Presenters for adult program
John Klima previously worked at Asimov’s, Analog, and Tor Books before returning to school to earn his Master’s in Library and Information Science. He now works full time as a librarian. When he is not conquering the world of indexing, John edits and publishes the Hugo Award-winning genre zine Electric Read more
Swati Avasthi has a BA from The University of Chicago and an MFA from The University of Minnesota. Her first novel, SPLIT, received the International Reading Association’s Young Adult Award, a CYBILS Award, and a Silver Parent’s Choice Award. It was included on YALSA’s a Best Fiction for Young Adults Read more
RAYMOND BENSON is the author of 25 published books. He wrote six original James Bond novels, three film novelizations, and three short stories—all published worldwide. Three 007 titles each are collected in the recent anthologies CHOICE OF WEAPONS and THE UNION TRILOGY. His series of “rock ‘n’ roll thrillers” include DARK SIDE OF Read more
James Lowder has worked extensively on both sides of the editorial blotter. His publications include the bestselling, widely translated dark fantasy novels Prince of Lies and Knight of the Black Rose, short fiction for such anthologies as Shadows Over Baker Street and The Repentant, and comic book scripts for DC, Read more
Kevin Guilfoile is the bestselling author of Cast of Shadows, which was named one of the Best Books of 2005 by the Chicago Tribune, and The Thousand, which the New York Times called “original and gripping” and Entertainment Weekly dubbed a “must read.” His novels have been translated into more than 20 languages.
Ken Miyamoto interned with director Randall Kleiser (Grease), worked as a studio liaison at Sony Studios, and then as a studio script reader/story analyst for Sony as well, before leaving to take on his own writing career. He is currently a represented and working screenwriter. He’s had a development deal Read more
Alex Bledsoe grew up in West Tennessee an hour north of Graceland (home of Elvis) and twenty minutes from Nutbush (birthplace of Tina Turner). He now lives in a century-old yellow house in a Wisconsin town famous for trolls. His books include The Hum and the Shiver, Dark Jenny, Burn Me Read more
Her career has spanned from on-air radio personality, promotions assistant, television copy editor, camera operator, business systems liaison, to human resource professional. Published author of short stories and a book series for middle grade readers. Her screenplays include comedy shorts, romantic-comedies, feature animation, feature family, and an animated television series for Read more
Carol Sklenicka’s biography of short story writer and poet Raymond Carver, Raymond Carver: A Writer’s Life, was named one of the Best 10 Books of 2009 by the New York Times Book Review. A former instructor at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and Marquette University, she now resides in northern California Read more
Scott Peterson has spent more than 30 years in the publishing business, most of it in editorial management. He is currently editor-in-chief for Journal Communications’ award-winning suburban newspaper groups, which publish 18 newspaper editions each week, two magazines per month and manage 27 web sites. NOW/Community Newspapers, Lake Country Publications Read more