Great Valley Bookfest Presenting Authors

2016 NON-FICTION

Dianna Stein

Dianna Hubbard Stein is enjoying a break from her decades-long career as a court reporter and business owner. Her unique life experiences about believing in results if you take the first steps, no matter how difficult, are reflected in her book about adoption, parenthood, and death, a raw and brutally honest account of the joys and sorrows of life. She has spent the last two decades raising her son, Zachary Joseph Hubbard. She is now “babysitting” his German shepherd dog while he explores the world. In her spare time, she also enjoys road cycling and golfing. She and her husband Jim live in Northern California.

Arlene Miller

Arlene Miller, also known as The Grammar Diva, is the author of seven grammar books and a novel. Her latest book is The Best Little Grammar Book Ever: Speak and Write with Confidence/Avoid Common Mistakes, the second edition of her first bestselling book. Arlene is also a blogger, copyeditor, speaker, workshop presenter, and former English teacher in Petaluma. Her book, Fifty Shades of Grammar, is a compilation of her popular blog posts.

The Grammar Diva has been a featured speaker at Redwood Writers, South Bay Writers, Sonoma County Book Festival, Bay Area Independent Publishing Association (BAIPA), Sonoma County Library, Romance Writers of America, College of Marin, Copperfield’s Books, and several community groups. She has conducted workshops at several corporations and colleges. Arlene is a member of Redwood Writers and BAIPA. She holds degrees in Print Media, English, and Humanities, as well as California teaching and school administration credentials.

Some of Arlene’s favorite things are her grown-up children, her fur baby Chihuahua, books, dark chocolate, dancing, and warm weather. She lives with her dog — and sometimes her kids — in the San Francisco Bay area.

Nina Perez-Reed

Working  as a Learning Director at Selma High School where she provide academic counseling to 11th grade students, Nina Perez-Reed, is a mother of three, a military spouse, and an educator. During her free time, she volunteers at Arte Americas, a Latino arts museum in Fresno, CA as a receptionist and cashier and teaches bible studies at her church. Her passion is to motivate others to accomplish their dreams. She regularly gives inspirational presentations at local schools, colleges, Rotary Clubs, and public libraries.

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 coming out this summer entitled, “Hermie the Bug”. This book will capture your heart. A book of 40 poems that Sandy Lee has written, will be coming out entitled “Life, Love, & Loss” later this fall. “Remembering Grandma” will be the fourth book for Sandy Lee. Coming out also this fall, she has written another 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.

Sharon Darrow

Sharon is passionate about animal rescue after more than 20 years of raising a total of over 500 orphan kittens. Her specialty was kittens just hours old, which required care every two hours. She still works closely with rescue groups, teaching classes and giving hands-on instructions. Sharon’s first book, “Bottlekatz, a Complete Care Guide for Orphan Kittens” is currently being used as a training manual for rescue groups throughout the United States. Her second book is a memoir, “From Hindsight to Insight; A Traditional to Metaphysical Memoir,” which includes a wide variety of subjects from suicide to spirituality, kittens to a congressman, Hells Angels to cancer, the NAPW (National Association of Professional Women) to a knife wielding hitchhiker. There’s something to strike a chord with every reader. Sharon’s third book, “Faces of Rescue; Cats, Kittens and Greats” includes stories of many animals she rescued through the years. It is also contains full-color pictures of rescued animals, and people who make a difference. In addition to animal rescue work and writing, Sharon is also a business owner and motivational speaker. She’s lived most of her life in Sacramento, California, where she still resides with their Great Dane, Ellen, and their cats.

Shelley Muniz

Shelley Muniz has worked as an elementary school librarian and a library specialist for thirty years. She published Eagle Feathers and Angel Wings: Micah’s Story in 2013, and has short stories in these anthology collections: Wild Edges by Manzanita Press
Wisdom Has a Voice: Every Daughter’s Memories of Mother by First Edition Paperback. She is currently writing a YA novel. Shelley works at Columbia College and lives in Sonora, CA.

Steve Swatt and Jeff Raimundo

Steve Swatt is a Sacramento-based political analyst who spent twenty-five years in journalism in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and at KCRA_TV in Sacramento as an award winning political reporter. The Sacramento Bee once referred to his election commentary as “the best on local television.” Steve also was a partner in a statewide public affairs firm and taught political communication at California State University, Sacramento. He currently hosts Comcast Newsmakers, a political interview program that airs throughout the Sacramento And San Joaquin Valleys.

Jeff Raimundo is a public affairs executive and political consultant who has been the creative force behind numerous political and public affairs campaigns. Previously, Jeff spent twenty-five years in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., as an editor, reporter and political writer for the Sacramento Bee and McClatchy Newspapers. He has taught politics, communications, news and reporting and writing at California State University, Sacramento, and the University of California Extension Service.

Valerie Hill

Valerie Anderson Hill is a respected Educator, honored as California State Teacher of the Year for California Continuation Education Association and taught 27 years in Clovis Unified School District.  She is a motivational speaker on the subjects of Character and Personal Development, Substance Abuse Prevention, and Parenting Skills.  She enjoys sharing her life with her husband and children and grandchildren and her poodles, Peaches and Coco.

Joan Gelfand

Joan Gelfand’s letters, reviews, stories, and poetry have appeared The New York Times Magazine, Poets & Writers, Vanity Fair and over 100 national and international literary journals and magazines. Joan holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Mills College in Oakland, California and is the author of  three full length poetry collections and “Fear To Shred,” a novel. She was awarded the Cervena Barva Award for short fiction for her collection “Here and Abroad.”
Joan has been a featured reader at book festivals and venues around the country including Bowery Poetry Club, the Southern Festival of Books and Litquake. Joan currently serves as Development Chair of the Women’s National Book Association, is a member of the National Book Critics Circle and a juror for the Northern California Book Awards. She blogs for the Huffington Post and coaches writers. Her poetry video, “The Ferlinghetti School of Poetics” was featured at the International Poetry Video Festival in Athens, Greece. She lives in San Francisco with her husband, Adam Hertz and two beatnik kitties – Jack Kerouac and Lawrence Ferlinghetti. http://joangelfand.com

Maureen Minnehan Jones

Maureen Minnehan Jones is a Registered Nurse, Guided Imagery Practitioner, Emotional Wellness Healer, Author, and Speaker. Her book Wisdom to Wellness: Healing Your Emotional Sufferings so the Physical Healing Can Follow won the 2012 International Book Awards in the self-help category. It provides guiding examples of how true healing can happen. For those seeking freedom from the shackles of disease, this compassionate book reveals the author’s powerful healing technique, the MO (Modus Operandi) Technique. Using case studies of both celebrities and ordinary people, Jones teaches individuals how to tap into their inner power to heal.

Maureen’s studies and clinical work in the past 19 years have shown disease can be halted by understanding one’s modus operandi or MO and “knowing” what each symptom, condition, disease, and body part tells us. Specifically, her MO Technique addresses the psychological meaning attached to the body part involved in a symptom, condition, or disease. Working in tandem with traditional medicine, the MO Technique goes after the underlying emotional source of the disease. In effect, the emotional components of our ailments teach us, expand us, and move us forward—if we understand and heed them. Steps to Release the Common Thread of Disease is Maureen’s audio companion for following the MO (Modus Operandi) Technique. Says Jones, “Incorporating the psychological meaning or emotional component of disease is the missing piece for healing that’s critical to preventing all diseases.”

Kristine Clark

University of San Francisco graduate and author, Dr. Kristine Setting Clark was a long-time feature writer for the San Francisco 49ers’ and Dallas Cowboys’ Gameday Magazine. A gifted athlete in her own right, physical education teacher, wife, mother, and later, a high school administrator and college professor, Dr. Clark has never let anything stand in the way of her goals; not even a life threatening bout with Hodgkin’s Disease, blindness in both eyes for ten months, and the resulting partial blindness, at age 26.  Her passion for life, her incredible optimism, and her drive to live life to the fullest has endeared her to her former students, friends and to those on whom she’s written, including her childhood football idol and close friend, Bob St. Clair of the San Francisco 49ers. Released in July 2014 is her latest book, The Fighting Donovans – A family history of world boxing champion and Hall of Fame boxer, Mike Donovan, world champion boxing referee and Boxing Hall of Fame referee Arthur Donovan, Sr. and former Baltimore Colt defensive tackle and Pro Football Hall of Fame member, Arthur Donovan, Jr. Her most recent book is Football’s Fabulous Fifties – When Men Were Men and the Grass Was Still Real.

Dawn Marshall

Dawn Marshall is the co-founder of Sudden Insight Publishing. Her extensive experience with graphic design and her passion for books throughout her entire life have come together to make her a dedicated and thoroughly deliberate publisher. She helps authors and writers with everything from editing to formatting to cover design and interior layout, and can walk anyone through the many steps required to self-publish.
Even better, she can do all those time-consuming steps for the indie author. Her experience and professionalism show in every book she has a hand in, and she often helps without getting credited; she considers it better than not helping at all.
With her passionate dedication to both reading and publishing, Dawn has taken part in helping many indie authors’ dreams come true. Her catalog of published works is available at SuddenInsightPublishing.com.
Contact her directly for all your publishing needs, or read her blog for free tips aimed at indie authors navigating the exciting and ever-changing terrain of independent publishing.

Melissa Carson

Melissa Carson, is a resident of Northern California, her heritage is from Newfoundland, Canada. She is a mother of  two young adult children: a son, Michael, a United States Army Veteran and a daughter, Cori, who has cerebral palsy.  She has had poem’s published in the National Library of Poetry ” A Far Off Place” and in the Famous Poets Anthology. Her book “Surviving Life through Faith Hope & Love” an inspiring story of a Mothers love and devotion of caring for her severely handicapped daughter, trials, and tribulations of life’s heartaches and rewards. Melissa has and will continue to inspire and help parents and caregivers to never give up hope.

Claudia Hagen

Claudia Hagen is a retired critical care nurse and former commercial hot air balloon pilot living in California’s Central Valley. She has published six non-fiction books, working on the seventh, two of which are children’s books. Her latest book, recently published, “American Women During WWII” has already received multiple 5 Star reviews. “The Mystic High Adventures…” received an Honorable Mention in a 2015 Reader’s Favorite writers contest. When not researching and writing she enjoys reading, gardening, and trying to keep up with grandkids. Each of her books has its own Facebook page. For more information about Claudia and her books visit her website: www.claudiahagen.com

 Great Valley Bookfest Presenting Authors

2016 YOUNG ADULT

Sarah Jamila Stevenson

Sarah Jamila Stevenson is a writer, artist, editor and graphic designer in Northern California. She is the author of three YA novels: THE LATTE REBELLION (Flux, 2011), UNDERNEATH (Flux, 2013) and THE TRUTH AGAINST THE WORLD (Flux, 2014). Her first novel for young adults, THE LATTE REBELLION, was a Scholastic Book Club pick as well as an IPPY Bronze Medalist in Multicultural Children’s Fiction. Her work has been featured on Capital Public Radio’s Insight and NPR’s Tell Me More with Michel Martin. She is also an active blogger: since 2005 she has been posting children’s literature reviews and information at Finding Wonderland (writingya.blogspot.com), a blog she shares with fellow young adult author Tanita S. Davis, and she is a regular participant in the Cybils (Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards).

Sarah Armstrong-Garner

Getty Ambau

Born in Ethiopi, Getty Ambaua, first came to the United States as a foreign exchange student, where he studied one year at a high school in Ohio. Later, he entered Yale University where he majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry and Economics. After he graduated, he worked in research labs, including a stint with a book-publishing company (borne out of his love for the written word), earned a graduate degree in the business field and ran his own companies. But above all, writing has always been his inner calling. Getty is author of the Desta series, which have received recognition and won three awards. DESTA AND KING SOLOMON’S COIN OF MAGIC AND FORTUNE (Vol. 1) was a winner of Moonbeam’s Young Adult Book Award and Independent Publishers Children Book Award. DESTA AND WINDS OF WAHSAA UMERA (Vol. 2) was featured both in the digital and print copy of Kirkus Magazine. DESTA: TO WHOM LIONS BOW (Vol.3), also was a winner of Moonbeam’s Young Adult Book Award. He is also the author of four health and nutrition books, two of which became international bestsellers among a network of nutrition products distributors. His Importance of Good Nutrition book was used as a text book for a master’s medical program on trichology. In June 2015 Getty published The Four Pillars for Your Health, Good Looks and Longevity–a nutrition book based on a personal medical problem he once had experienced. By drinking a blend of fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices, he was able to reverse a life-threatening circulatory disorder. This January he released a book on Ethiopian foods and drinks. The first of its kind, the work was enormously gratifying to him. During his research and writing he learned a great deal about the many attributes that make Ethiopian cuisine and beverages truly special, healthy and tasty. Writing about his mother’s cooking, her recipes and preparatory techniques was equally satisfying to him.

Britt Nunes

Britt Nunes is a dork with an overactive imagination. She is addicted to rich words, adventurous sci-fi, sweet romances, and massive amounts of coffee. She is the author of The Etched Tales and Neon. Britt writes for young adults.

Great Valley Bookfest Presenting Authors

2016 BON APPETIT

Georgeanne Brennan

Georgeanne Brennan is the winner of a James Beard and an IACP International
Association of Culinary Professionals award. The author of the Beard-nominated classic, Potager, and her acclaimed memoir, A Pig in Provence, she an accomplished cookbook author, culinary journalist, and entrepreneur, in 2014 she launched her online store and product line, La Vie Rustic — Sustainable Living in the French Style, which reflects her long-timelove affair with France and especially Provence, where she has a home. Lavierustic.com.

Dorothy Indelicato

Dorothy Indelicato, Treasurer of Delicato Vineyards, attended schools in Manteca and graduated from Stockton College. She has lived her entire life within four miles of Delicato Winery in Manteca and has been active in the management of the winery for over 50 years. An important contributor to her community for the past 45 years, Mrs. Indelicato continues to enjoy her membership in the local women’s service organization, Soroptimist International of Manteca. She is also a member of the Manteca Mayor’s Committee on the Arts, Manteca Chamber of Commerce, and a founder of the Friends of the Stockton Symphony Committee. She enjoys hosting the Annual Delicato Fine Art Show as well as the Annual Delicato Photography Show. Dorothy has served on the Board of Directors of St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Dominic’s Hospital, Stockton Chamber of Commerce, Manteca Convention & Visitors Bureau, Manteca Chamber of Commerce, Symphony Comes to Manteca Committee, Manteca Crime Stoppers, San Joaquin County Historical Society, San Joaquin Delta College Foundation, Stockton Visitors & Convention Bureau, the Stockton Symphony Board, and she directed the Delicato Charity Grape Stomp for nineteen years. To commemorate the winery’s 50th Anniversary in 1985, Dorothy and Arlene Mueller co-authored Wine, Food & the Good Life, a historical cookbook. She has just completed a third edition of the cookbook with updated photos and family stories entitled Delicato Family Cookbook, from the Old Country to the Wine Country, a History in Recipes.  Dorothy is married to Vincent Indelicato, co-owner of Delicato Vineyards. She has two children, Marie Indelicato Mathews and Robert Indelicato and has been blessed with five grandchildren.

Michelle Savage

Michael Burwen

Cooking has been a long-time hobby. For more than 40 years, Mike collected recipes that he loved. The sources of these recipes are friends, family, and restaurants from around the world as a result of extensive travel. Some of the recipes are of his own invention, and most of those sourced from others are modified to fit cooking style or to use ingredients that are readily available in America.

Having retired from his professional life, and having nothing better to do, he decided to share some of my recipe collection with people who like to eat. The result are the books, Easy Gourmet Recipes for the Frugal Cook: Mikey Likes It!, Volumes I and II.

Gina Meyers

Gina Meyers is best known for her popular culture television trivia and cooking expertise books related to the Twilight Saga, Harry Potter,  and the iconic television show Bewitched. She is the proud winner of the prestigious Gourmand International Cookbook Award for Best Charity Cookbook in the world, Hope For Haiti. Paris, France March, 2012.

Gina’s Love at First Bite: The Unofficial Twilight Cookbook, first edition, has been listed in OK! Magazine’s top Twilight merchandise must-haves and featured on Comedian Alan Carr, Chatty Man’s late night talk show. Her Love at First Bite Cookbook was also mentioned on the hit TV Show, The Office. From an early age, Gina has had a passion for the culinary arts, experimenting in the kitchen with baking and creating anything yummy and unique. http://www.ginameyers.com
Gina has been a television consultant for Popstar! Magazine , Columbia Pictures Television, as well as Nickelodeon Magazine. She is a featured regular on national radio and television programs as a cooking expert. Gina has also worked for Xerox and Google Corporation. Gina is the owner of Serendipity Media Group, a global publishing, marketing, and promotions company. With Serendipity Media’s help, many authors have also found international success and recognition. http://www.serendipitymediagroup.com

Bryan Ehrenholm

Bryan Ehrenholm’s passion is food; fresh, healthy, and tasty food. When asked what his favorite thing about food is he said, “good food is a lifestyle not just something to eat.” Chef Bryan has worked in the food industry since he was a junior high kid employed in the school cafeteria. He received his culinary training at Columbia College, in Columbia, CA and holds a Bachelors of Business in Hotel Restaurant Administration from the University of Denver, Denver CO. Bryan has worked in a variety of areas within the food industry including Director of Food and Beverage for Marriott Hotels, Corporate Chef for Williams-Sonoma Inc., and works as a chef consultant for the California Lamb Board. For 14 years he was the creator/proprietor of Pure Joy Bakery and The Lunch Pail in Modesto, CA. Pure Joy Bakery was famous for their handmade pies. He has had 14 pies named Best in American at the APC Crisco National Pie Bake-off in Florida. Two pies have been named Grand Champion, meaning the best overall pie in the United States. In 2012, Chef Bryan won the California raisin category with the Rasin’ the Roof pie.  He was featured on the Food Networks, The Challenge in September 2009. Chef Bryan recently participated in a local Iron Chef completion and was named Best Chef in Modesto in 2010. In 2010, First Lady Michelle Obama and the Department of Health sponsored a Healthy Kids recipe contest for the schools across American. One requirement was to have a volunteer chef as a member of each school’s team. The team Chef Bryan volunteered for won first in their category of Side Dish. They were one of three teams asked to compete for the best in the nation at the Culinary Institute of American in Texas. Though they came in second that day, a relationship with the Manteca School District was established.  2012 brought with it the unexpected and unique opportunity for Chef Bryan to become the Executive Chef for the Manteca Unified School District. Here he is in charge of the healthy recipe development for the school district and he also teaches for Manteca Unified School District Be-Tech Academy’s Culinary Program.

Great Valley Bookfest Presenting Authors

2016 POETS

James Weaver

James Weaver is a poet and English teacher who guides his students to recognize the importance of reading, writing, and revision. He has been published in Penumbra, Collision IV, Susurrus, Cosumnes River and Merced River Literary Review. He has performed at SlaM on RyE, the Queen Bean, and the Great Valley Bookfest (2015). He was also a judge at InkSlam in Los Angeles. He is currently working on his first chapbook. He is very excited to return to the Great Valley Bookfest!

Joan Gelfand

Joan Gelfand’s letters, reviews, stories and poetry have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Poets & Writers, Vanity Fair and over 100 national and international literary journals and magazines. Joan holds an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Mills College in Oakland, California and is the author of  three full length poetry collections and “Fear To Shred,” a novel. She was awarded the Cervena Barva Award for short fiction for her collection “Here and Abroad.”

Monika Rose

Monika Rose, at home in the foothills of Calaveras County, founded Manzanita Writers Press, a nonprofit literary publisher.  She is published in several anthologies and literary magazines, and her book of poems River by the Glass, by GlenHill Publications, is available from Amazon and Small Press Distribution as a print and eBook. She has edited anthologies such as the recently released A Taste of Literary Elegance: Wine, Cheese & Chocolate book, and the previous collection of the ongoing Manzanita series of literary prose and poetry, Wild Edges. With a Masters Degree in English, she teaches courses in writing and literature at Delta College as an Adjunct Associate Professor. Contact her at www.manzapress.com or her website www.monikarosewriter.com ~ you can also email her at mrose209@gmail.com.

Denella Kimura

Denella Kimura’s new book, “Waiting for Wings: A Child’s Journey,” (Word Project Press), is her story of growing up in a farm family that went through the Yuba City flood, and how her faith helped her in the aftermath. Her first book, “Poetry Reading at the Panama Hotel, A Collection of Dramatic Readings,” (Joy Publishing), is a selection of works presented at open readings. She presently moderates the Third Friday Open Reading at Sonora Joe’s Coffee Shoppe in Sonora. She has published articles, art, photography, short stories and drama. She lives in Columbia CA with her husband.

Clive Matson

Clive Matson (MFA Columbia University) was drafted as Chalcedony’s (kal-SAID-‘n-ease) astonished scribe in 2004. His early teachers were Beats in New York City, and, amazingly, his seventh book was placed in John Wieners’ coffin. He became immersed in the stream of passionate intensity that runs through us all and has finally stopped trying to go anywhere else. “Writing from the itch in his body” is old hat, according to Let the Crazy Child Write! (1998), the text he uses for teaching. He won the City of Berkeley’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2012) and PEN Oakland’s Josephine Miles National Literary Award (2003). Visit Clive at www.matsonpoet.com.

Phillip Larrea

Linda Schellner

Linda Schellner is a poet, playwright, actor, and teacher whose writing has appeared in many journals and anthologies including Notre Dame Review, Howling Dog, Poetry East, and More Than Soil, More Than Sky. She is a founding board member of Modesto Stanislaus Poetry Center and sings with Modesto Symphony Orchestra Chorus. In early 2017, FutureCycle Press will pbulish her fist book of poetry, Fierce Light.

Great Valley Bookfest Presenting Authors

2016 COMICS/ILLUSTRATORS

Ethen Beavers

Ethen Beavers is an illustrator of Comics and Children’s books who lives in central California. He has worked on numerous books at many different publishers, but is best known for his work on Michael Buckley’s (author) New York Times best seller, N.E.R.D.S. He has also supplied the Art on a number of different Little Golden Books including Batman, Superman, and Star Wars Attack of the Clones. In Comics, he has worked on such titles as Batman the Brave and the Bold, Justice League Unlimited, Star Wars Clone Wars, Indiana Jones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Teen Titans Go!, and Samurai Jack. Visit Ethan’s website at www.ethenbeavers.com and his Amazon Author page at: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00P5NM5DC

Great Valley Bookfest Presenting Authors

2016 CHILDREN

Harry Pacheco

Harry E. Pacheco is an upcoming author that has put his first love of music aside to pursue his new found talent of writing children’s books. His main goal is to spread a needed awareness to those young kids whose minds are still growing. He finds it important to spread the message of acceptance, regardless of race, appearance, gender, religion, culture, and even personality quirks. He plans to emphasize the importance of these everyday challenges that kids face on a daily basis. Harry takes his experience through his kids and from his own experiences as an example to share relatable and relevant short stories that all deal with bullying. So, that’s why he and his partner Rob Owens created this anti-bullying 5 book series.

Joe Ozier

Joe Ozier has been a writer since his early teens, having dabbled in science fiction, poetry, lyrics and haiku’s. He graduated with a degree in Geology in 1981, but his passion was video production. Then, in 1998, Joe moved to Florida to pursue acting. His career as a stage, film, television, actor, and print model gave him a valuable education in the importance of presentation to one’s audience. Also a playwright, Joe has currently developed nine original stage plays and musicals.

Joe’s love for dogs and his knowledge of their behavior began with his family dogs. His first show was the result of a 10 year endeavor entitled “Shep the Musical”, that centered on a lonely dog he found chained up to a dog house outside his hometown in Fresno. Joe trained Shep to perform in many community theater productions. He was billed as “Shep the Wonder Dog”. Joe discovered Shea at the local Humane Society while doing research for his musical, and realized that Shea had “that something special”. As a nice twist of fate, Shea was available for adoption on the very day Joe discovered her. Shea became Shep’s love interest in the developing musical and in real life. As Joe quickly discovered, Shea was also an accomplished escape artist. Shea’s savvy “street smart” spirit became the inspiration for the book. Joe moved back to California to take care for his mother in 2007, and by 2011, Joe began his next career as a professional dog trainer, with the specialty of “Behavior Training for Dogs and People.” He titled his new business … Way of a Dog. Joe loves going to work and teaching dog owners how to understand their dogs behavior. Shea’s Lounge is Joe Ozier’s first book

John Paul Padilla

John Paul Padilla was born in December 11, in Los Angeles, California. He is a multi-award winning author that includes Mom’s Choice Award. He is also a public speaker and advocate against bullying. He is currently residing in the Central Valley of California. John Paul is an ex model, and has danced for fifteen years with a dance academy. He has written lyrical verses that were recorded by Nashville artists. He has previously published Wings to Cross an Ocean, an inspirational poetry book that encourages personal growth and happiness for adults. John Paul was inspired to write his first anti-bullying book, Johnny Big Ears, the Feel Good Friend, based on his own childhood experiences with teasing and bullying. He has also written Johnny Big-Ears, Meets His New Neighbor Suzy, for little girls, who get teased because of their weight. Both of his books are now out in Spanish. To help entertain and educate kids, about bullying, John Paul has his two mascots. Come visit them and have a picture taken.

Karlene Kay Ryan

A published author, Karlene writes on home and design along with inspirational issues. Karlene’s published work includes: To Find Hope, Simple Wisdom for Those Who Grieve, Thank You God for Robin’s Egg Blue. Along with a collaborative journal, This is the First Day of My Life, the children’s series The Genevieve Series is also on her list of published pieces. She also wrote on Holy Moly, A Hole In One. Karlene Kay Ryan is a certified Life Coach with the emphasis on creative expression through art and writing.

Maintaining her own business since 1980, she accentuates the creative arts as a professional Interior Designer. Establishing a Fine Artist’s studio, Karlene works with various mediums to express all of the little things in life that bring her joy. Karlene is a mother of four and a grandmother of eight. She and her husband, Mayo, live in California and call both Fresno and Carmel home.

Kathe Poteet

Kathe grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, first living on Alcatraz Island where her father was the chief finance officer. When he retired, the family moved to Marin County, living in San Rafael. Having always collected rocks, bugs, toads and small fish from a nearby creek and surrounding hills, Kathe developed a love for science. She earned a B.A. in Biology from San Francisco State University, then a teaching credential. In 1976, she and her husband moved to Modesto where she had a great time teaching science at all grade levels, from Kindergarten through grad school. She was the K-12 Science Coordinator for a major school district, helping teachers share science with their students. The fun though, is working with children and having them discover how things work, trying to answer that inevitable question…”why?” She currently resides in Oakdale.

Kristin Fulton

Kristin Fulton, author of Snake Food and The Haunting, loves being creative. When she isn’t writing books, she composes songs on the Ukulele, paints impressionistic landscapes and illustrations, and goes on hikes. She enjoys gourmet food under candlelight, a good scrabble game when she wins, and Yosemite National Park.

Linda Joy Singleton

Linda Joy Singleton is the author of over 35 books for kids, including YALSA honored THE SEER series and DEAD GIRL WALKING trilogy. She submitted short stories to magazines when she was 14 and finished her first book during a 2-week holiday. She kept stories she wrote as a kid and loves to share them when in her school presentations. Her childhood 100-book collection of girl series books like Nancy Drew, Judy Bolton and Trixie Belden grew to an adult passion and now thousands of juvenile series books fill her home library. A fan letter at age 13 led to her friendship with author Margaret Sutton and later a co-written Judy Bolton mystery. When she was 14 she wrote a goal of wanting to write a series of her own–and it happened. She encourages kids, “Follow your dreams no matter how impossible they seem. With hard work and determination, dreams come true.”

Lynda Bulla

Lynda Bulla grew up in southern California and has resided in a small farming community of Fresno County for over 50 years.  She lives with her husband and many dogs on a ranch where the open fields have inspired her stories.  Lynda worked for Fresno County Library at the Tranquillity Branch for over 10 years, she was a substitute teacher and is now a real estate broker and owner of Kerman Land Co., Inc.  She has a B.A. in liberal studies from University of California, Fresno.  It was during her return to college in 1980 that she discovered her love for writing.  Lynda and her husband have 3 children and 7 grandchildren.  Each of Lynda’s 7 books is dedicated to a grandchild.  She calls her stories “dialog starters” as she hopes that adults and children will read them together and talk about the special message that the story holds.

Naty Osa

Naty Osa was born in Segovia, Spain. She grew up in Susanville, CA, and now makes her home in Chico. She has written three children’s picture books; Grandma’s Lost her Head is also available in Spanish. All three books are beautifully illustrated by her son, Javier Dura, who lives in Seville, Spain. Our mission at Stinky Press is to make available quality children’s books with a strong story line and evocative illustrations; books which we hope will contribute to the growth and enjoyment of children and adults alike.

Silver Lamb

I began writing short stories on Facebook a paragraph at a time in 2010. I wanted to explore the idea of posting a segment of a story that would intrigue the reader to tune in the next day to read more. This became an amazing interactive project where I received immediate feedback from my readers, which in turn began to shape and steer the stories themselves. In 2011, I self-published one of those stories and it became a beloved short story for many. It was entitled, The Tree of Life. I then attempted my first novel on-line, a paragraph at a time posted on my home-page, called Adarsa. It took me ten months of daily entries to finish the novel. I never missed a day. Since then I have written another novel, Grace Ruby, and four children’s books about my cat, Mr. Scruffy Pants, one paragraph at a time on social media. Each, has been self published and enjoyed. I have written off and on my entire life. I am a recently retired music educator from Modesto, California. I live in Riverbank with my husband David and my cat. We golf, read, play, do art, and love life.

Jennifer Torres

Jennifer Torres is the author of FINDING THE MUSIC/EN POS DE LA MÚSICA, a bilingual picture book published in spring 2015 by Children’s Book Press/Lee & Low Books. STEF SOTO, TACO QUEEN, her debut novel for middle grades, will be published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in January 2017. In addition to working as a freelance journalist she leads an early literacy outreach initiative at University of the Pacific. Previously, Jennifer was a reporter for The Record newspaper, covering education, demographics, children and families. Originally from Southern California, she now lives in Stockton with her husband, David Siders, and daughters, Alice and Soledad.

Also Available for Book Signing in Authors’ Alley

LIST IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Andy Henriuez
Beverly Graham
Cora J Ramos
David Allee
Gerald James Avila
Gold Country Writers
Hans Berger
J L  Rallios
John Daulton
Joy Willow
Krista Lynn
Louis Moorer III
Marietta Harris
Maya Torngren
Michael C. Ford & Rose Albano Risso
Michael D. Brosio
Peggy Jennings – Severe
S.L. Dearing
Sandra Masters
Sheri Humphreys
The Z Tailgate
Timothy W. Sousa
Tom Morton
Wiley Joiner
Diane Rose Duffy
Elena Carpenter
Godfrey Coppinger
Jacob Haslem & Nicholas Allen
Karen Moore
Kathleen Gorman
Linda Champion
Linda Covella
Linda Lee Kane
Major Mitchell
Michael J Bowler
Pam Atherstone
Penelope Anne Cole
Susan Lowe
Yvetta Doll Franklin
Julianna Presto
Clive Riddle
John Von hof
Gayle Taylor Davis