Participating Authors, Groups, & Publishers in 2019

Lee Barckmann a former IT consultant, and China expat is the author of two highly praised novels. “… depiction of time and place and character that rivals more classic tales of flawed individuals” or “a fast-paced, sharp-turning plot…” www.leeledge.blogspot.com

Joe R. Blakely has written at least 14 books and always has another one in the hopper. One of his latest is Bigfoot and the Ancient Forest. 

Connie Strome Bradley spent 50 years in nursing and administration. She was recognized as “First Citizen” of Florence, OR for community involvement. Snowball, the Nanny Goose of Sutton Lake, LuLu, the Dancing Snail and Madge and Bill, Barn Owlets are illustrated by Carol Unser.

In Irene Bennett Brown‘s historical novel, Miss Royal’s Mules – a finalist for the Will Rogers Medallion Award honoring excellence – destitute, lonely, Jocelyn Royal, joins a mule drive to earn back her farm lost to the bank in 1900s Kansas. www.IreneBennettBrown.net

In Irene Bennett Brown‘s historical novel, Miss Royal’s Mules – a finalist for the Will Rogers Medallion Award honoring excellence – destitute, lonely, Jocelyn Royal, joins a mule drive to earn back her farm lost to the bank in 1900s Kansas. www.IreneBennettBrown.net

Melody Carlson is one of the most prolific novelists of our time. With more than 250 novels published, and book sales topping seven million, she’s received numerous national writing awards. She makes her home in Central Oregon.

In You Can’t Have It All, Coos Bay poet Annis Cassells navigates the sometimes sparkling, sometimes treacherous waters of family, identity, migration, and politics and in the process shows us both how to hold on and how to let go. Visit her online.

Grace Elting Castle set her debut novel, A Time to Wail, An Indian Country Novel, in the rural beauty of Oregon’s Siletz River Valley, blending in the early history and culture of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians.  www.GraceEltingCastle.com

Charlie Crawford is a singer, songwriter, and author who has been writing and making music for over 50 years, and he has written five books. 

S.K. DeMarinis is the author of The Station Master’s Wife, an 1880s-1920s historical fiction novel woven from real people and events from Coastal and Southern Oregon. A woman of resourcefulness in the face of betrayal becomes a secret Madam.

*Clay Dickerson shares insights from his 38-year career as a wildland fire fighter / forest manager with the Oregon Department of Forestry, retiring in 1999. Informative, sometimes fun, at times frightening. Suitable for youth and adult readers. www.FireatMyFeet.com

Jonathan Dodson’s Speedbumps is an often touching, often humorous account of growing up with epilepsy. Dodson is a descendant of Oregon Trail pioneers with strong family ties in Florence. His uncle, Terry Dodson, provided illustrations for his book.

Laura Doyle is a writer of inspirational messages and the author of the inspirational book My Child, As You Grow Older: Lessons For Life. For more information, please visit www.desireforhigher.com or visit @DesireForHigher.

*Dennis Ellingson is the author of the best- selling book God’s Healing Herbs plus 10 other books; Oregon-based Westerns, plant identification books and local history; The Lost Villages of Lost Creek Lake.

Jack Estes is a former Oregon Book Award finalist for his Vietnam memoir A Field of Innocence. He is also the author of critically-acclaimed novel A Soldier’s Son. His next book coming soon is Searching For Gurney.

C. Edwin (Ed) Fender retired in 2011 to refocus his writing skills on novels and memoirs. He has written two memoirs, two adventure novels and one children’s book. He lives in Eugene and has a seaside cottage in Yachats. His latest book is his autobiography––Edified–sometimes a magical journey.

Judy Fleagle co-founder of FFOB, has written Crossings: McCullough’s Coastal Bridges, The Crossings Guide to Oregon’s Coastal Spans, Around Florence, and Devil Cat and Other Colorful Animals I Have Known. The Oregon Coast Guide to the UNEXPECTED is her newest book. Click to visit her blog.

Michael Foster authored The Wakanisha novel series which vividly describes the last generation of free-living Lakota Sioux. This historic fiction takes readers into the hearts and homes of remarkable people from the end of our Civil war to present day.

Wendy Gorton is back with a brand-new guide to hiking with kids—this time in California! Family-friendly, fun, and trustworthy, 50 Hikes with Kids: California is handcrafted for parents and caregivers who want to spark a love of nature in childhood and beyond.

N. J. Hanson is a member of the California writer’s club. Published his first book at twenty-four and completed three since, the most recent being The Kingdom of Dadria. His second book, An Empty Swing, was a finalist in the American Fiction Awards.

Clifford D. Harper is a retired Professor of Theatre Arts and Dance at California State University, Los Angeles. Dr. Harper has published two novels: Covenant and And Face the Unknown. He resides in Gleneden Beach, Oregon.

Robert Leo Heilman is an award-winning author from Myrtle Creek, Oregon. His latest book, Children of Death, is a meditation on the history of his family’s migrations from France to Russia in 1810 and on to the United States in 1909.

Hope Hill is a poet, author, and former foster-child. She overcame great adversity through writing to tell her story. Her works have been featured in many publications including “Diverse Minds Anthology” and “The Mighty.”

Joshua Hirschstein & Maren Beck authored Silk Weavers of Hill Tribe Laos: Textiles, Traditions and Well-Being. Part travelogue, part silk-weaving primer, this book introduces the culture and textile artists of an independent group of traditional silk weavers in remote Laos. www.hilltribeart.com

Paul Hoobyar is the author of Rogue River Reprieve. This white-knuckled story of the new Old West “brims with eco-intrigue.” Paul was a fishing guide for 18 years and lives in Eugene, Oregon. Order online at www.watersheds.com.

Creighton Horton prosecuted many of Utah’s most notorious crimes for three decades, which resulted in his book, A Reluctant Prosecutor.

Diana Kilpatrick, a court reporter, has led a varied, adventurous life, from her days with YWAM and Mercy Ships to her work in prison ministry. Her debut cozy mystery, Off the Record, introduces us to Shae Rose, a feisty and loveable court reporter. www.DianaKilpatrick.com

Jack Karasch has written short stories, poetry, and novels, and he has been a journalist. He is a world traveler and scuba diver and lives on a lake in coastal Oregon. 

Gary Lark is a lifelong Oregonian and has been a carpenter, janitor, hospital aide, salesman, storyteller, fly fisherman, and librarian. His books include: Ordinary Gravity, River of Solace, Editor’s Choice Chapbook Award, Turtle Island Quarterly, In the House of Memory…

James Lettis taught middle school for thirty-three years. He has written two children’s books, The Squire and the White Dragon and How to Catch a Whopper, and introduces his new historical novel, Spirit Bow: The Saga of Sean O’Malley.

Ron Lovell, a magazine journalist, taught journalism at Oregon State for 24 years. He writes two series: the Thomas Martindale Mysteries about a crime-solving college professor, and the Lorenzo Madrid Mysteries about an Oregon immigration attorney. His newest novel is Dangerous Decisiones.

Maralee Lowder is the author of several fiction genres – Romance, Horror, and metphysical/speculative. She will be offering books in each of these genres at the Florence Festival of Books. She looks forward to meeting both new and future fans.

Kayla Mansur & Amanda Muratoff are a co-writing team who would like to introduce you to the Pantracia Chronicles, a romantic fantasy series. The journey begins with Embrace of the Shade (5 stars from Self-Published Review & Reader’s Favorite) and Blood of the Key. www.Pantracia.com

Tracy L. Markley, fitness specialist, 25 years in industry, and on Fitness Education Advisory Board (Medfited.org). Published 5 books: The Stroke of an Artist; Tipping Toward Balance; Stroke Recovery What Now?; The Power of Your Spine and Back Muscles; and Your Brain.  www.tracymarkley.com

Sherrie McCorkle believes that unforgiveness is destructive in the lives of all people. Her book, Hidden Unforgiveness, provides a biblically-based list and discussion of reasons why learning to forgive one another is vital to our spiritual, emotional, psychological and physical well-being.

Donna McFarland began her self-publishing career in 2008 with her debut children’s chapter book, The Purple Elephant. Her books include early readers, chapter books and piano music. Donna also offers book preparation services for self-publishing authors. www.spencermeadowpress.com

Joshua Mertz‘s latest book is The Sweet Smell of Freedom, a collection of science fiction and fantasy short stories. He has three books of poetry also.

Vanessa Newman, a published author, who contributes regularly to the Rogue Valley Messenger has been writing for 30 years. Children’s books, tiny books, and cat books too! Her humor and whimsical style appeal to adults and children alike. Click to learn more. 

Karen D. Nichols’s new book A Name By Any Other is here. Set in Oregon, all books contain: dog story, love story, intriguing endings: Thornton House, Unexpected Gift, Second Chance Heart, Triumph Over Fear, Moral of the Story, Roots of an Oak, and Here, There, Gone.

Richard Nordahl has lived in the Pacific Northwest since early childhood and since his retirement as a sawmill/carpenter worker. Trapper Fred & The Indian Girl is his latest writing. Carolyn Nordahl has lived in the Florence area since 1952 and has written some of her memories of her childhood in her book Grandma’s Window Shade, many of them from her days in the Siuslaw School system. All illustrations from the Nordahl books were illustrated by Carolyn.

Suzanne “Sumi Fyhrie” Parrott is the author of bestselling book, The Ebook Formatting & Publishing Guide, and several Children’s Books: The Mysterious Flyer, Where is Bear?, Two Ghostly Tails, and Billy Beetle Bug and his Beetle Bug Board.                                        www.suzannefyhrieparrott.com

*Helen Ritchie is the author of The Kids In Far Left Field.  This book is about how teachers and administrators bully students and in the process teach other children to bully.

Andrea Scharf’s Saving Big Creek tells how a persistent group of activists blocked a multi-million dollar resort, rescued an endangered butterfly, and expanded opportunities for citizen involvement in land use decisions in Oregon. An inspiring true story.

Jim Smith is the author of four books of Oregon history and Birds of Fern Ridge Reservoir. His earlier nonfiction books detail the history of Alaska. Smith has also written four collections of poetry and will feature early American hymnbooks at his booth.

Sharon Sneddon is a freelance nonfiction writer of over 25 years experience. Her articles focusing on nature and travel have appeared in international, national, and regional publications. Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Environmental Travel Essays for a Changing World is her first book.

Jeff  Steinbeck is a cartoonist who works on a webcomic called Billy the Platypus. Jeff recently self published the first 200 strips into a collection titled Face Huggers want Hugs. Find it online by clicking here. 

Michael Strelow has published four literary novels and three children’s books (MG, ages 8 to 12). He is an emeritus professor from Willamette University. His latest adult novel is The Moby-Dick Blues, set on the Oregon coast. Click here for the Amazon page. 

Lori Tobias is the author of the novel Wander, winner of 2017 Nancy Pearl Book Award for literary fiction. She is also a journalist, formerly on staff at The Oregonian and Rocky Mountain News.

Dr. Muabilai Tshionyi writes books of African Folktales for all ages. The author captures on paper the traditional folktales he grew up listening to in his childhood country of Congo. These folktales are presented in vivid narrative and vibrant illustrations. http://calychio.com

Glenn Voelz served for twenty-five years in the Army as an intelligence officer. During his career he worked on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in the White House Situation Room and at NATO headquarters. War Under the Mango Tree is his first novel. www.glennvoelz.com

Margie Wall’s So Many Hats is an intriguing journey into the world of colonial missions in the Belgian Congo. Margie, daughter of missionary parents Ira and Carol Cross, captures the flavor of life in Africa in these chapter stories.

Kelli Warner is an Oregon native who writes heartfelt and relatable young adult and contemporary romance novels—engaging stories that get your insides so wound up in an ooey gooey mess that you forget about the un-fun stuff in life! www.kelliwarner.com

Christa Weisman is a Pacific Northwest girl living on the Oregon Coast with her husband and two kids. She loves writing suspenseful mysteries that are also thought provoking.

Bob Welch is a longtime R-G columnist, founder of the Beachside Writers Workshop and author of more than 20 books, including the just-released The Wizard of Foz: Dick Fosbury’s One-Man High-Jump Revolution (Skyhorse Publishing, New York). www.bobwelch.net

Tami J. Whitmore writes for children about the world around her. Her ocean books focus on birds, cranberries, safety, and local attractions.

Theresa Wisner‘s book, Daughter of Neptune, is a memoir of working aboard fishing and merchant vessels along the US west coast. Throughout is woven a story of the lengths a daughter will go in search of the love of her father.                            www.theresawisner.com

Bob Williams is a retired pastor, the voice of “Moment of Inspiration” broadcasts, pastoral and church counsellor and an accomplished pianist. In his book, Californian Pastor Preechet takes a church in North Carolina in the mid-1970s. His western ways collide with Southern culture. www.bobwilliamsbooks.com

Jennifer Dalen Wolfe authors and illustrates children’s stories – now including short stories of life, whimsy and acknowledgement. She has many years of experience in art, writing, and creative endeavors. She looks forward to meeting you!