Who are the Local Authors attending Book Fest 2025?

I’ve always loved words and respected the power they have. A carefully chosen word communicates how someone is feeling, what someone experienced, or what someone imagines. They tie us together. I started writing after I retired from teaching. I had decided to write a memoir about an important experience that was still crystal clear in my mind after decades. When I sat down to describe it, a wave of pure satisfaction washed over me. I felt such a sense of contentment that I knew I had to spend the rest of my life writing. Since I’ve been reading mysteries since the Nancy Drew days that was my logical genre. It’s been 14 years and I still love every minute of it.

There are so many rewarding things about being an author that it’s hard to pick only one. I guess my favorite thing is talking with readers who have enjoyed my books. I love discussing different aspects of each story and hearing their thoughts. It’s extremely satisfying and thrilling to have written something that people love.

Murder at the Moulin Rouge, book #5 in my series, releases in late September. I’m working on the developmental edit notes from my editor now. The book will be in production for the next few months.

The inspiration for my time-travel mysteries came from an unexplained vision I had when I was 29. Invite me to talk at your book club or an event and I’ll tell you all about it!!

The best advice I can offer is to join a professional writers’ organization in your genre. If you write mysteries, join Sisters in Crime. If romance is your genre, join Romance Writers of America. Writers need other writers for a whole host of things. Find your group and start networking.

My husband loves frogs, I mean LOVES. To this day he still brings them to me when he finds them, even right before bed. He did the same thing to our kids when they were little. My son loves them, my daughter, not so much. Maybe because once a tiny frog jumped on her tiny face and she screamed so loud it curled her hair. I think by writing about creatures and making one of our main characters a girl from with red hair is his way of righting his wrong with our daughter. These moments turn into sketches that evolves into characters-driven stories, and we realized we could turn life’s little absurdities into children’s literature that encourages critical thinking. The characters just wouldn’t leave us alone until we gave them proper stories.

Watching a child’s face light up when they connect with a character who thinks differently is absolutely magical. We’ve had parents tell us their kids request our books night after night and then start creating their own problem-solving stories. That ripple effect—knowing we’re helping build confident, creative thinkers—makes all the late nights worth it. Plus, there’s nothing quite like signing a book for a child who’s clutching it like it’s already their favorite.

We’re developing a new series focused on everyday critical thinking skills through adventure and mystery-solving. It’s brain training disguised as entertainment! We’re also exploring a companion activity book for the Finder’s Creatures series that helps kids develop their own detective skills. And of course, our shaggy black dog continues to supervise all our writing sessions, mostly by napping on important sketches—she’s quite the literary critic.”

Rebecca has a habit of starting creative projects that Kevin somehow ends up finishing—it’s become such a pattern that we’ve worked it into our author bios. It’s a surprisingly effective collaborative process! Also, our best story ideas often come during our family hikes. Something about being off the grid, away from screens, really opens up the imagination. We keep notebooks and paper handy because inspiration always strikes when we’re farthest from civilization. You will not always remember that “Good idea.”

Write the stories that only you can tell. Your unique perspective and experiences create a voice no one else has. Don’t worry about trends or what’s selling—focus on creating characters and worlds that fascinate you. Write the book that you have to write even if no one would read it. The one that keeps you up. And remember that persistence matters more than perfection. Our first published book was actually our fifteenth manuscript! The fourteen before it taught us what worked and what didn’t. So keep a folder of ideas, sketch characters that intrigue you, and write regularly—even if it’s just fifteen minutes between other responsibilities. The consistent practice builds both skills and confidence.

My greatest inspirations for writing came from my Mom, Joann Senecal, and my junior high school English teacher, Mr. Michael Coiro. They introduced me to great stories and always encouraged me to write. I thank them both for helping cultivate my imagination as a child. One of my biggest regrets is that neither of them ever got the chance to read my books, although I have dedicated books to each of them.

For me, the most rewarding thing about being an author is having an opportunity to create something that other people can enjoy, as well as the opportunity to encourage young writers to follow their passion. When someone contacts me through the website to mention things about the books it truly makes my day. (www.mrtoutsmagicalforest.com)

I am currently working on a new book for my Mr. Tout’s Magical Forest series, with the tentative title of Twin Reckoning. It will tell the background story of one of the most influential characters in the series, Beth Tomson. I might call it Book 0 in the series, or maybe it’s the beginning of a background series, but I haven’t really decided yet.

My readers might find it interesting that the Mr. Tout’s series is based on a world I created in the early 1980s to play Dungeons and Dragons with some friends. My great love for music, especially progressive rock and 70s rock, provided a lot of inspiration and background for this world. Ideas and snippets of lyrics can be found throughout the series, and some of the events were inspired by concepts from music. Another “fun” fact about my books is that one of the main characters, Mariah, is named for my daughter, while the dog Willow and the cat Rio are names of past pets but are based on our dog Luna and our cat Gryffindor.

As someone who taught high school English for almost 30 years, my best advice to prospective authors is to “just do it,” go for it and write about things you are interested in. I waited way too long to finally get started on my books, which is something I regret.

I would have to say it was the invention of paper, though the pen and pencil would be right up there. I recall when I was a toddler and was forbidden from using any sharp objects, I had to scribble on blank paper with my forefinger. That’s why gloves don’t fit me properly today.

If anyone tells you it’s the money, they’re lying unless they have written about a boy wizard with round eyeglasses. Most of the money earned from selling books goes to an evil corporation, while innocent writers in threadbare white robes have to huddle in cardboard boxes behind Wal-Mart.

My toilet does leak, and I was about to attend to it when I realized that you probably meant “writing projects.” Yes, I have recently finished two books, “Around the World in 80 Panic Attacks” and “Mommy’s Little Lawyer,” which have just been released for my eight fans to purchase. Two more books are in the works, so my fans have enough time to save up for them because fixing that toilet is going to slow me down quite a bit.

I arrange my sock drawer by color, season, and thickness. I likewise apply this formula to my entire wardrobe. I have frequently been labeled as OCD by vocal critics. I arrange these critics into: the annoying, the cruel, and the likely to inflict bodily harm.

Everyone has a story to tell. The world needs to know yours. Just make sure that when you tell it, you keep love in your heart and joy in your words—and by all means, have fun!

Writing has always been my safe haven. Journaling, poems, and now memoir. It always helps me find the truth.

I love the conversations that it has inspired with so many people. People opening up and sharing their own stories that they never did before.

Right now, other than my daily journaling, my writing has taken a backseat to marketing and promoting this book. (I like writing better)

Hmmm…I am a 2006 recipient of the National Medal of Honor for organ donation advocacy and I’m also pretty good at playing pool (although probably a bit rusty)

Write… The only way to become an author is to write the book, the poem, the play. I didn’t like that advice when I received it, but come to find out, it’s the truth. 

Writers’ Workshop in Susan Conaway’s 5th-grade class.

Moving someone emotionally with just your words.

“The Ballad of Valérie Moreau” will be hitting store shelves this Summer.

Running for city council in Oswego, NY.

Finish what you start. Just finish the thing. Done is better than perfect.

 I have always loved creating different worlds and characters. My earliest memory is from when I was 5. I wrote a story about a dog lost in the woods. Squirrels, birds, and other forest animals helped him to get home. I have been writing ever since.

When a reader approaches me and tells me that they were able to fall into the world that I created in my novel, or if it’s one of my inspirational pieces, they share that the words helped them to come through something in their lives – those moments make me feel like I’ve truly accomplished something.

I am. I am about eight chapters into a historical fiction novel. I also have a few scenes written for a detective novel.  

Write, write, write. keep a journal handy and write whenever an idea blossoms. The only thing that will truly keep you from becoming an author is not writing.