Bookfest 2015 by Manteca Bulletin

Saturday, October 10 â&#x20AC;˘ 10 am to 4 pm The Promenade at BASS PRO Manteca, CA

2015 Great Valley Bookfest

The Bulletin-Thursday, October 8, 2015

Welcome to the fourth annual Great Valley Bookfest! I am so happy you are joining us! Our Bookfest is a fun , lively, FREE celebration of reading and the written word. Bringing a group together to spearhead the event isn’t hard, and finding volunteers to set-up, manage the stages, and help throughout the Festival proved even easier (thanks to Jane Steinkamp!). You can spot the volunteers in their bright orange t-shirts; don’t hesitate to ask them for help or just say howdy! Join us at 10 a.m. for the kick off parade for readers of all ages. But wait that ’s not all …Show up at 9:45 to get a free kazoo and receive instruction from semi-pro Kazoo master Ruthanne Basset. The Manteca High Marching Band under the direction of Anthony Dahl plus Rapunzel , Elsa, Ariel , Tinker Bell and mascots from local schools will lead the revelers around the park-like setting and lake at the Orchard Valley Promenade (Bass Pro Center). Dress in a costume, in street clothes, or as your favorite character! This year ’s festival features an outstanding lineup of authors, poets, and illustrators in several pavilions. Hear firsthand from your favorite authors! Get your books signed! Watch local entertainment! Take a selfie with mascots! And, most importantly – have a ton of fun! Don’t miss the Bon Appétit Theater where live cooking demos from famous cookbook authors are sure to make your mouth water! Ready to write your own book? Then the Writers’ Nook

Join us as we kick off the Great Valley Bookfest Costume Parade!

is for you! Learn from experienced editors and publishers.

The Fire Up! Stage will do just that with incredible motivational speakers on topics ranging from Pondering Life’s Possibilities to Emotional Recovery. ELEVEN amazing authors will be featured at the Children’s Pavilion . There are mysteries, music, horses and humor. Several of the authors have bilingual books. Stop by the Children’s area to find Clark the Shark, Johnny Big Ears and the Peachtree Kids. At 11:00 children can volunteer to participate in skits with author Jennie Chadwick. Then at 1:00 author Bruce Hale will share a bit about his experiences as a writer, a jazz musician and being raised by wolves!!!! Magic Jack will offer balloon sculptures plus amazing magic throughout the day. Free popcorn will be available. Sponsors (who donate both funds and services) make it possible, authors (who give their time freely) make it fun , and volunteers (who work throughout the year) bring the festival to life! A warm thank you to them all! See you Saturday, Toni Raymus P.S. If you would like to get involved, check our volunteer page at www.greatvalleybookfest.org. Many thanks to the 2015 Bookfest Committee: Carol Davis, Linda Abeldt, Rebecca Iacovino, Annie Cunial , Melissa King, Bruce Bentz, Carol O’Hanneson , Charlie Halford, Laurin Sephos, Jeanne Pollard, Jennifer Marek, Karen Anthony Coleangelo, Karen Arnpriester, Kathy Harvey, Maureen Minnehan Jones, Michele Davis, Robert O’Hanneson , Ruthanne Bassett, Sally Hale, Steve Sonntag, and Jane Stienkamp.

SEEK ‘N STAM P SCAVENGER HU NT

The Great Valley Bookfest is offering a fun K7 way to win a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 NOO p Stam ‘n Seek inch device during the 2015 tloca Scavenger Hunt on October 10th by d ing five portraits of famous authors scattere throughout the event area. Volunteers will ovstamp game cards and verify that you disc alike ren ered the portraits. Adults and child love to seek and find, especially when the s prize opens up the world of eBooks and year card e gam r you of reading adventures. Pick up at the Great Valley Bookfest Information Booth and have some great fun!

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2015 Great Valley Bookfest

The Bulletin-Thursday, October 8, 2015

GREAT VALLEY BOOKFEST 2015 AUTHOR STAGE SCHEDULES Adventure Theater

The Great Escape

Mystery! Thriller! Romance!

Fire Up

10:30

Paku Her How I became a self-published author

Marilyn Meredith Creating a mystery series and sustaining it

Bonnie Phelps Setting the Story

Melissa Carson Love, Hope & Inspiration

Kristin Miller Publishing Bootcamp for Beginners

Kara Lucas Issue Driven YA

Britt Nunes Young Adult SciFi

Antoinette May Romancing the Monster “

Kristine Setting-Clark The Book Proposal”

Sally Hale Spark your child’s inner fire for writing . . .

Beth McMullen Finding Inspiration

Christopher Allan Poe Bigger, Badder Villians

Michele Drier Contemporary Paranormal Romance

Brad Herzog Catching Creative Ideas

Elisabeth Kauffman What freelance editing can do for you

Richard Parenti Emotional Mastery”

1 p.m. Blackwing Pencils Handwriting v. Typing

Stages closed for Spelling Bee

12:30

(Taking place in front of Information Booth)

Hazel Dixon Cooper Fun with Astrology”

1:30

Writers’ Nook

Bonnie Hearn Hill Location, Location, Location!”

Christina McKnight The Ultimate Escape”

Denise Kalm Interviewing Tips

Amy Rogers Science thriller publisher & author

John Bluck Science Fiction v. Science Fact”

Maya Torngen Maya’s Life Story”

RM Gilmore Underdog Heroes, Breaking Literary Norms”

“Stacey Gustafson Get Funny”

Karen Arnpriester Self-Publishing Instruction/Tools/ Links”

2:30

Gillian Bagwell Writing Historical Fiction

Matthew Berlin Fantasy, Action and Adventure

Steve Hammond Creating Mythology”

Robert Dawson The Public Library: A Photographic Survey

Romancing the Reader Beth Barany, Moderator, Jennifer Ryan, T.J. Kline and Codi Gary

Sarah Stevenson Young Adult Fiction

John Brantingham Setting the Scene

Kasey Thompson Why I Am A Writer

Steve Jesus The Indie Invasion

Romancing the Reader Beth Barany, Moderator, Jennifer Ryan, T.J. Kline and Codi Gary

Children’s Pavillion

Poet’s Corner

The interactive Children’s area will have something for everyone in the entire family. The 2015 Children’s Pavilion is sponsored by Valley Oak Dental Group. Eleven amazing authors will be featured. Their work covers a broad spectrum including picture books, chapter books, science and ABC’s. There are mysteries, music, horses and humor. Several of the authors have bilingual books . Stop by the Children’s area to find Clark the Shark, Johnny Big Ears and the Peachtree Kids. Meet these characters and their creators anytime during the Bookfest.

For all poetry lovers! Featured poets will read from their works focusing on Poems and Sad Things, Confessional and Modern Poetry, Aardvarks? No Aardvarks here!, Writing our Truths, River of Words, Working from an Upcoming Manuscript, Slam Poetry by WOW and Open Mic.

11:00 – Jennie Chadwick Audience Participation Skits 12:00 & 2:00 – Patricia Newman Interactive Demo which Tells the Story of the Ocean over the Last 500 Years 1:00 – Bruce Hale Shares Experiences as a Writer, Cartoonist and a Musician Also with: Lynda Bulla Jennifer Torres Siders Naty Osa Diane Stellhorn Kathy Gorman John Paul Padilla Valerie Murphy Michelle A. B. McKenzie

10:30 - 10:50 Elizabeth Sousa Happy Poems About Sad Things 10:55 - 11:15 James Weaver Confessional and Modern Poetry 11:20 - 11:40 Patricia Wentzel Aardvarks? No Aardvarks Here! 11:45 - 12:05 Cristina Sandoval Nostalgia, Family, Living with Anxiety 12:10 - 12:30 Rhony Bhopla Writing Our Truths 1:25 - 1:45 Monika Rose River of Words 1:50 - 2:10 Tama Brisbane Stockton Poet Laureate 2:15 - 2:35 Sage Curtis Work from an Upcoming Manuscript 2:40 - 3:00 WOW Slam Poetry 3:00 - Till Close Chris Teicheira Open Mic

Bon Appétit The cooking stage will set mouths watering featuring chefs who will provide delicious food demonstrations, recipes, cooking tips and samples making eating healthy easy. Come hear internationally renowned chefs and bestselling authors, learn the tricks for making great drinks at home, healthy smoothies, blender bike treats, global recipes using local ingredients, MUSD test and taste and easy gourmet recipes for the frugal cook. 10:30 - 11:00 GECAC Students with Christine Hwang Blender Bike Treats 11:15 - 11:45 Mike Burwen Mikey Likes It 12:00 - 12:30 Meera Klein Global Recipes, Local Ingredients 1:00 - 1:30 Tony Abou-Gamin Learn the tricks for making great drinks at home! 1:45 - 2:15 Gina Meyers Author, Chef, Teacher 2:30 - 3:00 Michelle Savage Healthy Smoothies 3:15 - 4:00 Bryan Ehrenholm MUSD Test and Taste

Reliability Innovation Accountability

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ssjid.com

2015 Great Valley Bookfest

The Bulletin-Thursday, October 8, 2015

MICHELLE SAVAGE Michelle Savage (b. 1970) is a graduate of West Valley College, Saratoga, and resides in Manteca, California. She is a freelance court reporter, health coach, and the author of The Green Aisle’s Healthy Smoothies and Slushies. After continual struggles with medical issues and being overweight, a major lifestyle change was in order. By eliminating processed foods, dairy, soy, and sugar, along with intense research and experimentation, she discovered that the essence of eating begins with the art of food. Nothing is more important than eating clean and healthy. Savage is now at her ideal weight, with no medical issues, and is dedicated to inspiring others to invigorate their health by sharing empowering information and deliciously enticing recipes. No matter your individual or personalized diet—every recipe featured is all natural, dairy-free, soy-free, sugar-free, and gluten-free with key ingredients containing essential enzymes that help the body fight off free radicals; plus informative topics to help readers better understand why this approach to dieting is beneficial! TONY ABOU-GAMIN Over the course of the past two decades, Tony Abou-Ganim has earned his repuation as one of the leaders in the craft cocktail movement. Through his work with food and hospitality legends, he is known as the Modern Mixologist: someone bringing the tradtional art of mixology into the 21st century for the benefit of the new generations. He has done this in his two must have-books featuring terrific recipes and gorgeous photography.

Meet The Authors I have often been asked, “How do I make a recipe gluten-free?” “What can I substitute for buttermilk in a recipe?” “What type of wine goes with fish?” “Which one of your cookbooks will work for large crowds, Senior Citizens, Cooking for Two People, Singles, and College Student’s, etc.?” Before I knew it, I was writing cookbooks. I am the type of woman who gardens in her heels, buys fancy aprons, but never ends up putting them on except for photo shoots, and the type of woman who allows my children to experiment in the kitchen and quietly cleans up after them. I am best known for my Twilight Cookbook, Love at First Bite. It was mentioned on the hit NBC Show, The Office. Character Kevin Malone tells a pregnant Pam, “I cooked my way through the Julia Child’s Cookbook, now I am cooking Edward Cullen’s Cornflake Chicken from The Twilight Cookbook.” Twilight Star, Kellan Lutz, went nuts over Gina’s Twilight Tribute Punch secret ingredient: gummy worms. MIKE BURWEN Mike Burwen, although raised in New England, has lived in California for decades. A retired high-tech industry consultant, he is an avowed foodie and life-long amateur cook. He traveled the world for 40+ years collecting recipes (bribing chefs and waiters) that form the core of his cookbook, Easy Gourmet Recipes for the Frugal Cook.

MEERA KLEIN Award-winning author, Meera Ekkanath Klein, deftly weaves her love of cooking and story-telling into an irresistible tale. My Mother’s Kitchen: A novel with recipes (2014, Homebound Publications) was selected as a Finalist in the 2015 Beverly Author of Hills International Book Awards in the More Than Seventy-Five MultiHealthy Recipes to Help You Cultural Lose Weight and Get Fit Fiction See Michelle at the c a t 2015 Great Valley Bookfest egory. in Manteca this Saturday! She was one of 40 authors at the

GINA MEYERS I love food, I love to cook, and I love sharing my unique themed cookbooks with the world.

Michelle Savage

The Green AiSle’S heAlThy SMooThieS And SluShieS:

Strings Italian Cafes offer delicious, quality Italian food at a price anyone can afford. From tasty seafood, veal and poultry dishes to traditional Italian favorites we have something for everyone.

All-You-Can-Eat Pasta Night Wednesday After 4:00 pm* $8.75 Comes with fresh baked bread and choice of Minestrone soup or Cafe salad. *Dine in only.

Kids Eat FREE

Sunday and Monday After 4 pm, kids 10 and under eat FREE from the Kids’ Menu with each adult entree purchase. Dine in only. Hours: Mon - Thur • 11 am - 9 pm Fri - Sat • 11 am - 10 pm ~ Sun • 11 am - 9 pm

1125 S. Main Street • Manteca, CA • PH (209) 823-9777 • FAX (209) 823-8536

celebrated 2015 Authors on the Move fundraiser for the Sacramento Library Foundation dinner and auction. She was featured on Capital Public Radio on April 2, 2015 and interviewed by host Beth Ruyak. She has participated in the Local Author Festival at the Sacramento Library and will be a presenter at the Great Valley Bookfest in October. A former newspaper reporter and columnist, Klein honed her writing skills in a busy newsroom. She mastered the art of Indian cooking in her own mother’s kitchen in the beautiful Blue Mountains or Nilgiris of south India. 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 Bakeoff 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 competition 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. 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

We’ll See You at the 2015 Bookfest!

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. NATY OSA The author, Naty Osa, was born in Segovia, Spain. She now makes her home in Chico, California. She has written three children’s picture books – all three illustrated by her son, Javier Dura. “Billy the Pig: the Stinkiest Cowboy in Town,” “Grandma’s Lost her Head,”–which is also available in Spanish, “La abuelita ha perdido la cabeza,” and “The Last Orchard.” JENNIFER TORRES Jennifer Torres is the author of “Finding the Music,” a bilingual picture book, inspired in part by the Stockton community, and published this spring by Lee & Low Books. Her middle-grade novel, “Stef Soto, Taco Queen,” is due out from Little, Brown in winter 2016. She works at University of the Pacific where she coordinates the Beyond Our Gates outreach initiative. Before joining Pacific, Jennifer worked as a reporter for The Record newspaper, covering education, diversity, children and families. Originally from Southern California, she has lived in Stockton for the past 10 years with her husband, David, and daughters Alice and Soledad. JOHN PAUL PADILLA John Paul Padilla was born in December 11, in Los Angeles, California. He was raised in several cities within the state, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and is currently residing in the Central Valley of California. He went to several schools throughout California and graduated from Turlock High School. Upon graduating, he continued his schooling at Cal State Stanislaus University with the intent of becoming an elementary school teacher to teach third graders! He currently works as an office administrator. He is active in the International Who’s Who in Poetry and is a Distinguished Member of the International Society of Poets. John has modeled, has been dancing for the past fifteen years, and has written and recorded songs for Nashville artists years ago. He has previously published Wings to Cross an Ocean, an inspirational poetry book that encourages personal growth and happiness. John Paul was inspired to write Johnny Big Ears, the Feel Good Friend based on his own childhood experiences with teasing and his time spent observing students while he was a paraprofessional in an elementary school. BRUCE HALE Raised by wolves just outside Los Angeles, Bruce Hale is the author of over 35 seriously funny books for kids. H i s popular series includes School for S.P.I.E.S.,

2015 Great Valley Bookfest Clark the Shark, and the best selling Chet Gecko Mysteries. His book, The Malted Falcon, was an Edgar Award finalist, and his Snoring Beauty was one of the Oprah’s Recommended Reads for kids. A Fulbright Scholar in storytelling, Bruce is a popular speaker, both nationally & internationally. DIANE STELLHORN After many horse-crazed years, my dreams came true. I bred, raised, trained (with professional help), rode for pleasure and showed Arabian horses for 40 years. I was a 4-H horse leader. Now, as a retired elementary teacher living with Multiple Sclerosis, my passion of horses is expressed by writing and sharing my book with other horse lovers. Zig, Zag and Zoom through the Horse Alphabet is available on Amazon. PATRICIA NEWMAN Patricia Newman writes for children curious about the fascinating, weird, and sometimes scary world around them. She is an award-winning author of several books and magazine articles, including PLASTIC, AHOY! INVESTIGATING THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH, a Green Earth Book Award winner, a Junior Library Guild Selection and one of Bank Street College’s Best Books of the Year; EBOLA: FEARS AND FACTS, a Junior Library Guild Selection; NUGGET ON THE FLIGHT DECK, a California Reading Association Eureka Honor Book; and JINGLE THE BRASS, a Junior Library Guild Selection that celebrates railroading lingo popular during the age of steam. Visit her at www.patriciamnewman.com. KATHY GORMAN I am a reading intervention teacher. I also support new teachers who are clearing their teaching credentials. I hold a Master’s Degree in Reading and Language Arts and a Reading Specialist Credential. My professional writing experience includes; How Far is Heaven? published by HBE Publishing, Remembering the California Missions: a Curriculum Guide, and it’s companion student workbook, published by Craven Street Books, phonics based and sight word based picture books created for use in my classroom, proposals for educational awards and grants, and professionally published personal memoirs about my family, profession, and friends. JENNIE CHADWICK Jennie Chadwick has been writing seriously for about five years. It all started when she used to make up-funny stories for her two girls when they were little. As her girls got older they said she should write these silly stories down, for other kids. So one day she did! Her kids books are action/ adventure for 6 to 10 year olds. Jennie has received unique acknowledgements from bookstores and schools, where she held book signings. The kids always seem to gravitate to her silly readings! Jennie says, “I love watching and working with kids, they help me keep the silliness in my grown up life. Laughing and playing, that’s a kids job! My job is to write books that kids like and can relate to.” Jennie grew up and makes her home in Modesto, CA. MICHELLE A.B. MCKENZIE Michelle A.B. McKenzie is an attorney turned children’s author with a passion for children’s literacy. She is the author of Beavers’ Big Problem and Beavers’ Big Discovery, lighthearted and lively critter tales for young children and early readers up to age ten. Both stories are silly and entertaining vocabulary builders that focus on overcoming adversity. Beavers’ Big Problem is about what happens when the clopzip on the main gizmo breaks at the Far Away Land Ice Cream Factory. Beavers’ Big Discovery finds the critters of the Far Away Land preparing for the Great Rodent Festival. Full of vocabulary and zany fun, these books are sure to delight preschoolers, young readers (K-4) and parents alike. Find them on Amazon! Ms. McKenzie lives in rural San Joaquin County with her husband, son and their extended family of critters, including horses, cats, a dog and an action-packed dairy goat. Check out www. sillycritterstories.com, which features children’s puzzles, games, fun facts and reading comprehension tests to go with the books. VALERIE MURPHY Valerie Murphy has had a passion for storytelling since she was a little girl. Now a mother of three, she is the author of Children’s Book Of Poems Schmoems, The Gumshoes: A New Town, Oh Joy, which recently received an honorable mention from San Francisco Book Festival, and

The Bulletin-Thursday, October 8, 2015

Meet The Authors

the newly completed second book in the series, The Gumshoes: Rogues Hollow Crossing. Valerie is currently working on her first young adult novel which she hopes will bring awareness to Cystic Fibrosis, her son was diagnosed with the devastating disease with in 2006.

BRAD HERZOG Brad Herzog is the author of more than 30 books, including dozens of books for children and a trilogy of travel memoirs that the American Book Review has deemed “the new classics of American travel writing.” In 2014, he co-authored My Mantelpiece, the memoirs of the late civil rights icon Carolyn Goodman, mother of “Mississippi Burning” victim Andy Goodman. The book includes a foreword by Maya Angelou, her last words published during her lifetime. In 2015, he wrote The Presidents, an amazingly illustrated coffee table book about the first 43 commandersin-chief. As a freelance magazine writer, Brad has been honored several times by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), including a Grand Gold Medal for best feature article of the year. ROBERT DAWSON Robert Dawson has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship (2014), a Creative Work Fund grant (Haas Foundation), a Graham Foundation grant, a National Endowment For the Arts Fellowship, and a Dorothea Lange-Paul Taylor Prize. His publications include: The Public Library: A Photographic Essay (Princeton Architectural Press, 2014); Robert Dawson Photographs (Gallery MIN, 1988); The Great Central Valley: California’s Heartland (University of California Press, 1993); Farewell, Promised Land: Waking From the California Dream (University of California Press, 1999) and A Doubtful River (University of Nevada Press, 2000). He was founder and co-director of the collaborative photographic effort “The Water in the West Project.” Mr. Dawson’s photographs are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York; the National Museum of American Art (Smithsonian Institution); the Center for Creative Photography, Tucson; the Library of Congress; and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. He is currently working with his wife Ellen Manchester on a photographic survey of literacy efforts in Stockton and the surrounding San Joaquin County. He is an Instructor of Photography at Stanford University. Dawson received a B.A. from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and an M.A. from San Francisco State University. To view examples of his work, please visit robertdawson.com. RICHARD PARENTI After returning from a 40-day silent retreat in the Himalayan Mountains he authored, “Naked Before God,” Your True Self,” and “Mind-Body Illusions” published by Himalayan Path yoga magazine, YES Publishers. Richard has more than thirty-four years of sobriety and experience with mentors, novices, and yoga masters in the science of emotional mastery. Richard is the founder and current director of the Yoga Health Institute in Modesto, California. KRISTINE SETTING-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. MELISSA CARSON Melissa Carson, a resident of Northern California has two young adult children: a son, Michael,

TEASED OR BULLIED?

Here is book that addresses typical childhood bullying and offers children advice on how to deal with teasing. Whether you’re a parent or an educator, this is the perfect book to encourage your kids or students to start feeling good about themselves no matter who they are, or what they look like! Johnny Big-Ears is not simply a story, but a children’s book that educates, and encourages children to value who they are.

Come join me and Meet Johnny Big-Ears in person.

Come by and see us at the 2015 Bookfest!

Marilyn aka F.M. Meredith

will have the latest copies of her Deputy Tempe Crabtree and the

Rocky Bluff P.D.

series available as well as other books in the series.

a United States Army Veteran and a daughter, Cori, who has cerebral palsy. Melissa is a published poet and an active member of the National Transportation Defense Association, San Joaquin Valley Chapter. She is also a former member of the American Society of Military Comptrollers. She loves to travel on weekend getaways to the ocean, advocating for children and young adults with special needs. Her book “Surviving Life through Faith Hope & Love” has and will continue to inspire and help parents and caregivers to never give up hope. Melissa has been a guest speaker to many events to advocate her book. She has received much positive response from the inspiration she offers to other parents. Her motto is: “Life is about Quality not Quantity”, so give to your child the Quality of life she/he requires rather than the Quantity. BILL ARON Bill Aron’s photographs have been exhibited in major museums and galleries throughout the United States and Israel, and have also appeared in a wide variety of publications. They are also found in numerous public and private collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Aron gained international recognition for his first book, From The Corners Of The Earth, which chronicles the Jewish communities of the former Soviet Union, Cuba, Jerusalem, New York and Los Angeles, and was published, with an introduction by Chaim Potok, by The Jewish Publication Society. Algonquin Books published a second volume, Shalom Y’all: Images of Jewish Life in the American South, with an introduction by Alfred Uhry. His most recent book, New Beginnings: The Triumphs of 120 Cancer Survivors, focuses on survivors who have not let their diagnosis prevent them from living their lives to the fullest; in many cases, the diagnosis has served as an impetus to better their lives. A selection of his work can be seen on his web site, www.billaron. com. The Pucker Gallery in Boston represents him. DENISE KALM Denise P. Kalm is the Chief Innovator at Kalm Kreative, Inc., and a board-certified career coach with DPK Coaching. Her 30+ years in IT inform her work in both marketing and coaching. She is a published author in both the IT world and outside, and a frequently requested speaker. Her three books, Lifestorm (fiction), Career Savvy – Keeping & Transforming Your Job, and Tech Grief – Survive & Thrive Through Career Loss (with Linda Donovan) are available on all book and e-book sites. Her next book, “First Job Savvy,” will help people who are entering the work world more quickly and easily find jobs they can love. STEVE JESUS Steve Jesus is a musician, author, and iOS developer from northern California. He has 18 years of experience under his belt playing the guitar and studying music. Through the years he has been involved with several different bands and even got a little radio airplay with the Joe Steele Band. On top of that he’s studied music at Delta College in Stockton and Sacramento State. As a former teacher he has always enjoyed sharing what he has learned with others. In 2013, he wrote his first book, Guitar Theory for Slackers. In 2015 he developed his first iPhone app called “Shred Monkey.”

STACY GUSTAFSON Stacey Gustafson is an author, humor columnist, and blogger who has experienced the horrors of being trapped inside a pair of SPANX. Her blog, Are You Kidding Me? is based on her suburban family and everyday life. Her short stories have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul and seven books in the Not Your Mother’s Book series. Her work appears in Midlife Boulevard, Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop, Pleasanton Patch, Lost in Suburbia, Better After 50, and on her daughter’s bulletin board. She lives in California with her husband and two teenagers that provide an endless supply of inspiration. She writes about parenting and daily frustrations, like her dislike of the laundry, self-checkout lanes, public restrooms, Brussels sprouts, roundabouts, and being middle-aged. Her book, Are You Kidding Me? My Life With an Extremely Loud Family, Bathroom Calamities, and Crazy Relatives ranked #1 Amazon Best Seller in Parenting & Family Humor and Motherhood, available on Amazon and eBooks. Visit Stacey at

StaceyGustafson.com or follow her on Twitter @ RUKiddingStacey. R.M. GILMORE R.M. Gilmore is a paranormal and mystery/ suspense writer and creator of the occult bestselling series Dylan Hart Odyssey of the Occult. R.M. resides in California with her family and a ton of pets. Laughing more than one person should be allowed, it is likely she will die laughing. R.M. prefers to think and live outside the box without the constraints of social stigma or the ideals of literary rules. That being said, she truly is not your mother’s author. CHRISTOPHER ALLAN POE Christpher Allan Poe is an award-winning author and graphic artist from Los Angeles. He writes paranormal fiction with an emphasis on themes that shed light on social problems for women and children. A member of the International Thriller Writers and MWA, he travels the country speaking about the craft of writing to aspiring authors. 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. SARAH JAMILA STEVENSON Sarah Jamila Stevenson is a writer, artist, editor, and graphic designer living in Modesto. 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. HAZEL DIXON-COOPER Hazel Dixon-Cooper is the author of the internationally best-selling Rotten Day astrology book series. Her latest book, Harness Astrology’s Bad Boy, discusses Pluto, the planet of transformation. She speaks at conferences throughout the United States and leads writer and astrology workshops. PAKU HER Paku was born and raised in a small town in central valley California. She is first generation Hmong American, and the eighth child of ten. Paku graduated from California State University, Stanislaus with a B.A. in Kinesiology. Although she highly enjoys fitness and nutrition, she also has a fondness for fashion design and storytelling. She often recites lines from her favorite books to anyone who’s willing to listen and is simply inspired by everything she encounters. KRISTIN MILLER New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Kristin Miller writes sweet and sassy contemporary romance, romantic suspense, and paranormal romance of all varieties. Kristin has

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2015 Great Valley Bookfest

The Bulletin-Thursday, October 8, 2015

degrees in psychology, English, and education, and taught high school and middle school English before crossing over to a career in writing. She lives in Northern California with her alpha male husband and their two children. She loves chocolate way more than she should and the gym less. You can usually find her in the corner of a coffee shop, laptop in front of her and mocha in hand, using the guests around her as fuel for her next book. JOHN G. BLUCK John G. Bluck retired from NASA in 2008 as a Public Affairs officer. Previously, he was the Chief of Imaging Technology at NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Before that, he worked at NASA Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, where he produced numerous NASA documentaries for television. Earlier in his career he was a broadcast engineer for the ABC radio network at WMAL-AM/ FM, Washington, D.C. At WMAL-TV (now WJLA-TV) in Washington, he was a news film cameraman who covered local and national news, crime, sports, and politics, including Watergate. In 1976 he was named the National Press Photographer Association runner-up cameraman of the year in the Northeast. In addition, he was a member of the White House News Photographers’ Association. During the Vietnam War he was an Army journalist at Ft. Lewis, Washington. MARILYN MEREDITH Marilyn Meredith is the author of over 35 published novels, including the award winning Deputy Tempe Crabtree mystery series, the latest Spirit Shapes from Mundania Press. Writing as F. M. Meredith, her latest Rocky Bluff P.D. crime novel is Murder in the Worst Degree from Oak Tree Press. Marilyn is a member of EPIC, Three chapters of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She lives in the Southern Sierra with her husband of many years, one dog, and too many cats. PAULA TREICK DEBOARD Paula Treick DeBoard is a reader, writer, and all-around slave to the field of public education. Her short fiction has appeared in deCOMP, Cantaraville, Staccato Fiction, and The Sycamore Review, where her short story “Casualties” earned second place in the 2009 Wabash Prize for Fiction, judged by Tobias Wolff. She is the author of two novels, The Fragile World(2014) and The Mourning Hours (2013), which won the Niles Library Tournament of Books in 2014 and was a runner-up for the Housatonic Book Award. A third novel, The Drowning Girls, will publish in 2016. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing: Fiction from the University of Southern Maine. Since 2011, Paula has taught English part-time at San Joaquin-Delta Community College and Modesto Junior College. She was recently selected as an inaugural faculty member of Go Deep! A Yoga + Writing Retreat in the Sierra Nevadas. Chris Teicheira Comic, farmer, Mantecan and now author Chris Teicheira started writing his column Manteca to T in January 2014. Inspired by Patrick O’Leary and his ‘Man about Town’ column that ran in the Manteca Bulletin in the eighties, Chris tried to emulate the spirit of Manteca in a series of witty articles published in the Bulletin every Friday. If you can’t find him on his tractor or somewhere at his farm chasing his deaf puppy Banshee, the

Meet The Authors five-time Modesto Area Music Awards nominee is probably touring one of the clubs in California, Nevada or Oregon with his stand-up routine. You can contact him at cateicheira@hotmail.com. And remember, “It’s not where ya do, it’s what ya do.“

inspirational fiction titles under the name Tina Klinesmith. In her spare time, she can be found laughing hysterically with her husband, children, and their menagerie of pets in Northern California or drinking far too many lattes while arguing with the characters in her head.

BONNIE PHELPS Rumor has it that Bonnie began telling stories at a very early age. Photos exist of the author toddling around the corner of the house covered in mud babbling about magic rabbits leading her through the garden. Her parents were amused, only adding fuel to the fire of her passion for writing. From then on, her active imagination continued to churn out plots and character sketches, always wondering how different people would behave in similar situations.

BETH BARANY Award-winning author, Beth Barany has been making up fantasy and adventure stories all her life. She writes in two genres: young adult fantasy and magical contemporary romance. She loves creating magical tales of romance and adventure to transport readers to new worlds where anything is possible. In her off hours, Beth enjoys capoeira, reading and watching movies, and traveling, with her husband, author and singer/ song writer Ezra Barany. Beth Barany lives in Oakland with her husband, two cats, and over 1,000 books.

ANNE CAROL Anne Carol grew up reading, writing, and listening to English rock bands, obsessing over one in particular. Continuing her fascination with rock stars, she married a bass player and they now have two sons, also budding musicians. Besides reading, writing, and listening to music, she also loves traveling, going to dance class, watching teen dramas, and exploring social media websites. Anne lives in Northern California, where she enjoys wine and chocolate every night as she works on her next novel. KASEY THOMPSON Kasey Thompson is most known by all around her for her creative flare. From a young age, she took all the wonderful places and people in her head, and turned them into stories. She takes every situation she is in and tries to add her own *fantasy flare* to it. At the young age of sixteen, Kasey self-published her first book. A little less than a year later, she published her second book, both which are available on Amazon. KARA LUCAS Kara Lucas has been a social worker for over twenty years and currently works in adoption. She has her Masters in Social Work, and many of the characters in FINDING PONY have been inspired by some of the kids she’s worked with. When not writing, Kara loves to read and go hiking in the mountains. She lives in central California with her family. JENNIFER RYAN Jennifer Ryan, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Hunted, McBride, and Montana Men series, writes romantic suspense and contemporary smalltown romances. Jennifer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and three children. When she isn’t writing a book, she’s reading one. Her obsession with both is often revealed in the state of her home, and how late dinner is to the table. When she finally leaves those fictional worlds, you’ll find her in the garden, playing in the dirt and daydreaming about people who live only in her head, until she puts them on paper.

TJ KLINE T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and Rodeo Queen competitions since the age of 14 and has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She has written seven through Faith, Hope and Love books f o r Avon By includMelissa Carson ing the Rodeo "The true measure of a person's series strength is how we continue to exist and the when the moment does arrive." Healing See Melissa Carson at the 2015 Harts Bookfest or order her book online at series. She has also published a Amazon.com nonfiction health book and three

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BRITT NUNES Britt Nunes never expected to be a writer. Coming from a past where she always struggled academically, to the point where she was held back in grammar school, the idea of completing a novel was utterly intangible. But falling in love with reading was what ultimately helped her excel. She now considers herself a dork with an overactive imagination. Being that she is addicted to rich words, suspenseful stories, a touch of romance, and massive amounts of coffee, becoming a writer not just became possible, but enviable. Britt writes for young adults. The Etched Tales is her first series. GILLIAN BAGWELL Gillian Bagwell is the author of three acclaimed historical novels: “The Darling Strumpet,” based on the life of Nell Gwynn, seventeenth-century actress and mistress of Charles II; “The September Queen,” the story of Jane Lane, who risked her life to help the young Charles II escape after the Battle of Worcester; and “Venus in Winter,” which covers the first forty years of the life of the formidable four-times widowed Tudor dynast Bess of Hardwick. Gillian lives in Berkeley, California, and is at work on her fourth novel. Gillian began her professional life in theatre, first as an actress and later as a director and producer. She founded the Pasadena Shakespeare Company and ran it for ten years, producing thirtyseven critically acclaimed shows. She now puts her theatrical experience to use coaching writers on giving effective public readings. Visit her website, www.gillianbagwell.com, for links to her research blogs, articles, and more on her books and upcoming events. CODI GARY An obsessive bookworm, Codi Gary likes to write sexy contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. A Northern California native, she now lives in Idaho with her family. MATTHEW BERLIN Matthew Berlin is a seventeen-year old independent author who enjoys writing Action/Adventure and Fantasy novels. He began writing Embark, the first book in the Legends of Lustria series at 14, and self-published the completed novel at 16. Matt has just completed Prevalence, which is the second book in the series, and hopes to have it released by Christmas 2015. Matthew is also co-writing a book with a friend and fellow author. Matthew is very fond of fantasy, and was inspired to write Legends of Lustria after enjoying successful franchises such as The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and a variety of others. Writing allows Matt to take his imagination to the farthest limits. ANTOINETTE MAY Antoinette May’s third novel The Determined Heart: the Tale of Mary Shelley and Her Frankenstein will be published in September by the Lake Union Publishing Division of Amazon Press. Her first novel, Pilate’s Wife, published in 2007 by William Morrow, has been translated into 18 languages. The Sacred Well, her second novel, was chosen best novel of 2009 by the San Francisco Book Festival. Antoinette’s non-fiction includes the New York Times best seller, Adventures of a Psychic, a biography of psychic Sylvia

Brown. Antoinette was the 1999 recipient of La Pluma de Plata, an award conferred by the Mexican Government for the best travel article on their country. CHRISTINA MCKNIGHT Christina McKnight is a book lover turned writer. From a young age, her mother encouraged her to tell her own stories. She’s been writing ever since. Currently, she focuses on Historical Romance, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance. Christina enjoys a quiet life in Northern California with her family, her wine, and lots of coffee. Oh, and her books… don’t forget her books! Most days she can be found writing, reading, or traveling the great state of California. STEVE HAMMOND Steven Hammond is an author and artist from Clovis, California where he enjoys spending time with his wife and family. He fell into the world of scifi/fantasy at an early age, and credits the works of Irwin Allen, J.R.R. Tolkien, Syd Hoff, Gene Rodenberry, Berkeley Breathed, George Lucas, Frank Frazetta, and Tomoyuki Tanaka as the greatest influences of his writing career. He is currently at work on the next installment in The Rise of the Penguins Saga, as well as a variety of somewhat eclectic short-stories. When not slapping at the keyboard like an enraged Siamang, while his Buster Dog curiously looks on, he can be found at the studio performing similar actions with paint and brush, or working at the ballpark. BONNIE HEARN HILL Bonnie Hearn Hill wanted to write fiction about women’s and social issues, and when she accidentally fell into a six-book deal with one of the largest publishers in the world, she saw it as an opportunity to do just that. Fifteen novels later, her books cover topics ranging from women and weight issues, to sex and power, to ghosts, metaphorical and otherwise. Regardless of the genre, her focus is empowerment. A national conference speaker, she has mentored many writers and edited and co-authored books, including New York Times bestsellers. She has a monthly television book segment and, with Christopher Allan Poe, is the co-author of a book on writing fiction. A film based on one of her novels is in pre-production, and her new Kit Doyle series (IF ANYTHING SHOULD HAPPEN and GOODBYE FOREVER) will launch in the UK and the US in 2015. JOHN BRANTINGHAM John Brantingham’s work has been featured on Garrison Keillor’s Writer’s Almanac and in hundreds of magazines in the United States and the United Kingdom. His newest poetry collection, The Green of Sunset, is from Moon Tide Press. He is the writer-in-residence at the dA Center for the Arts, and he teaches at Mt. San Antonio College and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. BETH McMULLEN Beth McMullen grew up in the East and now lives in Davis, California. She also writes under the name Elizabeth Maxwell. Her latest novel,Happily Ever After, has been published in ten languages. AMANDA SERRANO Amanda Serrano lives under the sunny skies of Northern California. She began writing misspelled, dramatic, and twisted little tales before she was even in kindergarten. A Retro Pin Up girl in a former life, her writing has been featured in numerous Vintage lifestyle magazines, poetry anthologies and short story collections. Amanda was also a finalist in director Francis Ford Coppola’s (The Godfather) American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition. Her first novel, Flowers For Alcatraz, will be released in 2016. Amanda’s book of poetry, Drinking The Sun, my life in poems and prose, will be featured at this years festival, and she is donating all of the proceeds from her book sales to the Delta Humane Society in Stockton.

maya tongren Maya the Story of a German War Bride is the life story of a German girl growing up in Germany during Hitler’s regime. She spent the night of her fifteenth birthday huddled in the basement with her family as her home town of Augsburg suffered its largest air raid of the war, during the coldest night of that year. Life was very interesting for the teenager after the war ended and the American troops entered the city, bringing with them the Big Band Sound. Five years after the war, she Judgement of the Flaming met and married an American Sword Trilogy – Book 1 soldier. Moving to America was just the beginning of many differSee me at the 2015 Great Valley ent experiences that awaited her. Bookfest or order my book online at When the couple had four children, aged thirteen, twelve, nine, Amazon.com

TRINITY

by Elena Carpenter

2015 Great Valley Bookfest

The Bulletin-Thursday, October 8, 2015

Participating Vendors Agape Village ArtStart Barnes & Noble Blackwing Boys & Girls Club Boys & Girls Club Keystone Bundts & Crumpets Cannoli Corleone Creative Arts Zone Damsel in Defence Dazzle Dogs Delta College Dos Brothers Tacos Electric Angel Music – Escalon Physical Medicine Fantastic Collectibles & Gifts Farmers Insurance Federated Women’s GECAC (Give Every Child A Chance) Gourmet Grillin Health Plan of San Joaquin Hennavation J’s R Us Travel Jehovah Witnesses Manteca Bulletin Manteca Body, Brain Yoga Manteca District Ambulance Millennium Tupperware My Kids Dentist Kiwanis Club of Modesto MUSD (Manteca Unified School District) Panfino Popcorn Simply Irresistible State Farm Stockton San Joaquin Public Library Teachers College of San Joaquin County Tracy Learning Center Usborne Books Valley Oak Dental

and six, they left the U.S. to embark on an elevenmonth, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Africa, the Canary Islands, and Europe. Four years after their return to the U.S., they moved to California, where they remain to this day. Sadly, a few years later, tragedy struck the family. The book ends 60 years later on Maya’s 75th birthday. Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Raley’s. KYRUN SILVA Kyrun’s earliest memories are of “drawing characters in his room with the TV blaring in the background.” As a young boy, Kyrun couldn’t stop drawing and creating. He was fascinated with everything from cartoons to sci-fi, fantasy and other geeky things, but comic books was and still is his main addiction. From the storytelling to the beautiful artwork, he knew he had to be a part of this world. With the help of his friends and family he formed a talented, but small group of artists and created Big Tree Comics. He wanted BTC to be more than just superheroes. he wanted to create quality and fun books that everyone can read. RICKY EADDY Sacramento native Ricky Eaddy has been making his own comic strips for most of his life. His style is heavily influenced by the “Sunday Funny’s” he read as a youth. It wasn’t until later in life he decided to take his passion for comics to the next level and put out his own book. He joined Big Tree Comics in 2014 and immediately began developing “Whyte & Wong” a buddy cop, action-comedy about two San Francisco detectives. Ricky also does a Sunday webcomic called Vocabularious. It’s a single panel comic centered around an obscure word from the English language often how he feels that day. Elizabeth Sousa Elizabeth Sousa was born and raised in the Bay Area, but since 2008 has made a home in the Central Valley. She is an insurance agent by trade, a poet at heart, a Type One Diabetes advocate, and the mother of a 10-year-old super hero in the making. In 2010 she was humbled to compete in Modesto’s coveted annual poetry slam invitational. The III List 7, and was a regular at SLaM on RyE before it closed its doors in 2012. Elizabeth’s poetry has been published in Collected Whispers and More Than Soil, More Than Sky: The Modesto Poets. James Weaver James Weaver is poet who has been published in two issues of Penumbra (2012 and 2015) and Collision: The Intersection of Poetry and Photography (2015). Some of his performances include performing at SlaM on RyE, Berkeley’s Poetry Slam and the Queen Bean of Modesto. He was also a judge at InkSlam in Los Angeles. He is currently working on his first chapbook. Sage Curtis Sage Curtis is currently an MFA candidate in poetry at University of San Francisco. Her work has been p u b lished in literary journals such as burntdistrict, 3 4 t h

Participating Authors Abou-Gamin, Tony