Marie is the author of three non-fiction books—including Simply Super Storytimes and More Simply Super Storytimes (a Library Journal Small Press Bestseller), and S.K.I.L.L.S. Through Play Throughout Your Day—as well as school curricula and state grants. Her numerous articles have been published in newspapers, trade publications, and magazines. On-line, her work appears in e-zines, newsletters, and articles.

Marie has taught at universities and library conferences throughout Wisconsin and worked as a literacy instructor for Milwaukee Public Libraries. A former children's librarian, teacher, and bookstore owner, her enthusiasm for the power of words, and passion for writing and books, has always been a driving force in her life.

He has written screenplays for six nationally released documentaries and feature films, and has been published in both national and local magazines. His passion for writing has allowed him to consult with other writers on the development of web site content and articles for varied audiences. He is currently writing his first non-fiction book about an area athlete.

Brian graduated from Gateway College with a degree in Marketing and is currently seeking his B.A. in English from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

Classes: In Depth Character Development; Let's Get Creative; Blood, Murder, and the Semicolon; Moving Beyond: Advanced Fiction Writing

Holly A. Johnson is a freelance writer residing in Racine. With a B.A. in English from UW-Madison, she has been published in several magazines, local and national, including The Writer magazine, and is a regular contributor to Racine's Journal Times. An abbot of the Original Root Zen Center in Racine, she leads retreats and teaches classes on Zen Buddhist meditation practices at the Zen center, and she has taught at UW-Parkside. She brings expertise in graphic design and small press publishing as the editor of Dragon Mountain Press, an independent publisher of texts on meditation practices. Her volunteer work includes writing workshops for incarcerated girls at Southern Oaks School.

Classes: Wrapping It Up (March 6th only)

Carrie Lofty was born in California, raised amongst Hoosiers and Buckeyes, and found the love of her life in England. After earning her BA in English and history, then her master's degree from The Ohio State University (where she taught American and Latin-American history), she sold her first novel in September of 2007.

What a Scoundrel Wants—a hot, swashbuckling romance—will be a December 2008 Zebra Debut release from Kensington Publishing. Scoundrel's Kiss, the sequel, will follow in late 2009. "Sundial," a time travel short story, won the "Through the Garden Gate" contest and became a #1 bestseller from The Wild Rose Press in January 2008. Carrie will be teaching courses on romance and genre fiction-craft, particularly archetypes, uses of imagery, the fundamentals of conflict, the rudiments of getting an agent, and about her experience in the publishing business.

It was in her capacity as a student television news presenter, coached by former trainer of BBC news anchor people, that Pippin discovered the real impact of the written script, its syntax and voice, on performance quality. As an advertising account executive, she gained experience with sales teams at executive and managerial levels. Assisting with the preparation of sales pitches and observing their presentation demonstrated oversights in their in-house training.

Observing common issues among seasoned executives and academics, novice students and nonprofessional public speakers, Pippin made a study of devising solutions and innovations for visual presentations and will be presenting courses on these topics.

Classes: Confident Public Speaking: Six Keys (1. Catching the Audience, 2. Enthralling the Audience, 3. Retrieving Stragglers, 4. Mastery at the Podium, 5. In Transit, 6. Triumphal Exit)

Lauren earned her bachelor's degree from UW-Whitewater and a master's degree from UW-Milwaukee. She has been in private practice as a psychotherapist for 23 years, and has authored two video series and four books for children and adults. Lauren has presented workshops at local, state, and national conferences. She herself has been journaling for 30 years, and gave her children their first journals as preschoolers.

Classes: Journalling for Your Passions and Your Soul

Jean earned her B.A. from Carthage College in English, with minors in Classics and Women's/Gender Studies. She received the Carthage College Distinguished Adult Learner of the Year Award in 2002, and was a recipient of an ASIANetwork Freeman Fellowship in 2001.

In addition to teaching the Heritage Sequence at Carthage, Jean has worked as a presenter, instructor and tutor for various academic and community organizations, including the Kenosha Literacy Council and the Racine Odyssey Project, and has facilitated several seminars and workshops on writing poetry.

Classes: Writing Winter Away