Our membership is varied and consists of writers from different backgrounds,
interests and experience levels. Meet some of us below!
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Todd Arkenberg
AM Group
T.D. Arkenberg has published three novels, Final Descent (2013), Jell-O and Jackie O (2014), and None Shall Sleep (2016). Circle of Words (2016), an anthology of Brussels-based writers, contains his short story, “Hollywood Calls”. His memoir, Two Towers is slated for a late 2017 release, and a collection of Brussels-themed short stories will launch in 2018.
Independent Publisher Book Awards, Next Generation Indie Book Awards, National Indie Excellence Awards, Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society, and ScreenCraft have recognized his work. T.D. has been a member of BWW since 2010. Despite relocating back to Chicago after a two-year residency in Belgium, he is still active with the Brussels Writers Circle. He has served on the boards of the Barrington Writers Workshop and the Barrington Chapter, Lyric Opera Chicago.
Prior to becoming a writer, T.D. had an extensive career with United Airlines where he served in a variety of executive roles. T.D. studied at The University of Chicago, London Business School and Northwestern University. He lives with his spouse, Jim, and their cat, Puhi, a Brussels expat, in Arlington Heights.
Website: http://www.tdarkenberg.com
Blog: http://www.tdarkenberg.com/category/an-american-in-brussels/
Twitter Handle: @word_stringer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TDArkenberg/
Email Address: www.tdarkenberg@gmail.com
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Sharon Shea Bossard
AM Group
Sharon is an Irish citizen who earned her master’s degree in Education from Chicago’s Northeastern Illinois University. Curious about her family’s experiences as struggling immigrants in Chicago, she meticulously recorded their lives. Earning excellent reviews in all major Irish and Irish American publications, her books have been featured on numerous radio and television talk shows in Ireland and in the U.S. Her writing has appeared in the Irish Genealogical Society International magazine, Ireland of the Welcomes magazine, Emigrant Online Publication, Inside Claire County, Irish Gazette, Family Chronicle Magazine, Boston Irish Reporter, Northwest Daily Herald, Chicago Tribune and featured in the American Club Magazine in Hong Kong. Her publications have received numerous awards: Illinois Woman’s Press Association (IWPA), Indie Next Generation Book Awards and featured in the Midwest Book
Review Index along with a personal note of appreciation from Ireland’s President Mary McAleese (2010). Sharon’s books have been placed in the Chicago Newberry Library’s extensive collections on Irish history, genealogy and history of immigration and added to the Abraham Lincoln Research Library in Springfield, IL for their collection.
Website: http://findingmyirish.com
Email Address: Ltlfrog1@aol.com
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Miles Ducore
AM Group
Married since 1980. Two grown children and two less-grown grandchildren. Reside in Palatine, IL. Retired packaging engineer for temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals and medical devices. Since 2007, volunteer tutor in D214 Read to Learn adult literacy program.
Email Address: milesducore@aol.com
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Lance Erlick
PM Group
I write science fiction thrillers for adults and young adults. My most recently published series (a trilogy) is Android Chronicles, where Synthia Cross is a high-functioning android with artificial intelligence who rebels against her Creator and seeks to remain free and gain human rights. Xenogeneic: First Contact is about encounters with an alien species aiming to take over Earth. My Regina Shen series takes place after abrupt climate change leads to Collapse and a new society under the World Federation. As an outcast, Regina must fight to stay alive and help her family while she avoids being captured as an undesirable. In the Rebel series, Annabelle Scott faces a crisis of conscience when she is forced to become a warrior to enforce laws she believes are wrong.
I’m currently working on several new projects I hope to see published soon.
Website: http://www.LanceErlick.com
Email Address: lanceerlick11@gmail.com
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Felicity Gorham
AM Group
I write both fiction and non-fiction. I’m currently working on my memoir.
Twitter Handle: @FelicityG
Email Address: Felicity.Gorham@comcast.net
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Julie Kendrick
AM Group
Julie Kendrick is a former newspaper journalist and managing editor of a scientific journal. She is the author of two cozy mystery novels: A Fatal Development and A Grave Matter. A third book is in progress.
In addition to writing, Julie edits and prepares manuscripts for publication and restores old or damaged photographs.
Email Address: kendrickbooks@comcast.net
Website: juliekendrick.com
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Mary Klest
PM Group
I write lifestyle, business and travel articles for print and digital publications. My 20 years of professional writing experience is a mix of public relations, content marketing and journalism. I also act as photographer for many of my articles. I am a BWW Board member as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the North American Travel Journalists Association.
Website: http://www.maryklest.com/
Blog: http://www.whostakingthetrain.com/
Twitter Handle: @maryklest
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mary.klest
Email Address: mary@maryklest.com
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Cynthia Ripley Miller
PM Group
Cynthia Ripley Miller is a first generation Italian-American writer with a love for history, languages and books. She has lived, worked, and travelled in Europe, Africa, North America and the Caribbean. She holds two degrees, has taught history and teaches English. Her short fiction has appeared in the anthology Summer Tapestry, at Orchard Press Mysteries.com and The Scriptor. A Chanticleer International Chatelaine Award finalist for her novel, On the Edge of Sunrise, she has reviewed for UNRV Roman History, and blogs at Historical Happenings and Oddities: A Distant Focus and on her website, www.cynthiaripleymiller.com.
Cynthia has four children and lives with her husband, her cat, Romulus, and Jessie, a German Shepherd, in a suburb of Chicago. On the Edge of Sunrise and The Quest for the Crown of Thorns are the first two novels in her Long-Hair Saga series set in Late Ancient Rome and France and published by Knox Robinson Publishing-London & Atlanta.
Website: http://www.cynthiaripleymiller.com
Blog: http://www.cynthiaripleymiller.com/blog/
Twitter Handle: @CRipleymiller
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CynthiaRipleyMiller
Email Address: cynthia@cynthiaripleymiller.com
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IndRani Mondal
IndRani Mondal writes in English and Bengali. Fluency in both languages and exposure to both literatures, gives an inclusive dimension and a comparative edge to her writings. This author brings her gamut of people experiences, existential struggles and triumphs of life relationships into her writings. Her poems are alive with sensual color and warm with sensitivity and emotion. They reflect social and cultural issues, sometimes with immigrant perceptions, always with universal human appeal. As a caregiver, she crafts medically challenging times into poetic expressions with skill and heart.
She has co-authored two novels of (medical) science fiction ‘Bugging Cancer’ and ‘Three Daughters, Three Journeys’; written and published two books of Bengali poems, ‘Protidin Sati Hoi’ (The Daily Sunder) and ‘Raater Sarir’ (Body of the Night). ‘Fugitive Wings’ is her first book of English verse. ‘P-I-E-C-E-S’ is her second, available on Amazon at www.amazon.com/dp/B096HWHPMR
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Keith Mulford
AM & PM Groups
I write the Oak Cliff Mystery series that follows the exploits of a small town police chief in rural Wisconsin. My novels are complex mysteries with intricate plots, laced with intriguing technology and touches of humor.
I won the Mystery Writers of America – Midwest 2021 Hugh Holton Award and received second place in the 2018 Hugh Holton Contest
I am the BWW Membership Chair and Moderate the PM session. I am a member of the Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
Email Address: Mulford.author@gmail.com
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Beverly Ottaviano
AM Group
I started as a BWW member over a dozen years ago prompted by an invitation from longtime friend and member Margot Stimely. My schedule allowed only occasional visits at first, but I was hooked. Each week was varied and an adventure in writing, not to mention the many guests, members and authors I’ve met over the years. My interest led to the Manuscript Chair role and four years ago I agreed to the position of President of BWW. It’s a wonderful community with shared interests and now an important part of my life.
Twitter Handle: @Beverly Ottaviano
Email Address: bev.b.ottaviano@aol.com
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J. Horton Palmer
AM Group
Horton Palmer has written poetry in Hawaii, Illinois, and Florida. Nature and everyday human conditions serve as topics. He is inspired by the beauty and culture of the Hawaiian Islands, the state of Florida, the Caribbean, and the changing seasons in the Midwest. Currently, he is preparing his Maui Mutt, the Molokini Adventure children’s book for publication.
He is a member of the Barrington Writers Workshop, the DuPage Writers Workshop, The Phoenix Writers group in Clarendon Hills, and the Maui Live Poets Society in Hawaii.
Email Address: mauimutt@yahoo.com
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Georgann Prochaska
AM Group
I live outside of Chicago. After retiring from teaching, I became a caregiver for my mother, an experience I shared in a memoir (2014). Revisiting memories of family led to me writing mysteries. The Case of the Girl Who Didn’t Smile (2015) is the first of the Snoopypuss series and was named as one of the ten finalists in the 2015 Lascaux Prize. The second in the series is The Hound Who Didn’t Stay (2016). My blog is a site for secrets, family, and friendships. Currently, I’m working on The EX Who Wanted Revenge.
Website: georgannprochaskaauthor.com
Email Address: prochaskageorgann@yahoo.com
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Phyllis Shearer
AM Group
Phyllis Shearer worked as a freelance writer in many industriess–accounting, healthcare, tourism, insurance, oil and gas, and real estate. She wrote features for in-house magazines, speeches, and press releases, She wrote material for training and educational films for large corporations and small. These days she’s steady at work finishing her second novel.
Twitter Handle: Phyllis Shearer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phyllis.shearer.9
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Tamara Tabel
PM Group
Professionally, I am a copywriter and marketer, providing content for
websites, blogs, printed materials and Press Releases for corporations, small
businesses and non-profits. In my writing life, I am a published poet and am
currently working on historical novel series set in 1918-1919 America, based in
the deep south and also in Chicago during the 1919 Race Riots. I have a degree
in Journalism/Advertising.
Website: http://www.tamaratabel.com
Blog: http://www.tamaratabel.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamaratabel
Email Address: nappingcat@sbcglobal.net
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Harry Trumfio
AM Group
Interests:
Poetry, Short Stories, Creative-non fiction, currently working on a memoir of his father.
Harry Trumfio was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and now resides with his wife, Lorie in Arlington Heights, Illinois. They have four children, six grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.
He is a former public school superintendent and served as the Chairman of the Department of Education at Benedictine University. He currently is a study group coordinator for the Institute for Continued Learning at Roosevelt University.
Email Address: hltrumfio@sbcglobal.net
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Dorothy A. Winsor
PM Group
Dorothy A. Winsor writes young adult and middle grade fantasy. Her novels include Finders Keepers (Zharmae, 2015), Deep as a Tomb (Loose Leave Publishing, 2016), and The Wind Reader (Inspired Quill, forthcoming Sept. 2018). At one time, Winsor taught technical writing at Iowa State University and GMI Engineering & Management Institute (now Kettering). She then discovered that writing fiction is much more fun and has never looked back. If you visit Winsor’s blog at dawinsor (dot) com and sign up for her newsletter, she’ll send you a free short story.
Website: http://dawinsor.com
Blog: http://dawinsor.com
Twitter Handle: @dorothywinsor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dorothy.winsor