Laurel Ridge Holiday Book Fair

Alexandra’s debut novel, The Four has won 6 literary awards & is a finalist in several others. More importantly the book garnered a ‘Well Done’ tweet from Neil Gaiman & a ‘Way to Go’ from Christopher Moore which she fully intends to carve on her tombstone. When she isn’t writing she, along with her husband are the domestic staff of Klaus von Beagle their Envigo rescued beagle who, on occasion will sign a book or two.

Candace Meredith earned her Bachelor of Science degree in English Creative Writing from Frostburg State University in the spring of 2008. Candace is the author of various books titled Contemplation: Imagery, Sound and Form in Lyricism (a collection of poetry), Losing You (a novella collection), Winter Solstice (book 1 of a 4 book series): The Crone (book 2), The Lady of Brighton (book 3), Summer Solstice (book 4) and her published children’s books A-Hoy Frankie! Your Riverboat Captain and more.

History permeates almost everything Carol enjoys—just ask her family!
She has put her passion for history to work as an interpreter over many periods.
Carol fulfilled a lifelong dream by participating in archaeological digs in Malta. And in 2024, she joined a team in Maryland digging the home of Thomas Cresap, a character in her novels.
Carol and Dave recently returned from Europe and now call Virginia home. The pair love exploring historical sites with their dog, Widgit. The cats stay home.

I am a native New Yorker and have been living in a wooded corner of the Appalachian Mountains for 39 years. I have been a fisherwoman, jeweler, reporter and antique dealer, and have been mother to five cats and three dogs.

Colleen Snyder lives in Linden, Virginia. In 2020, she discovered that she is the first person in the U.S. found to have a rare Northern Ireland genetic mutation that caused her gigantism. Colleen contacted London genetic gigantism researcher Professor Márta Korbonits who introduced her to Irish historian Brendan Holland who shares her gigantism diagnosis which resulted in the book In Search of Giants. Colleen has been published in The Washington Post and Destinations Magazine.

Dannelle Shugart, a resident of Warrenton, VA, lives with her husband and daughter. She wrote this book as part of her Master's Thesis at Georgetown University, with guidance from a NASA engineer. Intended for science enthusiasts and sci-fi fans alike, this award-winning nonfiction work explores the science and the ethics of time travel.

David Brubaker is Professor Emeritus of Organizational Studies at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He has 38 years of experience in workplace mediation and organizational consulting and is a partner with Cooperative By Design and on the roster of the Center for Congregational Health. David is the author of several books, including When the Center Does Not Hold: Leading in an Age of Polarization (Fortress Press, 2019)

I am the author of two books on John Singleton Mosby: Hell is Being a Republican in Virginia: The Postwar Relationship Between John Singleton Mosby and Ulysses S. Grant, and Ever the Gray Ghost: Colonel John Singleton Mosby and the Lincoln Conspiracies. I also own and operate Mosby's Confederacy and have been giving tours in Mosby's Confederacy for more than 20 years, and have given many lectures on these subjects over the years as well. Both books are deeply researched and annotated.

Transplanted to Winchester in 2010 was a teacher at James Wood Middle School. Looking forward to sharing my book, "Avoid Angry Alligators".

After retiring as Commissioner of the Revenue for Frederick County, VA, Ellen Murphy has found a new career as an author. After the trauma of her husband passing, Ellen soon began spending more time devoted to her writing. She loves the historical research that goes into all her stories and enjoys hearing from her readers. Ellen has two beautiful and smart daughters – Suzanne and Katherine, and has been blessed with six grandchildren.

Everett lives in Harrisonburg, VA with his wife and two young sons. He is the author of the children's book 'Do You Need a Song?' (2023), which he created with childhood friend and Arizona-based watercolor artist Kendall Yvonne. While a prolific writer in other areas of his life, 'Do You Need a Song?' is his first children's book. Everett works for the non-profit Community Housing Partners and is a graduate of both EMU and JMU.

Glenn R. Burdick is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia and completed his B. A. Degree in Mathematics, his M. S. Degree in Administration and Supervision at Old Dominion University and his Doctor of Education Degree at the University of Virginia. A career educator, he completed his public school career as Superintendent of Winchester Public Schools.

Author Hannah CR is a West Virginia native who loves incorporating her love of cryptids, such as Mothman and Big Foot, to life through children’s books. As a former educator, Hannah develops social emotional education into her stories, perfect for children aged 4-8 years old.

Harry Frederick Burroughs III was born in Riverhead, New York. He began his career in the U.S. House of Representatives on May 16, 1977. For 37 years, he worked for members of Congress, served as Republican Chief of Staff of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee and the Staff Director of the House Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs. Since retiring, Harry has published nine books including The Tragic Story of Harris Neck, Ga and Rankin’s Place.

Heather S. Cole is a writer and public historian living in Staunton, Va. She is author, most recently, of "Virginia's Presidents: A History & Guide" and "Ohio's Presidents: A History & Guide," both published by The History Press. Her day job is as editor and director of media relations at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va. She also runs a small publishing company specializing in local and family history, Rock Street Press, which will publish its fourth book this winter.

J.L. Baldwin fell in love with writing when she wrote her first short story when she was just ten years old. After that, she knew writing was going to be a major part of her life.
While she loves writing all sub-genres of romance, her favorites tend to be small-town romance, steamy contemporary romance, dark romance, and romantic suspense.
You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

James Blakey is a three-time finalist for the Short Mystery Fiction Society's Derringer Award, winning in 2019 for his story "The Bicycle Thief." He leads critique groups in Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, and Shenandoah County. His paranormal thriller SUPERSTITION was published by City Owl Press in September of 2024. When James isn’t writing, he's on the hiking trail—he’s climbed forty of the fifty US state high points—or bike-camping his way up and down the East Coast. He lives in Broadway.

James Brown is a father, husband and Navy veteran who loves Christmas! In 2013 James became involved in the Christmas performer industry. Since then, he has been featured in a number of magazines and newspapers. Three years ago, James embarked on a quest to further his knowledge of Christmas. He spent numerous hours researching, correlating data, and speaking with historians about Christmas, culminating in Beyond the Beard. During his military service, the “Keep It Simple” philosophy was instill

Jay Foreman is a John Maxwell-certified leadership trainer with a master’s degree in Executive Leadership. He is also an accomplished public speaker and a professional member of the National Speakers Association. His clients have included business leaders, associations, non-profits, schools, and churches. Jay has authored eighteen books, including three best sellers, and has been featured on TV, radio, podcasts, newspaper, and magazines. Visit jaywforeman.com for more information.

Jeremy Rodgers is a songwriter, musician, producer, poet, author, and general creator of things. He makes his things up on his mountain in Linden VA, alongside his better half, Lani.

Judith Dreyer, MS, BSN, RN, an international author, has an MS in Human Nutrition and a BS in Nursing. She is the author of the book and blog At the Garden’s Gate. Judith produced and hosted the podcast series Holistic Nature of Us, which is found on all major platforms. She also produced and co-hosted the podcast series MediMindful Moment for Cloud9online.com
She has just released her second book with a companion journal, Navigating Your Dream World, available on Amazon.

June Smalls has been making up stories since she only had pets and stuffed animals to share them with. She writes children’s fiction and nonfiction books that are funny, educational, odd, and entertaining including the acclaimed picture book, She Leads: The Elephant Matriarch.

June loves going on adventures, for research of course, from falconry to digging up fossils; tracking wildlife to working with scientists and wildlife conservationists. Writing is always an adventure.

Educators Karen E. Brill and Noreen L. Wall created Canine Capers in King Mortimer's Kingdom. Karen's Chow Chow Kirby and Noreen's Shelties Ashley and Kelsey have a magical adventure in the Middle Ages. While enjoying an enchanting story, young readers learn about the Middle Ages and dog breeds of antiquity.
At the end of the book, there are descriptions of the dog breeds. In addition, several questions, both for the reader and a parent or teacher, stimulate further discussion of the story.

Kerri Lane Mariano, a Summa Cum Laude Media and Film graduate from Shenandoah University, is an award-winning writer, director, producer, artist, and photographer. Known for films like Santa Girl and Cupid for Christmas, she partners with local businesses to showcase her hometown of Winchester, Virginia. Her debut novel, The Gingerbread Games (2024), and upcoming film Miss Valentine (2025) highlight her commitment to heartfelt storytelling and community.

I am a retired private investigator for 50 years. I am writing books now.

Libby Hoffmann is a Holistic Wellness Guide for women, specializing in the Human Design System. She is a mother of two boys, author of the children’s book We Are All Light, and a Birth and Postpartum Doula. As the founder of Moderne Homemaker, Libby invites every human being to reclaim the title of “homemaker” for their own soul’s journey.

Linda Hill is a poet and photographer who resides in the mountains of Hampshire County, West Virginia. She has self- published three books of poetry which also include her photographs.

Linny grew up, resided, and worked in Northern Virginia, close to Washington, DC. She's a bookworm, biker chick, and international best-selling indie author. Linny published her debut novel, “Salvation in Chaos,” in January of 2018, and she's very passionate about writing suspenseful and action-packed stories. If Linny is not busy traveling, working, and writing, she spends her days at home in Front Royal, Virginia, with her husband, Norman, and 3 Brussel Griffons named Verdy, Simon, and Daisy.

Lori D'Angelo is a grant recipient from the Elizabeth George Foundation, a fellow at the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts, and an alumna of the Community of Writers. She holds an MA from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and an MFA from West Virginia University. Her work has appeared in various literary journals including BULL, Gargoyle, Drunken Boat, Moon City Review, and Rejection Letters. Her first book, a collection called The Monsters Are Here, was published in October 2024.

Marie is a corporate shill by day and author in the wee hours to spare. She lives in the woods in Winchester, Virginia and has published four novels to date. When not working or writing, she plays various weird instruments in the Front Royal-based band "Helltown Riffraff."

With over 25 years of USG experience, I served in Washington, Cameroon, Kenya, Russia, Sudan, Germany. In December 2006, I fulfilled my lifetime goal of traveling to all seven continents. I was an American Political Science Association Congressional Fellow (2005/2006) with Senator Olympia Snowe, a U.S. Army War College graduate (2008/2009) and I am a CPA (licensed in Virginia.) Since resigning/retiring from State Department, I wrote this book about betrayal, retaliation, survival, and the truth.

Natalina Reis is an international bestseller who wrote her first romance at the age of thirteen. Since then she has published many romances that defy the boundaries of her genre. She enjoys writing all kinds of rebels and outcasts into her stories and she always roots for the underdog.
Natalina doesn’t believe you can have too many books or too much coffee. Chinese historical fantasy dramas are her (not so) guilty pleasure and she is pretty sure she could survive on lobster and bananas alone.

Author of the epic fantasy romance Heart & Hand Series, Nicole's books have won a Golden Quill Award for Best Fantasy Romance and a National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award.
Nicole resides in Virginia with her family and their new puppy, Lucy the Vizsla. When she is not writing or working at her day job at a local university, she volunteers at a local organization helping the less fortunate. She encourages her friends and readers to do the same.

New York native Peter D. Heerwagen has lived in the Winchester area for the past 35 years. Armed with an undergraduate degree in economics and a master’s in business administration, he worked on Wall Street, for the federal government, and while a financial advisor, authored several books on investing. From 1989 to 2009, he published the North Valley Business Journal, then the Quad-State Business Journal.

Randina Sheldon is a 2x published author, poet, artist, + a survivor + women’s rights advocate. Her poetry + art challenge societal norms, share the vulnerable parts of healing, + empower women to take their power back + grow in self love.

Rebecca J Lillis was born in Winchester Virginia, graduated from the College of St.Rose in Albany, New York with a degree in English and taught middle school language arts for 16 years. She then pursued a career in manufacturing and construction. Writing came in 2010 with the publication of her first children's book, Yonah daughter of the Wind. Next came Trinka the Timid Triceratops. Now retired her most recent book, The Little White Horse That Wanted To Be Brown tells of her two horses.

Sara is a Mississippi girl who married a New England boy, so they settled halfway between, in the Shenandoah Valley. Her stories are about ordinary people and the magic of everyday life… and sometimes she adds extra magic, just for fun. When she's not writing, she's homeschooling, cross-stitching, reading, or taking long drives.

Sarah Tollok lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with her husband and two sons. Her work can be found in anthologies with Improbable Press, Alan Squire Publishing, and Clan Destine Press, as well as numerous online literary journals. Bookstories, the author’s love letter to the world of books, debuted in 2024 with Balance of Seven. You can find out more about her work at SarahTollok.com.

Sharon is an entrepreneur with a deep appreciation for life's journeys. Alongside her husband, Matt, she raised seven children, instilling in them the values of resilience and compassion. Now proud grandparents, they continue to embrace new adventures and challenges. Sharon's writing is inspired by her rich experiences and the profound connections she has cultivated throughout her life, most notably through her friendship with Thea, whose story is beautifully recounted in this book.

Dr. Sharon Shrum has been in education for over 26 years. She owns Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, LLC, a company she founded in 2006 to enhance the educational experiences of educators and children. Dr. Shrum is passionate about hands-on support for schools and families, continually striving to create an environment where every child can thrive. Her unwavering belief that “Every child is just one adult away from a success story” encapsulates her mission and is at the heart of her work

Solara Gordon loves creating her next fascinating romance. She enjoys creating unique characters and watching their journeys unfold. "Love freely given multiples and will return endlessly" is a key aspect of her stories. Add in alternative lifestyles and her love for the paranormal, and the uncommon becomes the norm in many of her stories.

Teresa Maley is a Front Royal native and proud 1977 Honors Grad of Laurel Ridge. Now retired in Madison County, Teresa and her husband lived many places over his 20-year active military career. Teresa wrote stories for her children when they were young. She published her first children’s book the first year after retiring from a successful work career. While Teresa enjoys many hobbies, reading to her children and now her grandchildren is a special joy Teresa wishes for everyone!

Tj O'Connor is an award-winning thriller and mystery author with a pending new thriller and multiple paranormal mysteries. He’s an anti-terrorism consultant—life experiences that drive his novels. He has lived and worked around the world and now lives with his wife and Labrador companions in Virginia. www.tjoconnor.com

Travis W. Rogers is a diligent student of the Word and faithfully served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years (2000 – 2020), retiring as a Chief Petty Officer. From 2008-2017, he acted as Protestant Lay Leader onboard multiple Navy warships and led others in their spiritual walk both in the absence of and alongside a Chaplain. It has been his deepest desire to see others come to the knowledge of truth and experience a deeper walk with God.