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Where Awesome Book Readers Meet Awesome Writers

1. Children of the Fog by Cheryl Kaye Tardif - When romance author Cherish D'Angelo is not busy relaxing in her hot tub, sipping champagne, eating chocolate-covered strawberries or plotting romantic suspense with scintillating sensuality, she is ruthlessly killing people off in her thrillers as bestselling Canadian suspense author, Cheryl Kaye Tardif. Cherish's debut romance, Lancelot's Lady placed in the semi-finals of Dorchester Publishing's "Next Best Celler" contest and went on to win an Editor's Choice Award from Textnovel. Currently living in Edmonton, Alberta, she enjoys long walks on the beach, except there aren't any around so she has to make do with trips around the hot tub or a vacation to a tropical paradise. And margaritas. Cheryl Kaye Tardif is an award-winning, international bestselling Canadian suspense author. Her novels include Submerged, Divine Justice, Children of the Fog, The River, Divine Intervention, and Whale Song, which New York Times bestselling author Luanne Rice calls "a compelling story of love and family and the mysteries of the human heart...a beautiful, haunting novel." She is now working on her next thriller. Cheryl also enjoys writing short stories inspired mainly by her author idol Stephen King, and this has resulted in Skeletons in the Closet & Other Creepy Stories and Remote Control (novelette eBook). Booklist raves, "Tardif, already a big hit in Canada…a name to reckon with south of the border."
   
2. If Chocolate Were Purple - Jen Barton was born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in 1971 and spent much of her life on the East Coast. In 2008, at age 36, she and her family moved to California. With two cars, she and her husband moved two dogs, two guinea pigs, a cornsnake and their 10-year old daughter across the country. She counts the five day road trip, including a near escape by both dogs on Day 3, as one of her best experiences to date. In 2009, with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Philosophy from Millersville University, Barton realized her childhood dream to become a writer. One van full of bored kids, one long day of travel, and one of her favorite characters, Fiona Thorn, was born. She's been writing ever since. When not taxiing her teenage daughter hither and yon, Barton loves reading (especially fantasy by George R. R. Martin), cooking (anything with pasta is a hit), and writing (magical worlds with obstinate teen girls is always a favorite). In 2012 Barton's middle grade fantasy adventure, Fiona Thorn and the Carapacem Spell, was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Southern California Book Festival. Later that year Barton was named 1st Runner Up in America's Next Author for her compelling short story of an old woman trapped in her own body, "Movin' On Up."
   
3. New Beginnings: Book 2 The Secrets of Clayton County Trilogy - Each of these books is written from a genuine sense of knowing the community; author, Don Wooldridge, born and raised in Davenport, Iowa, and lived in the Mississippi River Valley for over 30 years. Grateful for the privilege of living along the Mississippi river, as a writer Don remembers the people of the small river communities and shares their faith that small town values and lifestyle will be everlasting. Don’s education spans from Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas to Rutgers University in Brunswick, New Jersey. An accomplished writer, he spent 30 years in the technical training and development arena, as a technical writer, instructional designer, and interactive learning systems designer and producer. Wooldridge’s career took him far from his roots… throughout the US and Canada, as well as England, Sweden, Germany and the Netherlands. Today, Don enjoys putting his voice to print, and using his writing as a vehicle for taking readers back to their own roots. Writing novels inspired by his heritage, Don always welcomes the opportunity to speak about bartering, the Trilogy, or his journey as an author.
   
4. Smiley Riley and the New Neighbor by Katie McLaren - Katie McLaren is a graduate from the University of Michigan and has spent her career as a Pediatric Intensive Care Nurse – looking after critically ill children requiring the highest level of specialist care. She also has 2 young daughters (aged 7 and 20 months) and has a passion for reading, learning and the importance of positive role models – especially for young girls.
   
5. 30 Days to Loving God with All Your Heart by Paul W. Meier - Paul W. Meier received a Masters of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School and a Masters of Sacred Theology from Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. He is a second career Lutheran pastor who has been published in The Upper Room, Christ In Our Home, Alive Now, The Lutheran, and Lutheran Partners. His other books include Praying the Gospels with Martin Luther: Finding Freedom in Love; In Living Color: The Lord’s Prayer; In Living Color: The Beatitudes; and Be the Light: Overcoming Evil with Good.