HEADLINE AUTHORS
www.steveberry.org
Awarded the first Literacy Leader Award given by the Amelia Island Book Festival, Steve Berry has been an avid supporter of the Festival. The New York Times bestselling author of the Cotton Malone series had a long and arduous road to publishing, including 12 years and 85 rejections over 5 manuscripts. Berry now has 12 million books in print, translated into 40 languages and sold in 51 countries. He is an accomplished instructor, having taught writing to audiences across the globe. Berry lives in St Augustine, FL. He and his wife, Elizabeth, started a foundation, History Matters, to aid in the preservation of our heritage.
www.randomhouse.com/rhpg/features/paula_mclain/ 
Paula McLain received an MFA in poetry from the University of Michigan and has been awarded fellowships from Yaddo, the MacDowell Colony, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She is the author of two collections of poetry as well as a memoir, Like Family: Growing Up in Other People’s Houses, and a first novel, A Ticket to Ride. She lives with her family in Cleveland. Her best-selling novel, The Paris Wife, brings to life the Paris of the 1920′s and the marriage of Hadley and Ernest Hemingway.
www.davidmorrell.net
David Morrell is the award-winning author of First Blood, the novel in which Rambo was created. He holds a PhD in American literature and was a professor at the University of Iowa. Morrell’s numerous international bestsellers include the classic spy trilogy, The Brotherhood of the Rose, The Fraternity of the Stone, and The League of Night and Fog. He is the recipient of three Bram Stoker awards as well as the International Thriller Writers organization’s Thriller Master award. A popular writing instructor, he is also the author of The Successful Novelist, in which he discusses what he learned in his four decades as an author.
www.tatjanasoli.com
The Lotus Eaters was described in the New York Times as “A haunting debut… tough and lyrical” and “devastatingly awesome” by NPR’s Nancy Pearl. The novel about the Viet Nam War was written through the eyes of a female photo journalist. The first time author of this New York Times Notable Book, Tatjana Soli, received numerous awards for this novel including Britain’s oldest literary award, the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction. Soli’s writing has appeared in many publications and her work has twice been listed in the 100 Distinguished Stories in Best American Short Stories. She lives in Southern California.
FEATURED AUTHORS
www.bookseedstudio.wordpress.com
From her home in North Florida, former journalist Jan Godown Annino writes for young readers and adults, preferring heritage nonfiction topics and historical fiction themes. She Sang Promise is the story of Betty Mae Jumper, Seminole tribal leader, who Annino met about 1980.
www.davidmatthewbarnes.com
In addition to Swimming in Chicago, David-Matthew Barnes has written another young adult novel, a suspense novel, and a forthcoming love story. He has written more than 40 stage plays that have been performed in three languages in eight countries. Barnes teaches English, speech, humanities, and theatre at Southern Crescent Technical College in Griffin, GA.
www.SingingSleuth.com
D. B. Barton is the award-winning author of The Singing Sleuth series. When she is not dreaming of ingenious ways to “do away” with disagreeable people, she visits exotic locales and conducts writing workshops at libraries and book clubs. Barton was born in New York City and lives in Jacksonville, FL with her husband.
www.billbelleville.com
Bill Belleville is an award winning author specializing in nature and conservation. Belleville has written six books, contributed to anthologies, scripted films and traveled the world on assignments for Discovery Channel. He lives in Florida which remains his favorite place for its natural diversity and surreality.
www.posmenatt.com
John Blackwelder lives in Atlantic Beach, FL and is the proud father of two daughters. Blackwelder enjoys the beautiful North Florida outdoors. He is passionate about helping children and considers it a privilege to spread the word about the power of positive thinking. Blackwelder is a motivational speaker in the Duval County School System in Jacksonville, FL.
www.overthetransom.com
Sonny Brewer is very active in the literary arts in Fairhope, AL, including founding the Fairhope Center for Writing Arts. He is the author of The Poet of Tolstoy Park and The Widow and the Tree. Brewer says a writer never lets the truth stand in the way of a good story. He is Editor-in-Chief at MacAdam/Cage Publishing in San Francisco.
www.kathryncasey.com
An award-winning journalist and novelist, Kathryn Casey is the creator of a mystery series about a female Texas Ranger/profiler, and the author of six highly acclaimed true crime books. Library Journal chose her third novel, The Killing Storm, as one of the best books of 2010. Casey has been called “one of the best in the true crime genre.”
www.jackiekcooper.com
Not only is Jackie Cooper a film critic whose reviews appear in newspapers in Georgia, he is often a guest on radio and television shows across the South. Cooper’s cable television show, The Jackie Cooper Show, is broadcast throughout middle Georgia. Cooper is the author of six books.
www.carolcrane.org
With 40 years experience in children’s literature, Carol Crane speaks at reading conventions and schools around the country, networking with children and educators. At a recent reading conference Crane was described as, ”… a walking, talking bibliography of children’s books”.
www.Gooberella.com
Cynthia Enuton is an author of children’s books. Enuton has worked with emotionally challenged children and adolescents for over 13 years in a residential state facility where she utilizes therapy dogs in the students’ treatment plans. She resides in Florida with her three Pekingese dogs and a 20 year old bird named Sunkiss.
www.ferebeephotographic.com
Capturing images of wildlife and nature has driven Derek Ferebee to excel at photography for thirty years. The scope of his work and belief in the power of photographs to communicate has guided him toward becoming an author. Ferebee’s delightful children’s book, Dodger Goes West, documents a remote control truck’s travels in the wild west.
mcfinotti.wordpress.com/about/
Marisa Finotti is a writer and journalist. She grew up reading under the covers with a flashlight after her parents insisted she turn off her lamp and go to sleep. Finotti lives with her husband and two children in Atlantic Beach, FL. When she is not writing, she practices yoga and takes surf lessons from her 11-year old daughter.
www.maritagolden.com
Marita Golden is a teacher of writing and an award winning author of over a dozen works of fiction and nonfiction. Golden has served as a member of the faculties of the MFA Graduate Creative Writing programs of George Mason University and Virginia Commonwealth University. She currently teaches in the Fairfield University MFA program.
www.tineinc.com
When Tine Graham is autographing her books she often also creates figure sketches in pen and ink and watercolors of the children talking with her. Graham’s colorful paintings are a joy and delight as you browse her books. “My work is about life itself, with a touch of humor,” says Graham.
www.islandmediapublishing.com
Rob and Kim Hicks grew up in Fernandina Beach, FL. They both work in the Nassau County school system; Rob is a guidance counselor at Fernandina Beach High School and Kim teaches first grade at Southside Elementary. Rob along with students produced an award winning film about the history of Amelia Island titled Isle of Eight Flags.
www.belindahulin.com
A veteran magazine and newspaper writer and editor, Belinda Hulin is also the author of cookbooks. The devastation of Hurricane Katrina and near loss of family recipes and mementos, prompted Hulin to document the family taste print in The Keepsake Cookbook. When she is not writing Hulin samples and develops recipes in her Atlantic Beach, FL home.
www.jessicajamesbooks.com
Before turning her attention to writing, Jessica James was a newspaper editor who spent 18 years in a newsroom. James’ Civil War novel, Noble Cause, received the John Esten Cooke Award for Southern Fiction. She is featured in the book, 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading.
www.yyoga.com
An Integrative Yoga Therapy Teacher, Liz Kawecki discovered yoga after a serious diving accident left her with severe impairments and injuries including being paralyzed on one side. Teaching yoga to 187 kids from 25 nationalities sparked her book, Yoga ABC’s. Kawecki resides on Amelia Island, FL.
www.vanessakellyauthor.com
Historical romances written by Vanessa Kelly have been finalists in several contests. The review journal of the American Library Association named Kelly one of the “new stars of historical romance.” Kelly lives in Canada but spends part of the winter in North Florida.
www.upf.com
Dr. Anna Lillios is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Central Florida. Her academic interests center on literature of place. Crossing the Creek received a Florida Book Award for non-fiction. Lillios is the executive director and a trustee of the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Society.
www.kevinmarkey.com
Kevin Markey vividly remembers his first hit playing baseball. The thrill was such he nearly forgot to run. The author of works of nonfiction and the Super Sluggers series, Markey lives in Northhampton, MA. He bats left, throws left, and types with both hands.
www.margaretmckinney.com
Margaret “Maggie” McKinney grew up on Amelia Island and attended both Fernandina Beach Middle School and Fernandina Beach High School and lives in the Atlanta area with her family. Fetching Jonas Blake is her first published novel, and a sequel is currently in the works.
www.travelswithabluevase.weebly.com
A native Floridian, Mary Ann Miller is an art educator and watercolor artist. A sketchbook from each of her travels in Europe has been combined to create Travels with a Blue Vase. Miller lives in Jacksonville, FL and teaches Travel Sketching 101 and art classes to special needs adults.
www.upf.com
Virginia Lynn Moylan is cofounder of the Zora Fest in Ft. Pierce, FL. Moylan teaches American and British literature in Palm Beach County, FL. She has written articles for magazines and newspapers and was a contributor to The Inside Light: New Critical Essays on Zora Neale Hurston. Moylan is a resident of West Palm Beach, FL.
www.pinatapub.com
Three times Georgia Author of the Year, Pamela Bauer Mueller, has introduced many readers to the history of Georgia’s Golden Isles. Splendid Isolation was a USA Book News 2010 Best Book and a 2011 National Indie Excellence award finalist. Mueller lives on Jekyll Island, GA.
www.nancymurrayauthor.com
Native Floridian, Nancy Murray turned her attention to writing fiction after retiring as a registered nurse. Murray’s hobbies include gardening and tennis. She tries to reach young people through books with credible explanations, not always with answers, of complex issues in today’s world.
www.highpitchedhum.net
Annette Myers is a 2010 and 2011 National Indie Excellence award winner. A retired educator in Nassau County, FL, Myers lives on historic American Beach on Amelia Island, FL. Her writing is historic nonfiction. Many in Myers’ community depend on her extensive knowledge about the history of American Beach.
www.mstodahsclass.com
A former human resource specialist and free lance sign language interpreter, Todah Reed pursues her passion for teaching. Reed earmarks a portion of the proceeds from Terrance Torn Bear to promote literacy for deaf and hard of hearing children. Reed resides in St. Johns, FL.
www.booksbyrook.com
Former Pittsburgh Pirates’ pitcher and broadcaster, Jim Rooker has written three baseball themed children’s books. Rooker was a member of the Pirates’ 1979 World Championship team and stated that “Baseball has been my passion since I was a child and remains that way more than 60 years later.” He now lives in Jacksonville, FL.
www.chrisrumble.com
Author-Illustrator-Musician-Speaker Chris Rumble comes to us from his home in the mountains of North Georgia. Rumble neither confirms nor denies that the series, The Adventures of Uncle Stinky, is autobiographical. His workshop, Reading Pep Rally, has encouraged students and teachers in 29 states.
www.highpitchedhum.net
Author Barbara Spurlin lives in Jacksonville, FL and is retired from the Duval County School Board. Spurlin was recognized by the U. S. Secretary of Education as a National Distinguished Principal. She has now turned her talents to writing children’s books.
www.tonystubits.com
A native of Amelia Island, FL, Tony Stubits has been a practicing optometrist for 30 years. Stubits is knowledgeable on the factors that came together at the turn of the last century to make Fernandina Beach the cradle of the modern shrimping industry. The Ocean under the Moon was a 2011 Indie Book Finalist.
www.janiewilkins.tateauthor.com
Believing the only security we have comes from within each of us, retired educator Janie Wilkins has drawn on her life experiences to write her memoirs. Her message is to never give up and to fight for what you believe in. Wilkins lives in Fernandina Beach, FL.
www.imagejournal.org/page/artist-of-the-month/terri-witek
The writings of Terri Witek have been both a Florida Book Award Medalist and the 2000 Center for the Book Arts Prize. Witek has written lyric and literary essays about poetry and art. She teaches at Stetson University, where she holds the Sullivan Chair in Creative Writing.
