WILLIE CARWELL is an illustrator and Art Director at Deep Nerd Magazine. Born in Palestine, Texas, Willie has been creating illustrations and stories for children and adults for over fifteen years. Illustrator for the Foster Hero Series, and author of Treasure Box and The Guilty Trip, Willie's inspiration comes from his family and the world around him. During his spare time, he loves just being with his family, who bring Willie much joy and inspiration for his work. |
VALERIE CULLARI is best known for tripping over nothing while wanting the world to understand and accept autism. Even before her son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), she supported the ASD community through fundraising and character appearances (yes, she really is a princess!). After Rocco’s diagnosis, Valerie learned all she could about autism with the dream of educating others. She intimately shares the ups and downs of her life with Rocco on her blog, RoccosJourney.com, Valerie has been published in Autism Parenting Magazine, is recognized as Ambassador of the Month for Autism New Jersey, and sits on the Board for Autism Radio. You can connect with Valerie on Instagram @ValerieInspires. |
MARLENE ENDERLEIN's professional career began in cardiology. She was fortunate to be involved in pediatric cardiology during its infancy, working with a team of dedicated pediatric cardiologists and surgeons to establish guidelines used to diagnose and manage infants and children with congenital heart disease. In addition, she authored and co-authored numerous medical journal articles and chapters that have become standard references today. During this time, Marlene worked with many sub-specialties, teaching skills to diagnose congenital heart disease from in utero to supporting the adult with congenital heart disease. In 2017, Marlene retired after thirty-three years. Following numerous personal losses, Marlene decided to pursue her interest in how loss affects the mind/body/spirit. She attended graduate school and received her MS in Mental Health and Wellness with an emphasis in grief and bereavement. She is currently working as a volunteer bereavement counselor with hospice. |
LEROY KRUSE doesn’t write poetry; he is compelled by a power larger than himself to create. The middle child from a family of seven, LeRoy grew up to become a golf course manager and then moved on to Lackland AFB, TX, where he worked for over twenty years. After suffering a painful divorce from a fourteen-year marriage, LeRoy took pen to paper and is delighted to share his whimsical musings with you. |
E. E. MCKENZIE never forgot a teacher who said that every person's life goal should include planting a tree and writing a book. E.E. has planted so many trees he's lost count, so he decided the book was long overdue. While doing research, he joined companies that gave him a chance to travel, meet a variety of people, and experience different lifestyles. His travels opened his mind to the human condition and the answers people use to cope with our challenging world. You can have a conversation with E.E. on Twitter at @eemckenzie2.
CARLA RUTTER, a lab technician for twenty years, was born in Oxfordshire, England, where she lives with her husband. Her passion has always been writing, as stories flow from her muse straight to pen and paper (the computer comes later, after the creative process). Carla’s goal has never been to write erotic horror, but to write stories readers can experience (and maybe seek help should they see too much of themselves). You can find Carla on Twitter @cjbunni. |
Computer programmer and author BEN TRUBE graduated from the Ohio State University with a B.S. in Computer Science Engineering. A software developer by day, Ben has been writing short stories and mysteries for as long as he can remember. In addition to authoring Fractals, Ben also authored Fractals: A Programmer’s Approach, and Surreality, Ben lives in Columbus, OH, with his wife and their four-legged furry companions. |
DAVE ZIMMERMAN graduated with honors from the University of Washington with a Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering. His thesis involved analog circuit design using chaos theory, and Dave has been applying nonlinear analysis to award-winning electronics and environmental software ever since. As founder of Maven Peal Instruments, he hand-wired over 1,000 amplifiers sporting a new power design called the Sag Circuit. |
JOHN LARS ZWERENZ is an American journalist, musician, songwriter, and poet renowned for his classic romantic, impressionistic, and mystical works. Described as the "Monet of the Muses," his poetry inspires readers to feel the powers of spiritual and physical love. Author of twelve books of verse, John is a classic American poet. He lives, loves, and creates in Glendale (Queens), NY. You can see all of John's works at Amazon's Author Central. |