Krystian Leonard
Headline Kids
Krystian experienced first-hand the trials and self-esteem issues associated with visible scars beginning at age 4. Healing with visible scars left her feeling damaged and ashamed. She found the strength she needed to overcome her self-image and entered her first beauty pageant at the age of 14. Krystian began to volunteer in her community and searched for a platform she could resonate with. She wanted to choose a platform that she could be passionate about, and thus Shining S.C.A.R.S. was born. Through her healing campaign for Shining S.C.A.R.S. Krystian has used her personal experience and pain as a way to reach out to others, helping them to feel PROUD of their imperfections knowing that those scars and the stories of those scars helped shape the person they have developed into.
Krystian has shared her vision and mission for Shining S.C.A.R.S. at TEDx Boca Raton, Contagious Optimism Live and Next Gen Summit. She works to gather funding to provide her book Shining Scars, to children’s recovering centers treating patients relating to burns, cleft palate, spina bifida and cancer recovery. Her book was awarded the Mom’s Choice Award – Silver in 2013. By creating a positive and character building organization it is Krystian’s goal to build an informative community aiding in the healing process.
Krystian traveled to New York in 2013 for Book Expo America, where she met David Mezzapple, which led her to the Contagious Optimism Family, and co-author of 10 Habits of Truly Optimistic People. Krystian is currently an anti-bullying speaker for ICubed Agency, and is scheduled as one of the speakers on The Rise Above Tour 2016.
Modeling is another passion of Krystian’s, she has been featured in local commercials and gained modeling jobs nationwide, for designers as Rachel Allen and Fernando Wong.
Looking to the future, Krystian is interested in continuing to write and publish children’s books, and is studying Broadcast Journalism at West Virginia University.
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Larry LockridgE
Author
Larry Lockridge attended Indiana University and graduated with Highest Distinction in English in 1964. He took his doctorate at Harvard in 1969, and taught in departments of English at Rutgers, Northwestern, and New York University, from which he retired in 2016 as Professor Emeritus of English. A Danforth, Woodrow Wilson, and Guggenheim Fellow, he has published books and articles on the European Romantics and critical ethics. But it is his biography of his father, Ross Lockridge, Jr., author of the1948 novel Raintree County, for which he is best known. Shade of the Raintree: The Life and Death of Ross Lockridge, Jr., was published by Viking in 1994, was nominated for the National Book Award and Pulitzer in biography, and received the MidAmerica Award. It was republished in 2014 by Indiana University Press with a new preface.
Set in nineteenth-century Indiana in a mythical county based largely on Henry County, Raintree County is still judged by a few critics to be the greatest American novel yet written. But at 1,060 pages and upstaged by a dubious MGM adaptation of 1957 starring Elizabeth Taylor, Eva Marie Saint, Lee Marvin and Montgomery Clift, it remains largely unread in the academy and elsewhere. Ross Lockridge, Jr. was himself born and raised in Bloomington, and, as “A plus Lockridge,” graduated from Indiana University in 1935, with the highest grade point average ever accumulated there. He died a suicide in 1948 at the age of thirty-three, just as his novel rose to number one on the nation’s best-seller lists. He left a wife and four children. Larry was five at the time.
Larry Lockridge tired of writing tragic narrative and in retirement began a series of satiric novels, The Enigma Quartet, to be published serially by Iguana Books, Toronto over the next two years.
The Cardiff Giant, set in Cooperstown, New York in 2003, is a satire on human gullibility, with focus on the paranormal and beliefs Carl Sagan discusses in The Demon-Haunted World. The Great Cyprus Think Tank, set in Cyprus in 2024, is a dystopian story that doesn’t give up altogether on utopian ideals. Out of Wedlock, set in Greenwich Village and Santa Fe from 1961 to 2008, tackles issues of identity, its protagonist a not altogether competent facial surgeon. And The Woman in Green, set in New Harmony, Indiana, in 1999-2000, is a satire on key aspects of American history and culture.
For More Information and to contact the author visit https://www.larrylockridge.com/
Lisa A. McCombs
Books, Non-Fiction, Biographies / Memoirs, Self Help, True Stories
Lisa A. McCombs retired from the public school classroom after a wonderfully combined thirty-three years in Taylor and Marion counties. A recipient of Marion County’s Reading Teacher of the Year, Lisa does not remember a time in her life that she wasn’t passionate about books: both reading and writing them.
Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2001, Lisa has fulfilled her life with a successful 33 year teaching career. She is a Readers Favorite award winning author of young adult fiction with books that include Abby, Raspberry Beret, Opening Pandora’s Box, and Bombs Bursting in Air. I Have MS: What’s Your Super Power? is her nonfiction debut.
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Derek McFadden
Author, Poet, Editor
Derek McFadden began writing stories at six years old. He is a poet, author, editor, blogger, radio enthusiast, an unapologetic Seattle Mariners fan, and a former March Of Dimes ambassador. Stricken at birth with a mild form of cerebral palsy, along with a mild form of not being able to see very well, Derek has worked his whole life to illuminate for others a life experience at once unique, fun, and–at times–harrowing.
For more information or to contact the author visit www.derekmcfaddeneditor.com
A blog for thinkers, writers, readers, TV watchers, and anyone in-between!
Bruce McLaughlin
Author, Veteran, Attorney
Bruce W. McLaughlin is a proud retired Army JAG officer and an attorney who runs his own law firm in Leesburg, Virginia.
As a criminal defense attorney falsely accused and jailed during an emotionally charged divorce, McLaughlin found himself ill-prepared for the challenges to proving his innocence. “More than 80% of abuse accusations leveled amid divorce proceedings prove to be false,” McLaughlin has since learned. He was one of the very, very few with the expertise, resources, and network necessary to eventually overturn his conviction—after spending 4 years in jail for an abhorrent crime he did not commit. Bruce’s eventual redemption allowed him to restore his law license, reputation, and life. He continues to rebuild his relationship with his four children.
Bruce McLaughlin captures his experiences and shares his lessons learned in He Said, She S.A.I.D, a cautionary tale for any parent contemplating divorce. An advocate for the falsely accused, McLaughlin focuses his general practice on helping the underdog and those unable to help themselves. He blogs about his journey to developing a thriving law practice across the street from the same courthouse that sentenced him to 13 years in prison.
Bruce lives with his family in Frederick, Maryland, and is an avid cyclist who loves to ride in the Catoctin Mountain’s foothills. He spends his free time with his family and helping recovering addicts at the local Frederick Rescue Mission transition back into the workplace.
For more information about Bruce, his book, and his work, visit www.hesaidshesaidbook.com.
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Heidi Ruby Miller
Non-Fiction, Education, Self Help
Heidi Ruby Miller uses research for her stories as an excuse to roam the globe. With degrees in Anthropology, Geography, Foreign Languages, and Writing, she knew early that penning fast-paced, exotic adventures would be her life. She’s put her experiences and studies to paper in her far-future AMBASADORA series and into her two new thriller series. In between trips, Heidi teaches creative writing at Seton Hill University, where she graduated from their renowned Writing Popular Fiction Graduate Program the same month she appeared on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. AMBASADORA was her thesis novel there, and the multi-award winning writing guide MANY GENRES, ONE CRAFT, which she co-edited with Michael A. Arnzen, is based on the Seton Hill program and was named #5 in The Writer magazine’s Ten Most Terrific Writing Books of 2011.
Click here to watch - How to Write A Book They Can't Put Down
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Kevin D. Miller
Author
Kevin D. Miller is a veteran of the U.S.A.F. He was born in Canton, Ohio and grew up in Tempe, Arizona. He currently resides in Burbank, California with his wife Annette and their two teenage daughters who are pursuing acting. Kevin and his wife have a blended family of 9 children and 21 grandchildren. Kevin holds Bachelors degrees in Electronics Technology and Information Systems/Web Design. Heart of Steel: Based on a True Story is Kevin's debut novel and is based on the life of his grandfather, Stanley William Miller. In his spare time, Kevin focuses on fitness, and developing websites for individuals and small business owners. He is currently working on a second novel.
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RUSTY MCQUADE
Exercise / Health
Rusty McQuade is a native of West Virginia and attended the College of Health Sciences in Roanoke, VA. She works with home health patients to help them maintain and gain muscle strength. A former Lewisburg, WV fire fighter for eight years; she was also a preschool director for fifteen years. She is a ski instructor, soccer coach and referees soccer children of all ages. Rusty has taken her life experiences and developed these simple and easy to do exercises. Stickyman Movements is easy to follow and the results have helped people maintain good muscle tone and improve general health.
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Stephanie J. Miller
Author- ZERO WASTE LIVING, THE 80/20 WAY
Empowering the busy individual to do the easy things that have a real impact on the climate and waste crises.
Many of us feel powerless to solve the looming climate and waste crises. We have too much on our plates, and may think these problems are better solved by governments and businesses. This book unlocks the potential in each "too busy" individual to be a crucial part of the solution. Stephanie Miller combines her career focused on climate change with her own research and personal experience to show how a few, relatively easy lifestyle changes can create significant positive impact. Using the simplicity of the 80/20 rule, she shows us those things (the 20%) that we can do to make the biggest (80%) difference in reversing the climate and waste crises.
https://www.zerowasteindc.com/book
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Elizabeth Moseley
Children's Books
Elizabeth Moseley is an award-winning children’s books author and holds an M.A. in English Literature from Georgetown University. The Garden and the Glen: A Fable about Character and the Courage to Be Different began many years ago as a short bedtime story she read to her then-young daughters who loved hearing stories at the end of the day. Elizabeth was happy reading their favorite books, but found her greatest joy in creating original fiction. A lifelong fan of Aesop and mythology, her tales often featured some magic and always a happy ending. At the urging of her now-grown daughters, The Garden and the Glen is her first children’s book.
For More Information Visit https://gardenandglen.com/
Joyce Nissley
Author
Joyce Nissley became interested in writing while a college freshman, when a story about childhood drew praise from her English instructor. Although she earned a B.A. Degree in English Literature, her career was primarily centered on her family’s winery, established in 1976. Now retired, she is working on a collection of stories which will chronicle situations and characters associated with her career.
For more information and to contact the author visit https://nissleywine.com/
Jack Owens
Author
Jack Owens grew up in the coal fields of southern West Virginia and in the Philadelphia suburb of West Chester, Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of American University (BA 1966) and the University of Alabama School of Law (JD 1969). He entered on duty as a Special Agent with the FBI, June 23, 1969, when he had hair and two good good knees. His first office of assignment was Denver, 1969-1970, followed by Birmingham, 1970, until he retired, August 31, 1999. He served on the first SWAT team in Alabama, and worked investigations involving bank robberies, kidnappings, fugitive matters, foreign counterintelligence, terrorism, and the recruitment of women and minorities into the Bureau. He was the coordinator of the physical fitness program for agents in Birmingham. Owens worked undercover for four years against hostile intelligence services during the Cold War.
His memoir of three decades in the trenches of the FBI, "Don't Shoot! We're Republicans!" was published August 15, 2009. His first novel, "Watchman, JFK's Last Ride", will be published mid-year 2013 by Keith Publications. Jack is currently working on “Pock Series,” a three-novel series of dark comedies about a serial killer and law enforcement in Alabama. Owens, is an avid storyteller wherever invited to speak, laces his tales of murder and mayhem with wry humor. A former CBS TV’s “Big Brother Owens is the father of six and the grandfather of eleven. He and his wife Pat reside in Birmingham on Red Mountain.
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Tim Packman
Headline Kids, Coloring/Activity Books, Education, Fiction
Tim Packman began his love of racing and reading growing up around the short tracks of Buffalo, N.Y. where his family has been active in all forms of motorsports for decades. He was part of NASCAR for 20 years as a communications professional, writer, author, announcer and broadcaster, winning more than a dozen awards. The native of Akron, N.Y has returned to his roots as the Track President of Lancaster National Speedway in Buffalo.
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Eliot Parker
Fiction, Mysteries, Thrillers, West Virginia Authors/Illustrators
Eliot Parker is the author of four novels, most recently A Knife’s Edge, which was an Honorable Mention in Thriller Writing at the London Book Festival, and is the sequel to the award-winning novel Fragile Brilliance. His novel Code for Murder was named a 2018 Finalist for Genre Fiction by American Book Fest. He is a recipient of the West Virginia Literary Merit Award and Fragile Brilliance was a finalist for the Southern Book Prize in Thriller Writing. He recently received with the Thriller Writing Award by the National Association of Book Editors (NABE) for his novels. His first collection of short stories, Snapshots, was released in May 2020. Eliot is the host of the podcast program Now, Appalachia, which profiles authors and publishers living and writing in the Appalachian region and is heard on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network and Blog Talk Radio. A graduate of the Bluegrass Writers Studio at Eastern Kentucky University with his MFA in Creative Writing and Murray State University with his Doctorate in English, he teaches English at the University of Mississippi and lives in Oxford, Mississippi and Chesapeake, Ohio.
Click here to watch - Being The “Extroverted Introverted Writer”: Developing Your Author Platform
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Harold Phifer
Fiction
Harold Phifer was born and raised by a single mom in Columbus, Mississippi. He attended Caldwell High School before graduating from Mississippi State and Jackson State Universities respectively. He built his career as an Air Traffic Controller with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for 23 years. After deciding to leave the comforts of the FAA he started a second career as an International Contractor. This new endeavor led him to numerous tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Being on foreign soil gave him the needed inspiration to share his past experiences. He proudly label his writings as EXPAT STORIES.
Website: RnRFreePress.com
Julie Potter
Author Nonfiction
Julie Potter is a certified social worker with experience in health care including home care, hospice, nursing home and hospital settings. For 20 years, she coordinated the Sibley Senior Association, a hospital-based wellness program for people 60 and over, and Widowed Persons Outreach, a spousal bereavement program. She was honored to receive two awards from Sibley Hospital for her work, and the Seabury Leadership in Aging Award in 2013. She received her BA from the George Washington University, and her Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan.
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For more information visit https://www.juliepotterthepowerofgrief.com
Teresa Power
Author
Teresa Power's books have sold over 270,000 copies worldwide. In her roles as an award-winning author, renowned yoga expert, and keynote speaker, her mission is to share strategies and tips to help children, parents, and educators enrich their lives and manage stress. Teresa has been featured by Good Morning America, Parenting, Reader's Digest, Fox 11 LA, Telemundo, and more. She is also the founder of International Kids Yoga Day, which is celebrated globally on the first Friday in April, annually. For more information visit her website at www.abcyogaforkids.com
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Rob Quillen
Non-Fiction, Biographies / Memoirs, Spiritual / Inspirational, True Stories
Rob Quillen started writing for an unofficial Jeff Gordon website and in 2009 wrote for RaceJournalOnline, a feeder website for Jayski.com and ESPN.com. His 9/11 story has appeared in Fields of Thunder: The Story of the Kansas Speedway and Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul. His chance encounter with pilot Jason Dahl, whose plane crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania on 9/11, started the author on a journey of not only self-awareness—but also a quest to fulfill one boy’s dream. With the help of many friends including NASCAR and ESPN, he was able to bring Jason Dahl’s son, Matt, to his first NASCAR race and meet one of his idols, Jeff Gordon. Quillen has been interviewed on The Today Show on NBC, The NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, ABC National Radio Interview, NBC’s Pre-race interview before the 9/29/01 Kansas race as well as several dozen local media interviews on all major networks.
In the months and years following 9/11, he’s been on the lecture circuit giving inspirational speeches on various subjects surrounding 9/11—particularly the message of how you can help others fulfill their dreams. In addition to writing and speaking, he is a board member for The Jason Dahl Scholarship Foundation. This is a foundation created by Sandy Dahl, Jason’s widow to raise money for high school seniors wanting to go to college to obtain their aviation degree. A percent of the proceeds from sales and speaking tour appearances go directly to the foundation. Rob lives with his family in Nebraska.
Melissa Harker Ridenour
Headline Kids, Education, Middle Grade, Non-Fiction
Author Melissa Harker Ridenour is a former teacher, and has mentored students in every facet of their educational development. As a mother and grandmother, she shares concerns with all parents for the safety of children. Melissa’s love of children and her concern for their safety and welfare is the motivating factor behind the development of her book, What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers.
Melissa offers workshops to schools and other educational institutions or organizations. The workshops reinforce for children, in a fun and creative way, some of the information and strategies presented in What Would You Do? A Kid’s Guide to Staying Safe in a World of Strangers.
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