Coeur d'Auteur Author Bios and Books

AUTHORS FORUM & TRADE FAIR NOVEMBER 4, 2015 • BEST WESTERN CD’A INN

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Coeur d’Auteur 2015

Coeur d’Auteur 2015 Speakers Schedule 2:00pm- 2:28pm - Jim Grassi “The importance of developing a great character” 2:30pm - 2:58pm - Dan Gookin “How to get your book published” 3:00pm - 3:28pm - Tony Rubleski “Ok, you have a book what do you do next?”

3:30pm - 3:58pm - Michael Koep

Program Schedule 2:00pm - 4:00pm - Authors Forum & Trade Fair 4:00pm - 4:30pm - Q & A Session 4:30pm - 5:00pm - Wine & Cheese Social,Book Signing 5:00pm - 6:00pm - Public Welcome, come meet the authors

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Coeur d’Auteur Featured Speakers

Jim Grassi Speaking time: 2:00pm-2:28pm The importance of developing great character.

Dr. James (Jim) Grassi is an award winning author, communicator, outdoorsman, former pastor, and television co-host. Jim has presented hundreds of messages and programs around the world that helped equip people to fulfill The Great Commission (Matt. 28). He brings a sense of challenge, wisdom, excitement, and humor to his presentations as he connects with people of various cultures and backgrounds.

Jim’s primary work is leading one of most experienced men’s ministries in the country – Men’s Ministry Catalyst, an organization he incorporated in 1981. Grassi is also an award winning author of thirteen books, including The Spiritual Mentor, Building a Ministry of Spiritual Mentoring, More Than a Fisherman, Finishing Well – Finishing Strong, Guts, Grace and Glory, The Ultimate Fishing Challenge, Heaven on Earth, In Pursuit of the Prize, The Ultimate Hunt, Crunch Time, and Crunch Time in the Red Zone.

Jim has also written numerous magazine articles, booklets, and tracts.

Grassi was born and reared in the San Francisco Bay Area. Known for his evangelistic heart, he teaches people from a background as an outdoorsman, public administrator, hall of fame fisherman, college professor, businessman, community leader, and pastor. He has served in the capacity of chaplain with two NFL teams and the Post Falls Idaho Police Department. His forty-five years of professional experience in the outdoors and with sports teams has given him a unique perspective on working with men. He has been a chaplain for the Post Falls Police Department and today serving as chaplain with the Kootenai Fire and Rescue.

Michael B. Koep Speaking time: 3:30pm-3:28pm A feature article (Spokane, WA) once titled Michael B. Koep as an Inland Northwest “Renaissance Man”. An avid world traveler, educator, accomplished visual artist, award winning poet, swordsman and a touring rock musician, Michael’s spirit is imbued in the arts. He is the author of The Invasion of Heaven, and Leaves of Fire. He lives in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho with his wife and son. michael@willdreamlyarts.com

Coeur d’Auteur 2015

Tony Rubleski Speaking time: 3:00pm-3:28pm Ok, you have a book what do you do next?

Tony Rubleski is the bestselling creator of the Mind Capture book series. He is also an in-demand keynote speaker, strategic business coach, and global event promoter. His work has been featured in various media outlets ranging from Bottom Line Magazine, The Detroit Free Press, the FOX TV network, ABC, to CNN Radio, NPR, and Entrepreneur Magazine Radio. He’s a 1994 graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in marketing and has also been a faculty member and instructor with the U.S Chamber of Commerce (IOM) and CEO Space International.

His core expertise and message is designed to help people ‘Capture’ more minds and profits.

As editor and creator of A Captured Mind newsletter he has interviewed some of the highest paid direct marketing, internet, success and sales minds in the world including Seth Godin, Jay Abraham, Dr. Ivan Misner, Darren Hardy (SUCCESS Magazine), Jack Canfield, Brian Tracy, Dan Kennedy, Jeffrey Gitomer, Joel Comm, Sally Hogshead, Sharon Lechter and Larry Winget.

A highly sought after speaker and agent of change, his live seminars and keynote talks continue to receive rave reviews from meeting planners coast to coast. He’s shared the stage with such business notables as Les Brown, Dan Kennedy, Michael Gerber, Jeffrey Gitomer, and Bob Burg to Olympic gold medalist Dan Jansen, and various celebrities including TV’s John Walsh, Mick Fleetwood, and many others. He’s presented to hundreds of audiences including some of the biggest chambers of commerce in North America, association events in the U.S. and at private events with a price tag of $2500.00+ per attendee.

Dan Gookin Speaking time: 2:30pm-2:58pm How to get your book published After physically destroying three typewriters, and at the urging of the guy in the repairshop, aspiring writer Dan Gookin bought his first computer in 1982. Contrary to his prejudices, Dan discovered that computers were about more than math, and he quickly took to the quirky machines. Thirty years later, Mr. Gookin has written over 150 books about computers and hosts several online training videos at Lynda, a division of LinkedIn. He has achieved fame as one of the first computer radio talk show hosts, the editor of a computer magazine, and a national technology spokesman. He is perhaps most famously known as the author of DOS For Dummies, the foundation of the hugely successful ‘For Dummies’ series. Dan considers himself a writer and technology guru whose job it is to remind everyone that high-tech gizmos are not to be taken too seriously. His approach to technology is light and humorous, yet very informative. Dan mixes his vast knowledge of computers, programming, and mobile devices with a unique, dry sense of humor that keeps everyone informed — and awake.

Dan Gookin’s current titles include PCs For Dummies, Laptops For Dummies, Word For Dummies, Android Phones For Dummies, Android Tablets For Dummies, and Beginning Programming with C For Dummies. His online training courses cover the topics of mobile devices and computer programming. Mr. Gookin holds a degree in communications/visual arts from the University of California, San Diego. His hobbies include woodworking, music, theater, bicycling, and spending time with his boys. Dan currently serves on the Coeur d’Alene City Council.

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Coeur d’Auteur Authors Mike Blackbird Mike Blackbird, a Kellogg native, and 1960 Kellogg Senior High graduate, attended California State University after a four year hitch in the Navy. Mike graduated with a degree in history and political science. He retired in 2009, as regional sales manager for Cardinal Health in Seattle. He also served three terms in the Idaho State Senate, 1986-1992. Mike married Florence in 1964 and they reside in Post Falls. They have two adult children and one grandchild. Mike’s book, One Flaming Hour, a memoir of his brother Jerry, has been nominated for the Idaho Library Association 2014 book award.

George Brinkmann George Brinkmann is the author of two books. His most recent, Origins of Christianity from Genesis to Jesus, is the culmination of 15 years of research. Join the author in his search for the roots of Christianity and gain an insight into the events of this era.

His book(s) are available at all area Hastings, The Well Read Moose, Foster’s Crossing in Sandpoint, Auntie’s in Spokane, or brinkmannenterprises.com You can contact the author or leave feedback on the website or email him directly at gabrink@hotmail.com . He welcomes your comments. Mr. Brinkmann and his wife are Idaho natives and currently reside in Rathdrum. He continues his research of history combining it with his love of the out of doors and traveling.

Richard Brown Richard has been putting together his own leadership puzzle for his entire adult life. That includes his college years, rarely included in anyone’s definition of adult.

As a midshipman enrolled on a full scholarship in the Naval ROTC program at Oregon State University, he was one of two selected to serve in a midshipman officer position as a junior. In his senior year, he was appointed as Midshipman Battalion Commander, the highest leadership position available to a student. Named the USMC Honor Graduate, he served his active duty as an infantry officer with the 1st Marine Brigade in Kaneohe, Hawaii. Prior to leaving the Corps Richard was selected ahead of his peers for promotion to Captain.

In 1978, he began a thirty year career in sales with Pfizer Inc. Four years later he was one of the youngest individuals at the time promoted to District Manager. In 2001, Richard returned to the field to apply his experience to the most challenging type of leadership, leading his peers.

Richard helped found PRE, or Professional Resource Enhancement, in 1998 as a means of bringing his unique vision of leadership to small business, coaches, teachers and young adults. Richard is now a certified speaker, coach and trainer with John Maxwell.

In 2012, Richard published the book Become THE LEADER Your PEOPLE DESERVE. Richard lives with his wife Beth in Post Falls, Idaho. They have 3 grown children.

Coeur d’Auteur 2015

Chris Carlson Kellogg native Chris Carlson is a former journalist and school teacher and was the long-time press secretary for four-term Idaho Governor Cecil D. Andrus. He attended Columbia on a scholarship and graduated in 1968 with a B.A. in English Literature and a minor in Comparative Religions. Chris received an M.A. from Idaho State University in 1970. In 1971 he worked as the Washington D.C. correspondent for the Anchorage Daily News and wrote a political column carried by five Idaho newspapers. In January of 1973, he began his long and still active association with Andrus. Chris returned to D.C. with Andrus in 1977, as director of the Interior Department’s Office of Public Affairs when Andrus served as Interior Secretary under Jimmy Carter.

In 1981 he was appointed to the Northwest Power Planning Council by Governor John V. Evans. He became the regional vice president for government affairs for Kaiser Aluminum in 1983 and then founded the consulting firm of Gallatin Public Affairs in 1989. Today it is the Pacific Northwest’s largest independent strategic communications firm with offices in Spokane, Seattle, Portland, and Boise. Two life-threatening health challenges forced him to take a disability retirement in 2006. Though given only six months to live in November of 2005, he has confounded his doctors and as he says with a smile, “I’m still here.”

During his “retirement” he resumed writing his weekly column on Idaho politics and has written and had published three books: Cecil Andrus: Idaho’s Greatest Governor (Caxton, 2011); Medimont Reflections (Ridenbaugh, 2013); and Eye on the Caribou (Ridenbaugh, 2015). He and his wife were married in 1970 in St. Maries. They have four now adult children and two grandchildren and reside on Cave Lake near Medimont.

Jack Castle Bestselling Author Jack Castle loves adventure. Most locals know him as the heroic Marshal Jack who works in the train stunt show out at Silverwood Theme Park and collects donations for local charitable organizations. He also teaches free literary workshops at local libraries to help other aspiring authors.

Before moving to Northern Idaho, Jack has traveled the globe as a professional stuntman for stage, film, and television. While working for Universal Studios, he met Cinderella at Walt Disney World and they were soon married. After moving to Alaska, he worked as a tour guide, police officer, criminal justice professor, and certified weapons instructor. He has been stationed on a remote island in the Aleutians as a Response Team Commander and his last job in the Arctic Circle was protecting engineers from ravenous polar bears. He has had several Alaska adventure stories published along with articles in international security periodicals. His first science fiction novel, Europa Journal, was released in 2015. His latest novel, Bedlam Lost, is available for pre-order on Amazon right now and his third novel releases in January of next year.

For more visit: JackCastlebooks.com A supernatural sci-fi thriller, Bedlam Lost delivers for fans of Dean Koontz and J. J. Abrams’ LOST. Step into this story and you might not be able to leave.

Bedlam Lost Synopsis

HavenPort: Population 492. A town with no roads in or out.

Deputy Hank McCarthy has just moved his family into the remote Alaskan town to replace the local Sheriff. He doesn’t think a small sleepy town like HavenPort will offer much in the way of excitement but, considering what he’s running from, he’s more than happy about that.

New York City ballet dancer Emma Hudson is running from something too. Unlike Hank, she’s not sure what she’ll find in HavenPort, especially when supernatural terrors begin to haunt her dreams, and sometimes her waking hours. The people of HavenPort claim it’s no cause for concern. No need to act crazy. She knows what crazy is like.

When Hank and Emma share a daytime terror they begin to see there’s more to this town than they know. Unfortunately for them it’s already too late. Their paths are chosen. There’s no way out of HavenPort.

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Coeur d’Auteur Authors

Kristin Cooper-Herby Kristin Cooper- Herby lives in Coeur d ‘Alene, Idaho with the loves of her life- her husband, twin children, 3 dogs and a cat. When she’s not writing, she enjoys summer days at the family cabin, yoga, hiking and laughing with friends and family.

Kristin has recently started a reading incentive program for second and third grade elementary students. STORIES WITH STEWY is a fun program, designed to inspire a love for reading. Kristin considers herself to be a late bloomer, and believes that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.

Stewy Baby was different than her canine brothers and sisters. She longs for a human family that she can call her own, but nobody wants her. Until Katie, the girl from her dreams shows up one day to adopt her. Katie knows that different is special. But not everyone in the Campbell family is ready for a dog. Will Stewy Baby be able to stay in the pink palace? Will Ed the Magpie ruin it for her? Will her horrible gas be the end to her new home?

Stewy’s comical adventures will elicit laughs from all!

Karen Estes Karen Estes grew up in Spokane, Washington. She is a graduate of Eastern Washington University, with a degree in Secondary Language Arts and as an Educational Media Specialist. She taught high school English, drama, and speech for a short time in Leavenworth, Washington, where she met her husband, Charley. Although Karen has always had the desire to write a novel, it wasn’t until the main idea for Plane of the Ecliptic presented itself to her in a dream that she began setting aside time to actually work on it. She started by writing about what she knew best – the life of an ordinary school librarian. But as she developed the plot, some natural twists and turns occurred that surprised even her. Just like her main character Maggie, Karen discovered that day to day living becomes more meaningful when you break out of your routine and allow yourself to be open to the mystifying and unexpected.

Northern Idaho has been home to Karen Estes for over thirty years. Working as a middle school librarian enables her to match up potentially life-changing books with her students. She and her family spend time together watching movies, traveling, cooking, golfing, and laughing!

Diane Gardner Diane Gardner, tax coach, is a Quilly Award recipient and the best-selling author of Stand Apart and Why Didn’t My CPA Tell Me That? She recently released her fifth book, Stop Overpaying Your Taxes! 11 Ways Entrepreneurs Overpay and How to Stop It Now! Diane specializes in saving small business owners between $5,000 and $50,000 per year in 60 minutes or less through proactive tax planning. To date she has saved over $417,000 in tax for her clients.

She is a licensed Enrolled Agent (EA), which allows her to prepare income tax returns and to represent taxpayers in all fifty states. Diane is also a QuickBooks Pro advisor, an Accredited Tax Preparer (ATP), and a Certified Tax Coach (CTC). Certified Tax Coaches are an elite group of professionals who focus on helping businesses and individuals pay the least amount of tax that is legally possible.

Diane has worked hard to make her businesses stand apart from other accounting and tax professionals by specializing as a tax coach. Her personal goal is to make sure business owners are not overpaying their taxes, by utilizing proactive tax planning.

Contact information for Diane: (800) 841-0212 or (208) 687-0508 • www.AdeptBusiness.biz • www.TaxCoach4You.com Diane@AdeptBusiness.biz or Diane@TaxCoach4You.com Other Books by Diane Gardner: Stand Apart, Obamacare Survival Guide, 10 Most Expensive Tax Mistakes That Cost You Thousands!, Why Didn’t My CPA Tell Me That? Stop Overpaying Your Taxes! 11 Ways Entrepreneurs Overpay and How to Stop It Now .

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Sherrie Jenicek Sherrie Jenicek grew up in a little mining town nestled among the mountains of northern Idaho. As a young girl, she developed a passion for dancing and loves and appreciates the arts to this day. Sherrie is also a photographer, songwriter, and most importantly, a wife and mother of three. The only book she has published is named Daughter of Hope and is currently working on a sequel called Losing Hope.

Jennifer E. Johnson PhD Dr. Johnson has vast experience in caring for heart attack and stroke patients and counseled hundreds of people to take better care of their health in order to prevent an event. She obtained her PhD from Loyola University in Chicago studying “what works” to help people stick with behavior changes. Her health related programs have been highly regarded by a variety of audiences from children to corporations to senior citizen groups. Her new book Wake Up Call 911: It’s Time to Reduce Your Risk for a Heart Attack and Stroke, is written with a “nurse’s voice” to help increase motivation for behavior change. www.living4ahealthyheart.com jjohnson@living4ahealthyheart.com Phone: (630) 800-7308

Barbara Lovett How in the world did a city girl, born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area end up running a Christian guest ranch in the North Idaho wilderness - six miles from the post office, 30 miles from the nearest rural hospital, grocery store, and gas station, and 90 miles from the nearest shopping center? Well, that’s quite a story...

This delightful collection of short stories beautifully chronicles God’s work in Barbara and her husband Norm’s lives. From lessons learned in their own troubled marriage, to the building of Shiloh Ranch, this book shares all the miracles they experienced - changed lives, restored marriages, and obstacles overcome - throughout the 25 years they ran the ranch. Barbara Lovett lives with her husband in Post Falls, Idaho. Although “retired” now, they are still actively mentoring married couples, and Barbara still loves to tell the stories of Shiloh.

Her book is titled Bedtime Stories from Shiloh - Adventures in Faith and Trust.

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Coeur d’Auteur Authors Carol Muzik

A little goose changed the life of Carol Muzik when she decided to leave a long nursing career to create an art gallery in Harrison, Idaho, in 2005. Because of her unusual photography of an orphaned goose she and her husband raised to its successful return to the wild, she often shared the goose’s story with curious customers. People often said, “You should write a book!”, so, not one to ignore good advice, Carol dove into video and book production to tell Lucy’s story. Now, numerous awards and several books later, Muzik writes, illustrates, and consults with clients on the self-publishing process.

She is the author and illustrator of her true story written for ages 5 – 9 called Raising Lucy ~ The True Story of Raising an Orphaned Wild Goose, and its accompanying video and coloring book. She is co-producer with filmmaker Chad Christensen, of the half-hour documentary ‘Raising Lucy’, winner of nine national awards, including Best Documentary at The Charleston Film Festival. She co-wrote and consulted on the 2013 memoir Waiting on a Miracle with local author Jim Noren, and illustrated, edited, and consulted on publishing of the 2015 children’s book Jack the Cat Burglar and His Purrty True Tale by local author Judy R. Waring.

Carol is a former board member of Kootenai Environmental Alliance, and developed and directs their annual summer camp for kids called The Art of Nature Summer Camp. Carol also teaches art and writing in schools as a teaching artist with the Idaho Commission on the Arts, and consults with authors on editing, layout, and publishing. She is also available as an inspirational speaker. www.RaisingLucy.com www.jackthecatburglar.com

www.jimnoren.com Email: lakemuziks@frontier.com

Toby Neighbors Toby is the bestselling author of the Five Kingdoms Series, the Lorik Trilogy, and the Avondale Series, all of which have ranked in the top 20 of Amazon’s Epic Fantasy best sellers list. He’s also the author of the Zompocalypse serial novel, and The New World sci-fi adventure. With over 100,000 books sold and over 20 novels published, he is a veteran of indie publishing. In 2012 with the breakout success of Wizard Rising, the first book in the Five Kingdoms Series, Toby moved to North Idaho to pursue writing full time.

TobyNeighbors.com Read all the bestselling novels by Toby Neighbors on Amazon

Bill Percy Bill Percy, an Idaho writer and psychologist, draws on his many experiences as a psychotherapist to write vivid, engaging tales of people confronting unique obstacles. Bill has written numerous courses, instructional manuals, and videos for the training of psychology PhD students and psychotherapists; Climbing the Coliseum is his first novel. Two more novels featuring Ed, Andi, Grace, and the people of Monastery Valley will follow soon. Bill lives in Hope, Idaho with his wife, Michele.

Bill’s e-mail address is Bill@BillPercyBooks.com, and please visit his websiteBillPercyBooks.com-and “like” him on Facebook (you can link through the website).

Climbing the Coliseum is available in Sandpoint at Vanderford’s Books, Common Knowledge Bookstore, and The Corner Bookstore, and in Bonner’s Ferry at Bonner Books.

Coeur d’Auteur 2015

Carrie Stuart Parks Carrie Stuart Parks is an internationally known certified forensic artist. She worked for the North Idaho Regional Crime Lab in Coeur d’Alene for years before going freelance. A winner of numerous awards for her innovative teaching methods and general career excellence, she is also a signature member of the Idaho Watercolor Society. The author/illustrator of five non-fiction books in art, her debut novel, A Cry From the Dust, was the Carol Award recipient for the best thriller/mystery/suspense book for 2015 by the American Christian Fiction Writers Association as well as a finalist in several other prestigious awards. She was mentored in her writing by NYT best-selling author Frank Peretti.

The Bones Will Speak, suspense/thriller, summer 2015, HarperCollins Christian (Thomas Nelson) A Cry From the Dust, suspense/thriller, 2014, HarperCollins Christian (Thomas Nelson) Secrets to Drawing Realistic Faces, 10th Anniversary Edition, North Light Publishers Secrets to Drawing Realistically, North Light Publishers Secrets to Drawing Realistic Children, North Light Publishers The Big Book of Realistic Drawing Secrets, North Light Publishers Secrets to Painting Realistic Faces in Watercolor, North Light Publishers Seasons of My Heart, (Illustrator) By Barbara Peretti, Countryman Publishers 2015 Carol Award winner in mystery/suspense/thriller 2015 Finalist: The Christy Awards 2015 Finalist: The Selah Awards

Sherri Schettler Sherri Schettler, former resident of Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho, is the author of Spiritual Blackmail: My Journey Through a Catholic Cult, a finalist in the 2015 Nancy Pearl Book Contest. Schettler’s memoir includes the nine years she lived in Coeur d’ Alene in the 70’s and 80’s when she was involved with a renegade traditionalist group and its charismatic, abusive leader from Seattle, a man who refused to go along with the reforms of Vatican Two. Propelled out of her parents’ home in San Diego when she was fourteen, to live amongst religious fanatics here in Idaho, her story reveals how the seeds of recruitment get planted in young minds.

She wrote her memoir to share the lessons learned during a difficult path in her life but also to testify to the powerful truth that it is possible to find the good and a reason for gratitude even amid seeming abandonment and betrayal by those most trusted. The church group has been in the local and national media several times, including coverage on Dateline. Sherri lives in Seattle, WA, and is a veteran educator with thirty years in the classroom. She continues to serve and nurture children as a second grade teacher. Sherri founded Lifelong Habits where she blogs about the blessings in her life and provides positive resources for individuals who are transitioning out of extreme living environments. She is an advocate for healing and sharing how she has found pearls from her past to create a better future. When Sherri is not busy with classroom duties, she enjoys pet walks, swimming, ballroom dancing, singing, and continuing to live life to the fullest.

Visit her website at lifelonghabitsllc.com