Visiting Writers
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Jessamyn Hope
Jessamyn Hope is an award-winning novelist and memoirist. Her debut novel Safekeeping was a Boston Globe recommended read; acclaimed by The Globe and Mail; won the 2016 J.I. Segal Award in English Fiction; and was a finalist for the Ribalow Prize and the Paterson Fiction Prize. Her memoirs—originally published in Ploughshares, Colorado Review, and other literary magazines—have been anthologized in Best Canadian Essays 2015 and The Broadview Anthology of Expository Prose. Find her at jessamynhope.com LEARN MORE
E. Dolores Johnson is an essayist who focuses on inter-racialism. writing on race has appeared or is forthcoming in The Buffalo News, the Women of Color Anthology: Boundaries and Borders, and Narratively. Her multigenerational memoir about mixed-race life also shows the browning of America and changing attitudes about race-mixing. Check out her most recent publication in Lunch Ticket entitled Lookin' . Johnson completed the Memoir Incubator program at Grub Street and studied creative writing at Harvard’s Nieman Foundation. She has been awarded residencies at Djerassi, Blue Mountain Center, Ragdale, and the VCCA colonies. She has consulted on diversity for think tanks, universities, major corporations, and nonprofits. Johnson holds a Harvard MBA and a Howard University BA. Follow her her on facebook at Dolores Johnson or on twitter @elladolo. Her Memoir “Say I’m Dead” will debut in 2020 hear an excerpt at: LEARN MORE
Marianne Leone
Marianne Leone is an essayist, screenwriter and actor. Her essays have appeared in the Boston Globe, Post Road, Bark Magazine, Coastal Living, Solstice, and WBUR’s Cognoscenti blog. She is the author of two memoirs, Jesse (Simon & Schuster) and Ma Speaks Up (Beacon Press.) She had a recurring role on HBO's “The Sopranos" as Joanne Moltisanti, Christopher's mother. She has also appeared in films by David O. Russell, Larry David, John Sayles and Martin Scorsese. New Book Sept. 2024 Five Dog Epiphany
Diane M. Barnes is the author of Where's Ethan and Mixed Signals. Find her at dianembarnes.com or follow her @Fenwayscribe on Twitter. LEARN MORE
Julie Ann Otis
Julie Ann Otis is a civic engagement artist and consultant committed to an experience of ease for all. Her installation “American Therapy” catalyzed public compassion by translating everyday stories of people living in the U.S. into a 200 square-foot mural of poetry portraiture. She is an internationally recognized experimental artist, working at the intersection of peacebuilding and public art. Other works include burlesque spoken word poetry performed in aerial rope and harness, photopoetry exhibits, and multimedia poetry installations with improvisational music and projection art. Performances include ICA Boston, Harvard University, HubWeek, the Algonquin Hotel, and festivals in Honduras and Mexico. Her upcoming installation, “Live Nude Girls,” explores our bodily experiences of extreme self-promotion and fourth generation feminism. LEARN MORE
Jennifer is a marketing consultant and holds an MFA in creative writing from the University of New Mexico. She is the executive director of DimeStories, where authors share their 3-minute stories online and at monthly open mic events in San Diego and Costa Mesa, California and in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is the editor and publisher of Square Sails and the Apprentice Boys: The End of an Era, a transcription of her great grandfather’s diary from 1901. Find her at plumeforwriters.org
Brendyn, a professional storyspinner also coachesTedX performers and teaches storytelling. Featured on WGBH Boston’s “Stories from the Stage,” Winner of the Moth Storyslam, and Moth GrandSlam finalist, Brendyn has won multiple Massmouth regional and semifinal slams, and frequently performs with Fugitive Stories Productions.
A Certified Professional Resume Writer and job search workshop instructor, Brendyn has authored, co-authored and facilitated employment workshops on topics from interviewing, salary negotiation, resume and cover letter fundamentals, soft skills and networking.
Find out more at brendynschneider.com
Denise is the owner and partner at a graphic and web design company based in Buffalo NY. She and her husband John founded Biondo Studio 15 years ago. They now employ two husky shepherds named Nicky and Nina.They specialize in custom-designed websites and overall branding for hundreds of clients all over the world. Most of their clients are small businesses, voice actors, and authors. When not working, John and Denise love cooking, gardening, travelling and collecting stuff from thrift stores. Find out more, and see their portfolio at biondostudio.com
Gabriela Pereira is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur who wants to challenge the status quo of higher education. As the founder and instigator of DIYMFA.com, her mission is to empower writers, artists and other creatives to take an entrepreneurial approach to their education and professional growth.
Gabriela earned her MFA in writing from The New School and speaks at college campuses and national conferences. She is also the host of DIY MFA Radio, a popular podcast where she interviews bestselling authors and book industry professionals and author of the book DIY MFA: Write with Focus, Read with Purpose, Build Your Community.
Duncan studied theatre at the University of Massachusetts. Acting credits include Ben Affleck’s The Town, Vault, By the Sea, Mystic River and The Judge. has won and been a finalist in many screenwriting competitions, including the Waterford International Film Festival, Woods Hole Film Festival, and International Family Film Festival. His mystery e-novella, Pocket Change garnered a New Hampshire Literary Award nomination. His documentary, Partnership Runs Deep for NOAA and the Smithsonian won three Gold Screen Awards in 2009. Duncan’s short script, Macy’s Goes to War was recently produced by Original Concept & Development Associates. As co-creator of the Children’s Hospitals International Film Festival program for Flickers Duncan has brought a festival of wonderful short films from around the world to young patients in hospitals across the US and in Canada. More at duncanputney.com
Katelyn Rae currently works as a full-time blog writer, though she enjoys writing fiction in her spare time. She particularly delights in bringing the past to life via historical fiction—utilizing her degree in anthropology/archaeology where she can—and occasionally even tries her hand at writing light fantasy. While presently more focused on blog writing than book composition, she hopes to one day shift some of her attentions there. Find her at katelynraebooks.com.
Rachel is the free-spirited founder of Rock Your Brand. She’s been a copywriter and personal branding specialist for over 15 years. Rachel is fueled by the belief that the power of story and transparency of self is the true connector in marketing any service or product. Her mission is to help solopreneurs be brave, and find their footing to deliver the message of who they are without apology — consistently, courageously and confidently while targeting the audiences that need them most. Read her story, and see her work at letsrockyourbrand.com.
Ann Garvin, Ph.D. is the USA Today Bestselling author of I Thought You Said This Would Work (pre-order now), I Like You Just Fine When You’re Not Around, The Dog Year, and On Maggie’s Watch. She is in the process of writing Falling In Love Is The Easy Part which will launch in 2022.
Ann worked as an RN and after receiving her Ph.D taught Exercise Physiology, Sport Psychology Nutrition, Stress Management, and Global Health for thirty years in the University of Wisconsin system. She currently teaches creative writing at Drexel University in their low residency Masters of Fine Arts program, and has held positions at Miami University and Southern New Hampshire in their Masters of Fine Arts Creative Writing programs.
Ann is the founder of the multiple award-winning Tall Poppy Writers where she is committed to helping women writers succeed. She is a sought-after speaker on writing, leadership and health and has taught extensively in NY, San Francisco, LA, Boston, and at festivals across the country.
Sara Letourneau is a poet as well as the managing editor and writing coach at Heart of the Story Editorial & Coaching Services. In her editing work, she specializes in speculative fiction, literary fiction, YA fiction, memoir, and prescriptive nonfiction. Her poetry has been featured in or will soon appear in Aromatica Poetica, Constellations, Mass Poetry's Poem of the Moment, Soul-Lit, Amethyst Review, Boston Small Press and Poetry Scene, Golden Walkman Magazine, and The Aurorean, among others. She is also a former music journalist and tea reviewer, and her articles about writing have appeared in blogs such as DIY MFA, Writers Helping Writers, and Grub Street. She lives in Massachusetts and is known for always having a book, a journal, a pen, and a cup of tea handy.
Diane Kessler is a graduate of Oberlin College and Andover Newton Theological School. Her professional life has been dedicated to facilitating both ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, and she has authored or edited six books and many articles on the subject. Her short story, Blindside, was an Editors’ Pick for Solstice Literary Magazine’s 2020 Summer Contest Issue. Climate Change will appear in the fall 2021 issue of Pensive: A Global Journal of Spirituality and the Arts. Her debut novel, Conflicts of Interest, described as “a captivating tale of Boston politics, romance and the power of relationships to change one’s life,” was released in October 2020.
Susan Finn is a Digital Marketing Strategist who believes every heart-centered entrepreneur has a gift to offer.
She believes that marketing is an act of kindness to those who are currently searching for exactly what you offer.
Susan has created the 'Rise Above Noise' 5-pillar process which offers heart-centered entrepreneurs a step-by-step guide to create a digital marketing strategy that saves time, attracts clients, and allows them to show up in their own integrity.
These days, Susan is focusing her efforts on helping her clients create grow their list and build an email strategy that feels generous while it attracts, nurtures, and converts subscribers. Her clients feel ‘in-control’ having a system that allows them to create generous conversations at scale. They are building their ‘know-like-trust’ to grow their business with consistency.
Elizabeth B. Splaine wrote the Dr. Julian Stryker series of “Blind” thrillers (Blind Order and Blind Knowledge), as well as Devil’s Grace, the winner of the When Words Count writing competition, released through Greenwriters Press. Her next book, Swan Song, an historical fiction novel, will be released in October 2021 through Woodhall Press.
Prior to writing, Elizabeth earned an AB in Psychology from Duke University and an MHA from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She spent eleven years working in health care before switching careers to become a professional opera singer and voice teacher.
When not writing, Elizabeth teaches classical voice in Rhode Island where she lives with her husband, sons, and dogs.
Yvonne Divita
Yvonne lives in a cave where she hovers over a desk with pen and paper, writing furiously every day. Or maybe that’s a house, and a keyboard, and writing with great concentration and passion. Either way, she’s writing. When she’s not writing, she’s reading. When she’s not reading, she’s working with smart, talented women to coach them on their next powerful book. (Or she’s walking her dog.) It’s what she does.
Seriously, Nurturing Big Ideas founder Yvonne DiVita is a serial entrepreneur, writing coach and advocate – ahem, nurturer - for anyone with a dream to write that book. She is the host of the Smart Conversations podcast, where she shows some serious smarts.
Randy Susan Meyers is the national bestselling author of Waisted, Accidents of Marriage, The Comfort of Lies, The Murderer's Daughters, and The Widow of Wall Street. Her books have been chosen as Must-Read Books" by the Massachusetts Center for the Book three times, writing "The clear and distinctive voice of Randy Susan Meyers will have you enraptured and wanting more." She teaches writing in Boston and still misses her Brooklyn hometown. Her most recent novel was The Fashion Orphans. Find her @randysusanmeyers.com
Anne Janzer
Anne Janzer is an award-winning author, unabashed nonfiction geek, developmental editor and author coach on a mission to help people make a positive impact with their writing. Her books include The Writer's Process, Get the Word Out, and 33 Ways Not to Screw Up Your Business Emails. She supports and encourages writers and authors and marketers through her books, blog posts, online courses, webinars, and teaching.
Juliette Fay
Juliette Fay is the bestselling author of six novels, including Catch Us When We Fall, City of Flickering Light and The Tumbling Turner Sisters, a USA Today bestseller. Previous novels include The Shortest Way Home, one of Library Journal’s Top 5 Best Books of 2012: Women’s Fiction; Deep Down True and Shelter Me, a 2009 Massachusetts Book Award “Must-Read Book” and an Indie Next pick. Visit her at www.juliettefay.com.