Meet the Authors
Alane Adams
Award-Winning Children's Author
Alane Adams is a children’s author and founder of the Rise Up Foundation. She is a former university professor and Chief Financial Officer with a Master’s Degree in Diplomacy.
As a children’s literacy advocate, Alane travels the country visiting schools to talk to kids about Reading is a Superpower. Alane is also a speaker and presenter, and has delivered keynote speeches on the writing process.
Alane’s award-winning titles include the Legend’s of Orkney™ Norse-mythology middle grade series, the Witches of Orkney prequel series, and a series of historical fiction picturebooks that include The Coal Thief, The Egg Thief, The Santa Thief, and The Circus Thief. Alane’s books have won multiple awards, including SCBWI’s Spark Award for Best Picturebook; Moonbeam Children Awards Gold Medal Best Juvenile Series; Benjamin Franklin Gold Winner Young Children’s Fiction; IPPY Gold Medal Winner Holiday Book; USA Best Book Awards Best Children’s Books.
Learn more at www.alaneadams.com
Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri
Bilingual (English/Spanish) Children's Author & Educator
My name is Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri. I am a first-grade teacher, dreamer, bilingual children’s author, hopeless romantic, a forever student, and an avid reader. When I see a star I make a wish. I am fascinated by how little people learn to read, acquire language, and use these skills to become budding writers. I know that all children are capable of learning. It is just a matter of finding the right fit for that particular student to ignite the spark of wonder. I love picture books and the beautiful life lessons they impart. I hope that through my picture books, we remember to be gentler, kinder and more accepting of one another.
website: http://www.chuchosbooks.com/
Author page on facebook: Chucho’s Books: Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri
blog: https://gebarbieri.wordpress.com/
Jeanne Bender
Children's Book Author
Children’s Book Author Jeanne Bender is writing an adorable beginning chapter book series titled the Lindie Lou Adventure Series. The realistic fiction stories, a collaboration with editor Nancy Kiefer who is also a literary consultant and creative writing coach, are about an adorable puppy named Lindie Lou who travels to different places around the world. During her travels, Lindie Lou learns important life lessons. She is brave, persistent, and survives life’s challenges during her adventures.
Book 1, Flying High, introduces Bender’s real life puppy named Lindie Lou Peek-a-boo as the main character. In this book, Lindie Lou learns to overcome her fears when she flies on an airplane for the very first time. Additional books teach lessons including friendship, loyalty, honesty, bravery, and more. The Lindie Lou Adventure Series now qualifies for classroom literacy programs, and also supports social studies, science, technology, library, and with the Lindie Lou Song, music curriculums.
“Readers can experience many amazing things when they open a Lindie Lou book,” says Bender. “Come along for the ride! You’ll meet some fun characters, read about amazing places, and learn some life lessons along the way.”
Author Bender travels to every location her books take place in. Her goal is to encourage children through the “wonder of words”. She feels her stories can teach, entertain, and transport readers to amazing places without ever leaving the room.
* G. Brian Benson
Award-Winning & #1 Best-Selling Author
G. Brian Benson’s mission is to wake up the world with conscious, thought-provoking media that inspires. In 2008, Brian followed a hunch and left his family’s business, stepping into the unknown. Ever since inspiration has followed. Letting intuition be his guide, he began to step out of his comfort zone and unexpected paths and talents started to emerge such as writing, acting, and crafting stories. Tapping into this emerging creativity, Brian began his own hero’s journey of self-realization and growth, which continues to influence his empowering and inspiring books, films, and presentations.
“I have always felt driven to create positive media. When I was three years old, I told my mother that I was ‘put here to inspire people.’In some ways, I feel like I have always known my life’s mission. And it really came out front and center after I left my family business. I love to empower others to identify their own unique gifts and gain self-awareness.”
Brian an award-winning and Amazon #1 best-selling author, life coach, radio personality, actor, filmmaker, and TEDx speaker, knows the value of trusting intuition and wants to share his own personal journey of self-growth, discovery and accomplishment to help others re-connect with their own personal truths to live an authentic and fulfilling life. As a 4x Ironman triathlete and cross-country bicyclist, Brian knows the value of hard work and never giving up on his dreams.
Brian lives in Los Angeles, CA.
* Geanna Culbertson
Award-Winning Author and Publisher
Geanna Culbertson is the award-winning author
of the fairytale-fantasy epic The Crisanta Knight
Series, the fantastical guardian angels series
Heaven’t You Heard? and the critically-acclaimed
Christmas novel The Present.
Her work is driven by heroines who are strong,
smart, and bold, and as such she regularly teams
up with schools, the Girl Scouts, and other amazing
organizations like Reading is Fundamental SoCal,
which inspire people to activate their potential and
pursue their passions.
Culbertson is a USC alumna with degrees in PR, Marketing, Cinematic Arts, and Critical Approaches to Leadership. She is a part of only 1.3% of her graduating class to earn the double distinction of Renaissance Scholar and Discovery Scholar. Her Discovery Scholar thesis “Beauty & the Badass: Origins of the Hero-Princess Archetype” earned her acclaim in the School of Cinematic Arts and helped fuel her female protagonist writing passions.
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Additionally, Culbertson is a black belt, marketing manager, sushi chef, and founder of the publishing house Culbertson Kingdom.
Culbertson Kingdom is known for stories with a soul and is dedicated to creating the finest fiction in all the realm. With books full of humor, heart, adventure, and positive messaging, the kingdom's expanding mission is to fill readers' minds with magic, hearts with hope, and souls with the transportive wonder that the written word was meant for.
For more information, visit CulbertsonKingdom.com and CrisantaKnight.com
* Angie Flores
Award-Winning Author
Angie Flores is a mother of three, and a Hollywood native who calls the South Bay of Los Angeles her home. With a degree in Child Psychology and a career in Human Resources Angie felt the need to complete her own story as an Author. Influenced by the love of her supportive husband and sharing special moments with her children, Angie set off to follow her dream of writing children’s picture books.
Cub’s Wish is her first solo book, which quickly became a multiple award winner, and holds 5 star reviews with Readers Favorite, Good Reads, and more. Cub's Wish has made its mark as a thoughtful bonding book that brings out the sweet moments of conversation between care giver and child, and the understanding that sometimes we all need a little guidance to achieve our dreams. Cub’s Wish is a picture book for 3-8 year olds and is available in English, Spanish and French, as well as Braille, with more languages to come.
Featured in several podcasts, radio shows, and YouTube segments, as well a feature story on the Torrance Cable show Faces of Torrance, and in L.A. Voyage Magazine, Angie speaks on the importance of parental inclusion and reading to your children. Angie enjoys sharing her message at schools, group events, and festivals.
Angie can be found online at www.angiefloresbooks.com and on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @AngieFloresBooks.
Elizabeth Gorcey
Author, Actor, Director, Producer, and Painter
Elizabeth Gorcey is a writer, actor, director,
producer, and painter with a passion for
documentary narrative and multi-media
projects. Her latest creation, the
award winning children’s book series,
Liv on Life (LOL) is told from the point of
view of her daughter, Olivia. The LOL
books include Going to the Park, Green is
Good, and Read, Read & Read.
Olivia Aka “Liv”
Liv is not only the inspiration for the LOL series but she works alongside her mother on every aspect of the series. Her ‘Liv-ism” - or words of wisdom - have inspired many. When not at school you will find Olivia playing the piano, composing, reading, drawing or playing with her doggie.
Raven Howell
Children's Author & Poet
Raven Howell writes stories and poetry for children. Having published several
award-winning picture books, she enjoys sharing her love of literature by visiting classrooms and libraries. She presents poetry and writing workshops for children in the Northeast, from Maine to the Carolinas. Raven is Creative & Publishing Advisor for RedClover Reader, Poetry Director for Monster Magnificent, and writes The Book Bug column for Story Monsters Ink magazine. Her poems are found in children’s magazines such as Ladybug, Spider, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and Hello Magazine.
Raven continues to find every-day enchantment and surprise to inspire her creative work. Some of her previous children’s books have been written to benefit autistic and dyslexic communities, and the universal message of love and kindness is close to her heart.
Barbara Lieberman
Author and Inspirational Speaker
Barbara Lieberman is a writer whose books are about the power of words, the power of love, and the consequences of the choices we make. Other themes explored include perseverance, believing in your dreams, and imagination.
Her titles include The Treasure of Ravenwood: A Fairy Tale, Ben’s Little Acorn, Why Does The Moon Follow Me, and Dragonmarsh. She has been voted one of the 50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading for 2015 and 2016 and The Treasure of Ravenwood by Barbara Lieberman has been voted to the top 40 Best Chapter Books for Young Girls List on Goodreads.
A New Jersey native, Barbara moved to beautiful Southern California to start over. The proud mother of two amazing young adults. Barbara is also an avid gardener, a life-long (and long-suffering) Phillies fan, a voracious reader, an editor/formatter, and an inspirational speaker.
Barbara Lieberman writes to encourage children to explore the world around them, use their imagination and see past limitations, and find their own power within her books.ncourage children to explore the world around them, use their imagination and see past limitations, and find their own power within her books.
Ellie Lieberman
Author
Ellie Lieberman has loved storytelling and reading for as long as she can remember, and she’s been writing since she first learned to hold a pencil. She became a reader in her mother’s lap and a writer at her mother’s keyboard.
Through Ellie Lieberman’s books, she promotes finding the light in the darkness, the magic of little everyday moments, and the magic of reading. Along with imparting important life lessons, such as patience, curiosity, love, determination, and perseverance, her books also include exploration of nature, science, language, etymology, and fantasy/imagination. Her titles include The Butter Thief, Ben’s Little Tomato, and A Dragon’s Treasure.
A New Jersey transplant, Ellie Lieberman lives now in sunny Southern California. She works with the fairies on her handmade business, Acorn Tops, when not writing. An avid reader with a bedroom that looks like a mini library, Ellie is a lover of all things purple, basset hounds, squirrels, and milk chocolate, with a slight fried rice obsession.
* Phnesha Marchette
Author
Phnesha Marchette grew up surrounded by performance and artistic expression, an interest that has stuck with her for life. A former professional cheerleader for the NFL, she overcame her fear of flying for a swimsuit shoot in the Dominican Republic—and soon developed a love of international travel.
Driven by the bold textures and colors of her explorations throughout the Caribbean, Phnesha discovered her passion for creating dimensional art, and went on to establish herself as a successful artist. Her most important roles, however, are as a loving wife and doting mother which inspired her to create the Gabby and Gigi book series.
Two young sisters, Gabby and Gigi, have proven that you can never underestimate the imagination and vision of children. The sisters convinced their mother, Phnesha Marchette, who also happens to be an artist and writer, to use some of their drawings about things they loved to do, which morphed into the Gabby and Gigi book series.
The first book, “Meet Gabby and Gigi,” was released in 2016 and the second book, “Daisy Did It,” was released in the summer of 2019. The girls were so eager to work on getting their stories out that Gabby designed the cover art concept for book three and, even to their surprise, they were able to release their third book, “The Big Big Secret” one week before Christmas in 2019.
2019 was a very busy year for the girls! Their book series was picked up by Reading Is Fundamental of Southern California and hundreds of the books have already been distributed in schools throughout California. They will also have their books distributed in Africa this year as well as launch a major product which will increase their platform, “Showing African American children in a positive light.”
The Gabby and Gigi book series is for ALL children. The goal has always been to show that all children are alike and learn the same lessons and have the same experiences. The series also promotes strong family dynamics and is educational; there are Reading Comprehension questions at the end of every story.
Gabby and Gigi have been featured in magazines and local news outlets and have had book signings at major retailers and events over the past few years.
Laura Marlowe
Children’s Author
Children’s author and literacy advocate Laura Marlowe has been inspiring young people since 2010 with her educational stories. Both fiction and non-fiction, Laura’s color-illustrated books continue to be read, shared and utilized by parents, students, teachers, animal welfare organizations, shelters, literacy centers, politicians, librarians and intervention coordinators.
Laura has been honored to appear by invitation locally and abroad at bookstores, schools, fairs, libraries and special events as both author and keynote speaker. In addition, her works have been featured in newspapers, association publications, newsletters, television and radio. Prior to becoming a professional author, Laura spent many years working both professionally and on a volunteer basis as a literacy and language tutor, some of her many longtime passions.
Her educational books Tommy the Throwaway Dog (also available in Spanish, in Braille, and as a DVD and an iTunes iBook) and Roo B. Dee and the Lazy Day highlight the topics of the value of kindness, the importance of empathy and the consequences of laziness. Laura is the recipient of awards and recognitions including Ambassador of Hope as Author and Animal Rights Advocate, Hero of the Year KNX News-1070, and Certificates from members of Congress, members of Assembly and school officials.
As an author, animal welfare activist and volunteer, Laura avidly shares much time to discuss her stories, the importance of reading and writing, and her deep appreciation of teachers.
Dennis Mathew
Award Winning Children’s Author & Songwriter
Jessica M. Miller
Author & Doctor of Public Health
Dr. Jessica Miller, is the author of the Rico Eats a Rainbow children’s book. She believes that introducing children to healthy eating messages at an early age is one of the most important ways to build a bright future for a child.
Rico Eats a Rainbow is a favorite among students and teachers across the United States and is a book of choice for community health educators and healthcare organizations. The J.W. Vines Medical Society endorsed the book, noting the need for more books like it to address important health issues prevalent in America and in communities of color.
A former school principal and teacher, Dr. Miller carries a torch for children, teachers, and parents. She wrote Rico Eats a Rainbow to help create a space for children and adults to have important conversations around healthy eating.
Dr. Miller obtained her Doctor of Public Health degree in health education from Loma Linda University. She works as a public health specialist.
Facebook and Instagram: @RicoEatsARainbow.
Email: RicoEatsARainbow@gmail.com
Leticia Ordaz
Award Winning Children’s Author
Emma L Price
Children’s Author
* Alva Sachs
Award Winning Children’s Author
Alva Sachs is the founder of Three Wishes Publishing Company. She is a former elementary school teacher with sixteen years of classroom experience and a Master’s Degree in Education.
Alva is an educator, consultant, speaker, and presenter. She has had the privilege of speaking and sharing her expertise at numerous venues, book festivals, meetings, conferences, bookstores, schools, and libraries.
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Alva’s award-winning titles include Circus Fever, Dancing Dreidels, I'm 5,
Dear Master Dragon, The Pirate Princess, Sam & Sadie Super Sleuths, and On Your Mark, Get Set Go! Her awards range from 5 Star Reviews from Reader's Favorite, National Indie Excellence Awards, Creative Child Magazine Book of the Year, Mom’s Choice Award, USA Best Books, International Book Award, Eric Hoffer for Excellence in Small Press Indie Publishing, First Place Winner Story Monsters LLC, Story Monsters Approved, Author’s Show Winner 50 Great Writers, among others.
Alva writes stories to engage, excite, and empower young children at an early age for the sheer joy of reading.
She is also the President of Reading Is Fundamental of Southern California.
* RIFSoCal Board Member
* Teresa Verduzco Lopez
Children’s Author
Teresa Verduzco was born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of 10. She has been an elementary school teacher for 26 years. Her passion for storytelling and writing led to her publish her best-selling book Sundays with Abuelita. Her picture book inspired by her own immigrant story describes a day making memories with her Abuelita in her quaint village in Mexico, while waiting to reunite with her mother in the U.S.
* RIFSoCal Board Member
* Louise Wannier
Author & Photographer
TREE SPIRITS is my offering to help inspire
creativity and inspiration in children - to
help them to see and visualize our world
in non-obvious ways and introduce them
early to an understanding of their own
inner spirit and feelings; key skills for
early childhood development and crucial
for lifelong success.
Creative entrepreneur. Author. Artist. Safta.
Louise Wannier is a pioneering technology
entrepreneur, building innovative consumer/
interactive media products. Louise has built
four companies and advised many others in
different industries: Education Technology,
Consumer Electronics & Publishing,
Information Management Software and
Fashion/eCommerce. Louise enjoys creative and artistic pursuits. Her Fine Art and Design portfolio are found on LouiseWannier.com.
To promote literacy and motivate children to read by providing new books to create home libraries for underserved children in Southern California.
"I want to read with my family so they
could be better readers like me."
Contact Information
Carol Henault
Executive Director
Oscar Cux
Program Service Manager
Raymond Gonis
Warehouse Manager