Manijeh Badiozamani was born and raised in Tehran, Iran. She came to the U.S. as an exchange student at the age of 17. She is a graduate of the University of Tehran, and has a Ph.D. from the University of Idaho. Manijeh has lived in the U.S. permanently since 1968. She has taught educational psychology in Idaho, and has worked for a major financial institution both in Idaho and Colorado. Manijeh is fluent in three languages and has translated legal and historical papers for publication. Memoir writing is her passion because she wants to preserve her stories for the future generation.

She has published three books, Family Tales from Tehran, One Summer in My Life, and A Year in Middle America.

Holly A. Bell was born and raised in Beaver Dam, WI. She moved across several states during her 17-year career in business before settling in Alaska where she became a professor and administrator at the University of Alaska, Anchorage.

Her writings have appeared in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, CNBC, American Banker, The Journal of Investing, and many notable academic publications.

With degrees in economics, business, and American foreign policy, Dr. Bell enjoys writing novels that reside at the intersection of these disciplines. However, she has begun writing fiction for enjoyment since recently retiring and moving to The Villages with her husband.

Rochelle Berman was born and raised in Vermont and wanted to act on the stage. But her own childhood did not include much encouragement. So when she married and had a special needs child to raise, she put aside her own dreams and encouraged her children. "I vowed my children would never hear the word 'can't' from my lips. And they never have.'"

Margaret Best was born in Peekskill, New York. As an army brat, she lived in ten different states or countries, graduated high school in Germany, and college in Louisiana. She married and continued a nomadic life in 12 different locations including four continents, six countries, three children, and one teaching career.

Margaret has written creative nonfiction since she was in high school. Her first published book titled Unsung Hero is a memoir-biography-tribute to her father. It won second place in the RPLA writing contest in Florida.

Her second published book is a personal memoir titled Dandelion Child: A Soldier’s Daughter. Margaret believes everyone has a story that needs to be told. To this truth, she has created a company called Peggy Best Memoirs.

Rita Boehm’s childhood writing aspirations resurfaced when she considered retirement from a successful career in Contract Management. Career moves had taken her from New York to Colorado to suburban Maryland, near Washington D.C. — all great locations for storylines.

Rita has published five novels in the thriller, romantic suspense and mystery genres, an award-winning children’s picture book “Bluebirds in the Garden”, and a non-fiction book about her father-in-law’s WWII service, “One Soldier’s War.” Her thriller, “The Price of Revenge” was recently awarded a Silver medal by the Florida Authors and Publishers Association. 

Now living in The Villages, Florida, when she’s not writing, Rita enjoys photography, gardening, and most especially, riding her dressage horse, Kosi.

Check out Rita's website at: www.ritamboehm.com

I am the daughter of Greek and Mexican immigrants and a retired ESL teacher living in Northern Virginia with my husband. As an Army wife and mom, we moved 13 times in 29 years and have lived in wonderful places like Germany and Hawaii before settling in Virginia. I began writing stories and poems for our granddaughters in retirement and decided to publish "The King's Garden; O kipos tou Vasilia." I wrote the story to honor my grandmother (Yaya) and what I remember of her as a child. Although the book is a work of fiction, it is based in the historical period in Greece (1967-1974) known as "the Rule of the Colonels." Having taught literature for many years, I recommend this book for native English speakers ages 10 -12 and intermediate level English learners. I speak Greek and Spanish fluently and have travelled to Greece many times. I hope you like the book and welcome your feedback.

Joe Buckovic was born in rural Humboldt County, California, population less than 2,000 people. Born with a handicap, he grew up after overcoming many challenges. 

In 1975, he attended a local police academy and went to work as a patrol officer in his small hometown. Moving to San Francisco’s Bay area after he married and started a family, saw him promoted up the ranks. His book tells of the many exploits he encountered as a police officer. 

Now retired, he and his wife live in central Florida and have recently completed a cruise around the world.

He can be reached at authorjoebuckovic@gmail.com

Casel Burnett, a distinguished construction leader in the automotive industry, received degrees in mechanical engineering and manufacturing management from the University of Dayton and Kettering University. In his professional activities, he has combined management talent and hands-on technical expertise to streamline operations, increase productivity, and reduce costs, driving bottom-line improvement at Toyota and General Motors. Highly skilled in troubleshooting and solving problems, he has improved operations by leading teams to achieve efficiencies through innovative procedures and processes.

Throughout his career, Casel has demonstrated skill in implementing continuous process improvements and building, training, and coaching high-performance operations and production teams. He seeks to act as a catalyst for and lead change throughout an organization. He strives to simplify complex processes  to get things done quickly in ever-changing environments.

His book, No Regrets: What My Dad Tried to Teach Me and I Now Know, that will support his vision of sharing one of his father’s greatest lessons of “You can do anything if you put your mind to it” to help children and adults “innovate and implement” to make our world an even better place.

Christine Morris Campbell was born and raised in Yorkshire, England. She is a graduate of Royal Holloway College, University of London. She, then, emigrated to marry her American husband in 1974.

She has had a varied career working as a human resources director, an ESL teacher and an event planner. Having traveled extensively throughout the world, and living extensively in Europe, she has also visited all 50 United States. In 2019, she moved to The Villages, Florida, a place which she vows will be her last move.

Born and raised in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, I attended Green Mountain Junior College in Poultney, Vermont, and Quinsigamond Community College in Worcester. After numerous writing-related topics of interest classes. I finally walked with a degree in 2004. Later working in banking, sales, I also became general manager in my family’s metal stamping business.

In 1992, my husband, Paul, was activated during Desert Storm. Following his service of five months at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. we moved to our house on the Cape. I went to work in the Superior Courthouse at the Barnstable County Court complex, then for the Barnstable Sheriff’s Office. During that time, I worked in the Drug Partnership Grant program, civil process, in records, wrote policies and procedures and retired as the Assistant Deputy Superintendent of Finance.

       In 2006, we moved to Florida where the heat in the summer, beats the snow in the winter. I may have a Florida address now, but my love for Cape Cod and Boston will forever live in my writing.

J.J.Clarke, award-winning author of the Kate Anderson Mystery series Dared to Run and Dared to Return, draws on her extensive experience in law enforcement and her degree in psychology to craft compelling characters.

Clarke’s scenes arise from real-life experiences as a bond investigator, parole officer, and district administrator of the largest penitentiary in the state of Missouri.

She has been writing all her life, but when she joined a weekly critique group, her novels came to life. The group encouraged her to develop strong characters with authentic dialogue. Her heroines are funny, fearless, and tenacious.

“I hope my books are entertaining and thought-provoking. I wrote them for book clubs as short, weekend reads with topics for discussion at the end to promote engaged conversation.”

After serving as a Captain in the US Army, Lindsay Collier had a storied career with Kodak beginning as an engineer and becoming their expert in creativity and innovation. He also did some pioneer work focusing on humor in the workplace. He took an early retirement to write, consult, and speak about these topics and his books and presentations are characterized as being original, fun, and packed-full of good, usable stuff.

He has been a keynote speaker at events across the country and internationally to include several speaking engagements in South Africa. His book, Organizational Mental Floss; How to Squeeze Your Organization’s Thinking Juices, is one of the most creative books you can find on organizational creativity, innovation, and change.

Still speaking and writing, he and his family currently live in The Villages, Florida.  Among his published works is one entitled:  Living Your Retirement Dreams and Growing Young in The Villages; Florida’s Friendliest and Healthiest Hometown – even though he will never consider himself retired.

Feel free to contact him at lindsaycollier@comcast.net for more information.

Chris Cooper is a Lifestyle Expert with a diverse background.  After earning a degree in Interior Design, she and her mother owned a successful catering business in the San Francisco Bay area in California. After her mother retired, Chris became a real estate agent in the busy San Francisco market and a pioneer in the Home Staging Industry. She personally staged over 3000 homes for sale. As a professional artist, she also painted modern and whimsical art for homes she listed for sale.

Over 20 years, she built a company numbering 28 employees, four warehouses of staging furniture, and five trucks. She was named Professional Home Stager for the Western Region of the United States before being hired by Prudential Insurance as Vice President and Director of Training.

Chris was invited to be a guest lecturer at Stanford University for five years on home decorating and staging and has been an Instructor at The Enrichment Academy in the Villages for the last 4 years. 

Her popular class “Stress Free Entertaining in the Villages” will be offered in April and June, and her interactive “Pulling your Villages Home Together” will be offered in May and July.

Look for her new book “Secrets of Stress-Free Entertaining on Amazon and TheWritersMall.com

Born in the United States, Daniela was five when her parents divorced, and she was put into an orphanage in Germany for two years along with her German cousins. Then her father brought her back to the U.S. where she went through elementary and junior high school. Eventually, she was taken back to Europe where she grew up and became one of the first female motorcycle racers in a man’s world until the horrific accident that took her life.

Brought back to life by paramedics, she was in a coma for a month before awakening and learning how to live again. This memoir is a true story and Daniela’s first book.

Jack Davis, originally from Rhode Island, worked in Connecticut with his wife with whom he raised three children before eventually retiring to Florida to soak of sunshine, join fun groups, write poetry, and enjoy his glass of life always full.

He created the pin pictured below and gives them out whenever he witnesses an act of love.

Dick Domann is a retired pharmaceutical executive who enjoys writing, golf, and beer.  Dick and his wife of forty years, Cindy, spend their time between a home in The Villages, Florida and an apartment in Asheville, North Carolina.

Dick graduated from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse with a B.S. degree in psychology.  Following graduate work in counseling psychology at UW-Milwaukee, Dick began a professional career in the pharmaceutical industry spanning over forty years.  His responsibilities included positions in sales, marketing, government, trade relations and headquarters operations.

Outside of his professional career Dick was active on several charitable boards and served as President of the Rotary Club of Morrisville, NC, twice.  Dick has published one novel titled “The Ghost on Number 2” and is currently working on a thriller focused on the pharmaceutical industry.  Dick is also working on a collection of short stories based in Asheville, NC.

A native Ohioan, Mike Doyle was a school teacher and athletic coach for years before his retirement. 

Before “meeting” the Busbys in his imagination, he had already published two books entitled: Whitewater, Ohio, and Bubba and the Bedroom Cowboys.

He and his wife are enjoying living in Central Florida.

As a youngster, Susan told stories while sitting around Girl Scout campfires, causing the campers to either scream or laugh. As middle child in a large, grand Catholic family, she enjoyed the attention that storytelling and jokes afforded her. Finally, as a young adult, she actually began to write those stories. Then her Catholic school upbringing inspired her first novel.

Susan Dwyer graduated from North Rockland H.S., Rockland Community College, SUNY Geneseo, and later earned her Master’s Degree from Nazareth College of Rochester, NY. Teaching experiences include a private college prep school, private practice in Early Intervention, and as an adjunct college professor – SUNY Geneseo.

Born in NYC, Susan spends her time between Cape Cod and Florida. She has a son, a daughter, a son-in-law, and two grandchildren.

Author contact: Oysterb@yahoo.com. Available for book club presentations and book signings.

Bonnie Ellen is originally from western Pennsylvania and now lives in Central Florida. Her journey through mental illness to wellness consumed many years of her life and shaped the person she is today.

Her resiliency and love for the Lord has brought her through many challenging times over the years. Today, she has a real joy for life and is an inspiration to all who know her and the path she has travelled.

Bonnie is available for speaking engagements and can be contacted through wlovwriters@gmail.com 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQRKKDV5

J. J. Faggiana is a retired software engineer. Born and raised in Connecticut, he spent thirty-five years in the defense and aerospace industry, working on a broad range of platforms

involving missions ranging from airport safety to battlefield reconnaissance. He earned a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Notre Dame. As of this writing, he boasts two children, one grand-dog, and one grand-cat. An avid senior softball and pickleball player, he divides his time between his native Connecticut and The Villages, Florida.

Paula Feuerstein has a Master’s degree in Elementary Education and a Ph.D. in Curriculum Development.

Paula taught elementary school and has developed several educational books and learning experiences for her students. Some of her instructional materials have won national and state awards.

Children’s Books by Paula Feuerstein

Clooney’s Big Dream encourages children to seek their dreams even in light of potential obstacles.

Her second  picture book, Crackle Chirp Chirp, takes children on an adventure to save a bird and learn about the environment on their journey.

Paula is passionate about writing books for children that are enjoyable and teaches lessons as well.

Paula’s picture book, CRACKLE. CHIRP. CHIRP. teaches children about taking care of the environment, problem-solving, and working as a team. The book has lively illustrations and activities that she knows children will love.

She has also written a picture book to help children deal with handicaps called CLOONEY’S DREAM and has completed her first chapter book “WAND FIXERS BOOK1: MAGIC SCHOOL. All three books are available on Amazon.

Paula submitted a poem, “Searching,” to the Florida Writing Association for their anthology on Writers at Work. She is honored to have her poem included in the anthology.

A former New York educator, she’s a member of the Florida Writers Association. Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and Writers 4 Kids. Paula is passionate about writing and especially writing for children.

When Joseph R. Finch  found there was no such book available about first person accounts of these war stories, he decided to publish one.

After interviewing dozens of men, he has now published this second edition with 26 first-person accounts, including his own.

He and his family live in Central Florida where he is a member of Writers League of The Villages.

A courageous woman, Josie Flood was wounded through childhood traumas, then healed through her strength of will to live. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was raised between New Jersey’s farmlands and the hills of Greenup, Kentucky. By the age of four, her story reveals the depths of trauma she experienced.

In her book, “Unbound: Breaking Free from the Chains of Childhood Abuse” Josie Flood shares the nightmare haunts, which clarifies the deep and daunting nights of Josie. Every day, she passed by the darkest and most distressing trauma. Even most of the nights, she had to sleep in a car to escape abuse along with her children.

With personal courage, Josie shares her experiences until the age of 49-years-old when she decided to ask for help. She sought out anyone who could help her recover.

Then at 78 years of age, Josie reached out for assistance in writing her book, hoping it will help others. She also chose to consult a psychiatrist and address her childhood traumas. Since then, she has transformed her wounds into healing through the power of storytelling, offering a ray of hope for those moving at the same pace on their own challenging paths.

Bob Frister is a former pilot for Eastern Airlines.

I taught high school English and Literature for 25 years in Pennsylvania. I’ve always wanted to write but never had enough time. Retirement afforded me that opportunity. Toward that end, I’ve joined Florida Authors and Publishers (FAPA), the Florida Writers Association (FWA), and the Writers League of the Villages. I’ve written three books so far: Morgan’s Revenge–2018, Morgan’s Empire–2019, and Jolly Roger Girls–2020. I’m currently working on my fourth book: Mirror, Mirror.  I won the Silver Award in the Adult Contemporary Fiction category from FAPA in 2018. I live in Osceola Hills at Soaring Eagle with my wife Janet and we both love to travel and meet new people. I write under the pseudonym of J.R. Garcy. I enjoy creating characters similar to people I’ve met in life.

Gunnery Sergeant Rick Greenberg, (Ret.) was born on the south side of Chicago. Following his time in the Viet Nam War written about in his best-selling and award-winning novel Silent Heroes, A Recon Marine’s Vietnam War Experience, he was again called to serve in 1990 for Desert Shield and Desert Storm. These experiences are told in his novel Desert Burning.

He continued to serve his beloved Corps until his retirement in October,1993, following a tragic accident that took his wife’s life, and had Gunny Greenberg lying in a coma for thirty days.

Gunny presently lives in a retirement community in Central Florida, with his second wife, Kim, where he spends his time writing and playing the piano. These later years have been spent writing his books. He also wrote Faith in a Box about his experience and recovery after lying 30-days in a coma.

“Semper Fi my fellow Marines. Remember, there is no such thing as a former Marine, only a Marine in a different uniform. Ooh Rah.”

Web site: rickgreenbergauthor.com

Trailer: https://goo.gl/gTRGjf

Margaret Greene Best was born in Peekskill, New York. As an army brat, she lived in ten different states or countries, graduated high school in Germany, and college in Louisiana. She married and continued a nomadic life in 12 different locations including four continents, six countries, three children, and one teaching career.

Margaret has written creative nonfiction since she was in high school. Her first published book titled Unsung Hero is a memoir-biography-tribute to her father. It won second place in the RPLA writing contest in Florida.

Her second published book is a personal memoir titled Dandelion Child: A Soldier’s Daughter. Margaret believes everyone has a story that needs to be told. To this truth, she has created a company called Peggy Best Memoirs.

Born in San Antonio, Texas, Jack Grubbs traveled around the world as a US Air Force brat. Eventually he enlisted in the United States Army at 18 and retired 39 years later as a brigadier general. His military assignments included two tours of combat duty in Vietnam, company command in the 82nd Airborne Division, battalion command, and service on the West Point faculty, eventually being selected as Professor and Department Head, Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering. While at West Point, he worked as the “Officer Representative” for soccer and for men’s basketball. Since retiring from military service, Grubbs has spoken on the topics of leadership, ethics and team-building to organizations ranging in size from less than twenty to multi-billion dollar corporations. Grubbs has written five books, including Maggie Dixon: A Leader on the Court and in Life, Leadership: Taking the High Road, and The Voice Heard around the World.

During Mel Harrison’s 28-year career with the U.S. Department of State, he was presented with the Award for Valor and the Regional Security Officer of the Year award, worldwide.

Serving most of his career in the Diplomatic Security Service, he was assigned to embassies in Islamabad, Saigon, Quito, Rome, Seoul, and London (twice).

Earning a BS degree in Economics from the University of Maryland, he completed graduate work at The American University and graduated from the NATO Defense College in Rome.

Retirement saw Mel working in corporate security for another 10 years. Now, he’s writing a series of thrillers featuring Alex Boyd, a special agent with the Diplomatic Security Service. His novels are rich with description of real behind-the-scenes situations of a diplomatic career.

Jack L. Hayes is an award-winning author who has published six nonfiction books and one romantic fiction available on Amazon.com.

Among his releases: Baseball’s Greatest Hits & Misses, The Power of 2, Baseball’s Finest Moments, Baseball’s Archives, Business Fraud: From Trust to Betrayal, and Say It Ain’t So, Joe, the last about baseball scandals and his latest book which is a romance titled The Wish. In his professional life, he has conducted numerous business-related seminars and lectures throughout the United States, Canada, Bermuda, New Zealand, South American and Europe.

Jack and his wife, Darlene, live in Central Florida.

Ann Heathman was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a small farming community in the Midwest.

For twenty years, she taught middle school and worked in the dual role of a digital age literacy coach and educational consultant. She retired early from teaching and moved to Florida where she began a new career as a professional dog trainer. In 2013 she penned her first book, Deny Tomorrow, then two sequels: Capture Tomorrow and Chasing Tomorrow.

She currently lives in sunny Florida where she trains dogs and writes.

Brenda Hiatt is The New York Times, and USA Today, bestselling author of more than two dozen novels of sparkling romantic adventure, time travel romance, and young adult science fiction romance. 

In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest which includes scuba diving, Takwondo (currently working toward a 4th degree black belt), hiking, traveling, and pursuing new experiences and skills.

She is an active member of Romance Writers of America and a past president of Novelists, Inc, an international organization of multipublished novelists. 

Find out more at her website, http://brendahiatt.com  and on Facebook at FB.com/BrendaHiatt.  Or subscribe to her newsletter at http://brendahiatt.com/subscribe.

Iconoclast, polymath, and author, Doc Honour has been a US Navy pilot, an international leader in systems engineering, and a successful entrepreneur. He holds a PhD from the University of South Australia in systems engineering. Doc has led teams of up to 50 people to build complex systems; the system integration problem sequences in this book reflect his real-life experience. He has taught nearly 500 short courses to help others learn to do what he has done. 

Doc Honour’s short story Fishing Hands won a top (Gold) award in the 2022 Royal Palm Literary Awards of the Florida Writers Association. Born on Guam, he’s lived in 34 different places. These days, he lives in Florida with his wife and a rather willful Australian Shepherd named Chip.

Find out more at DocHonourBooks.com

Paula F. Howard, RN, APR, is an award-winning writer and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Bolivia, South America teaching healthcare.

After a long career in Public Relations-Marketing-Special Events, she returned to school graduating as a Registered Nurse. Now, with an experienced eye, she looks daily at the drama of the human condition. 

The Hidden Pricetag, a novelette story about the consequences of life choices and what can be done about them, and The Angel and The Boatman, a novella and unusual love story showing how Life really works are both based on her metaphysical research of over 40 years.

She is currently revising her 12-step inspirational book on “The Power of One: How You Can Change the World.”

Gil Hudson is a retired attorney from Virginia who has followed politics most of his life. As a delegate to the 1980 Republican Party Convention, during which Ronald Reagan was nominated, he often wondered how our forefathers might view the present state of affairs in our country today.   

 After countless hours researching the first president, Hudson has created an historical fiction series called The POTUS 1 Series. The first book is Reviving George Washington.  The second book, Transforming George Washington has just been published. The third book, The Rise of George Washington will be published later this year.

Claudia Jacques holds a B.A. in Literature from Stockton University, Pomona, New Jersey and worked in both clinical and business settings.

Currently, she is retired and lives in Central Florida with her husband of over forty years. An active member of several clubs in the Villages, she and enjoys golfing with her husband and neighbors and has recently turned to writing. She is a member of Writers League of The Villages and recently published her first novel.

She can be reached at authorClaudiaJ@gmail.com

Dr. Karlowsky is a retired educator and adjunct professor. Calling on his previous military experience, he weaves a tale of international intrigue and espionage. His other works include the celebrated Taris, Lord of the Britains, and the apocalyptic thriller Reaper of Worlds.

The author is a retired Forester/District Ranger from the U.S. Forest Service, serving at National Forest locations in Ohio, Minnesota, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia. 

His experience includes fighting forest fires; outdoor recreation; wilderness mgmt; forest inventory/mgmt; wildlife, soil & water, and other natural resource projects. Concurrently, he served as a part-time sports writer and outdoor columnist for several newspapers over a 12-year period, as well as a public affairs specialist for both public and private organizations. 

His author website is: https://dankincaid.com. He and his wife have been married for 49 years and are the parents of 3 children and 8 grandchildren.

As a Stay-at-Home Mom for seventeen years, Alice was inspired to write her first book, “Secrets and Other Tales of a Stay-at-Home Mom,” an introspective look at people and places that affected her entire family when her boys were growing up. 

She was inspired to write “My New Friend, Froggy” when she met him in her mind. Carolee Owen is a talented illustrator, only one of her talents. Carolee also excels at art and crafts, and freely shares her time whenever an occasion has a creative need for it. Whether it’s drawing paper doll clothes for the neighborhood children, designing posters and flyers for office or social functions, teaching calligraphy, or creating three dimensional animals, her creative abilities are only constrained by her wonderful imagination.

Alice Klaxton holds dual in Business Administration and American History. She loves sharing her knowledge of historical events while turning them into enjoyable stories for young readers. Alice has taught various grade levels within the Timberlane Regional School System in New Hampshire and always prefers to inspire “the little guys,” with much of her work being in Special Education.

Gary Koca has had a love of old movies for as far back as he can remember. Professionally, he worked in human resources for 42 years, either as a Federal government employee or contractor.

Now retired, he is able to devote more time to writing about his two favorite topics – Chicago Cubs baseball and old movies from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Gary is married with two daughters and four grandchildren and lives in suburban Chicago and Central Florida

He has also written and published books on Forgotten Movie Stars of the 30s, 40s, and 50s (2013); Great Chicago Cub Baseball Players Since 1876 (2015); The 2016 Chicago Cubs (2016); Good Guys, Bad Guys, and Sidekicks in Western Movies (2016); Good and Bad Sci-Fi/Horror/Monster Movies of the 1950s (2017); most recently, More Forgotten Movie Stars of the 30s, 40s, and 50s.

A senior executive with a strong background in identifying organization needs, assessing and improving staff behavior, and implementing solutions to improve profits, productivity, customer service, and retention. Led positive changes in individual and group behavior in a variety of work environments including medical, manufacturing, education, and not-for-profit. Originated concepts of “Behavior Sense” and “Catalyst” as new leadership approaches. Worked as an executive and marketing consultant for colleges and a hospital. Intimate knowledge of market research, marketing plans, persuasion theory, and creating, writing, and designing collateral material. Familiar with all aspects of business as founder and operator of a Career Consulting firm. Authored leadership articles for a business newspaper and the book “How to Make a Powerful, Positive, Impact.” Taught Marketing in a Master’s of Management program.

Life in your senior years can still be an exciting journey. Frank A. Lancione, his wife, Diane, and their beloved cat, Compagno, all live in the greatest place on earth to be a senior, The Villages, Florida. You can follow their clubs and many adventures on their web site: https://frankalancione.com

Frank is the 2022-2023 President of the Writers League of The Villages, President and host of the Wine and Words monthly literary talk show, and author and producer of the It Happened in The Villages Murder Mystery play series.

This book, SUNSET YEARS: POEMS FOR SENIORS WHO STILL LOVE LIFE AND EACH OTHER, is the first of a planned set of books that will be published under the SUNSET YEARS series title over the next several years.

G.G. Lentz grew up on a farm in northeastern Iowa, a Czech boy learning about life as only one can do on a rural farm.As an adult, he graduated with a degree in Accounting and several degrees from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business, followed by a career in the health insurance industry.

In retirement, he and his wife, Pam, moved to Florida where he finally decided to write about his early years growing up. As he has said, “Some things cannot be forgotten, and other things just need to be told.”

G.G. Lentz can be reached at glentzauthor@gmail.com

“Although I’ve lived full-time in The Villages for the past 10 years, I tell people my roots are in Ohio, although I lived in Denver briefly after college; in Chicago while I sought my fortune in copy-writing; and in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for 21 years while I taught communication skills at the University of Northern Iowa. Then I returned to Ohio where I taught business and technical writing at Wright State University.

Now, in The Villages, I done what so many do – golf – but I’ve joined the Writers League of the Villages (WLOV) and re-grouped enough to pursue personal writing rather than just teaching writing.

I have an unpublished novel stashed in a file cabinet but have self-published a memoir, Small Doses. Most recently, I’ve completed this small book about women and golf based on my sixty years of experience trying to master this amazing and enigmatic sport. I hope you will enjoy reading it and much as I’ve did writing it.

I practiced pulmonary medicine in Cleveland, Ohio until 2015, then retired to Florida, where I continue to write. Since the early 1980s I have written 26 books, including a worldwide best seller medical text book (All You Really Need to Know to Interpret Arterial Blood Gases), and three award-winning fiction novels. My books have been in 7 different genres: textbook, non-fiction for general audience, contemporary fiction, historical fiction, middle-grade fiction, children’s picture book, and short-fiction anthology.

My middle grade fiction, THE BOY WHO DREAMED MOUNT EVEREST won 2nd place in the 2016 Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Awards (RPLA) for the category of unpublished middle grade fiction. More of my books have also won awards which I hope to post at a later date.

Dr. Robert McElroy shows you how he lost 70 lbs. at two different times in his life, without stress or pain. His unique credentials include his background as a member of an elite group of GM automotive mechanics, a PhD in Industrial Education, and Industrial Safety Engineering, combined with his decades of experience as a forensic accident expert. 

“Do the math,” Dr. McElroy says. His book brings logic and basic math to weight loss, without expensive or unsafe diet aids.

Dave McKeon is an award-winning author of short stories and creator of the Lou Gault Thriller series. His stories reflect a diverse background of life experiences, and an unquenchable love affair with the outdoors.  

A native New Englander, he has hunted, fished, hiked, camped, skied, and traveled in the eastern United States and throughout New Brunswick, and Quebec his entire life. 

A Vietnam-era veteran, Dave has formerly held both a Top-Secret Clearance and the Department of Energy’s “Q” Clearance. His stories are influenced by experiences working with the NSA, the EPA and the Department of the Navy.

To learn more about Dave McKeon, visit www.avillagewriter.com

Beverly Ann Meyers has been writing her mystery series for several years with her protagonist Alison Caldwell.

She and her husband, Marty, live in central Florida and are avid bowlers. Beverly is also a member of Writers League of The Villages.

Ron Miller, a disabled, twenty-seven-year army veteran, spent most of the 1980s and 90s in Germany. While wandering throughout the countryside, observing the beautiful castles and listening to the haunting tales from the local storytellers, an idea for a book started forming in his mind.

It wasn’t until learning of his family’s involvement in the 1488 Battle of Saint-Aubins-du-Cormier, in central France, that he realized this was the core event needed to launch his series. Drawing upon his own experiences and from people near him, words started flowing until he had created not only one book, but three.

These books are the kind that a man or woman can sit back with a cup of coffee, tea, hot chocolate – or even Three Fingers of Irish Whiskey, and bury themselves into their words. Although all three books can be read as a continuous series, each can be read as a stand-alone.

Author Deanne Mincer, a yoga and spiritual teacher with twenty-five years’ experience, now lived in central Florida with her husband, Richard. In the late 1980s, the couple co-write a book about art of speaking on Talk Shows. The book’s introduction was written by Phil Donahue.

Pat Minots’ passion for writing poetry began at age thirteen. Now retired and living in the Villages, Florida, she turned to writing fiction during the pandemic and produced her first story entitled, “The Last Sunset.” Now, she offers additional books entitled, “Louie’s Journey” and “The Last Sunset”.

“I hope you enjoy this book as much as I enjoyed writing it!”

A former Long Island school teacher, Mark, was an adjunct education instructor at SUNY. He is a co-founder of Writers League of The Villages as well as originator and ‘Top Cat’ of Writers 4 Kids, he writes the Writing Bug column in Village Neighbors magazine.

My award-winning children’s books are a mix of Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, and Perry Mason, (a fictional lawyer), featuring kids who solve problems with their ‘smarts’ and courage. I want every child to believe in their dreams and know they can reach their goals.

My parents were divorced and I was bullied as a child, which inspired my writing.

I can’t draw. So I met Dan Traynor whose colorful illustrations make Santa’s Speeding Ticket, Alice in Batsylvania, A Bite Before Christmas, Dreidel Dog, and Passover Puppy Coloring Book fun with lots of laughs, activities and surprises. 

I love hearing from my readers. A boy years ago ended a nice fan letter with: “I know all authors are rich. Can I swim in your pool?” I don’t have a pool, but love sharing my stories with you. Thank you for reading my books. If you enjoy them, I hope you will consider adding your kind reviews. Thank you.   Your friend,   Mark

J.B. Bailey and JBNBooky Press are the pen names of Judy Nieman, author, book designer, and Amazon KDP publisher and creator of a variety of books. Her books include children and adult coloring books, children’s activity books, children’s early learning books, journals and logbooks, as well as her hobby book How to Enter Online Sweepstakes and Win Prizes! All books can be found on Amazon.com.   

In her prior career Judy worked as an associate analyst for many years on U.S. Air Force Aerospace Weapons Systems programs. There she obtained the software and design experience she uses today.

Judy and her husband, Forrest, moved to the Villages, FL in 2008 where they reside in Hadley Village.  Judy collaborates with her 9-yr-old twin grandchildren, Blake and Lexi on the types of books children would like.

Ellen Bryant Nofi is a vibrant seventy-something who lived in Albany, Georgia for over 40 years before moving to The Villages with her husband. A retired schoolteacher and former State Farm Insurance Agent, Ellen dedicated her life to education, community service, and nurturing her family.

Ellen and her husband enjoy a large and loving blended family, including two daughters, one son, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Ellen’s love for writing has been a lifelong passion. With the encouragement of her family and friends, she has finally brought her creative dreams to fruition with her debut novel, Found Identity. This captivating story reflects Ellen’s keen insight into human nature and her talent for storytelling.

Connect with Ellen Bryant Nofi on social media or visit her website for the latest updates and insights into her journey as an author. She can  be contacted at AuthorEllenNofi@gmail.com.

The media has covered professional story artist Sue O’Halloran’s seminars, performances, and keynote addresses in such outlets as PBS’s People and Causes, ABC Nightline, and The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Chicago Tribune. 

Sue has brought her one-woman shows to The Villages, Florida in sold-out performances at The Studio Theater including Pot of Gold: Irish Stories and Songs and Mothers and Other Wild Women. About her own storytelling skills, The Chicago Reader’s Critic Choice said, “O’Halloran has mastered the Irish art of telling stories that are funny and heart-wrenching at the same time.”

Richard Perhacs is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received an undergraduate degree in political science from Saint Vincent College where he was educated by a Benedictine monastic community, and a law degree with honors from Duquesne University School of Law where he edited the Law Review. He also holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University.

He’s traveled extensively in Latin America, particularly Mexico, and is conversationally proficient in Spanish. He retired from the practice of law after a forty-year career and currently resides in Florida.

Charles (Chuck) Petersen was born in Tottenville, Staten Island, in 1940. He grew up living in the Biddle House, now a New York City landmark maintained by the Tottenville Historical Society. The experience of living in an historic home gave Chuck an appreciation of history, old homesteads, and those who lived in them.

After high school, he joined the Navy under a program that released him the day before he became 21. Two days after completing his military service, he was enrolled at Wagner College on Staten Island. It was there he met his wife, Carole. They’ve been married over 61 years. 

Chuck attended college for many years, first full time, then in the evenings. Eventually, he earned an MBA in Business Management. While attending college, he worked as a machinist, the trade of both his father and brother. After completing his MBA program, he began a career in various manufacturing management positions. 

Eventually, his responsibilities included long range strategic and financial planning, capital investment, acquisitions and divestitures, and plant relocations.  He retired in 1998.

Both Chuck and Carole remain active. Chuck began running in the late 1970s and has since logged in over 100,000 miles on the roads and trails and has completed fifty-seven marathons, twelve 100-mile trail races, and over 100 races of marathon distance or longer to date.

He also bikes daily and enjoys doing volunteer trail maintenance at the local state parks as well as completing a round or two of golf each week.

Robert (“Bob”) Peterson has been studying and inducing out-of-body experiences (OBEs) since 1979. He compiled his early experiences into his first book, Out of Body Experiences: How to have them and what to expect, which was published in several languages. Bob’s other books include Lessons Out of the Body, The Gospel According to Mike, Answers Within,  Hacking the Out of Body Experience, and Wind Walker.

Bob is also a paranormal investigator. In the early 1980s, he joined the Minnesota Society for Parapsychological Research (MSPR), which gave him experience as a “Ghost Buster” long before the movie made the subject popular. He’s visited many of the most haunted places on Earth, like the Villisca Ax Murder House in Villisca Iowa, the Waverly Hills Sanitorium in Louisville, Kentucky, and the St. Augustine Lighthouse.

He’s appeared on numerous radio shows, including “Coast to Coast AM” with George Noory and “Midnight in the Desert” with Dave Schrader. He’s also appeared in many podcasts like The Light Gate with Preston Dennett.

His website is: https://www.robertpeterson.org/

Nancy Pflum was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. She graduated with a bachelors degree in Secondary Education from Wright State University and a masters in Counseling.

She began writing in high school, but then came a long hiatus filled with raising two sons, and having a career in clinical counseling.

Since retiring, she has written two novels, “Murder on the Menu” and “The Last Cross.” 

She and her husband currently live in Florida where she enjoys helping other writers succeed.

Bill Pullen is a brilliant storyteller. Whether it’s his childhood encounter with a V1 flying bomb, a renegade monkey in Suriname, the time he had to fire George Carlin, or one of his many other recollections, you will feel as though you were right there when the action happened. 

His story begins with heartwarming memories of his early years on the outskirts of London during World War II. Following his first job as a bartender at The Savoy Hotel in London, he accepted a one-year assignment at the Hotel Plaza Athénée in Paris. While there a chance meeting with an American financier led to a once-in-a-lifetime job offer and his eventual emigration to the United States. From historic country inns to five-star hotels on three continents, he shares anecdotes of his experiences with friends, family, and a myriad of celebrities whom he met along the way. 

All done with great humor and insight. Life goes on after retirement. In the final two chapters, Bill relates the importance of community involvement and the highly emotional connection he made while in Sri Lanka. That experience culminated in the creation of a foundation supporting some of that island’s poorest children and what became his lifetime passion and mission.

2020 First Place Chanticleer International Book Awards for Uplifting Inspiring Non-Fiction

https://www.amazon.com/Started-Savoy-celebrities-highlights-management/dp/1542992060

Barbara Rein writes “horror-lite” short stories (goosebumps, not gore). Reimagined nightmares culled from a childhood diet of macabre fairytales and endless episodes of Twilight Zone. Her book, Tales from the Eerie Canal: 22 Stories of the Delightfully Dark and Creepy, won the 2021 Royal Palm Literary Award for “Best Book of the Year.”

Barbara is a full-time Floridian recently transplanted from New York. She admits to being dachshund-obsessed. The long dog occasionally shows up in her short stories, though more often on her sofa, bed, and lap.

Jeanne E. Rogers, was born in the Bronx and raised in New Jersey. She is a graduate of Western Connecticut State University and makes Florida her home. Besides being an avid reader and writer, she also loves animals, and is especially intrigued by those found on the continent of Australia. Her compassion for endangered species led her to include them in her writing, where she hopes to spark a desire in young readers to learn more about the environment and its effect on the planet’s wildlife.

Immerse yourself into the romantic novels of author Christine Schimpf as she introduces your to a host of wide-ranging characters.  Some of the novels in this collection are based on true stories. 

Katherine Edwins Schumm was born in Minneapolis, MN but at the age of two the family moved to Asia. Over the next eleven years, she lived in more than five countries.  This experience is reflected in her writing and stories since writing her first novella in seventh grade.

A natural storyteller she became a therapist as an adult, which helped her touch the lives of many women and families experiencing conflict and life transitions. In 2002 she was asked to write a retrospective of her grandfather’s mission to China in the early 1900’s which published both in the U.S. and in China. 

Currently, she lives in central Florida with her husband and three dogs.

Four of us friends got together in 1992 and we took a trip to New England. We toured historic Boston and hiked through the beautiful mountains of New Hampshire. It was an invigorating and fun way to see the area and we all agreed we’d like to do more hiking.  Every year we chose a new destination and each trip consisted of at least four to five of us women. We soon dubbed ourselves the “Happy Hikers.” Eventually, we decided to tell our story and in 2020, we published this book with each one of us telling our tale. Hiking is wonderful! Hope to see you on the trail!

Jane Masterson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1997. Jane and her 25-year partner, Edmund H. Smith, Jr., have not let this disease stop them from enjoying life. They have learned how to cope and how to thrive.

Five years ago, Ed and Jane were asked by a Parkinson’s disease support group to share what they had learned about coping with the challenges of everyday life. Their one-hour presentation, “Ideas for Living Well with Parkinson’s Disease,” proved an instant success. Since then, they have been frequent speakers at support groups in Florida, Tennessee, and also on cruise ships. Audiences number from a few to well over one hundred. Many attendees recommended they write a book so more people might benefit from their knowledge.

Growing up an identical twin in western Pennsylvania influenced Sharon’s early years. The Carnegie Free Library was her favorite place to get books and go to Story Hour each Friday with her sister.

Libraries and books are still vital for Sharon’s daily existence. The author of eight books for children, the genres range from science plays to picture book fiction and biographies, to middle grade and teen novels.

“I look for ideas everywhere I go and they seem to fall in my lap,” Sharon said. Her latest book is The Pencil That Would Not Die. 

You can learn more about Sharon and her books on her website www.sharonsbooks.net.

Frances Szarnicki is an experienced reader, teacher, and lecturer, in the field of numerology.  She applies her intuition to interpreting the mystical codes of numbers.  

Through her personal consultations, she has helped countless people to accept themselves, recognize their own abilities, and expanding their creative potential.  

Using the language of numbers, she prepares people to take control of scheduled opportunities destined to emerge in their lives.

She is currently working on her next book: Double Digit Numerology: Advanced Guide to the Language of Numbers.

Robert Tebo started this book as a series of blogs beginning in 2017.  It has sections beginning with marriage, family, and the unexpected death of his wife.

Welsh-born Penny Thomas spent her first few decades in Egypt, Portugal, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates before a stroke of luck took her to the United States of America.

Life in New York City,  and a love of small airplanes, provided her with a multitude of plot lines to indulge in her passion for writing fiction. Her novel, As the Prop Turns, won with the Mystery Writers of America, Florida Chapter’s Freddie Award for writing excellence.

T.J. Trapp is a nuclear scientist who has always had an interest in telling about the world – and multiverse – as it might be. TJ is an avid consumer of science fiction as well as science literature.

Ken Van Camp may not be the perfect human, but he’s trainable. At least that’s what Keke says! Ken is a dog lover, freelance writer, voiceover artist, audiobook producer, and the author of Keke’s Guide to Training Your Human.

Yes, Keke really is Ken’s doggie and he has Ken well-trained.

Geralyn Vilar was born and raised in Belleville, New Jersey.  After graduation, she married, and while raising her children, received her associates  degree in nursing from Essex County College.  Geralyn enjoys, writing, dancing, cooking, and singing.  In addition to her other accomplishments, she holds licenses in nursing, cosmetology, real-estate, and insurance.

She has three children and two grandchildren, and lives with her husband, David, in The Villages, Florida.

A Pennsylvanian through and through, Dick was born and raised in Scranton and Dickson City and has made his home in the Keystone state for his entire life except during his military service. He earned a Penn State degree in zoology in 1971.

Acceding to the ongoing military draft, he served in the U. S. Navy from 1971 to 1979 both as a hospital corpsman and later as a Medical Service Corps Officer. Dick graduated from the Dickinson School of Law (now Penn State Dickinson) in 1982. He then engaged in the general practice of law through 1997 when he successfully ran for a seat on the bench. Dick served as a trial judge from 1998 through early 2013 when he retired.

He and his wife of almost 40 years now spend time at homes in Florida and Pennsylvania. Dick and Peg are the very proud parents of Hilary and her husband, Kyle, and Danny.

I am a retired clinical psychologist from Ohio. I live at The Villages, Florida and write inspirational self-help books meant to encourage the reader to joyfully finish the race set forth by God. My second book, “Creating Balance & Purpose in Life” was launched by Amazon on September 20, 2018. This book guides the readers as they develop or restore balance and meaning in their current stage of life. It can be offered as a course as is my recent book entitled: “Worry, Fret and Fear.. No More!”-Covid-19 Edition. This book takes the reader on a six week journey to unlearn the habit of worrying and overcome fear. I am available as an inspirational speaker on the topics covered in my books.

Throughout my lengthy career as a psychologist in private practice, I was privileged to teach at The University of Dayton and other Dayton area colleges. Most recently, I taught the subject matter of my books to Retirees at The Enrichment Academy in The Villages, Florida and spoken to many clubs and organizations. My former students encouraged me to write the Christian/Judeo inspirational books. I also served as the Academic Dean and instructor at Casa Hope, a Christian transitional living house for young men who struggle with addictions and/or served time for drug related offenses. I developed courses relevant to their success and taught classes implementing the books I have written.

I belong to the Florida Writers Association, Word Weavers International, and the Writers League of The Villages. Professionally I maintain memberships in Ohio Women In Psychology, the Ohio Psychological Association (Emeritus), the American Psychological Association (Emeritus) and Women Doctors of The Villages.

Barbara Walz, a beloved Grandma, has dedicated her life to nurturing young minds. Having retired from her fulfilling career as an English Language Arts and English as a New Language teacher, Barbara now channels her passion for children into writing heartwarming children’s stories. Her ultimate goal is to ignite a love for books and foster the development of vocabulary in young readers. With a wealth of experience working with children, Barbara understands the importance of engaging storytelling and the positive impact it can have on a child's imagination and language skills. Drawing from her own memories and experiences, she weaves together rhyming books that capture the essence of childhood happiness and joy.

Barbara's literary journey has resulted in the creation of three captivating rhyming books and an activity book, each brimming with delightful illustrations.Through her books, she takes young beginner readers and writers on delightful adventures, encouraging them to explore the world around them and discover new concepts and ideas. Every page resonates with the magic of imagination, leaving a lasting impression on the young minds that embark on these literary journeys.

When she's not lost in the world of words, Barbara divides her time between two vibrant states: New York and Florida. These contrasting environments provide her with ample inspiration. Barbara finds solace and creativity in both settings, fueling her storytelling prowess. In her life's journey, Barbara is fortunate to have the unwavering support and love of her family and her husband, Rich. Together, they form a nurturing and encouraging environment where creativity thrives. 

Barbara's dedication to inspiring children's love for books and expanding their vocabulary is a testament to her unwavering commitment to education. Through her stories, she hopes to leave an indelible mark on the lives of young readers, encouraging them to embrace reading as a gateway to limitless possibilities. With her warm smile, Barbara Walz continues to touch the lives of children and their families, leaving an enduring legacy of literary joy and a lifelong love for learning. Happy reading!

Barbara Welsh is a prolific poet and observer of life, often composing a new piece every day.  She writes inspirational poems, pulling from every day activities including smiles, dancing, and human interactions.