Sunday, November 13, 2011 from noon to 3:00pm at the
Ellis Library & Reference Center.
Writers on the River…better than ever!
The 13th annual author/book fair, Writers on the River will take place at the Ellis Library & Reference Center, 3700 S. Custer Rd. on Sunday November 13th from noon until 3:00pm. “This is by far the largest selection of authors we’ve ever had” said event organizer, Bernie Smith. The newly renovated Ellis Library & Reference Center will be perfect for hosting the 50 authors signed up to come this year. “We have a beautiful space at Ellis for the event and some great new authors as well as long-time favorites” said Smith.
Writers on the River began in 1999 and has continued to grow throughout the years, but was limited by space. This year all 50 authors, their guests, Friends of the Library and the public will enjoy the comfort of the enhanced Ellis.
Mark your calendar and plan to buy some great autographed books for the readers on your Christmas list!
Writers on the River Schedule:
11:00 a.m. until noon - Friends’ Author Luncheon sponsored by the Friends of the Monroe County Library System. Tickets required and available at branch libraries to members of Friends groups.
Noon to 3:00 p.m. - Book purchases and author signings.
Drawings at 3:00 p.m. - Special basket raffles sponsored by branch Friends of the Library groups.
Authors this year include:
Fiction:
Sharon Bondy
Sharon Bondy is actively and creatively involved with Christian ministries in Monroe, MI.
Jane Bradley
Bradley’s most recent book is You Believers. She has received numerous awards. She teaches at UT in Toledo. Originally from Tennessee, she is still adjusting to the many parking lots all around her in Toledo.
Tori Carrington
Nationally best-selling and multi-award-winning husband-and-wife team Lori and Tony Karayianni write as Tori Carrington. The hardcover release of the fifth installment in their comedic-mystery Sofie Metropolis series LOVE BITES in February 2011 will mark their 50th published title in a career that stretches over two decades and includes books with Harlequin Blaze, Silhouette Special Edition, Severn House, MacMillan, and Akashic.
Harry Dolan
Harry Dolan is the author of the mystery/suspense novels Bad Things Happen(2009) and Very Bad Men (2011). A native of Rome, New York, he now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Gail Gaymer Martin Multi-award-winning author, Gail Gaymer Martin writes Christian fiction for Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing, where she was honored by Heartsong readers as their Favorite Author of 2008. Gail has forty-seven contracted novels with over three million books in print. She is the author of Writers Digest’s Writing the Christian Romance. Gail is a co-founder of American Christian Fiction Writers, a keynote speaker at churches, libraries and civic organizations and presents workshops at conference across the US. She has a Masters degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and is a licensed counselor. She lives in Michigan with her husband.
Brenda Humphrey Meisels
“As a psychotherapist, I’ve heard many touching life stories. In my novel, an abused, reclusive, pregnant adolescent, a composite of women that I’ve treated, comes of age with her daughter.”
Susan Morales
A retired psychotherapist, Susan teaches meditation classes, and writes on meditation and mental health for annarbor.com and Huffington Post Healthy Living. Her poetry appears in many literary journals.
Adam Schuitema
Adam Schuitema is the author of the short-story collection Freshwater Boys, which was named a Michigan Notable Book. He is an assistant professor at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids.
Ronnie Seals
“I was born in Monroe, grew up in Trenton. I’ve had short stories published locally, and contributed to Eastern Tennessee State U.’s Encyclopedia of Appalachia. This is my first published novel.”
Cassandra Swiderski Spieles
“I’ve been writing songs, plays, poems and short stories for as long as I can recall. Passengers is my first novel, but I’m now finishing the sequel. My journalism studies helped my creative writing a lot.”
Non-Fiction:
Tim Bazzett
Tim Bazzett holds degrees from Ferris, Central and Eastern. He taught five years at MCCC, served eight years in the army and is now retired from NSA and lives in Reed City. He has written 5 books since 2004.
Ellen Marie Blend
Ellen completed a career in engineering with a Fortune 100 Corporation. As a writer of spiritual encounters, she has been published in various media dedicated to spiritual growth and enlightenment.
Alisa Clark
Alisa Clark believes in the power of spiritual autobiography. Her memoir, Dancing in the Doghouse, and her website at www.journeyoncanvas.com encourage others to write and share their story.
Nancy Jasin Ensley
“I am a Registered Nurse. Writing has always been my passion. I have written short stories, poems, greeting cards. This book was fifteen years in the making. I am ready to retire and just write.”
Doc Fletcher
Doc has written Weekend Canoeing in Michigan (2008), Michigan Rivers Less Paddled (2009), Canoeing & Kayaking Wisconsin (2011). He lives with his bride Maggie in Northville.
Gregg A. Granger
“In 2008, after 4 1/2 years sailing around the world with my wife, two daughters, and son, we returned to Michigan. Sailing Faith: The Long Way Home, my memoir of that time, has been my passion since.”
Darla Jaros
Darla Jaros was born in Detroit, has three children, and a granddaughter. Cooking is her passion, and sharing her knowledge and family recipes with her children is how The Kitchen Assistant began.
D.E. Johnson
D.E. (Dan) Johnson grew up near Kalamazoo, MI, and has been a West Michigan resident all his life. He has published two books with St. Martin’s-The Detroit Electric Scheme and Motor City Shakedown.
Leslie Korenko
When Leslie retired she began researching the history of the island’s Town Hall. What she found was a surprisingly entertaining history of Kelleys Island. These islanders now have a voice.
Muriel LaRoy
“When you look back on your life, you can see how things fell into place as if someone or something was moving you in a certain direction. This book tells the story of my life from Cleveland to Michigan.”
Katie Macaro
Katie is an author and an illustrator who has published over twenty ethnic publications designed for children but enjoyed by adults as well. Her first publication on Poland was featured on the NBC News and she appeared on To Tell the Truth as a result of this early publishing venture.
Jerry Maxwell
Teacher - 32 yrs - Outstanding History Alumnus for Eastern Michigan University—1999; DAR National History Teacher of the Year—1995; lecturer on Civil War, author of articles and bio on John Pelham.
Jack (Coach) Michael
Maumee HS, BGSU, US Army. Taught and coached ‘62-’09 swimming, football, cross country, and track. Married to Kathie; 3 children: Tom, Tracy and Todd.
Jim Mollenkopf
This Toledo author has written five books of regional interest to northwest Ohio since 1999. In his new book, One Summer Day in America, he looks to his hometown of Cleveland and recreates a day in that city and in the country, July 13, 1954, a day a record-setting baseball All-Star game was played in Cleveland.
Margaret Fuchs Singer
Margaret Fuchs Singer is retired from 35 years in special education. She has published several articles and is working on her first novel. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband Michael.
Keith Taylor
has published 13 books of poetry, short fiction, translations and others. He is coordinator of undergrad creative writing at University of Michigan, and director of the Bear River Writers Conference.
Diana Waugh
She brings formal education and years of practical nursing experience to her audience. Having dealt with dementia in her family, she now travels the country sharing successful conversation techniques.
Children's, Juvenile, and YA Authors:
David Anthony & Charles David Clasman Knightscares (Real Heroes Read!)
David and Charlie have been friends for over 25 years. In the 80’s they played in a heavy metal band, now they write children’s books. They eagerly trade writing secrets for cookies.
Albert Bell
Bell writes contemporary and historical mysteries. Publisher’s Weekly ranked his Roman mystery series with Davis and Saylor. Library Journal called the second book one of the 5 Best Mysteries of 2008.
Olivya Brodie
Olivya is a 9 year-old author from Monroe. With her first book, Beauty became Queen, that she wrote and published at 8, she started a non-profit organization to help children with eyecare.
Suzanne Courtney
Suzanne Gene Courtney is a writer and elementary school teacher. She has taught in the fields of arts and sciences and worked as a travel assistant. Ms. Courtney is currently writing a nonfiction book about bereavement for parents. She lives with her family in Monroe, Michigan.
Mark Crilley
Mark Crilley was raised in Detroit. Graduating from Kalamazoo College in 1988, he taught in Taiwan and Japan for nearly five years. His work has been featured in USA Today and on CNN Headline News.
Deborah Diesen
Deborah Diesen’s first children’s book, The Pout-Pout Fish, was a NYT bestseller. A sequel was published last year. Her funny Baby Brigade book is popular with new parents and their babies.
Kelly DiPucchio
Kelly DiPucchio is the award-winning author of several children’s books, including New York Times bestsellers, Grace for President, and The Sandwich Swap. She lives with her family in Macomb Township.
Howard Fridson
Howard Fridson is an author and illustrator from Huntington Woods. He first wrote Our Family Treasure as a gift to his wonderful Aunt Elsie so that all of his cousins’ children would remember her.
Jean Ann Geist
“A native of NW Ohio, lifelong writer, and 20-yr. veteran of BGSU’s Browne Popular Culture Library, I am living my dream as a self-published author, wed to my college sweetheart, and as a mom and G’ma.”
Halah Mohamed
“Born and raised in Toledo, I have always had a love of comics and animation. In high school I started my first graphic novel series. Now, at the University of Toledo, I am pursuing a major in Art.”
Renee Hand
Renee is an award-winning author of interactive mysteries that encourage children to read by involving them in the story. She also uses fun fiction to teach science and history skills.
Carrie Harris
Carrie is a geek-of-all-trades. Brains are her specialty; she used to work in a lab where they were delivered via FedEx. She lives with her ninja-doctor husband and three monster-obsessed children.
Dirk Manning
Dirk Manning is the writer/creator of the graphic novel series Nightmare World and Tales of Mr. Rhee for Image Comics/Shadowline. He’s really quite a nice guy, so don’t let the hat and scarf fool you!
Tara Michener
Author of Who I Am Series and Teen Books By Tara. Featured by CW50, MY TV20, PBS & WDET. Diversity Award by Corp! Magazine in 2010, Madonna University’s Outstanding Young Alumni Winner in 2011.
Deann Miller
“I have been writing since I was in the fourth grade. Around the beginning of my senior year of High School, I began Enslaved, finishing it half way through freshman year of College.”
Deb Pilutti
lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with her husband, two children and two dogs. She’s worked as a pool cleaner, house painter, janitor, graphic designer, web designer and most recently as a children’s book writer and illustrator. Her first children’s book as an author, The City Kid and the Suburb Kid, illustrated by Linda Bleck, was published by Sterling in 2008. She illustrated The Twelve Days of Christmas in Michigan, which was published in the fall of 2010.
Andrea Prostko
Andrea Prostko resides with her family in suburban Detroit. An avid reader with a life long passion for writing, she left the corporate world after 20 years to pursue her dream and write full time.
Linda Reau
“I live in Manistee, MI with my husband and two sons. I grew up in Temperance, and taught at Bedford for five years. I’m a reading coach, and enjoy traveling to promote the positive message in my book.”
Cindy Millen Roberts
Mrs. Roberts teaches seventh and eighth grade at Christ the King School in Toledo. The poetry in her fourth children’s book, The Ink Garden of Brother Theophane, has earned her the 2011 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and the annual award from the Pennsylvania School Librarians’ Association Conference in State College.
Jeffery Schatzer
National award-winning author Jeffery Schatzer writes delightful children’s books with eight titles in print. The Runaway Garden is the Library of Michigan’s One State, One Children’s Book choice for 2010.
Kurt Schuon
“I grew up here in Monroe County, Michigan. My dad taught us how to raise many different animals, and grew up showing some of these at the county fair. Blacky the Cow was one of the characters.”
Hope Vestergaard
Hope Vestergaard was a preschool teacher for many years before she began writing and working as an early childhood consultant. She’s the author of nine books for young children and one for teachers.
Lisa Wheeler
Award-winning author, Lisa Wheeler, says that picture-books are her passion. She shares her Addison, Michigan home with one husband, one dog, and an assortment of anthropomorphic characters.
Wong Herbert Yee
“I was born in Detroit. My first book, EEK! There’s a Mouse in the House, was published by HMH in 1992. Mouse and Mole Fine Feathered Friends received a 2010 Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Award.”
