McComas, Heather

Heather McComas won the 2008 Leo Love Merit Scholarship to attend the Taos Summer Writers’ Conference, where she studied with Pam Houston.  Heather’s short story “What You’re Looking At” was published in the 2007 anthology Further Persons Imperfect; she has also been published as a science writer.  She is currently finishing a trio Read more…

DiSandro, Deb

Deb DiSandro, owner of Slightly Off, is a professional speaker, author, writing coach, instructor and purseologist. For 20 years, she has shared her Slightly Off Success Principles with writers and audiences across the country.  Deb demonstrates how embracing a more fun and realistic approach to life’s challenges leads to laughter, Read more…

Stotts, Stuart

Stuart Stotts is a songwriter, storyteller and author from Deforest, Wisconsin. He’s worked as a full-time performer since 1986, and he gives over 200 shows a year for kids, families and adults around the Midwest, and sometimes farther. He’s a frequent presenter at conferences and workshops around the country and Read more…

Slade, Susanne

Suzanne Buckingham Slade is the author of over 70 books for children. Her works include picture books and biographies, as well as titles about nature, science, and sports. Her recent picture books include Animals are Sleeping (2008), What’s New at the Zoo? (2009) and What’s the Difference? (2010).  This fall, Read more…

Grede, Robert

Robert Grede, BA, MBA, is a graduate of DePauw University and The Emory University School of Business. In 1990, after 12 years in advertising working with premier marketers like McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, and Union Carbide, he founded The Grede Company, consultants in business planning and strategic growth.  Clients range Read more…

Koser, Jeff

Jeff Koser is the founder of Selling to Zebras, LLC , a sales tools and consulting firm established in 1999. Jeff is also an award winning author of Selling to Zebras, HOW TO CLOSE 90% of the BUSINESS YOU PURSUE FASTER, MORE EASILY and MORE PROFITABLY. He offers more than Read more…

Chartier, Jessi

After having successfully trudged through 18 years of snowdrifts in her Waukesha homestead’s driveway, Jessi ventured west to Los Angeles where she studied screenwriting at Loyola Marymount University.  She eventually traded LA’s smog – and smug – for the oxygen-deprived Front Range of Denver, Colorado and went back to school Read more…

A. Manette Ansay

A. Manette Ansay grew up in Wisconsin among 67 cousins and over 200 second cousins.   She is the author of six novels, including  Good Things I Wish You (July, 2009) and Vinegar Hill, an Oprah Book Club selection, and Midnight Champagne, a finalist the the National Book Critics Circle award.  In Read more…

Sattersten, Todd

Todd Sattersten is the co-author of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time (Portfolio, 2009). He developed this project while working at 800-CEO-READ, where he was most recently President of the Milwaukee-based business book retailer. This capped five years of innovative projects including the book giveaway site InBubbleWrap, the annual 800-CEO-READ Business Read more…