Inside Scoop Live!

Don Ake is a funny guy. His humor writing is clever, witty, and totally entertaining. Instead of telling jokes, he paints funny pictures inside your head. You will smile, then snicker, and finally laugh out loud. Often you will laugh with him, sometimes you will laugh at him, but you will laugh and laugh a lot.
Don takes simple everyday things and situations and makes them hilarious. His perspective on life is unique, sometimes even bizarre.  His humor writing has been compared to the television show “Seinfeld” because the topics are so basic, but the humor so funny.
He started writing humor columns in college and began writing his popular Ake’s Pains blog in 2011. He released his first humor book, “Just Make Me A Sammich” in 2015 and followed it up with “Will There Be Free Appetizers” in 2018.
Don works as an analyst/economist in the trucking industry and has an MBA degree from the University of Akron. He resides in Northeast Ohio.
To learn more about Don Ake and his books visit his website at www.donake.net.
Topics of conversation:
 
Writing Humor
How to make even the most mundane topics funny
Humor that’s relatable and diverse
Making people laugh out loud
Who makes Don laugh?
Evolving and growing as a writer
Advice to aspiring authors

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