BookFest! 2011 – Authors and Exhibitors
Ricky Riccardi holds a B.A. in journalism and an M.A. in Jazz History and Research from Rutgers
University. He has lectured at the Institute of Jazz Studies, at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, and at the annual Satchmo
SummerFest in New Orleans. He is the author of What a Wonderful World: The Magic of Louis Armstrong's Later Years is himself a
jazz pianist. He is the project archivist for the Louis Armstrong House Museum. He lives in New Jersey
Fran Capo is a keynote motivational speaker, 16 time author, comedienne, TV show host, spokesperson,
adventurer and five time world record holder, most known as the Guinnness Book of World Records fastest talking female. She has
appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Fox & Friends, The Late Show, Martha Stewart, Larry King Live and the Discovery Channel.
Her two most recent books are: It Happened in New Jersey and Myths and Mysteries of New Jersey. She has her, “Cuppa
Capo's" which are daily humorous motivational tips that are posted on youtube and facebook
Kevin Mullin was drafted in 1984 by the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association and went on to
play professional basketball in Europe. During his college career at Princeton University, he was named Honorable Mention AllAmerican, All Ivy League, and was the leading scorer in the 1984 NCAA basketball tournament. He has also worked with student
athletes as a high school basketball coach in public and private schools. Mr. Mullin is currently the CEO of LEAP Executive
Consulting, a management consulting firm specializing in leadership coaching.
Artie Bennett is the executive copy editor for a children’s book publisher and he writes a little on the side (but
not the backside!). He wrote "The Dinosaur Joke Book: A Compendium of Pre-Hysteric Puns" when he was a much younger man.
The Butt Book is his first mature work. He was the youngest (at about age thirteen) person to originate and sell a crossword puzzle
to the "New York Times." This was part of his “checkered” past.
Steven P. Winkelstein aka The Winkle presents his newest book Lucy's Great Adventure about Lucy the
Elephant in Margate NJ. His earlier books include Elephant, Elephant Come Alive! and The Diving Horse and the Magic Whistle
Carlotta G. Holton's first book, Getting Out of Limbo, won a best nonfiction award from the New Jersey Press
Women's Association. She is a celebrated journalist and the recipient of many related awards. She is also the author of two works of
horror fiction, Salem Pact and Touching The Dead and is a member of the National Federation of Press Women and and an affiliate
member of the Horror Writers Association. Carlotta is a regular columnist and interviewer for WritersNewsWeekly.com.
Jeffrey Cohen is the author of funny mystery novels as well as non-fiction books on parenting a child with an
Autism-Spectrum Disorder. He will speak about the latter with tips from his book, The Asperger Parent: How to Raise a Child with
Asperger Syndrome and Maintain Your Sense of Humor. Haunted Guesthouse is his newest mystery series
Lorraine Rocco discover how pop culture changed our world in Years Gone Bye: A Yearly Snapshot of the
People, Places, and Things that Captured Our Attention for 50 Years.
Joseph G. Bilby was born in Newark, New Jersey. He is the author of over 250 articles on New Jersey
and military history, has appeared on the History Channel's Civil War Journal and the Discovery Channel's Discovery Magazine as
an expert consultant on the Civil War and 19th century firearms. Mr. Bilby was a Panelist for the NJ Historical Commission's 1996
seminar on Civil War Studies, and is a Trustee of the NJ Civil War Heritage Association and member of the Development Board of
The Robert E. Lee Civil War Round Table's Library and Research Center. NJ Civil War.
Patricia Robinson is a freelance travel writer, public relations executive, trade magazine editor, and, an award
winning reporter/photographer for a chain of weekly newspapers in Central New Jersey. Books: New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail
and Wonderwalks
Barbara Solem-Stull Ghost Towns and Other Quirky Places of the Pine Barrens tells the story of the towns that
rose up around the iron furnaces, glass factories, paper mills, cranberry farms, and brick making establishments of the 18th, 19th,
and early 20th centuries. Loaded with easy-to-use maps and over 100 photographs and illustrations of many of the Pine Barrens
most intriguing historic sites and ruins. This unique field guide is an essential resource for anyone interested in the history of
Pinelands ghost towns and in exploring these long-ago communities firsthand.
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Dan Wilensky Music was in the air at the Wilensky house: every family member played at least one
instrument, and family jam sessions were frequent. The summer after high school, Wilensky heard that Ray Charles was looking for
a lead alto player for his big band. He auditioned, and got the gig, since then he has played with Joan Baez, David Bowie, Steve
Winwood, Martika, and Sheena Easton, , and gigging with Ben E. King, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Carole King, Cab
Calloway and Aretha Franklin. Currently, Wilensky is featured in the music for the Emmy® - winning PBS children's show Between
the Lions. He is the author of MUSICIAN! A Practical Guide for Students, Music Lovers, Amateurs, Professionals, Superstars,
Wannabees and Has-Beens.
Karen Bostrom been writing short stories and newspaper articles since I was in elementary school in South
Florida. Among other things, I dreamed of becoming an author, an architect, an artist, a teacher, a mermaid at Weeki Wachee, and
a blonde Brenda Starr. Her first published short story, "Stuck in Seaside Heights," appeared in Crime Scene: NJ2. My novel
Dangerous Sands is also placed at the Jersey Shore, the home of old and new money, power, intrigue, summer vacations.
Jennifer Wilck has been making stories up ever since she was a little girl, When she was little and couldn’t
fall asleep, her mom would tell her to make up a story..She did that even when she got older. Eventually she started writing the
stories down. She wrote for newspapers and magazines in college, and started writing fiction seriously about six years ago.
Shirley Hailstock loves reading. She'd like nothing better than to find a corner in the library and get lost in a
book, explore new worlds and visit places she never expected to see. Now as an author, she can not only visit those places, but she
can be the heroine of her own stories. A past president of Romance Writers of America, Shirley began her writing career on a dare.
Taking a year to complete her first manuscript, the writing bug bit her and she discovered telling stories of love and adventure was
what she wanted to spend her life doing.
E. F. Watkins specializes in paranormal suspense. Dance With The Dragon, received a 2004 EPPIE Award from
the national organization EPIC (Electronically Published Internet Connection.) as Best Horror Novel. Next came the romantic
mystery Ride A Dancing Horse (as “Eileen Watkins”). Her third book, Black Flowers, was a Finalist in the Thriller category for both
the 2006 EPPIEs and the 2007 Indie Excellence Book Awards. She also has published the paranormal thrillers PARAGON, DANU’S
CHILDREN and ONE BLOOD.
Chris Redding’s desire to become a published writer began at an early age. When she received her first
A on a story she wrote in fifth grade, Chris knew she wanted to be an author. However, writing romance fiction books didn’t enter the
picture until later in her life. She didn’t read many romance books growing up, but after college, discovered the genre fictions of
mystery and romance. Her favorite authors are Suzanne Brockmann and Lisa Gardner, both of whom she has had the pleasure of
meeting.
J.B. DiNizo was Raised in Vermont in those golden years right after World War II, but has lived in New Jersey
for over forty years. She loves New Jersey and bemoans its reputation for corruption, high taxes, and people with attitude. Mrs.
Dinizo says, "New Jersey is an old and historic state. After all, most of the Revolutionary War was fought here. There are towns
filled with fabulous architecture of bygone times, a landscape that includes beaches, pinelands, and mountains and people who are
good souls, caring about each other." She lives at the New Jersey shore with her family and enjoys writing stories about her adopted
state.
J.J. Lair lives in Freehold New Jersey with his wife. He is the author of two books and a play. Dream Dancing
was published in 2007 and is available at B&N.com and Amazon.com. He continues to work on his next novel.
Wallace Jan Ecklof grew up in a one square mile honky-tonk community on the Jersey shore, and graduated
high school in 1965 during the height of the Viet Nam War. He started working as a Roller Derby skater, a lobsterman, and then a
cowboy in South Dakota for two years on a horse and cattle ranch. He then attended college studying for a degree in business and
literature. He has been involved with Horses for the Handicap It was at this juncture in his life that the inspiration for The Last Celtic
Angel came to him. Observing people with physical and emotional handicaps training with horses plus his years as a ranch hand
and a life long love of everything equine all combined to inspire his writing.
Jon Gibbs now lives in New Jersey, where he’s a member of several writers' groups, including SCBWI and
The Garden State Horror Writers. He’s the founder of The New Jersey Authors’ Network and FindAWritingGroup.com. Jon’s debut
novel, Fur-Face a middle grade science/horror/fantasy for boys aged 10-12 was nominated for a Crystal Kite Award. His popular
blog, An Englishman in New Jersey, is read in over thirty countries.
M.Flagg Retribution! was the first book in her paranormal romance series The Champion Chronicles. I began to
write during a time of many changes in my life. Subsequently, I added two more novels to my hero's journey. Consequences was
released in 2010 and His Soul To Keep, the final installment in this trilogy will be released in July 2011.
M. Kate Quinn draws on her quirky sense of humor, hopelessly romantic nature, highly developed sense of family
and friendship, and her love for a good story while writing her novels. M. Kate Quinn, a life-long native of New Jersey makes her
home near the beach in Ocean County with her husband and their magnificent Siberian cat named Sammy.
Donna M. Zappala is a children's book author, who holds a BA in Elementary Education and Psychology. Donna
also holds an MA in mathematics education. Zappala has taught young children for years. Currently, she stays at home to raise her
children while continuing to write almost every day. She resides in New Jersey with her husband Adrian, a university administrator,
and their three young girls.
Frank Finale has more than three hundred fifty poems and essays published in more than one hundred
different books, journals, and magazines. His critically acclaimed books about the Jersey Shore and New Jersey include To The
Shore Once More and To The Shore Once More, Volume II as well as his children's books, A Gull's Story and A Gull's Story, Part 2
both illustrated by Margie Moore. He also co-edited The Poets of New Jersey with Emanuel DiPasquale and Sander Zulauf
Toni DiPalma always dreamed of being a writer and working with children. However, her journey took many
paths before she finally began to realize her dream. Her first YA novel, Under the Banyan Tree, was published by Holiday House in
2007. She was a recipient of a New Jersey Arts Council Grant for 2008.
Sergio Ragno's Comic Creation Workshop will definitely be hands-on where the group creates a comic book together!
Eric Grissom and artist Phil Sloan, Eric Grissom and artist Phil Sloan continue their online graphic novel series, Deadhorse.
Read it online at www.deadhorsecomic.com
Joel Mott – Public Programs Specialist, NJ Pinelands presents Sights and Sounds of the Pine Barrens. This lively presentation
includes sights and sounds while taking the audience on an insightful walk in the woods familiarizing them with the Pinelands.
Conversation will also be focused on the importance of water to the area while highlighting the cultural, historic, and natural
resources of the region.
Johnny Cash Tribute Band Celebrate the amazing repertoire of the legendary “ Man in Black” with the Basement Musicians
(Tony Pileggi, Rick Hohowski and Tom Rutt)
Carole Gernett - a mixed media artist. has been painting and drawing for as long as she can remember. She loves using old
photographs and vintage items in her work She will present an ongoing Make and Take a Bookmark craft. In addition She will be
selling journals, a few handmade unbound books (art not story) and her own bookmarks.
Mr. Scott The Music Man delivers a uniquely creative and energetic high energy, very wacky,
warm hearted music and movement experience for children and their families.
Jim McMullan Flocks, Herds, Litters & Schools What do you call a group of giraffes? Or how about lions? Or
zebras? This book is all about the names we give to animals in groups as been an actor for over 40 years. Jim has starred in
dozens of feature films including and in hundreds of TV shows, and many people remember him as Senator Dowling in Dallas. .
Pairs and Squares Square Dance Group
Once Upon A Dance Hip-Hop performance
Sparks! The Ocean County Library Dragon
Loon E Clown – balloon creations
Petrilla Book Appraisals Robert & Alison Petrilla were founding members and the first elected officers
of the Antiquarian Booksellers of New Jersey. The Petrillas are supporting members and friends of various historical societies and
university libraries. Bob is a member of the American Antiquarian Society and the Society of American Archivists.
Space limited, first come first served. 2 books per customer max
Plexus Publishing In addition to books about New Jersey history, folklore, and novels, Plexus
publishes titles in the field of biology and ecology. Our flagship publication, Biology Digest, is now in its 34th year of providing
current, readable information in the life sciences to over 3,000 schools, colleges, and libraries.
Ocean County Historical Society – Telling the Stories of Ocean County and one of New Jersey's outstanding
historical societies - a part of Ocean County, NJ, since 1950. Books, Maps, and Media
created and published by the OCHS
Aerodale Press is a fresh young publishing company started by a small group of creative individuals from a wide
variety of literary and commercial industries
Charming BookClips Beautiful and uniquely functional bookmarks, handcrafted in Toms River, NJ.
Literacy Volunteers of Ocean County tutors one-on-one adult basic skills learners and adults for whom
English is not their first language, and encourages better life skills and the habit of life- long learning
NJLA Store will be selling book-related items and gifts for book lovers
Food Vendors:
Central Ocean Rotary
Kiwanis Club of Toms River
L Gourmet
Toms River Friends of the Library
JenniCakes
Sweetie Pies Preserves