Books & Authors March 19, 2023 10am-5pm

The Good Eggs Foundation

Sandy (Ciaramitaro) Mals is the author of The Good Eggs children’s series, which teaches kids the important concepts of virtues, diversity, and service. She is also the founder and president of The Good Eggs Foundation, which serves children in the Metro Detroit area with basic needs.

Cathy Collison

Cathy Collison is the author of more than a dozen books for young readers. A retired editor and writer with the Detroit Free Press for many years, she now writes books for non-fiction books for children. When not writing, she volunteers as a docent at the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak. 

Pria Dee

Pria Dee is an Indian American author, who lives in Michigan. She has published several children’s books based on her own experiences and observations. Her love of animals and children is the focus of many of her books. Learn more about Pria at: www.priadee.com

Angela Berent

A Midwesterner at heart, influenced by a few good years in California, her stories and lists are endless. Her goal is to help readers capture their memories quickly and easily. There is never a shortage of writing material, only of precious writing time!

Tom Ulicny

A long-time resident of Rochester Hills, Tom is the author of five full length novels. His genres include, Historical Fiction, Mystery/Romance, Psychological Suspense, and Literary Adventure. He’s earned scores of five-star reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. When he’s not writing, Tom enjoys woodworking, playing guitar and travel.

Elisa Koopmans

Elisa Koopmans is an attorney specializing primarily in estate planning, trust administration and probate who is licensed to practice law in New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan under the name Elissa Koopmans Schwartz. When Elisa is not practicing law or writing a novel, she enjoys spending time with her two children, going to Broadway musicals, taking long walks on nature trails and spending time with friends. 

Deborah-Lee Gollnitz

D. L. Gollnitz grew up in New England and lived in Chester County, Pennsylvania, before settling in Michigan. She earned an MBA at Bryant University and a PhD at Oakland University. After years of coaching high school students in the writing classroom, she moved into public school district administration and followed her own desire to write novels. 

Laura Lee

Laura Lee is the author of 21 books including biography, humorous reference, fiction, and children’s literature. The Metro Detroit native brings a unique background to her work. She holds a degree in theater and worked as a professional mime, improvisational comic, and radio announcer before becoming a full time writer. 

D Stuart White

D Stuart White is an author, business development consultant, entrepreneur, consumer behavior analyst, commercial pilot, lacrosse coach, and lifelong aviation and military history buff. He is a Michigan State University graduate, served as a naval officer, and lives in Detroit with his wife, Ann.

Josephine Roach

Josephine Roach is an advocate and leader in the breast cancer community. She has received numerous awards for her service in the breast cancer community. Josephine is a published author. Her book, “Josephine’s Journey, A Breast Cancer Survivor’s Story of Hope”, was released in August 2022. She shares excerpts from her cancer journal.

Deborah (D.A.) Reed

D.A. Reed (Deborah Reed) writes young adult novels—from page-turning thrillers to stories based on challenges children and adults face every day. Deborah’s international travels include leading creative writing workshops to children—most notably at the Sharjah International Book Fair in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ian Moore

Ian Tadashi Moore is a father, designer, musician, and artist from southeast Michigan. He grew up talking to the bugs in the back lawn and plinking melodies on piano keys. He likes the sounds words make and will probably never act his age.

Theresa Nielsen

Theresa Nielsen is a Royal Oak writer who writes across multiple genres. She has published three picture books and one young adult novel. She is currently working on a new series of middle grade chapter books.

Lori Ellis

Lori Klisman Ellis was born in Detroit and currently resides in West Bloomfield. Though she is retired from her career, she has a passion for genealogy research, which led her to write a book about her family in the Holocaust. It is called 4,456 Miles: A Survivor’s Search for Closure.

Gail Kuhnlein

Gail Kuhnlein is “as happy as a lark” to publish her first children’s picture book. She’s been writing stories since she was young, including typing her family newspaper. Most recently, she’s retired after working in communications for a University of Michigan science department for over 16 years.

Jean Alicia Elster

A former attorney and 2017 Kresge Artist Fellow, Jean Alicia Elster is the author of the young adult novel How It Happens. How It Happens was honored as a 2021 Foreword INDIES Silver Winner for Young Adult Fiction and as a 2022 Midwest Book Award Silver Winner in Young Adult Fiction. Her essays have appeared in national publications including Ms., World Vision, Christian Science Sentinel and Black Child. 

Gale Forbes

During his 50-year career in architecture, he wrote essays for trade magazines, joined writing groups and attended workshops. He discovered in the art of writing fiction an essential aid in preparing technical reports: show, never tell. After finishing his first book, Exercises for Miss Melodie, an itch to discover his family roots eventually lead to Mother’s People.

Brian W. Matthews

Brian W. Matthews is the author of four novels and numerous short stories. His latest short story appeared in the Sword and Sorcery Edition of Weird Tales magazine, published in 2022. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers and is a Trustee on the Horror Writers Association’s Board of Directors.

Ed Demerly

Ed Demerly retired after 46 years of teaching – everything from fourth, fifth, and sixth grades, middle school, high school, and 36 years at Henry Ford College in Dearborn, Michigan, where he was the cofounder of the English Language Institute. He and his wife, Martha, live in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where in his retirement he is occupied with volunteer work that includes organizing public forums focused on justice and peace.

Kim Bartosch

Kim is a young adult writer of paranormal mysteries and thrillers. ASK the GIRL is her debut novel. As an advocate for Autism and Bipolar Disorder, Kim offers her support to many charities and programs, such as Joshua Center and Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA).Her goal is to give as much help to set up these organizations for success so individuals, such as her autistic son and bipolar sister, will have the support they need

Renee Bolla

As a former retail executive, Renee led merchandising and brand teams for 20 years before trading in her fashion career to follow her dream of becoming an author. She is a curious human with a passion for learning new things and making each day count. Before resigning from the corporate world, writing was a hobby that filled her creative soul. And while it started as a hobby, it has evolved into much more.

Benn Perry

Benn is looking forward to once again being a part of the Leon & Lulu “Books & Authors” Event. He writes on a myriad of topics, from Self-Help to Poetry, from Social Commentary to Fiction, from Satire to Life Experiences — you name it. The one common element in each of his literary works is that regardless of a book’s theme, he always finds room to make you smile, and from time to time even find yourself laughing out loud.

Katy Klimczuk

Katy Klimczuk is the author of M is for Mackinac: A Nature Alphabet. She has also been published in Walloon Writers Review, Beanstack’s 1000 Books Badge Book, and a handful of blogs. In addition to writing, she homeschools her children and hopes to pass along her love of learning, nature, and stories to young readers.

Lori Sullivan

Lori Sullivan is a personal development and career coach with a passion for sustainability. She writes about green living, career development, and achieving personal goals. She combines over 25 years of business experience with the knowledge she has gained from books, podcasts, and life. Her goal with writing is to provide others with all she has learned in simple to understand, bite sized formats.