Dan Whitfield is a multi-award-winning direct mail copywriter and novelist living in St. Petersburg, Florida with his wife, three daughters, and hundreds of books. Originally from the United Kingdom, Dan’s debut novel, Eagle Ascending, was published by TouchPoint Press in 2021. He contributed the short story Sometimes, They Come Quickly, to TouchPoint’s horror anthology, Nightmares of Strangers, in the same year. Dan’s next novel, The Spider’s Revenge, will be released in 2023.
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