2024 Heart of the Valley Book Faire Authors

EVELYN BARAJAS is a self-taught artist and children’s book illustrator. She loves creating colorful art inspired by her Mexican heritage, Oaxacan indigenous roots, and first-generation experiences. Her passion is making art that highlights her Latinx community, represents diversity, and inspires others. She currently lives in Fresno where she enjoys hot yoga practice, teaching art to the next generation of artists, and hanging out at local coffee shops.

MAIA GONZALEZ: I create children’s books that are inspired by my community and culture. I worked as a elementary library and learned what type of books students liked, I was then inspired to start writing my own. I currently am a college librarian and enjoy sharing ideas through books. I work with my sister and brother-in-law to create the illustrations for my books, together we are a great team.

KELLY KLINE was born, raised, and continues to live in Madera. While in high school, she worked for a year for the Madera County Library. She has been semi-retired since June of 2023 after 25 years with the Madera County Superintendent of Schools. She’s written three books about Fluffy Bunny’s adventures and recently added a coloring/activity book. Her three grandchildren were the inspiration for some of the characters in the series.

CECILIA MADUEÑA-YOUNG, maestra de STEM, notó una brecha en el mundo de los libros STEM en español y decidió lanzarse a escribir una serie de libros en español. Cecilia Madueña-Young is a STEM teacher that noticed the lack of STEM books in Spanish. She decided to write a series in Spanish and English about STEM.

YECENIA E. MARISCAL TINAJERO  is a first-generation graduate who currently works in the educational field. Yecenia published her first bilingual children’s book named Visiting My Great-Grandparents in 2023. In April of 2024 she published a memoir, Fields of Determination. Today, she enjoys speaking and reading her books to students in her community and inspires many to write their story.

ANDREW MENSCH is a dedicated firefighter in California and a graduate of Hoover High. He attended Fresno City College and also serves as a teaching assistant for Madera County schools. To cope with the challenges of his profession and the time away from loved ones, Andrew writes about his experiences, aiming to educate others on the realities of firefighting. He believes sharing his story fosters understanding and support for those facing similar challenges, highlighting both the rewards and difficulties of his career.

MERRY MILLER-GASS is a picture book illustrator, writer, teaching artist, and mental health advocate. She’s also the regional Illustrator Coordinator for the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Merry’s upcoming picture books include: Duck Duck Groove (written by Jeanette Fazzari Jones), No Love Potion (written by Christina Shawn), Rover Rolled Over (written by Rebecca Langston-George) and Pioneer Tree (written by Robin Currie). Merry is represented by Liz Nealon of Great Dog Literary.

MR. MIX-UP is a creative writer known for turning classic tales on their heads. Through a playful mix of familiar stories, he delivers humorous twists and unexpected turns. More importantly, he claims that the originals have been told wrong for generations! With a knack for humor and imaginative storytelling, Mr. Mix-Up opens the door to comical and exciting conversations between you and your young readers.

KAREN MOORE is a former Literacy Tutor and Title I Instructional Aide for Sierra Unified School District. She has six published titles including the award-winning GRACIE AND THE RADAR GIRLS. She lives and dreams in the foothills of Central California. She loves spending time with her grandkids, reading, traveling, and anything dark chocolate.

DR. MONICA PETERSON is a former special education teacher and the founder of Inclusion Learning Center (an inclusive preschool) and Inclusive Kids). With a deep commitment to fostering an environment where every child feels valued and celebrated, she writes stories that inspire understanding, empathy, and friendship among young readers and their families. Connect with Dr. Monica Peterson at www.beinclusivebook.com or on social media @beinclusive_book.

Recently retired after 32 years in education, author BARBARA ANN has published her first book, Souvenirs of Our Love, written nearly forty years ago in the mid 1980’s as a teenager growing up in a small town and full of wanderlust for New York. She lives in Central California with her husband. She believes that life is brief and should be lived to its fullest, going on adventures, falling in love, and visiting places dreamed of.

A native of Hanford, CA, where he still lives and works today, ALBERT GARCIA studied English Literature and Writing at West Hills College. A devoted father and grandfather, Garcia believes his creative imagination and ongoing efforts to perfect his writing skills will be the most important legacy he can leave for the enjoyment of his family for generations to come.

CARREN MCDANIEL is an author and illustrator of children’s books and young adult fantasy novels. She has been an artist, all her life trying everything from textiles to clay to stained glass. After teaching for six years she retired and concentrated on her art. She has written and illustrated many children’s books of her own as well as illustrated for other authors.

MICHAEL NEER has enjoyed a career as an English teacher, curriculum specialist, editor, publisher, and meditation teacher. He writes fables and legends about the quest for the secrets of life. He believes deep human values are universal and can be awakened through stories. He has published: The Cat’s Purr Fables: Books 1-3; The Elixir of Freedom, and Yogi Cat: 16 Secrets to Happiness.

ELANAH PRUGH is currently attending high school in Madera. She has always had a great love of books and has been writing short stories since she was six. Her first novel was published in sixth grade, and she has continued to publish three more books throughout school. Elanah loves to write fantasy stories, where she can express her imagination without limits. She also enjoys drawing and making animations about her book characters.

VICKI THOMAS says, “Writing fantasy for young adults struck me like a cyclone. My passion for creating characters and creatures drove me to write about a boy searching for his older brother in a mystical Southern England forest. Three books have been written and published in the Relics Adventure series. They are, The Long Dark Cloak, The Golden Lantern, and The King’s Scepter, all published by The Wild Rose Press. I’m thrilled to see my dreams come true.”

DAVID BOROFKA is the author of HINTS OF HIS MORTALITY (winner of the 1996 Iowa Short Fiction Award) and a novel, THE ISLAND (MacMurray & Beck). More recent are his collection of stories, A LONGING FOR IMPOSSIBLE THINGS (Johns Hopkins, 2022) and a novel, THE END OF GOOD INTENTIONS (Fomite, 2023); a new collection of stories, THE BLISS OF YOUR ATTENTION, will be published January 2025, again by JHUP.

FABIANA SANDOVAL has been an educator for over forty years. She writes fiction and has published four books. Her poem “Mujer Campesina” won an award in 2023. She earned the “Exceptional Spirit” award for her kind personality. She was a freelancer for a local newspaper and a magazine, her Parenting column was a reader’s favorite. She has published work in anthologies in Chile, Italy, and Mexico. She is a delegate for arts organization Cove Rincon.

BILL VANPATTEN is an award-winning author of five novels and three collections of short stories. His latest collection, There Go I, received first-place for self-published books in the 2024 Eric Hoffer awards. His most recent novel, Refuge, was won first place for LGBTQ fiction in the 2024 Indie Readers Discovery Awards. He continues to publish short stories in various anthologies and online magazines and is wrapping up his sixth novel. His website is www.billvanpatten.net.

TESS BENTLEY is a Historical Fiction author and an independent scholar of Victorian and Gothic literature. Tess received her MA in English Literature with a specialization in Gothic studies with distinction in 2022. Tess is a life-long Brontë enthusiast. When she is not spending time with her four beautiful boys, or writing her next novel, you can find her studying Victorian literature and often, just reading it for pleasure.

KIMBERLY KNIGHT is a USA Today Bestselling author living in California’s Central Valley with her husband and energetic daughter. She writes across several genres, including romantic suspense, contemporary, MM romance, and paranormal romance that evoke laughter, tears, and unexpected twists. Outside of writing, Kimberly enjoys reality TV, true crime documentaries, and cheering for the San Francisco Giants. As a two-time desmoid tumor survivor, she draws strength from her journey, inspiring her fans along the way.

CARRIE PADGETT has lived in every part of California, and currently writes from her office with a view of the Sierra Nevada. She thinks nuts take up room where chocolate ought to be and chips and dip should be its own food group. She and her husband have been married for far longer than most reality shows last. She has two daughters, two sons-in-law, and six grandkids who call her Grammie.

CORA J. RAMOS is an award winning author of short stories of suspense set in the San Joaquin Valley. Novels: Dance the Dream Awake, is a Romantic Suspense (with supernatural elements), set in present day Yucatan and evoking a past Mayan life. Haiku Dance, a historical romance set in Heian, Japan, 980 AD, provides love, intrigue and danger. Miyoshi, highly placed in the Emperor’s court, is in danger. Shino, a master samurai is tasked to protect her.

VERONICA GIOLLI was a founding member of Writers of the Purple Sage Publishing Consortium in Reno, Nevada, and belongs to several writers groups, Sisters in Crime, and Writing for Publication. While living on an Indian reservation, she acquired firsthand knowledge of the tribal customs and spiritual practices of her Native American heritage. This in part, provided inspiration for Whispers in the Wind.

RHONDA HERB has a bachelor’s and master’s degree in English from Fresno State University, and a PhD in Communications. Following a 40-year career in health care communications, she now applies her skills as an author, corporate trainer, and communications consultant. Her published books include The Jewel of Paradise and Deadly Relations. Rhonda lives in Fresno with her husband and two dogs.

GLENNA JARVIS is a former crime reporter and managing editor of a daily newspaper with a 15-year career in journalism in three states. Founder and moderator of The Writerie critique group (BIO) and author of the Hannah Monakee Mystery Series. A home chef and avid gardener, she authored My Quarantine Cuisine: Favorite Recipes from My Days in Lockdown.

JOHN BOWERS discovered his love of writing in the seventh grade. He began his first novel at age 13 and before he graduated high school, he wrote four more. Today he is the author of three popular science fiction series: the Starport series; the Nick Walker, U.F. Marshal series; and the Fighter Queen saga. Now retired, he is a computer programmer by profession, but a Born Novelist by birth.

Rising Star Award winner JEFF CATES leads the Valley Writers Group in Central California. Nearly eighty of his science fiction, fantasy,  and horror stories and articles have been published in the U.S. and the U.K. After winning many writing contests, fans urged him to write a science fiction thriller. The Reb Riley Files features a daring rookie vice cop and her partners in Hollywood in 2050. His second novel will be released in November.

JANELL COBERLY began writing stage plays for her siblings at age 10. She’s published fantasy/paranormal/mystery and launched her first children’s chapter book in 2024. She writes in multiple genres, belongs to Writer Critique and marketing groups, and participates in book fairs and seminars. She lives in California with her beloved dog Molly.

JAMES GARCIA JR makes his home in Kingsburg, California, the town where he was raised – and typically the setting of his fiction. He was the 1994 winner of the Writers International Network/Writers Inter-Age Network writing contest in the horror category. He is the author of edgy horror and paranormal novels. During the day, he is the safety manager at Sun Maid Growers of California.

Life-long Madera resident, JASON MENDEZ NAPIER began writing fiction in 2012, and has since published two novels of his three novel series – Thirty-Nine Sketches – a Dystopian Action series dealing with future tech, corrupt governments, prophetic knowledge of future events, and issues of faith. #39Sketches includes Sketch Art drawn by the main character as he illegally travels the world – all while pursued by government agents.

ROH MORGON writes dark fantasy with a bit of horror and is a past winner of the International Vampire Film & Arts Silver Stake Award. She’s best known for her supernatural suspense series The Chosen, which includes Monster, Watcher, Runner, and the upcoming Seeker, along with the related novellas The Last Trace and The Games Monsters Play. You can find Roh and her books on Amazon, Facebook, or her website, www.rohmorgon.com.

STEVE RAMIREZ was born and raised in Escondido, California. He relocated to the Fresno area to further his education, eventually completing a BS in Criminology and a Master of Business Administration. For the last decade he has worked as a plasma specialist, with a focus on primary immune deficiency and genetic emphysema. He lives with his wife, Elizabeth, and their three dogs. The S’orne Saga is his first science fiction series.

WAYLAND BRYANT JACKSON, a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University, Shawnee, OK and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Berkeley, CA., in his college days, was the initial pastor of Second Baptist Church, Atoka, OK. He moved to California to found the First Southern Baptist Church in Klamath. For 11 years combined, Jackson served on the staffs of three churches. At age 41, he began a 21-year teaching career. Jackson discovered the joy of writing in his 80’s.

KATHI MORRIS was living in Madera in 1968 when a drunk driver killed her parents. She was 17 and the oldest of 10 children. Their plight became national news while the country weighed in on where to place the orphans. After a 35-year career with the IRS, Kathi decided to share the story behind the headlines. A best-seller on the day of release, she is now writing its screenplay. Her website is: www.KathiMorris.com.

MONIQUE TAYLOR holds an MA in History and was a college level instructor before authoring her book Suicide Jockeys: The Making of the WII Combat Glider Pilot. She is the daughter of a WWII glider pilot and was inspired to write after hearing the stories of her father and his fellow pilots’ experiences in the war. When not researching for her next book she spends time with her husband on their ranch in the foothills.

Poet, spoken word artist, and playwright, AIDEED MEDINA’s work has appeared in various publications, theatrical, and municipal murals. She is the author of 31 Hummingbird, Editorial Xingao, Segmented Bodies, Prickly Pear Publishing, and a forthcoming binational chapbook, selected poems from Segmented Bodies published by Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico.