2020-05

Anna Dopico never imaged herself as a writer but felt compelled to write the story of Phil White and Gerard Vroomen, co-founders of Cervélo Cycles. Married to Phil, she had an insider’s view of their story from when Phil and Gerard met to when they sold their company. Anna was not only Phil’s wife but a business person, as well, with financing experience that proved useful after Phil and Gerard started their company. She provided a home for Cervélo in the early years, became a business advisor to the company, and in the later years, went to work for the company. She spent three years writing the Cervélo story and released the book in May 2018.
To learn more about Anna Dopico and her book visit her website at www.tomakeridersfaster.com.
Topics of conversation:
On becoming a writer and the writing process
A company built on determination and excellence
Marketing
CAN Fund www.canadianathletesnow.ca
Hobbies and Interests
Endeavour Volunteer Consulting www.endeavourvolunteer.ca
Advice to aspiring authors

Betty Jean Craige retired from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia in 2011, after thirty-eight happy years. During this time, she published books in the fields of literature, poetry translation (from Spanish), history of ideas, ecology, and art. She curated two museum exhibitions of the art of Alvar Suñol and produced a documentary about him titled Alvar: His Vision and His Art, which won first place in its category in the Indie Gathering Film Festival. Her non-academic books are Conversations with Cosmo: At Home with an African Grey Parrot (2010); three Witherston Murder Mysteries: Downstream (2014), Fairfield’s Auction (2016), and Dam Witherston (2017), published by Black Opal Books; and Aldo (2018), a thriller, also published by Black Opal Books. Fairfield’s Auction won first place in the category of Murder and Mayhem in the 2018 Chanticleer International Book Awards. Dam Witherston received Honorable Mention in the Mysteries category of the 2017 Royal Dragonfly Book Awards and Distinguished Favorite in Mystery in the 2018 Independent Press Awards.
To learn more about Betty Jean Craige and her books visit her website at www.bettyjeancraigebooks.weebly.com.
 
Topics of conversation:
Writing murder mysteries
Cosmo – her African Grey Parrot  – we’ll hear some of Cosmo’s thoughts as well!
Hobbies and Interests
Writing what you want to learn about

A Chinese American and son of Chinese immigrants who escaped from the Communist takeover of China in 1949, Stanley Chao grew up in California in a very traditional Chinese family: living with three generations under one roof, speaking only Chinese until grade school, and learning that anything less than an A grade was unacceptable, and that working hard was the only way to get ahead in life. Chao holds a BSEE degree from Columbia University, an MSEE from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Business. His professional career includes stints at Philips Lighting in California, and China; Kingston Technology in California and Japan; SoftBank in Japan; and Merrill Lynch in New York and Japan. He speaks fluent English, Mandarin, and Japanese and currently resides in Los Angeles. Chao is the Managing Director of All In Consulting, a Los Angeles based consulting firm assisting Western companies in their Asia and China business developments. Chao’s clients include: Intel, Emerson Electric, SPX, Kingston Technology, Baxter Healthcare, and dozens of small and medium-sized companies. Chao and his team have conducted over 200 projects in China covering more than 12 different vertical markets including the aviation, automotive, medical, information technology, manufacturing and environmental engineering industries.
To learn more about Stanley Chao and his book, “Selling to China” visit his website at www.allinconsult.com.
Topics of conversation:
The Sino-US trade war
What will happen over the coming months?
Is China running out of bullets?
What should American companies do?
Intellectual property theft
The most difficult aspects about doing business in China
Predictions about China
Hobbies and Interests
Personal story about travels to China

Desirée Calderón de Fawaz is a writer and illustrator specializing in stories about children from different cultural and religious backgrounds; stories that have universal appeal and hidden wisdom. Born and raised in Mexico City, Desirée’s earliest memories are of painting with oils and writing poems, both natural activities in a family where writers like Jose Vasconcelos and painters like Frida Kahlo flourished. In 2015, Desirée traveled to Lebanon in search of the perfect town that would set the stage for her new story and found that the cities of Saida and Biblos epitomized the diverse and vibrant Mediterranean culture she was looking for. Two years and many teas later, Tata’s Earrings was ready to launch with the hope that it would sow a small seed of love, compassion, and understanding. Desirée lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and three children. When not writing, she practices yoga, learns herbology, and enjoys cuddling up on her couch with a good book.
To learn more about Desiree and her books visit her website at www.desireecalderondefawaz.com.
Topics of conversation:
Writing and Illustrating Children’s Books
Research and Travel for the Perfect Setting
Representation of Arab Women and Children in Literature
Frida Khalo
Hobbies and Interests
Campaign of Giving

Mark Gunther has been many things in his life— student, hippie, cook, husband, carpenter, father, dancer, administrator, musician, entrepreneur, athlete. He has worked in staff or board roles in small businesses and nonprofit organizations for forty years.
After his daughter Eva was killed by a drunk driver in 1997, he and his wife started the Eva Gunther Foundation (www.evafoundation.org), to “fuel hope in the heart of a girl.”
Mark received an MFA in Creative Writing in December of 2015 and since then has been published in several literary journals and other publications. Without Jenny is his first novel.
To learn more about Mark Gunther and his debut novel, “Without Jenny” visit his website at www.markgunther.net.
Topics of conversation:
Writing Fiction vs. Memoir
Eva Gunther Foundation (www.evafoundation.org)
Personal Judaism
Long Distance Bicycling and Other Interests
Advice to Aspiring Authors

Sherrill S. Cannon is a former teacher and grandmother of ten and the author of nine published rhymed children’s stories in addition to this newest book of poetry. Her books have received fifty-eight National and International awards. “A Penny for Your Thoughts” is a collection of poetry she has written through the years.
As a teacher, she used poetry to help counsel many troubled teens and friends and has continued this pattern throughout the years.   She is also a playwright with seven published plays for elementary school children, which have been performed internationally in 24 countries. She has also been a professional newspaper sports writer and photographer, a dinner theatre stage manager, and a business administrator.
Sherrill and her husband just celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary this June. They are now retired and travel in their RV from coast to coast each year to spend time with their children and grandchildren.
For more information on Sherrill Cannon and her books, visit her website at www.sherrillcannon.com.
Topics of conversation:
Writing Poetry
Her Children’s Books and Plays
Travel
Poetry Readings from “A Penny for Your Thoughts” Grandfather Clock I Think of You Winter’s Nuptials Frozen Wasteland
Teasers from “A Dime is a Sign” A Dime is a Sign Through Time When I Open My Eyes

Dr. Diane Pomerantz is a clinical psychologist who has been in practice working with children, adolescents, and adults in the Baltimore, Maryland area for over thirty-five years. She has done extensive work in the area of trauma and child abuse, and research in the area of personality development of abused children. She currently runs Healing Through Writing groups in her practice. She is a breast cancer survivor and has two wonderful grown children. She and her shaggy dog, Rug, live amidst tall trees on the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland.
For more information on Diane and her book “Lost in the Reflecting Pool” visit her websites at www.dianepomerantz.com and www.drdianepomerantz.com. 
Topics of conversation:
Memoir writing as healing
How becoming a parent enhanced her skills as a therapist
Forgiveness – is it necessary to forgive in order to heal?
Human Connectedness
Narcissism in today’s world

J. Peter (Pete) Hoyer was born and raised in New York State, about 40 miles north of NYC.  He graduated from the Citadel, Military College of SC, then served a 22-year career with the Army. He traveled throughout the United States, Europe, and South Korea. After retiring from the Army, he worked 20 more years as a civilian instructor with the Department of Defense, teaching logistics, transportation, and military tactics.
He has received many military and civilian awards and decorations but is most proud of being awarded the U.S. Army Transportation Corps Distinguished Member of the Regiment award.
Pete holds 2 Masters Degrees from Webster University and Troy State University in the study of Human Relations and Human Resource Management.
Pete is married, with 2 children and 2 grandchildren, and lives in Calabash, NC.  “Characters on the Green” is his first published book.
For more information on Peter Hoyer and his book, “Characters on the Green” visit his website at www.charactersonthegreen.com. 
Topics of conversation:
How his sense of humor comes through in his writing style
Humorous stories about some of the people he’s met on and off the golf course
Life in the Army and meeting interesting characters from all over the world
Marketing, book promotion and his next projects
Advice to aspiring authors

Since childhood, Thomas J. Brodeur has been telling stories. Early efforts included drawing his own comics, a skill he honed from grade school through college. In high school, he composed three graphic novels and wrote his first short story. His first published novel, Regina Silsby’s Secret War (2004), was nominated for the Scott O’Dell award for historical fiction.
Besides writing, Mr. Brodeur managed to graduate college and divert some attention to a multi-faceted career. His corporate experience spans several continents and includes motion picture production, computer-aided design, information technology, management, and customer service.
He spends his spare time building ships-in-bottles and dabbling in calligraphy, cartooning and fine art. Additional activities include laundry, dishwashing, lawn mowing, painting, plumbing, and electrical work as required. He enjoys fixing things, anything from bikes to broken furniture.
Home is Florida, with his bride of several decades.
Faces Behind the Masks was recently honored with two top awards in the 2017-2018 Reader Views Literary Awards, taking home First Place in the Teen Category for Kids ages 12-16 and the Reader Views Kids Award for Best Teen/YA Book of the Year.
For more information on Thomas J. Brodeur and his books visit his website at http://thomasjbrodeur.org.
Topics of conversation:
Writing from the perspective of a Teen/YA
Everything is a field for possible use in writing
Developing your Characters
Using an Outline
Hobbies – Building Ships in Bottles, Fixing and Building Things, etc.

Fidelis O. Mkparu was born in Onitsha Nigeria. He is a Harvard-trained cardiologist who has written medical articles for both scientific and lay audiences. His previous novel, Love’s Affliction, was a 2016 Nautilus Book Awards Silver Winner for Fiction, a Reader Views Literary Award Winner for 2015/2016, and a finalist for the 2015 INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award for Multicultural Fiction. He lives in Canton, Ohio USA.
For more information about Fidelis Mkparu and his books visit his website at www.fidelismkparu.com.
Topics of conversation:
Passion for Writing
Spirituality in Life and in Writing
The Greatest Gift
Upcoming Projects
Advice to New Authors

Melissa Muldoon is an artist, graphic designer, and award-winning author of the Studentessa Matta Website, a dual language blog, where she promotes the Italian language and culture. Through the Matta Website, she organizes small group language immersion programs in Italy twice a year, in collaboration with Italian schools as well as private Italian language homestay vacations, with teachers all over Italy.
Waking Isabella follows Melissa’s debut novel Dreaming Sophia, published in 2016. In this new book set in Arezzo, Italy, readers are taken on another art history adventure. Waking Isabella weaves together several loves stories as well as a few mysteries, as Nora, the protagonist begins to resolve the puzzle of a painting, which has been missing for decades of Isabella de’ Medici — the Renaissance princess who was murdered by her husband.
For more information on Melissa Muldoon and her books, visit her website at www.melissamuldoon.com.
Topics of conversation:
Isabella de Medici
Research for the book in Arezzo, Italy
Giostra del Saracino – Annual Jousting Festival held in Arezzo
Suppression of Artists and Hitler’s Obsession during WWII
Melissa’s Writing Process
Her Award Winning Italian Language Blog and Immersion Trips to Italy
Most Rewarding Experience as an Author

Dr. Iyabo Ojikutu is a board-certified pediatrician and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She received her medical degree at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria. She has been practicing medicine since she was 22 years old, and currently owns, and runs her practice in Atlanta, Georgia, where she lives with her two daughters. Permanent Happiness is her first book. Her writing began in December 2015, after her dear father passed.
For more information on Dr. Iyabo and her book visit her website at www.driyabo.com.
Topics of conversation:
Her inspiration to start writing
Pediatrics as a career
Finding balance in a busy world
Learning about life from living in 3 different continents
United Nations SDG Media Zone event
Her writing process and publishing experience

Adeed Dawisha was born and raised in Iraq and educated in England, where he received his Ph.D. from the London School of Economics in 1974. Until September 2016, he was University Distinguished Professor of Political Science at Miami University, Ohio, and is the recipient of many prestigious fellowships and awards.
In addition to over 80 academic and public policy articles and book chapters, Dr Dawisha has 12 scholarly books, the most recent of which are the new and expanded editions of Arab Nationalism in the Twentieth Century (2016), and Iraq: A Political History (2013), both published by Princeton University Press, and The Second Arab Awakening (2013), published by W.W. Norton.
Since retirement, he has turned to fiction with the publication of his first novel, The Paymaster (Outskirts Press, 2017). A fast-paced thriller, The Paymaster is a tightly written and intricately plotted novel, with many unanticipated twists and revelations. The plot is complex, but not complicated, and while the narrative moves along at a tempo that makes it difficult for the reader to put the book down, there is enough space for character development, so that the reader feels intimately connected to the characters at every juncture of the novel.
Adeed Dawisha is married to Dr. Karen Dawisha, author of the best-selling book, Putin’s Kleptocracy (Simon and Schuster, 2014). He has a daughter, Nadia, a son, Emile, and a recently arrived beautiful grandson, Theodore.
Topics of conversation:
Writing Mystery/Thrillers in Retirement
Fiction vs. Non-Fiction Writing
European Soccer
Future Projects
Publishing Experience and Advice to New Authors

Kaylin McFarren has received more than 40 national literary awards, in addition to a prestigious Golden Heart Award nomination for Flaherty’s Crossing – a book she and her oldest daughter, Kristina McMorris, co-authored in 2008. Prior to embarking on her writing journey and developing the popular Threads action/adventure romance series, she poured her passion for creativity into her work as the director of a fine art gallery in the Pearl District in Portland, Oregon; she also served as a governor-appointed member of the Oregon Arts Commission.
When she’s not traveling or spoiling her pups and three grandsons, she enjoys giving back to her community through participation and support of various charitable and educational organizations in the Pacific Northwest, and is currently the president of the Soulful Giving Foundation – a non-profit focused on cancer research, care and treatment at hospitals throughout Oregon.
For more information about Kaylin McFarren and her work, visit her website at www.kaylinmcfarren.com.
Topics of conversation:
Writing Across Different Genres
Soulful Giving Foundation
Annual Family Photo
Upcoming Projects
Her Unique Writing Process

J. Everett Prewitt is a Vietnam veteran and a former Army officer. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, and a Master of Science Degree in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University. Prewitt was awarded the title of distinguished alumni at both schools.
His debut novel Snake Walkers placed first for fiction in four different literary contests and won the Bronze Award for General Fiction in ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year contest. Snake Walkers was also honored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.
Prewitt’s second novel, A Long Way Back was awarded the Literary Classic’s Seal of Approval. It won the Independent Publishers of New England first place award, was a finalist for the Eric Hoffer Montaigne Medal Award, received the Bronze Award for the INDIEFAB Book of the Year Award, the Silver Award from Literary Classics and the DNQ Award from IBPA’s Benjamin Franklin Award.
Something About Ann, and a series of short stories related to A Long Way Back including the award-winning The Last Time I Saw Willie, will be available in September 2017.
Prewitt loves tennis, billiards, backgammon, jazz, and a good red wine.
For more information about Everett Prewitt and his work, visit his website at www.eprewitt.com.
Topics of conversation:
Writing and PTSD
Books That Inspired Him
Writing Positive Stories
Prewitt’s Future Projects
Message to Young African American Writers

Michael Pronko has lived in Tokyo for twenty years but was born in Kansas City, a very different world. After graduating from Brown University in philosophy, he hit the road, traveling around the world for two years working odd jobs. He went back to school for a Master’s in Education, and then took a teaching position in Beijing. For two years, he taught English, traveled China and wrote.
After more traveling and two more degrees, another M.A. in Comparative Literature in Madison, Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in English at the University of Kent at Canterbury, he finally settled in Tokyo as a professor of American Literature at Meiji Gakuin University. His seminars focus on contemporary novels and film adaptations, and he teaches other classes in American indie film and American music and art.
Pronko has published three award-winning collections of essays: Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo (Raked Gravel Press 2015), Tokyo’s Mystery Deepens (Raked Gravel Press 2014), and Beauty and Chaos: Essays on Tokyo (Raked Gravel Press 2014). He has published books in Japanese and two textbooks in both English and Japanese.
Over the years in Tokyo, he has written regular columns for many publications: The Japan Times, Newsweek Japan, Jazznin, ST Shukan, Jazz Colo[u]rs, and Artscape Japan. He runs his own website Jazz in Japan (www.jazzinjapan.com). He also continues to publish academic articles and helps run a conference on teaching literature.
For more information about Michael Pronko and his work, visit his website at www.michaelpronko.com.
Topics of conversation:
Writing Mystery
Life in Tokyo
Cultural differences between Japan and America
Being a Professor of American Literature in Tokyo
Jazz and his Jazz website: www.jazzinjapan.com

Diana Forbes is a 9th generation American, with ancestors on both sides of the Civil War. Diana Forbes lives and writes in Manhattan. When she is not cribbing chapters, Diana Forbes loves to explore the buildings where her 19th Century American ancestors lived, loved, survived and thrived. She is passionate about vintage clothing, antique furniture, ancestry, and vows to master the quadrille in her lifetime. Diana Forbes is the author of New York Gilded Age historical fiction.
For more information about Diana Forbes visit her website at www.DianaForbesNovels.com.
Topics of conversation:
Being a Native New Yorker and finding traces of Old New York in today’s city
The Gilded Age and the Women’s Suffrage Movement
The Discipline of Writing
Finding Your Community of Writers
Writing Historical Fiction

Michael Kasenow is an award-winning novelist (View From The Edge; A Wicked Thing); an award-winning poet (Six Feet Down); and the author of the critically acclaimed novel The Last Paradise. He has traveled extensively, living in many places among a variety of unique personalities. His lifetime resume includes waiter, cab driver, bartender, lumberman, janitor, and ranch hand in New Mexico. These experiences add authenticity to his written work. He is currently a Geology Professor at Eastern Michigan University and lives in a Michigan harbor town, enjoying the west waves of Lake Michigan.
For more information on Michael Kasenow and his book visit his website. 
Topics of conversation:
Poetry as a writing and reading tool/exercise
How an Author’s non-writing background helps his/her writing
Surviving and thriving after child abuse
His Passion for Geology

Nicole Taylor is an anthropologist who explores contemporary social issues related to education and health through the analytic lens of language practices. Her research includes teasing and bullying in schools, childhood obesity, and body image concerns and social media use among youth. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English and a doctorate in anthropology from the University of Arizona.
Following graduate school, she worked in nonprofit and corporate settings conducting research in the areas of substance abuse, education and poverty, childhood obesity, and school climate. Nicole then served for five years as the Director of Scholar Programs at the School for Advanced Research in Santa Fe, New Mexico before returning to Texas State University, her undergraduate alma mater, to accept a faculty position.
For more information on Nicole Taylor and her book, visit her website.
Topics of conversation:
Conducting Ethnographic Research
Creating a Healthy, Respectful Relationship with our Bodies
Guilty Pleasures
Yoga, Meditation, and Walking – Self Care
The Importance of Family, School, and Community Engagement

Janice Wood Wetzel is a graduate of the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis, and a former Dean and Professor Emerita of Social Work at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. She has served as a United Nations Representative in New York since 1988.  Dr. Wetzel is a well-published international educator and researcher who has specialized in the human rights, mental health and advancement of women from a global perspective for more than 40 years. A mother of three and grandmother of four, she is a member of Professional Women Photographers and lives on the Upper West Side of New York City.
For more information about Janice Wood Wetzel and her book visit her website.
Topics of conversation:
The Profession of Social Work
Women and the United Nations
Women and Mental Health from a Global Perspective
Photography
Writing a Memoir