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2015 Great Valley Bookfest
The Bulletin-Thursday, October 8, 2015
degrees in psychology, English, and education, and taught high school and middle school English before crossing over to a career in writing. She lives in Northern California with her alpha male husband and their two children. She loves chocolate way more than she should and the gym less. You can usually find her in the corner of a coffee shop, laptop in front of her and mocha in hand, using the guests around her as fuel for her next book. JOHN G. BLUCK John G. Bluck retired from NASA in 2008 as a Public Affairs officer. Previously, he was the Chief of Imaging Technology at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Before that, he worked at NASA Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, where he produced numerous NASA documentaries for television. Earlier in his career he was a broadcast engineer for the ABC radio network at WMAL-AM/ FM, Washington, D.C. At WMAL-TV (now WJLA-TV) in Washington, he was a news film cameraman who covered local and national news, crime, sports, and politics, including Watergate. In 1976 he was named the National Press Photographer Association runner-up cameraman of the year in the Northeast. In addition, he was a member of the White House News Photographers’ Association. During the Vietnam War he was an Army journalist at Ft. Lewis, Washington. MARILYN MEREDITH Marilyn Meredith is the author of over 35 published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Spirit Shapes from Mundania Press. Writing as F. M. Meredith, her latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel is Murder in the Worst Degree from Oak Tree Press. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, Three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She lives in the Southern Sierra with her husband of many years, one dog, and too many cats. PAULA TREICK DEBOARD Paula Treick DeBoard is a reader, writer, and all-around slave to the field of public education. Her short fiction has appeared in deCOMP, Cantaraville, Staccato Fiction, and The Sycamore Review, where her short story “Casualties” earned second place in the 2009 Wabash Prize for Fiction, judged by Tobias Wolff. She is the author of two novels, The Fragile World(2014) and The Mourning Hours (2013), which won the Niles Library Tournament of Books in 2014 and was a runner-up for the Housatonic Book Award. A third novel, The Drowning Girls, will publish in 2016. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing: Fiction from the University of Southern Maine. Since 2011, Paula has taught English part-time at San Joaquin-Delta Community College and Modesto Junior College. She was recently selected as an inaugural faculty member of Go Deep! A Yoga + Writing Retreat in the Sierra Nevadas. Chris Teicheira Comic, farmer, Mantecan and now author Chris Teicheira started writing his column Manteca to T in January 2014. Inspired by Patrick O’Leary and his ‘Man about Town’ column that ran in the Manteca Bulletin in the eighties, Chris tried to emulate the spirit of Manteca in a series of witty articles published in the Bulletin every Friday. If you can’t find him on his tractor or somewhere at his farm chasing his deaf puppy Banshee, the
Meet The Authors five-time Modesto Area Music Awards nominee is probably touring one of the clubs in California, Nevada or Oregon with his stand-up routine. You can contact him at cateicheira@hotmail.com. And remember, “It’s not where ya do, it’s what ya do.“
inspirational fiction titles under the name Tina Klinesmith. In her spare time, she can be found laughing hysterically with her husband, children, and their menagerie of pets in Northern California or drinking far too many lattes while arguing with the characters in her head.
BONNIE PHELPS Rumor has it that Bonnie began telling stories at a very early age. Photos exist of the author toddling around the corner of the house covered in mud babbling about magic rabbits leading her through the garden. Her parents were amused, only adding fuel to the fire of her passion for writing. From then on, her active imagination continued to churn out plots and character sketches, always wondering how different people would behave in similar situations.
BETH BARANY Award-winning author, Beth Barany has been making up fantasy and adventure stories all her life. She writes in two genres: young adult fantasy and magical contemporary romance. She loves creating magical tales of romance and adventure to transport readers to new worlds where anything is possible. In her off hours, Beth enjoys capoeira, reading and watching movies, and traveling, with her husband, author and singer/ song writer Ezra Barany. Beth Barany lives in Oakland with her husband, two cats, and over 1,000 books.
ANNE CAROL Anne Carol grew up reading, writing, and listening to English rock bands, obsessing over one in particular. Continuing her fascination with rock stars, she married a bass player and they now have two sons, also budding musicians. Besides reading, writing, and listening to music, she also loves traveling, going to dance class, watching teen dramas, and exploring social media websites. Anne lives in Northern California, where she enjoys wine and chocolate every night as she works on her next novel. KASEY THOMPSON Kasey Thompson is most known by all around her for her creative flare. From a young age, she took all the wonderful places and people in her head, and turned them into stories. She takes every situation she is in and tries to add her own *fantasy flare* to it. At the young age of sixteen, Kasey self-published her first book. A little less than a year later, she published her second book, both which are available on Amazon. KARA LUCAS Kara Lucas has been a social worker for over twenty years and currently works in adoption. She has her Masters in Social Work, and many of the characters in FINDING PONY have been inspired by some of the kids she’s worked with. When not writing, Kara loves to read and go hiking in the mountains. She lives in central California with her family. JENNIFER RYAN Jennifer Ryan, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted, McBride, and Montana Men series, writes romantic suspense and contemporary smalltown romances. Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she isn’t writing a book, she’s reading one. Her obsession with both is often revealed in the state of her home, and how late dinner is to the table. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper.
TJ KLINE T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and Rodeo Queen competitions since the age of 14 and has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She has written seven through Faith, Hope and Love books f o r Avon By includMelissa Carson ing the Rodeo "The true measure of a person's series strength is how we continue to exist and the when the moment does arrive." Healing See Melissa Carson at the 2015 Harts Bookfest or order her book online at series. She has also published a Amazon.com nonfiction health book and three
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BRITT NUNES Britt Nunes never expected to be a writer. Coming from a past where she always struggled academically, to the point where she was held back in grammar school, the idea of completing a novel was utterly intangible. But falling in love with reading was what ultimately helped her excel. She now considers herself a dork with an overactive imagination. Being that she is addicted to rich words, suspenseful stories, a touch of romance, and massive amounts of coffee, becoming a writer not just became possible, but enviable. Britt writes for young adults. The Etched Tales is her first series. GILLIAN BAGWELL Gillian Bagwell is the author of three acclaimed historical novels: “The Darling Strumpet,” based on the life of Nell Gwynn, seventeenth-century actress and mistress of Charles II; “The September Queen,” the story of Jane Lane, who risked her life to help the young Charles II escape after the Battle of Worcester; and “Venus in Winter,” which covers the first forty years of the life of the formidable four-times widowed Tudor dynast Bess of Hardwick. Gillian lives in Berkeley, California, and is at work on her fourth novel. Gillian began her professional life in theatre, first as an actress and later as a director and producer. She founded the Pasadena Shakespeare Company and ran it for ten years, producing thirtyseven critically acclaimed shows. She now puts her theatrical experience to use coaching writers on giving effective public readings. Visit her website, www.gillianbagwell.com, for links to her research blogs, articles, and more on her books and upcoming events. CODI GARY An obsessive bookworm, Codi Gary likes to write sexy contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. A Northern California native, she now lives in Idaho with her family. MATTHEW BERLIN Matthew Berlin is a seventeen-year old independent author who enjoys writing Action/Adventure and Fantasy novels. He began writing Embark, the first book in the Legends of Lustria series at 14, and self-published the completed novel at 16. Matt has just completed Prevalence, which is the second book in the series, and hopes to have it released by Christmas 2015. Matthew is also co-writing a book with a friend and fellow author. Matthew is very fond of fantasy, and was inspired to write Legends of Lustria after enjoying successful franchises such as The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and a variety of others. Writing allows Matt to take his imagination to the farthest limits. ANTOINETTE MAY Antoinette May’s third novel The Determined Heart: the Tale of Mary Shelley and Her Frankenstein will be published in September by the Lake Union Publishing Division of Amazon Press. Her first novel, Pilate’s Wife, published in 2007 by William Morrow, has been translated into 18 languages. The Sacred Well, her second novel, was chosen best novel of 2009 by the San Francisco Book Festival. Antoinette’s non-fiction includes the New York Times best seller, Adventures of a Psychic, a biography of psychic Sylvia
Brown. Antoinette was the 1999 recipient of La Pluma de Plata, an award conferred by the Mexican Government for the best travel article on their country. CHRISTINA MCKNIGHT Christina McKnight is a book lover turned writer. From a young age, her mother encouraged her to tell her own stories. She’s been writing ever since. Currently, she focuses on Historical Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance. Christina enjoys a quiet life in Northern California with her family, her wine, and lots of coffee. Oh, and her books… don’t forget her books! Most days she can be found writing, reading, or traveling the great state of California. STEVE HAMMOND Steven Hammond is an author and artist from Clovis, California where he enjoys spending time with his wife and family. He fell into the world of scifi/fantasy at an early age, and credits the works of Irwin Allen, J.R.R. Tolkien, Syd Hoff, Gene Rodenberry, Berkeley Breathed, George Lucas, Frank Frazetta, and Tomoyuki Tanaka as the greatest influences of his writing career. He is currently at work on the next installment in The Rise of the Penguins Saga, as well as a variety of somewhat eclectic short-stories. When not slapping at the keyboard like an enraged Siamang, while his Buster Dog curiously looks on, he can be found at the studio performing similar actions with paint and brush, or working at the ballpark. BONNIE HEARN HILL Bonnie Hearn Hill wanted to write fiction about women’s and social issues, and when she accidentally fell into a six-book deal with one of the largest publishers in the world, she saw it as an opportunity to do just that. Fifteen novels later, her books cover topics ranging from women and weight issues, to sex and power, to ghosts, metaphorical and otherwise. Regardless of the genre, her focus is empowerment. A national conference speaker, she has mentored many writers and edited and co-authored books, including New York Times bestsellers. She has a monthly television book segment and, with Christopher Allan Poe, is the co-author of a book on writing fiction. A film based on one of her novels is in pre-production, and her new Kit Doyle series (IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN and GOODBYE FOREVER) will launch in the UK and the US in 2015. JOHN BRANTINGHAM John Brantingham’s work has been featured on Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac and in hundreds of magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom. His newest poetry collection, The Green of Sunset, is from Moon Tide Press. He is the writer-in-residence at the dA Center for the Arts, and he teaches at Mt. San Antonio College and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. BETH McMULLEN Beth McMullen grew up in the East and now lives in Davis, California. She also writes under the name Elizabeth Maxwell. Her latest novel,Happily Ever After, has been published in ten languages. AMANDA SERRANO Amanda Serrano lives under the sunny skies of Northern California. She began writing misspelled, dramatic, and twisted little tales before she was even in kindergarten. A Retro Pin Up girl in a former life, her writing has been featured in numerous Vintage lifestyle magazines, poetry anthologies and short story collections. Amanda was also a finalist in director Francis Ford Coppola’s (The Godfather) American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition. Her first novel, Flowers For Alcatraz, will be released in 2016. Amanda’s book of poetry, Drinking The Sun, my life in poems and prose, will be featured at this years festival, and she is donating all of the proceeds from her book sales to the Delta Humane Society in Stockton.
maya tongren Maya the Story of a German War Bride is the life story of a German girl growing up in Germany during Hitler’s regime. She spent the night of her fifteenth birthday huddled in the basement with her family as her home town of Augsburg suffered its largest air raid of the war, during the coldest night of that year. Life was very interesting for the teenager after the war ended and the American troops entered the city, bringing with them the Big Band Sound. Five years after the war, she Judgement of the Flaming met and married an American Sword Trilogy – Book 1 soldier. Moving to America was just the beginning of many differSee me at the 2015 Great Valley ent experiences that awaited her. Bookfest or order my book online at When the couple had four children, aged thirteen, twelve, nine, Amazon.com
TRINITY
by Elena Carpenter