http://awesomegang.com

Where Awesome Book Readers Meet Awesome Writers

1. Rage - Kimberly A. Bettes is the author of several novels and short stories. She lives with her husband and son in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of southeast Missouri, where she terrorizes the residents of a small town with her twisted tales. It’s there that she likes to study serial killers and knit. Serial killers who knit are her favorites.
   
2. Blink by Julia Jean - I grew up in a small suburb of Akron, Ohio. The daughter and oldest child of small home business owners, I was fortunate to always have my parents available. Though always busy, they always found moments to share a story or two about life when they were growing up. Growing up in a family of story- tellers, inspired me to create my own tales and elaborate on my own misadventures growing up including the horrors of finding myself locked in a foul-smelling porta-potty at a high school football game and the humiliation I endured as they pried me out with a crow bar. I’ve always wanted to be a writer and with the guidance and encouragement of my seventh grade teacher, I began submitting my short stories for publication. Receiving my first acceptance letter at fourteen from “Alive for Young Teens,” fueled my desire to keep my dream alive. Since that initial publication, I’ve had many bumps along the road but finally have achieved my goal. Although my earliest penned story was of green aliens invading earth, I enjoy writing for teens the most. As a teacher myself, I hope that I can inspire my students to reach their dreams, just as my teachers did for me many years ago. Currently, I reside in Rocky River, Ohio with my husband and three children. Blink is my first young adult novel.
   
3. Ghost of Lost Eagle by Dean Sault - Author Dean Sault lives in Northern California with his wife and her menagerie of pets. Every day for the past thirty-five years, he could not wait to shut down his insurance office, so he could spend time with his family, go fishing, or retreat into his private world of writing fictional places and people. His novels accumulated in folders, file cabinets and clipboards, while waiting for that special moment when he could burst onto the world of literature. He began by publishing his science fiction space opera, The Last Human War. This was the first step of his literary journey. He loved meeting with fans and discussing the complex worlds he created, so he dug into his pile of manuscripts and began offering them to agents. A New York agent quickly picked up his thriller, Jihad: the Breath of God, and so it began. His stories screamed for attention, and a flood of novels began rising to the surface.
   
4. Affirmations for Little Girls:The ABC Book of Rhymes by Sarah Mazor - Sarah Mazor is a mother, an entrepreneur and a personal coach who holds an undergraduate degree in business journalism and master’s degree in psychology. The MazorBooks publishing effort affords Sarah the opportunity to combine her many interests in a project that encompasses her love for children and her love for books. The books Sarah publishes through MazorBooks intend to provide children and parents hours of bonding time and fun ways to promote the children's cognitive abilities and enhance their confidence and self-esteem.
   
5. Tethers - Born in High Wycombe, Jack Croxall now lives in rural Nottinghamshire with his chocolate Labrador, Archie. He has a degree in Environmental Science from the University of Nottingham and currently toils away as a science writer in between working on his books. He tweets via @JackCroxall and blogs at www.jackcroxall.co.uk
   
6. Deadly Talley (The First Twelve Chapters) by Ken Consaul - Ken Consaul is stepping away from his prior books of historical fiction and making a foray into the hard-boiled thriller genre. Long an admirer of Chandler and Hammett, Consaul has, rather then encroach on the turf of the two genre masters, moved the action to the present day and down the road to the Orange County Gold Coast. Consaul lives in Southern California and enjoys boating and woodworking when he is not scribbling away.
   
7. Strays (The Glaring Chronicles – Book One) by Matthew Krause - With "Matthew" being one of the top five baby names for over 20 years and "Krause" being the German equivalent of Smith or Jones, it's hard to tell one Matthew Krause from the other on Facebook. This Matthew Krause is an award-winning screenwriter, independent filmmaker, teacher, and mentor. Although he writes in multiple genres, the common theme in all of his work is man's eternal struggle to find those pockets of nobility in a sea of human frailty. Matthew was raised in the heartland of Kansas, earning his Bachelor’s degree from Emporia State University and a Master’s degree from Kansas State University. He has authored several screenplays, including Radical Evil, which placed in the quarterfinals of the Nicholl Fellowship, Play Action, which placed in the semifinals of the same competition, and Baby’s Breath, which was produced as an independent film. Play Action also earned him a Screenwriting Fellowship with Walt Disney/ABC Studios in 2001. When he’s not living in Kansas, he lives in Los Angeles with his wife and five cats.
   
8. Retirement Planning – Your Best Investment Options - Leonard Campbell is a professional investment broker and financial planner with over 12 years experience.
   
9. The Ghosts of the Past (Book Two of the Peers of Beinan Series) by Laurel A. Rockefeller - I was born and raised in Lincoln, Nebraska. A natural singer-songwriter from an early age, my interest in physics and astronomy were inspired by both early visits to Lincoln's Hyde observatory and by the 1977 release of George Lucas' "Star Wars" which caught my imagination alongside with Arthurian legends and medieval songs and tales. During my freshman year at the University of Nebraska, I discovered the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, inspiring me to write my sonnet "Why Bilbo?" which the American Tolkien Society published in 1991. More publications followed as my skill for writing increased with my education and life experience. Today, I am mostly known for my non-fiction work, particularly for Yahoo Voices. I am also a living history re-creator with the Society for Creative Anachronism where I am known for my research writing and my particular interest in medieval aviculture and other medieval sciences. I also enjoy period dancing (including English country dancing), singing, and herbalism. The Peers of Beinan is my first science fiction series. peersofbeinan@gmail.com
   
10. In A Stranger’s Arms - Deborah Hale's first novel won the Golden Heart Award for Long Historical and was nominated for a RITA for Best First Book. Since then she has written more than two dozen novels in the genres of historical romance, inspirational romance and otherworld fantasy. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and sold millions of copies worldwide. Deborah invites you to visit her website for more information. "Hale's characters are so finely created they become real in her readers' minds and hearts." - syndicated romance reviewer, Sheryl Horst
    
11. Departed: A Leopold Blake Thriller - Nick Stephenson was born and raised in Cambridgeshire, England and will now refer to himself in the first person. My approach to writing is to hit hard, hit fast, and leave as few spelling errors as possible. I write thrillers, suspense novels, and the occasional witty postcard, all of which are designed to get your pulse pounding. Don't let my headshot fool you - I'm actually full colour, on most days.
    
12. House 23 - Crime/Thriller author Eli Yance is a pseudonym of a best selling Comedy/Horror writer
    
13. Liberty Hill - Passionate about all things musical, artistic, and literary, Sonja has been creating for as long as she can remember. She started her first novel, For He Is Summer, when she was only 14. It took the better part of 9 years to complete and in that time Sonja found a writing voice that was uniquely her own and powerfully clear. She raises the bar again with her second novel, Liberty Hill, the first in a trilogy which is set to come out in 2013 She is particularly fond of classic literature and music, food, travel, and she has an unashamed adoration for country music and romantic tragedies. Her inspirations range from C.S. Lewis and Madeleine L’Engle to Charles Frazier and Philippa Gregory. She enjoys Harry Potter as well as anything by Charles Dickens and Louisa May Alcott. Sonja loves to cook, paint, draw, and pretty much anything involving creativity. Italy is possibly her favorite place in the world. A native of Northern California, Sonja and her husband, Andrew, volunteered a year in Tanzania, Africa, where they founded Acacia Apparel, a boutique line of authentic purses and scarves made by former and at risk sex slaves. Acacia promotes the prosperity, education, and dignity of young women who have been rescued out of forced prostitution and poverty. It was also in Tanzania that Sonja was able to draw inspiration and write Liberty Hill. Sonja is currently enjoying life in the Texas hill country with her husband and two dogs, India & Morocco.
    
14. Terry Treetop Finds New Friends - Tali Carmi spent her childhood in a small town in the desert. She memorized and knew by heart many books that her parents read to her when she was very little. She played with words and rhymes and wrote her first book of songs at the age of 10. After many years of turning to other hobbies and maintaining a successful career, she now writes again to young children. Tali is the CEO and founder of a software company, and a business coach, focused on the fast growth and success of small businesses. She holds Bsc in food science and Msc. in Biotechnology, and graduate of Team Management and Leadership Program.