Mesa Book Festival: 2023 Vendor List

Mimi Francis is a sassy and confident romance writer known for her steamy tales of passion that leave readers breathless. Her creative writing style is filled with vivid imagery and bold characters that make her stories come alive. Born and raised in Montana, Mimi has always had a passion for writing and storytelling. Mimi's love for writing began when she was a teenager and she honed her craft by penning countless short stories and journaling. As an adult, she turned to fan fiction...

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Working Collaboratively for a Healthy, Flowing Verde River system.

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Hayley Rose, has embraced the exciting world of publishing with creative, interactive books for kids. She has been a featured author at the Children's Learning and Play Festival, presented keynote presentations for publishing groups across the country including the Desert Nights, Rising Stars Conference, and has been interviewed on the Author Learning Center alongside authors Stan Lee and R.L. Stine. Hayley spends most of her time in Scottsdale with her cookie obsessed mini schnauzer, Blanche. 

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James Bultema is a military combat veteran and a retired twenty-five-year street cop from the Los Angeles Police Department. Having written several non-fiction books, Bultema breaks away from that historical form and takes the reader on an edge-of-your-seat, present-day military thriller with missiles flying between the United States and China in their bloody fight for Taiwan. 

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Kathie McMahon is the author of the humorous, award-winning chapter book series, Mortimer and Me, about eight-year-old Jimmy and a moose named Mortimer. She has collaborated on many youth theater musicals, receiving four ariZoni awards for Original Music Composition.Kathie lives in Gilbert, Arizona.

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Katrina Shawver is a writer, experienced public speaker, and history geek. She wrote for the Arizona Republic newspaper for eleven years. During that time, she met Henry Zguda, a Polish Catholic survivor of German concentration camps, and soon offered to write his incredible story. She is the recipient of the 2018 Polish Heritage Award and many other accolades.

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Founded with a passion to improve the lives of disadvantaged children by providing inspiring book collections and engaging literacy programs to underfunded schools, libraries, and organizations across the nation, Kids Need to Read aspires to empower and embolden every last child through a culture of reading.

For many of the children it serves, Kids Need to Read represents a crucial link to a strong literacy education, and its programs help build and nurture support systems for the development of literate minds. By immersing children in an integrated world of literary experiences that teaches them, firsthand, the impact of reading on every aspect of life, imagination is ignited and confidence is built for a prosperous future, regardless of race, economic status, or personal capabilities.

Manasi Vegesna is a passionate author from Arizona who is interested in biology and medicine. She has utilized her love for immunology in order to help future young generations face their sickness with courage. In the future, she hopes to dive into the wonders of science through more imaginative stories. Currently a high school senior, she continues to be curious. When she’s not doing her homework, you can catch her playing the violin or reading books. Or, she’s probably binging Disney movies.

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Max (he/they pronouns) is a queer artist & author from Flagstaff, AZ! His short story, Badger, is illustrated through a series of nearly 50 hand-carved block print images, big and small. It follows a little badger (of course!) who is taken advantage of by a trickster, and learns to cope with-- and love-- the monstrous form that now cradles his gentle heart. Max creates art that brings him joy, and crafts stories that hold trauma with compassion. They can be found @max.hearts on Instagram!

Melissa A. Woodforlk-Whyte is a School Leader and Instructional Specialist with seventeen years of experience, inclusive of overseas teaching, as a dedicated Educator and Administrator bringing forth expertise in the improvement of teaching and learning and the total educational process so that all students can achieve. She is the chief executive officer and co-founder of Whyte Warehouse Connection LLC, a company dedicated to providing the best educational products and services.

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Co-Authors Shannon Maki and Susan Ricci have worked at the Mesa Historical Museum for serveral years and are committed to sharing the rich history of Mesa, Arizona.

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Miles Hooper is an independent author from Phoenix, Arizona. He's lived in the state for over 25 years and makes it a point to use Arizona as a location for most of his stories. Miles is a genre writer who seeks to explore the style and genres from the pulp fiction novel era. Film is a huge part of his life. His favorite movie genres are film noir and horror. His books include links to music playlists of songs that are referenced within his stories.

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Determined with a mutual desire to open the doors to a new world of publishing for authors while inviting a whole new generation of bibliophiles to discover magical new worlds and ideas through books, Paperclip Publishing was created.

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P. J. Hultstrand is the author of twelve books. Since 2009, she has been a digital specialist, art director, graphics designer, publisher, newspaper editor, media interviewer and more.

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Orthopedic surgeon, raised in Iowa, Rotarian, married to Marilyn Wilson former school board member, father of three children. have written two books, memoir containing my Vietnam experience and Bony Baloney, a book of humous vignettes, mostly medical.

Roxanne Doty lives in Tempe, Arizona. Her debut novel, Out Stealing Water, was published by Regal House Publishing, August 30. 2022. She has published stories and poems in Third Wednesday, Quibble Lit, Superstition Review, Espacio Fronterizo, Ocotillo Review, Forge, I70 Review, Soundings Review, The Blue Guitar, Four Chambers Literary Magazine, Lascaux Review, Lunaris Review, Journal of Microliterature, NewVerseNews, International Times, Saranac Review, Gateway Review and Reunion...

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K.N. Salustro is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy author who loves outer space, dragons, and stories that include at least one of those things. When not writing, she can be found painting, designing and sewing plushies, and trying to play video games while her cat paws at the screen.

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SandDancer Publications is a creative collaboration between Tony Fuentes and C.S. Kading, two accomplished authors who have been recognized for their ability to weave captivating narratives for over twenty years. As partners in both mischief and cherished memories, they skillfully blend real-life adventures with their extensive knowledge to craft imaginative stories that will not only mesmerize your mind but also warm your soul, providing a comforting escape from the everyday.

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Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths members come from Phoenix, throughout Arizona, and beyond. We serve bestselling, award-winning authors; emerging and aspiring writers; fans of mysteries and crime stories; and writers of other genres. Regardless of your gender, writing experience, or genre, join us for our monthly virtual programs, annual conference, monthly newsletter, workshops, and biennial anthology.

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The Arizona region covers a large geographic area with a diverse membership of individuals at all stages of writing, illustrating and publishing in the children’s book marketplace.