2017 SPEAKERS

Tom Daldin is an Emmy award winning producer, actor and writer who has created programs that have aired across Michigan and the U.S. on PBS. He has also won a number of “best actor” awards in both commercial television and industrial films. Tom is the host and writer of Under the Radar Michigan, the official TV program of Pure Michigan. It airs on every PBS TV station in Michigan, as well as several stations in Canada, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Florida. 

John D. Lamb is the director of Springfed Arts, a literary non-profit organization that offers writing retreats, prose, poetry and memoir workshops. Springfed Arts also hosts free public readings by authors, poets, and performance artists at venues throughout Metro Detroit. A singer, songwriter, and guitarist for over forty years, John directs Lamb’s Retreat for Songwriters in Harbor Springs, Michigan each fall since 1995. John has crafted over 1,000 individual song assignments for singers from throughout the United States.

Lisa Howard is a cookbook author who also works with print magazines, online publications, and culinary marketing firms. Her first cookbook, Healthier Gluten-Free, was published this summer by Fair Winds Press. Along with being a food writer and recipe developer, she also educates audiences about nutrition and cooking through her engagements as a culinary speaker and cooking instructor. Feel free to stop by www.theculturedcook.com any time to browse through Lisa’s recipes and culinary tidbits.

Dr. Stan Williams is an award-winning filmmaker and television producer. Since 1972 he has overseen hundreds of broadcast, industrial and dramatic productions that have been distributed worldwide. He holds a Ph.D. in Narrative Theory with a B.A. in Physics. He’s the author of THE MORAL PREMISE: Harnessing Virtue and Vice for Box Office Success that Will Smith calls the most important tool in his tool kit.

 

Weam Namou is an award-winning author of 12 books, a speaker, journalist, and the vice president of Detroit Working Writers, a 117-year-old professional writing association. She is also an Arab America ambassador and a facilitator for Pachamama Alliance, a global community that helps create a sustainable future that works for all. Her book, The Great American Family: A Story of Political Disenchantment, won a 2017 Eric Hoffer Book Award.

Colleen Gleason is an award-winning, New York Times and USA Today-bestselling author who has written more than forty novels in a variety of genres, including paranormal, steampunk, historical fiction, dystopian fiction, YA fiction, and more. She’s written for Penguin, HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Chronicle Books. She currently writes for Kensington Books and also indie-publishes several books a year. Visit her website at www.colleengleason.com.

 

Carrie Howland joined Empire Literary as a Senior Agent after eleven years as an agent at Donadio & Olson, Inc. She represents adult literary and upmarket fiction, narrative non-fiction, young adult, and middle grade authors, as well as select picture book authors and illustrators. Carrie’s background is in poetry, so beautiful language is one of the first things she looks for in any project. Also important are a strong voice and great story, which she’s looking for across genres. You can follow Carrie on twitter at @ecarriehowland or visit www.ECarrieHowland.com for more information.

Cyle Young is a multiple-genre award-winning author and literary agent with Hartline Literary Agency. Winner of over twenty writing awards, he considers himself a “binge writer” and routinely scribes 30,000 words in a weekend. His book Belly Buttons and Broken Hearts released with Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas in 2013. Cyle finds great joy in writing and loves to bounce between crafting epic high fantasy tales, helpful non-fiction parenting books, and getting lost in the melodic rhythm of children’s poetry. Learn more about Cyle by visiting his website at www.cyleyoung.com.

Bethany Morehead is a young, enthusiastic, award-winning author and Jr. Agent of Cyle Young at Hartline Literary Agency. She fell in love with writing at a young age, even plotting out stories on napkins and the corners of her notebooks in school. She enjoys both writing and reading fiction books, especially romance. Bethany, a child at heart who enjoys working with children, also has a heart for children’s literature and a soft spot for fairy tales.

 

Christopher N. Blaker serves as Features Editor at the Historical Society of Michigan in Lansing, where he prepares articles for Michigan History and Chronicle magazines as well as additional Society publications. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history and communications from Albion College and his master’s degree in American history from Oakland University. Mr. Blaker recently co-authored a book published by the History Division of the U.S. Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia, and he continues to contribute articles to scholarly journals and popular history magazines.

 

Jeff Large is an agency owner, teacher, and podcaster. He leads his team at Come Alive Creative in producing podcasts for businesses and brands. Favorite things include family, board games, and learning something new every day. Visit is website to find out more.

 

 

Attendees will be able to choose one presentation per session time at the conference. Schedule could change without notice – Rochester Writers reserves the right to add, subtract, or substitute any of the presentations and speakers. Thank you.

Please Note: All events take place in the Oakland Center of Oakland University (2200 N Squirrel Road, Rochester, MI 48309). Use parking lot 2 (P2) and walk south (opposite the pond) for the shortest distance into the Oakland Center. In addition, use parking lot 1 off Squirrel Road (P1) and walk east toward the building. The Oakland Center is positioned between the lots and the Clock Tower. Look for Bright Yellow Signs. The Oakland Center is #13 on the printable version Campus Map.