I
was born in Orange, Texas and grew up in a colorful Scots-Irish family
while living in the midst of a Cajun culture. When 34, my curiosity
about the world took on a whole new dimension when I moved to the
Caribbean island nation of Trinidad & Tobago. Awed by the differences in
customs and
cultures, particularly as they related to West Indian women, set me on a
journey of study and self-discovery.
Back in the U.S. at 40, I started college and didn’t stop until I
achieved a B.A. in sociology with a concentration in women’s studies and
a master’s in counseling.
For the next twenty years I worked in the field of human services and
for a couple of those years, taught as an adjunct professor. My writing
career didn’t begin until after I retired.
An advocate for women, my writing features those who recreate themselves
into the people they want to be, strong women who take charge of their
lives and get
things done. (If you've met Sidra Smart or Bea Meade, you know what I
mean.)
The stories dwell on the wondrous twists and turns of human behavior
rooted in my background as a counselor
before I became a novelist. The tales are fun, sassy, and (according to
my fans) darn good reads. I hope you like these kind of books, too! I
look forward to adding you as a fan.
Mary
McCall
writes humorous and adventurous historical romances with spicy love
scenes set mainly in the medieval Highlands and England.
Most recently, she received the 2010 Hearts through
History Romance Writers Legenda Aurea Award.
She is a member of Romance Writers of America and served
as the first PRO Coordinator for RWA; founding president and current
online campus chairperson of Hearts Through History Romance Writers;
member of Celtic Hearts Romance Writers; member of The Golden Network;
past conference chair and vice president of River City Romance Writer;
ESPAN; Faith, Hope & Love, Inc. She has won or placed in over 43
historical romance contests and is a past Golden Hearts finalist.
A member of Sisters in Crime and the Malice in Memphis
chapter of SinC., she loves history, has a particular fondness for the
Greek through Medieval periods, and is glad research for her books has
finally utilized her ability to speak Ecclesiastical Latin. Mary resides
in Memphis, Tennessee with her Maltese dog: Regina Benita Catarina.
Visit her blog
http://marymccall.wordpress.com, website
www.marymccall.net or e-mail her
mary@marymccall.net.
Kathryn Meyer Griffith
has been writing for over 39 years now...published
for 26 of those years since 1984; has fourteen novels and 7 short
stories to her name...and more coming. She writes traditional
supernatural horror, murder mysteries and paranormal romance. She's been
writing about ghosts, haunted places and evil vampires WAY LONG BEFORE
Stephanie Meyer (no relation, even though
her maiden name is Meyer) and the rest of the vampire author crowd. And
this year, 2010, it looks as if (fingers crossed) many of her older
Zebra and Leisure paperbacks are going to be repackaged, reprinted and
rereleased for the first time in many years.
Kathryn is a wife of 32 years
(husband, Russell), mother (one son, James) and grandmother (two
grandchildren, Caitlyn and Joshua). She was a graphic designer in the
corporate world for 23 years; and has published with Dorchester,
Kensington,
Avalon Books, The Wild Rose Press, Damnation Books and Eternal Press.
Recently, she crossed over into e-books as well as paperbacks.
She loves cats and nature,
classic rock and country music
(her brother, JS Meyer
www.jsmeyermusic.com , is a singer/songwriter and does the songs for
all the self-made book trailers that are on her websites).
Kathryn's
published books: Evil Stalks the Night (supernatural horror),
Leisure 1984; The Heart of the Rose (historical romance) Leisure
1985; Blood Forge (supernatural horror), Leisure 1989; Vampire
Blood (romantic supernatural horror),
Zebra 1991; The Last Vampire (supernatural horror), Zebra 1992;
Witches (romantic horror), Zebra 1993 & Pinnacle 2000; a novella
called The Nameless One in Dark Seductions, an erotic horror
anthology, Kensington, 1993; The Calling (supernatural horror),
Zebra 1994. And Scraps of Paper (hardcover mystery) Avalon Books,
2003; All Things Slip Away, the second mystery in the series came
out also from Avalon Books in February
2006.
Recently she published
with an e-book/paperback publisher called The Wild Rose Press:
Egyptian Heart, 2008 (ancient Egyptian time travel romance);
Winter's Journey, 2008 (a romantic suspense
novel); The Ice Bridge, (a contemporary romance e-novel with a
dose of murder mystery) and two ghostly short stories, Don't Look
Back, Agnes and In This House. BEFORE THE END: A Time
of Demons, an apocalyptic saga from Damnation Books, June 2010.
The Woman in Crimson, an eternal love vampire novel, from Eternal
Press, September 2010.
Sheila Lowe is a court-qualified forensic handwriting expert with more forty years of experience in the
field. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and is the author of
several
published books including Handwriting of the Famous & Infamous, and The Complete
Idiot’s Guide to Handwriting Analysis, as well as Sheila Lowe’s Handwriting
Analyzer software. Her new mystery novel, Poison Pen, received a starred review
in
Publishers Weekly and introduces forensic handwriting expert, Claudia Rose, who
uses her handwriting analysis skills to help solve crimes.
As a handwriting expert, Sheila is often seen in the media analyzing celebrities,
presidential candidates, and people in high-profile criminal cases. She provides services
to corporate clients, mental health professionals, attorneys, private investigators and
staffing agencies, and many others.
Julie
Hyzy's
first experience
with food included flipping burgers and chopping onions at a
neighborhood hot dog stand. She traded that experience for a job as a
singing waitress at Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour -- but gave that up when
she started college (and because she couldn't carry a tune).
Over the years, she's acted in community theater productions,
appeared in television commercials, and crashed a previously all-male
fraternity to become one of the first female brothers in Loyola
University's Chapter of Delta Sigma Pi. Julie had dreams
of becoming a writer, but family, friends, and frat brothers convinced
her otherwise. Having held positions as junior officer at a downtown
bank, office manager at an architectural firm, and financial advisor at
a prestigious wealth management company, she realizes that the business
degree was probably a good choice -- but fiction is truly her passion.
Now, with some well-earned life
experience behind her, she's delighted to finally be able to make
writing a priority in her life.
She is the author of the White House Chef series, featuring STATE OF
THE ONION, HAIL TO THE CHEF, and EGGSECUTIVE ORDERS. She also writes the
new Manor House Mystery series - the first book, GRACE UNDER PRESSURE,
is a new release.
Writer/Producer/Director Jack Olesker
has a career that
spans over three decades. During those more than thirty years, writing,
producing and directing are the only fields of endeavor in which he has
ever been involved.
His professional career was launched in
1976 when his only copy of his first manuscript – sent unsolicited and
in a shirt box – was plucked from the slush pile by G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Film rights for the novel, NO PLACE LIKE HOME, were purchased by Sherry
Lansing during her tenure at MGM. (Lansing would go on to become
Hollywood’s longest serving studio head, at Paramount Motion Pictures,
producing films that include THE ACCUSED, FATAL ATTRACTION and
TITANIC.) The novel became a best seller.
In
ensuing years Olesker published five more novels -- THE SIEGE OF
SUPERPORT, BEYOND FOREVER, THE YOUNG DRAGONS, CONFESSIONAL and CAST ON,
BET’S OFF. His novels were published by Putnam, Signet, New American
Library, Pocket and Dorchester. His screenplay, based upon his novel
CONFESSIONAL, was purchased by Yale Wexler Productions. Interestingly,
his novels embrace the spectrum of various genres, including horror,
police procedurals, suspense and a historical saga.
In 1977 he moved to Los Angeles and
wrote over 100 commercials, also serving as an editor at ENTREPRENEUR
Magazine. In 1982 he began his career in episodic television by writing
for the children’s series, THE LITTLES. Soon after he took a staff
position at DIC Entertainment where he created, wrote and story-edited
such children’s series as THE CARE BEARS, SUPER MARIO BROTHERS,
HEATHCLIFF THE CAT, POPPLES, INSPECTOR GADGET and many others.
As an independent writer in 1992, he
created the series bible for Saban Entertainment’s internationally
successful MIGHTY MORPHIN POWER RANGERS. He also created and wrote
thirty-seven episodes of THE NEW ADVENTURES OF HE-MAN. Olesker captured
the Billboard Magazine Best Educational Video for writing KIDS HAVE
RIGHTS, TOO and he also created the IT’S OKAY TO SAY NO TO DRUGS video.
In
2007 his screenplay for NINJA KNIGHTS: WHEN WARRIOR WORLDS COLLIDE, was
purchased by KEN Creative Studios, an India-based animation studio that
secured Olesker’s services as studio president. Serving as CEO of his
own production company, 24/7 Productions, in November and December of
2009 he Executive Produced and Produced two documentaries in the Bahamas
– JUNKANOO! and EMPOWERMENT: THE AMAZING GRACE. In July of 2010 he will
be producing and directing THE POWER OF 100 BLACK MEN for PBS.
Olesker’s 24/7 Productions has acquired the rights to develop a
television series based upon the iconic children’s magazine JACK & JILL
and is in a strategic alignment with WNIT Public Television to develop
the series. He has written the pilot episode and series bible for
that project.
A frequent lecturer, he has appeared
before The American Society of Journalists and Authors and in 2009 was
the keynote speaker at the prestigious River Bend Film Festival. In all
Jack Olesker has written over one thousand episodes of television,
eighteen films and published six novels.
For a list of other guests who have graced us with their presence, click
here.
THE
WRITER'S CHATROOM
