2018 Great Valley Bookfest

Book IT! Come Visit Authors’ Alley
Saturday, Oct 13th, 2018 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm – Free admission!
The Promenade Shops at Orchard Valley
aka Bass Pro Center
Hwy 120 @ Union Road exit
280 Lifestyle Rd., Manteca

Author List

(List subject to change)

Great Valley Bookfest 2018 Featured Authors

LIST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Angelique S. Anderson

Angelique S. Anderson is an award-winning author, who writes books aimed at young adults. As a fan of steampunk and fantasy, her recent releases are The Dracosinum Tales featuring The Dragon Lady, The Phoenix Lord, and A Steampunk Christmas Carol. Though you can find her personal story in the pages of Little Lost Girl: The Complete Series.
A fan of Chronicles of Narnia growing up, and an avid song and poem writer, she wrote her first novel in November of 2013. In it, her passion was born, and she went on to write the second and third to what would become a young adult fantasy series. Unable to quell the desire to write after the fantasy series, she went on to write a three-time award-winning sci-fi novel, Eden’s Serum, and it’s sequel Eden’s Demise. The third will release later in 2018.
She has four children, and several rescue animals ranging in species. She is an advocate for foster children, and anti-bullying, and she tries to include bits and pieces of that in every story she writes.
Her hope is that through her writing, people will find help, healing, and great storytelling. authorangeliqueanderson.com

Alba Arango

Alba Arango is the author of the Decoders series as well as the JJ Bennett: Junior Spy series. She lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she is a retired high school teacher turned full-time author. She loves coffee and chocolate (especially together…white chocolate mocha is the best!). albaarango.com

Sarah Armstrong-Garner

Sarah Armstrong-Garner lives in Northern California with her husband and four children, and get this. Not only is she an author, screenwriter, and photographer, she also shoots indie films with her husband. You can visit SarahArmstrongGarner.com to learn more about her and her upcoming releases. Saraharmstronggarner.com

Karen Arnpriester

Karen Arnpriester has written four fiction novels and two non-fiction books. She loves to share her faith in her stories and enourage the reader to examine their own beliefs. Stories that are filled with hope, struggle, despair and suspense. As a mother, foster mother, adoptive mother and grandmother, Karen brings real life issues into the tapestry of her fictional novels. Slimy an Miraculous Relationship share true stories of extreme bullying and miracles that have taken place on earth.
Karen lives on the northern Pacific coast and enjoys the beach and redwoods for inspiration and the peace of nature.

Sydney Avey

Sydney Avey writes about dynamic women in changing times. She is the author of three historical fiction novels, The Sheep Walker’s Daughter, The Lyre and the Lambs, and The Trials of Nellie Belle. Avey’s novels feature unconventional women, improper on the surface but moral and ethical at their core. She writes with a touch of romance and mystery, and her stories encourages women move from difficult situations to the place where they long to be. A native Californian, Avey’s writing celebrates the historic restless spirit that draws people to the West and the hope that sustains them in all types of hardships. She is a member of the Sonora Writer’s Group, Christian Authors Network, and Women Writing the West. She and her husband divide their time between the Sierra foothills near Yosemite, CA and the Sonoran Desert in Arizona.

Mark S. Bacon

Mark S. Bacon began his career as a Southern California newspaper police reporter, one of his crime stories becoming key evidence in a murder case that spanned decades. After working for two newspapers, he moved to advertising and marketing when he became a copywriter for Knott’s Berry Farm. Experience working at Knott’s formed part of the inspiration for his creation of Nostalgia City theme park. Before turning to fiction, Bacon wrote business books including Do-It-yourself Direct Marketing, printed in four languages and three editions, named best business book of the year by Library Journal, and selected by the Book of the Month Club and two other book clubs. His articles have appeared in the Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer, San Antonio Express News, and many other publications. Most recently he was a correspondent for the San Francisco Chronicle. Bacon is the author of flash fiction mystery books including, Cops, Crooks and Other Stories in 100 Words. He taught journalism as a member of the adjunct faculty at Cal Poly University – Pomona, University of Redlands, and the University of Nevada – Reno. He earned an MA in mass media from UNLV and a BA in journalism from Fresno State. baconsmysteries.com

Hans Berger

Hans Berger emigrated to the US in 1957 at the age of sixteen. He was born in Heidelberg, Germany during the height of WWII. His mother who staunchly opposed Hitler came under fire. The family fled Heidelberg to avoid being sent to one of the concentration camps. Little did they know, the Russians were about to cross into East Prussia. His family almost perished when Russian tanks crossed into Germany. With God’s help, four children and his mother barely survived. The family was reunited with his father after almost a year and a half after fleeing Hitler’s men.

Anne Biggs

Anne Biggs is the author of The Swan Garden, and Garden of Nails written to give a voice to her birth-mother and all women who spent time in any of the mother-baby homes throughout Ireland. She has had the opportunity to meet her birth-mother on various occasions in Ireland. In 2016, she was asked to speak at the Sean Ross Abby Remembrance, where she presented a hard copy of her debut novel to Philomena Lee. In September of the same year she spoke to the Confidential Committee in Dublin, with regards to the mother-baby homes and Irish orphanages. She also spoke before Irish Parliament (Dail Eireanne) with Katherine Zappone, the minister for Children and Youth Affairs, where Anne spoke of her time in Irish institutions during the 1950s, including mother-baby homes, the orphanages, and the foster care system.
Anne taught high school English, and Special Education for 25 years. She currently resides in the Central Valley in California with her husband, her two dogs and three cats. When not writing she spends time with her family, including her two children her three grandchildren. She is currently working on the third novel of the Garden trilogy. annebiggsauthor.com

John G. Bluck

John G. Bluck retired from NASA in 2008 as a public affairs officer. Previously, he had been the Chief of Imaging Technology at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California.
Before that, Bluck 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, DC.
At WMAL-TV (now WJLA-TV) in Washington, DC, 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. www.bluckart.com

Claire Booth

Claire Booth was raised in Reno, Nevada. After college, she spent more than a decade as a daily newspaper reporter, working in Missouri, Washington, D.C., South Florida, the Seattle region, and the Bay Area. She spent much of her time covering crimes so strange and convoluted they seemed more like fiction than reality. Eventually, she had enough of the real world and decided to write novels instead. Her Sheriff Hank Worth mysteries take place in Branson, Missouri, where small-town Ozark politics and big-city country music tourism clash in – yes – strange and convoluted ways. The series includes The Branson Beauty and Another Man’s Ground. Claire lives in California’s Central Valley and is currently at work on her next book. She can be reached at www.clairebooth.com.

Yvonne Carder

Yvonne Carder is a Young Adult Fantasy Author that has published a short story called ‘Star Flame: A Story from the Meclauks Kingdom’ in 2017, and ‘Luminata: Book 1 in the Meclauks Kingdom Series’ released in June 2018. Yvonne lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband Kevin, and her 2 cats, Princess Pumpkin Doodle, and Nichademus. Yvonne has a love for animals that she strives to show in her work. She has lived in California since 1982 when she and her parents emigrated from Germany. Most of her family is still in Germany with the exception of some of her Dad’s family in the Midwest. Her roots in Germany are something that she is very proud of and it influences her writing. Yvonne is a proud member of The Alliance of Independent Authors, An Alliance of Young Adult Authors, California Writers Club, Tri-Valley Writers Club, and 20Booksto50k, where she continues to work on her craft and elevate Independent Publishers. A rising tide lifts all ships. www.yvonnecarder.com

Linda Champion

Linda Champion is a retired high school teacher who taught for twenty years in the Sacramento area. She lives with her husband, Kenneth Champion, in Citrus Heights, California, and enjoys spending time with family members and friends. One of her favorite things is hosting a candlelight dinner party, which usually leads to some lively conversation. She also offers the use of her antique-filled “Rose Room” and “Emerald Room” to overnight visitors. And sometimes Linda throws in a tune on her violin. Fairy Tales for Life: A Collection of Fourteen Original Short Stories is Linda’s second literary effort. Her first book is entitled Conversations with My Auntie Margaret about Sporty Dog. www.championwritingcreations.com

Shawnie Clark

Shawnie Clark is a children’s author/writer. She has published several articles and children’s books with more on the way. The most current, “Wonder Wheels” released 2017 and “BUG OFF” released in spring 2018. She is currently working with MacLaren – Cochrane Publishing. Shawnie also had the privilege of writing a series of children’s stories for a new children’s AP called “GetBedtimestories” available to download for free on the Apple AP Store. Shawnie is also an active member of scbwi, a Purple Dragonfly Awards Honoree, and Story Monsters Approved. www.booksbyshawnie.webs.com

Stacey Cotter

Stacey Cotter has a degree in psychology and business administration, which led her to a career path in long-term care. With a passion for literature, several stories had been in her mind for years, but weren’t ready to come out until now. Harris Estate – some secrets can’t be buried… was her first published novel in 2016. She is proud to follow up Harris Estate with its sequel, Harris Estate – The Aftermath. Harris Estate – The Next Generation is last novel in the trilogy which comes out in summer, 2018.
Closure – when evil sparks vengeance, a graphic thriller will take you on a new adventure as Tim Stevens learns the dark horrifying secret that his beloved had kept from him. Upon finding her journals, he learns her secret and takes it upon himself to seek justice on her behalf.

Gayle Taylor Davis

GAYLE TAYLOR DAVIS was born in Pasco, Washington. She later moved with her family to Ceres, California, located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley. After graduating from California State University, Fresno with a degree in English and a Teaching Credential, she taught in the Clovis Unified School District where she was twice selected Teacher of the Year. Married to her college sweetheart for 32 years. his death in 2005 prompted her to write to survive her grief. Now remarried, she currently lives in Clovis, California with her husband Dave, their dogs Ricky and Lucy, and cat Sophie.

Dr. Gary F. Dei Rossi

Dr. Gary F. Dei Rossi is the author of two books: the ABC Book of San Joaquin County and the Napping Quilt. The Napping Quilt received the California Legacy in Children’s Literature Award in 2017. Dr. Dei Rossi has been a classroom teacher, vice principal, principal, district office administrator, the President of Teachers College of San Joaquin and a college adjunct professor. He retired in 2013 as the Deputy Superintendent in charge of curriculum at the San Joaquin County Office of Education. He earned his BA in History from UCLA and has a Doctorate from the University of the Pacific in Educational Administration.
His wife, of 42 years is a retired elementary school teacher and both of his children are in education. He and his wife have three grandchildren.

Mike Dowd

Mike Dowd is the author of COMING HOME, and the LESSONS FROM THE GOLF GURU series. He has been the Head PGA Professional at Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Oakdale, California since 2001, is the NCPGA’s 2013 Bill Strausbaugh Award Winner, and was nominated for the NCPGA’s 2016 Teacher of the Year. He served three terms on the Northern California PGA’s Board of Directors and Chaired of their Committee for the Growth of the Game and Communications in that time. He has introduced thousands of people to the game of golf since turning professional in 1990 and has coached players that have played golf collegiately at USC, University of Hawaii, San Francisco, U.C. Berkeley, U.C. Davis, University of the Pacific, C.S.U. Sacramento, C.S.U. Stanislaus, C.S.U. Chico, and Missouri Valley State, Dordt and Whittier Colleges, as well as on both men’s and ladies’ professional tours.

Mike currently lives in Turlock, California with his wife and their two aspiring LPGA stars. In Turlock he is the past Chairman of the City of Turlock’s Parks & Recreation Commission, serves on the Turlock Community Theatre Board of Directors, and is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Turlock. In his spare time (what’s that?) he enjoys playing golf with his girls, music, fishing, and following the foibles of the Sacramento Kings, the San Francisco 49ers, the San Francisco Giants, and, of course, the PGA Tour. You can find him at mikedowdauthor.com and mikedowdgolf.com

Michele Drier

Michele Drier, born in Santa Cruz, is a fifth generation Californian. She’s lived and worked all over the state, calling both Southern and Northern California home. During her career in journalism—as a reporter and editor at daily newspapers—she won awards for producing investigative series. In addition to the San Jose Mercury-News, she was City Editor for the Lodi News-Sentinel, Executive Editor for the Manteca Bulletin and Assistant Metro Editor for the Modesto Bee. Her Amy Hobbes Newspaper mysteries are Edited for Death, (called riveting and much recommend by the Midwest Book Review), Labeled for Death, and Delta for Death. Her paranormal romance series, The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, won second place for best vampire series for 2014 by reviewers of the Paranormal Romance Guild. SNAP: The World Unfolds, SNAP: New Talent, Plague: A Love Story, DANUBE: A Tale of Murder, SNAP: Love for Blood, SNAP: Happily Ever After?, SNAP: White Nights, SNAP: All That Jazz (also awarded best vampire book for 2014) and SNAP: I, Vampire. She is the president of Capitol Crimes, the Sacramento chapter of Sisters in Crime, and president of the Guppy international online chapter. Visit her facebook page, facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier, or her Amazon author page, amazon.com/Michele-Drier

Deb Gruelle

Best-selling author, Deb Gruelle, has been writing for over two decades. Her latest work, the sweet interactive picture book, Ten Little Night Stars (ZonderKidz/HarperCollins, 2018), prepares children to transition to sleep as it teaches counting. Deb is the great-grand-niece of Johnny Gruelle, the creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy and grew up on his whimsical stories.Gruelle also authored, The Ache for a Child, an adult nonfiction book for women struggling with emotional, ethical, and spiritual issues during infertility. She’s written over 100 articles for women’s and parenting magazines including American Baby and Bay Area Parent, storyboards for children’s games, devotions, and technical documentation for the computer industry. Deb has been featured on multiple radio broadcasts, including Family Life Today and serves as a keynote and workshop speaker. Because of her passion for children, Deb volunteers as a CASA to help children in foster care navigate the court system. She feels honored to share stories with children to enrich their lives and encourage giggling. Deb enjoyed homeschooling her three multi-cultural children, who are now adults. She resides in California where she enjoys reading mysteries and eating popcorn on her porch swing in summer or by the fireplace in winter.

Claudia Hagen

Claudia Hagen is a retired critical care nurse and former commercially rated hot air balloon pilot living in California’s Central Valley. She has published seven non-fiction books, two of which are geared for children. Several of her books have received multiple 5 Star Reviews from a variety of sources while her autobiography “The Mystic High Adventures of Fannie Flame & Crew” won a 2015 Reader’s Choice Favorite writers contest Honorable Mention. Her most recent work, “Tonight We Fly! The Soviet Night Witches of WWII” follows an “American Women During WWII;” both feature interesting facts and stories of amazing women during wartime. When not researching or writing, she enjoys reading, gardening, and visiting aviation museums. For more info about Claudia and a list of all her books, visit: www.claudiahagen.com

Harlan Hague

Harlan Hague, Ph.D. in history. Prize-winning historian and award-winning novelist. Taught history at San Joaquin Delta College and summers at California State University, Stanislaus, and University of Oregon. Received a number of academic and professional honors and grants, including National Endowment for the Humanities, Sourisseau Academy, The Huntington Library, Westerners International, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Hanes Foundation. Served on the California Historical Society Board of Directors and sat on an NEH advisory body in Washington, D.C.

Interests, besides writing fiction and traveling, include environmental causes, tai chi, physical fitness, gardening, travel writing and writing and peddling screenplays.

Native Texan, lived in England and Japan, visited about eighty countries and proved Earth is round. Now living in California. His writing website is harlanhague.us; his travel site is softadventure.net.

Julie W. Hubbs

Julie W. Hubbs holds a Master of Science degree in Counselor Education from California State University, Sacramento. She delivers motivational speeches, conducts workshops to inspire others to be the best version of themselves, teaches life coaching to lifers at Old Folsom State Prison, and provides individual coaching. Julie’s book is a Beverly Hill Book Awards finalist for 2018. Julie lives in Carmichael, CA with her husband Tom. In 2016 Julie was elected Honororary Mayor of Carmichael, and is known in her community as Carmichael’s most enthusiastic life coach. woodworkerlifecoaching.com

Sandy Lee

Sandy Lee has enjoyed reading and writing most of her life. However, raising a lot of different children, for a lot of different reasons, seldom found her the time to do either one. When Sandy Lee’s grown son Darvis Lee Jr. mysteriously disappeared in October of 2010, she took pen to paper and a story that had to be written, begun. “No Unturned Stone” – A Mother’s Quest is that book. Sandy Lee resides with her husband of thirty seven years, in the small town of Sonora, California where she was born and raised. Sandy Lee has a children’s book entitled, “Hermie the Bug”. This book will capture your heart. Also, she has a book of 40 poems, entitled “Life, Love, & Loss” and “Remembering Grandma” will be the fourth book for Sandy Lee, a children’s book from the perspective of her younger son and his experience with his grandma who sadly had Alzheimer’s. You will see a big part of Sandy Lee’s heart in each of her books. amothersquest.com

Sandra Masters

Sandra Masters – Author of Regency Romance From a humble beginning in Newark, NJ, a short stay at a convent in Morristown, NJ, to the boardrooms of NYC, and a fantastic career for a broadcasting company in Carlsbad, California, to the rural foothills of the Sierras of Yosemite National Park, Sandra Masters has always traveled with pen and notebook. It’s been the journey of ten thousand miles with a few steps left to go. She traded NYC boardrooms for Regency ballrooms, left her corporate world behind and never looked back. Nothing she expected, but everything she dreamed. She lists her occupation as Living The Dream. She is a storyteller. Gather round her and allow yourself to become transported you to Regency England in the early 1800’s were the men were charmingly arrogant and the women were there to tame them. She has more yesterdays than tomorrows and has known many things…content to look through the lens of make believe to bring Regency Romance into your life. www.authorsandramasters.com

Marilyn Meredith

Marilyn Meredith aka F. M. Meredith is the author of 40 plus published books including two mystery series, historical fiction, horror, and a cookbook. She lives and writes in the foothills of the Sierra.

fictionforyou.com

Gabrielle Meyers

Gabrielle is an Associate Professor of English at San Joaquin Delta College, writer, and chef living in the Sacramento Valley of California. She holds an M.A. in English from the University of California at Davis and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Saint Mary’s College. Gabrielle’s memoir, Hive-Mind, which details her time on an organic farm, is published by Lisa Hagan Books and available on Amazon. Here is a link to a review of her book in Edible East Bay: http://edibleeastbay.com/online-magazine/summer-2016/on-gabrielle-myers-hive-mind/ . Her poems, essays, and articles have been published in professional journals and in literary and popular magazines. She coauthored a nutrition book, The New Prostate Cancer Nutrition Book. She has recently completed a seasonal grilling cookbook, and is looking for a publisher. Access links to her poems, essays, interviews, and seasonal recipe blog through her website:www.gabriellemyers.com

Roh Morgon

Rumbling motorcycles. Exotic cars. Martial arts and renaissance faires. Herding cattle, sword fighting, planting an arrow or a knife into a target. Horseback riding in Portugal, petroglyph hunting in Arizona, and hiking the Carpathian Mountains in Romania. These are just a few of the real-life adventures and experiences that author Roh Morgon blends into her stories. She’s best known for her urban fantasy series The Chosen which includes the novels Watcher and Runner, Books I and II of The Chosen; the 1840s historical horror novella The Last Trace; and the corporate horror novella The Games Monsters Play. She is currently working on Seeker: Book III of The Chosen, set in Romania. A member of both the Horror Writers Association and the Romance Writers of America, Roh also writes a regular column on publishing for SpeculativeFiction.com. Roh shares her California home in the Sierra Nevada foothills with three mustang horses, two crazy herding dogs, and a very patient husband who often reminds her that she must eat and sleep. You can find Roh and her books online at www.rohmorgon.com.

Shelley Muniz

Shelley Muniz has short stories in these journals: Wild Edges by Manzanita Press, Wisdom Has a Voice: Every daughter’s memories of mother by First Edition Paperback. Her narrative nonfiction book, Eagle Feathers and Angel Wings: Micah’s Story, was published by Word Project Press in 2013. Shelley has also written a children’s picture book: One Great Tribe, illustrated by Bear Dyken (Word Project Press, 2017), and a young adult fiction book, Tunneling (World Project Press, 2017). Shelley has been a teacher’s aide, elementary school librarian, and a library specialist for thirty years. She lives in Sonora, CA. shelleymuniz.com

Juliana Presto

Juliana Presto achieved her dream of becoming a published author with the release of the Fire and Ice series. She released The Awakening at age thirteen. When she’s not writing, she enjoys swimming, dancing, reading, and traveling. At seventeen, she currently lives in California with her family. She plans to continue her passion of writing novels, as well as pursue a career in marine biology. julianapresto.com

Carole Price

Carole Price is a Buckeye! Born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, she attended The Ohio State University. She worked for a national laboratory in northern California before turning to writing mysteries. Carole fell in love with the Bard after attending plays at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland. She graduated from the Citizens Police Academy and is an active police volunteer for the Livermore Police Department, a member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She actively promotes her books at conferences, literary groups, and many other venues. Carole and her husband reside in the San Francisco Bay Area in the middle of wine country. carolepricemysteries.com

Nina Perez-Reed

Nina Perez-Reed began her college education at Kings River Community College. After receiving her AA in liberal studies, she attended California State University, Fresno where she received her BA and MA in Linguistics with an emphasis in English as a Second Language. She has worked at Selma Unified School district for 20 years. She taught Spanish for 14 years and English Language Development and Introduction to Teaching for five years. She currently works as a high school learning director. In recognition of her dedication to to the teaching profession, she received the Mexican American Educator of the Year Award in April 2008. She resides in Clovis with her husband and three children. www.ninaperezreed.com

Linda Joy Singleton

Linda Joy Singleton is the author of over 40 children’s books including the midgrade series CURIOUS CAT SPY CLUB (Albert Whitman), picture books A CAT IS BETTER (Little Bee), SNOW DOG SAND DOG (Albert Whitman), CASH KAT (Arbordale) and YA mystery MEMORY GIRL (CBAY). A longtime member of SCBWI and Sisters in Crime, Linda is also a frequent speaker at conferences, schools and libraries. She grew up in Sacramento and currently lives near Valley Springs. She completed her first novel at age 11 and submitted stories with the help of her father at 14. Her goal was to be a series author and she has achieved trhis goal with seven juvenile series. www.LindaJoySingleton.com

Debra Salonen

Winner of Romantic Times Reviewer’s Career Achievement “Series Storyteller of the Year” award in 2006, Debra Salonen’s 26 titles for Harlequin Publishing sold more than 2.3 million copies, worldwide. A six-time nominee for RT’s Best SuperRomance of the Year award, Debra took home that honor in 2010. Debra’s Big Sky Mavericks and Love, Montana series from Tule Publishing brings the larger-than-life heroes and heroines of Montana to life. Satisfy your sweet cravings with the 12-book, six-author Love at the Chocolate Shop series. Join the rendezvous in the Black Hills of South Dakota where Hollywood meets the real wild-west in this 10-book series, also available in three Boxed Sets. Don’t miss a single new book in Deb’s West Coast Happily-Ever-After series or her Betting On Love series, which is set in Las Vegas. debrasalonen.com

Raquel Solomon

Raquel Solomon was born and raised in Bakersfield, California, by both of her parents. Her father was an entrepreneur and her mother worked with emotionally challenged adults. At 21 Raquel found herself a single mother left raise her daughter alone. With no other option, Raquel started early working in State Government which led her to moving to Sacramento, California in the early 1990’s where she began life as single mother. In 2005, she founded a nonprofit organization that mentors young girls ages 8-18 called “Foundation TAMARA,” located in Sacramento, California. She feels that all young women should have a place to go for empowerment, encouragement and uplifting. For more than 10 years Raquel has used writing as a form of therapy to cope with heartbreak and unhappiness from failed relationships. Now she has transformed her private journal into a novel that all women around the world can relate to. She has learned the importance of loving herself first and making the most of her life. Her novel “Lies men Tell” is loosely based on her personal life and is a series of stories that shares the intimacy of the lies and deceit men told to her over the years.

Marie Sutro

Marie Sutro is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and a member of Sisters in Crime. Her great-grandfather, grandfather and father all served in the San Francisco Police Department; collectively inspiring her debut novel, Dark Associations. The book hit the Amazon Best-Seller list and earned her a nomination for the 2018 Ben Franklin Best New Voice in Fiction award.A proponent of adult literacy, she has volunteered with California Library Literacy Services, helping adults to improve their reading and writing skills. She resides in Northern California and is currently at work on the next Kate Barnes story. mariesutro.com

Connie Tate

Author, Connie Tate, Ed.D. has worked in education for over 40 years – most recently as a Director for San Joaquin Office of Education (SJCOE). Her own love of reading led her to specialize in English Language Learners and best practices for all readers. AtSJCOE, Connie spearheaded many projects – in her own county and regionally -transforming educational practices for teachers and touching the lives of thousands of students as a result. rollonreading.com

Connie resides in Turlock with her husband, Mick. She has three adult daughters and ten grandchildren. Roll On is Connie’s first children’s book and brings her favorite quote to life: “There are lives I can imagine without children but none of them have the same laughter and noise.” – Brian Andreas

Nancy Tingley

An independent art historian and art consultant with a specialty in Asian art, Nancy Tingley has always written fiction – in the closet until the past few years, when she published the Jenna Murphy Mystery series. Inspired by her interest in reading books with a strong sense of place, the series takes place largely in Asia. Having worked as a museum curator – Tingley’s protagonist’s profession – the books provide the perfect opportunity to write about the workings of a museum, as well as the art and culture of a foreign land. And, of course, Jenna Murphy solves crimes using her knowledge of Asian art.
When Tingley’s not writing, she’s throwing pots. She live in northern California on a hill.

Linda Townsdin

Linda Townsdin writes the Spirit Lake Mystery series inspired by her childhood in northern Minnesota. Focused on Murder (2014), Close Up on Murder (2015) and Blow Up on Murder (2017) have been called “complex murder mysteries with bone-chilling thrills and a little bit of romance.” Townsdin’s background as writer/editor for a national criminal justice consortium has been helpful in plotting her series, and her short fiction is published in several anthologies. She lives in California. lindatownsdin.com

Linda Whalen

Born in Texas, while still a toddler Linda was whisked away to San Diego. She married, had five children and followed her husband’s career throughout the United States settling in Northern California. A city girl who found she loves country life she lives on a small plot of land with her family, surrounded by creatures playing in the fields. Devoting her life to the care and growth of children she has been a 4-H leader, Kindergarten aide, volunteer teacher at her church, and owner of Whalen’s Country Childcare. Since her new book Little Red Rolls Away released in April of 2017 she has appeared in newspapers, magazines, and on CBS Good Day Sacramento. When she is not writing, presenting school visits, book signings or being on an author panel, Linda loves to sneak away to her art studio. lindawhalenauthor.com

Sandra G. Young

Sandra G. Young was raised on an almond orchard in Manteca, California. She worked as an elementary school teacher and administrator. This is her first children’s book. Illustrator Carol Nunes is a life-long friend who enjoys drawing for her family and friends.

List is subject to change

Great Valley Bookfest 2018 Featured Poets

List is subject to change

Connie Post (Featured Poet)

Livermore Poet Laureate 2005-2009

Valona Deli Poetry Host 2009-2018

Connie Post served as Poet Laureate of Livermore, California (2005 to 2009). Her work has appeared in many journals including Calyx, Comstock Review, Cold Mountain Review Slipstream, Spillway Spoon River Poetry Review, Valparaiso Poetry Review and Verse Daily. She has written seven books of poetry. Her first full length Book “Floodwater” (Glass Lyre Press 2014) won the Lyrebird Award. Her other awards include the 2017 Prick of the Spindle Poetry competition, the Caesura Award and the 2016 Crab Creek Poetry Award. She is an advocate for autism and has an adult son whom she has written extensively about. Her books and poems about him are widely known in the autism community.

Tom Portwood

Tom Portwood is a founding member of the Modesto-Stanislaus Poetry Center, serving
as its Secretary since 2013. His poems have appeared in Modesto Poets Corner,
Stanislaus Connections, hardpan, Many More, Describing the Depths, and Song of the
San Joaquin, as well as More than Soil, More than Sky: the Modesto Poets Anthology.
Portwood has published one chapbook of his poetry, By the Pond, and is currently
working on a second collection. He resides in California’s Great Valley.

Stella Beratlis

Modesto’s 7th poet laureate, is the author of the collection Alkali Sink (2015, Sixteen Rivers Press). Her work has been published in California Quarterly, In Posse Review, Song of the San Joaquin, Penumbra, and elsewhere. Her poem “Patterson Pass,” originally published in the anthology The Place That Inhabits Us: Poems of the San Francisco Bay Watershed (Sixteen Rivers Press, 2010), was recently chosen by artist Jenny Holzer to appear in a permanent installation at the new Transbay Terminal building in San Francisco. Beratlis is a librarian at Modesto Junior College and mother to a high school senior.

Joseph Nolan

Joseph Nolan is a practicing attorney and has self-published three books of poems, Human
Grace, Cats Can’t Use Straws and Sky Gardens. He likes to work in rhyme and meter, writing
mostly shorter poems. His poems have been published in the Sacramento Voices
Poetry Anthology, Poetry Now, Collisions 5 and Brevities Mini-Mag of Minimalist Poetry.

James Weaver

James Weaver is widely published in California. A high school English teacher, Weaver’s new book is “Writing Therapy” and he’ll be returning to the Great Valley Book Fest to read from it.

Tina Curiel-Allen

Tina Curiel-Allen is a Xicana/Boricua poet living in Modesto. She is currently a student at UC Davis, majoring in Chicanx Studies. She counts among her passions reading, writing, vegetarian food, thrifting, and cats. One of her many goals is to further the accessibility of poetry as an expression of all types of experiences, and to keep the form living on the page for varying socio-economic classes as well as cultural communities. This involves not lauding one type of experience or thought process over another. Her work has been published the San Antonio zine St Sucia, as well as exist(ir), and Teen Vogue.

Tom Myers

Tom Myers is a retired teacher whose life has been shaped by California’s Central Valley.
Much of his poetry is about place. He loves to hike, bird, cook and spend time with family.
His poems have appeared in hardpan, Quercus, more than soil, more than sky, Homestead
and steam ticket. He has three chapbooks.

Sherri Lewis

Sherri Lewis is a poet and author of short stories. Sherri is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She resides in Tollhouse, California with her husband. As a dyslexic her poetic life immerses her in struggles that most do not understand. Growing up in poverty and abuse, Sherri finds strength in her spiritual teachings and turns her dyslexia and background into poetic expressions of penetrating gratitude, compassion, and kindness.

Dr. Theresa Rojas

Originally from San Francisco, Dr. Theresa Rojas teaches English and comparative media at Modesto Junior College, with a specialty in graphic narratives and visual culture. Her scholarly work focuses on cognitive literary studies. Her comic, “MELVA” is featured in the newly released Tales from La Vida: A Latinx Comics Anthology (Ohio State/Mad Creek Books). She is nearing completion of her new collection of poetry, Don’t Ask Me: Poems in Darkness and Love.

Cristina Sandoval

Cristina Sandoval is a Chicana from Modesto, CA. She is a graduate student at CSU Stanislaus where she is studying English TESOL. She discovered and fell in love with poetry by chance when she took a class at Modesto Junior College out of pure curiosity. The rest is history. She has self-published two books of poetry, the most recent being We Need Bad Bitches.

List is subject to change.