Authors, Vendors & Performers

Explore this list of vendors who will be joining us for the Burlington County Book Festival on Saturday, June 3 from 11am to 4pm.

Featured Speakers and Performers

Jay Cooper is the illustrator and writer of over 20 books for kids young and old, including the national best-selling Your Guide To Not Getting Murdered In A Quaint English Village—and a contributor to the New York Times #1 best-selling series, The Last Kids on Earth. Jay is also a Clio award-winning creative director of theatrical advertising, having crafted art and advertising for more than 140 Broadway shows. Most importantly, his dog is named Bradley Cooper.

Larry Hanover is coauthor of Rebuilt from Broken Glass: A German Jewish Life Remade in America (Purdue University Press, 2017). The book tells the tale of Holocaust survivor Fred Behrend, who escaped from the Nazis with his parents and went on to turn the tables by teaching democracy to German POWs. The book is in its second printing and is recommended by the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education. In 2022, he directed and produced the documentary Rebuilt from Broken Glass after the miraculous reunion of Behrend with a friend exactly 80 years after they last saw each other during Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass). Larry has also coauthored a book on empathy and tolerance The Empathy Advantage (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020) and assisted with the memoirs of other Holocaust survivors. Larry was an award-winning reporter for The Times of Trenton from 1988 to 2006 and also worked for the Cherry Hill Courier-Post.

Faleeha Hassan is a poet, teacher, editor, and writer born in Najaf, Iraq, in 1967, who now lives in the United States. She is the first woman who wrote poetry for children in Iraq. Faleeha received her master's degree in Arabic literature and has published sixteen collections of poetry in Arabic, which have been translated into over 10 languages, including English. She was a Pulitzer Prize nominee in 2018 and a Pushcart Prize nominee in 2019.

Davon Loeb is the author of the memoir The In-Betweens. He earned an MFA in creative writing from Rutgers University-Camden. Davon is an assistant features editor at The Rumpus. His work is featured at The Sun Magazine, Joyland Magazine, The Rumpus, Catapult, Ploughshares, and elsewhere. ​Besides writing, Davon is a high school English teacher, husband, and father living in New Jersey.

Rann Miller is a freelance writer, published author and a former teacher. He has contributed to scholarly journals, text books, and multiple platforms on the topics of race in higher education, urban schools, sports and the African American diaspora, and professional development for educational professionals. In addition to those things, he serves as program director for a local school district, a professional development facilitator and also a public speaker.

Ronnette Smith-Powell is a kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade educator impacting her students in more ways than one. With a passion to teach young students for over 25 years, it’s evident that she has been an inspiration to countless children through knowledge and engagement. Her organization, "Nettie, Nana and Friends," specializes in puppet shows, parties, and live performances for children of all ages. 

As an author, magician, entertainer, and business owner, Doug Wonder has a passion for using his talent and skill to deliver a memorable experience that engage and inspire audiences. As a performer, he's known for his dynamic stage presence, expert sleight of hand, and ability to connect with audiences of all ages. Whether he's writing a book,  performing on stage or training an aspiring entertainer. Doug's goal is always to create an unforgettable experience that leaves a lasting impression and inspires others. 

Children's Book Authors (Juvenile and Young Adult Readers)

David Austin is a a retired public school history and English teacher. Over the last 20 years or so, when he wasn’t teaching, he was writing book reviews for Friends Journal, a monthly magazine published by and for members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). Small Miracle is David's first book, but not his last!

Hilary and Dana DeMezza are a mother and daughter duo, and first time writers/illustrators. 

Tony DiGerolamo is a New Jersey screenwriter, novelist, comic book writer, game designer and comedian. He is best known for his work on The Simpsons and Bart Simpson comic books. He has also been a joke writer for Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, a scriptwriter for Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and a blogger for Comedy Central’s Indecision website.

Born in England, Jon Gibbs now lives in New Jersey, where he was Author-in-Residence. at Georgian Court University from 2012 - 2017. Jon is the founder of The New Jersey Authors’ Network, NJ Writing Groups.com, The I are a writer! (and more) store. His middle grade fantasy, Fur-Face, was nominated for a Crystal Kite Award. Originally published by Echelon Press in 2010, the second edition was published in November 2022. The sequel, Barnum’s Revenge,  was published by Echelon Press in 2013.  The second edition is due out in 2023. Jon's latest book is Abraham Lincoln Stole my Homework (KDP, 2023).

Pamela Harris is a woman of great faith who has read the Bible from cover to cover. This inspired her first book, Why Every Man Should Read the Bible from Cover-to-Cover, At Least Once. Her second book, The Memoirs of Pamela Moroia Harris, Volume 1 was inspired by the birth of her first grandson. Today, Pamela is allowing herself to be used by God as she opens a platform to spread Autism awareness around the world. 

K.A. Rouse is a former corporate lawyer, business owner, author, inventor, and songwriter. She specializes in intellectual property law and has collaborated or ghostwritten over 100 books of various genres including children’s, finance, inspirational, memoirs, and self-help. She is the proud mother of an adult son, two daughters, and resides in New Jersey.  Readers from K-3rd grade are invited to join Lana Banana, Animal Rescuer, as she cleverly manages to save animals in unexpected situations.

Reet Starwind graduated from Pennsauken High School, writing under the byline "The Pennsauken Poet" for the school newspaper, and majored in digital studies at Rutgers-Camden. He has since dedicated himself full-time to art, creating a new anime series called Dreamers' Playlist, and activism with Watu Moja, a Camden-based nonprofit aimed at connecting Black and brown communities across the globe and at home. Reet Starwind and a team of dedicated artists writers and musicians aim to help inspire young artists to reach for their dreams and provide opportunities in the community.

Authors (Adult Readers)

Rosemary Benson is an Audible #1 bestselling narrator, singer, educator, and stage actress. She has appeared across the US, Canada, and Italy, and regularly performs with several ensembles and big bands. As a passionate learner and audiobook fan, she strives to entertain, enlighten, and encourage, so she is at home in many genres. Her musical ear allows her to produce myriad accents for storytelling, while her expertise in differentiating instruction guides her abilities in nonfiction.

Since 1998, Terri’s more than 50 historical and paranormal romance novels, novellas and short stories have been published by Berkley, Harlequin, Kensington, NAL and SMP Swerve and released in 20 languages in 25 countries! 

Leigh started writing short stories and poetry while in high school, eventually finding her voice with erotica in college. Having published under several pen names over the years, her debut novel in the Calvano Chronicles series was published in October 2020.

Ritu Chopra inspires people with her coaching sincerity and professional leadership experience that includes managing business and IT operations. She has solved complex technical challenges in her work with Fortune 500 companies over the past 20 years, including the 2008-09 economic downturns and the ever-changing business landscape faced by global companies.  

Gabi was born in Britain but has spent most of her life trying to figure out how America works while living here. Her memoir, Love's Journey Home, was published in May 2022, by Atmosphere Press. Her debut novel, A Beginner's Guide to Starting Over, is due to be published in April 2023.

A New Jersey native, E.J. has written for such publications as The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, American Baby and USA Weekend. Night of the Living Deed is the first E.J. Copperman novel. It was followed by An Uninvited Ghost, Old Haunts, A Wild Ghost Chase, Chance of a Ghost, An Open Spook, The Thrill of the Haunt, Inspector Specter, Ghost in the Wind and Spouse on Haunted Hill.

Best-selling author Tina Gabrielle is an attorney and former mechanical engineer whose love of reading for pleasure helped her get through years of academia. She often picked up a romance and let her fantasies of knights in shining armor and lords and ladies carry her away. She is the author of adventurous Regency historical romances for Entangled Publishing and Kensington Books.

Victoria Jayne is the epitome of a Jersey Girl. She doesn’t [know how to] pump her own gas, enjoys pork roll, and grew up on the Jersey Shore. She’s lived throughout the state of New Jersey and remains there with her sports journalist husband and two darling daughters. When not writing, Victoria enjoys baking with her daughters, rooting for the New Jersey Devils, thinking of home improvement projects, and staying up far too late chatting on Discord.

Jane Kelly is a native of Philadelphia close to the Jersey Shore settings of the Meg Daniels mysteries from Plexus Publishing. She is also the author of the Widow Lady Mysteries and the Writing in Time Mysteries available via Amazon. Jane has an MS from Drexel University in Library and Information Science and an MPhil in Popular Literature from Trinity College, Dublin which she earned as a very mature student in 2008. Jane has served as President of the Delaware Valley Sisters in Crime and on the board of the New York Chapter of Mystery Writers of America. Her sixth Meg Daniels mystery, Strangers in the Avalon Dunes, was published in January 2023. The fourth, Missing You in Atlantic City, won an Independent Publisher Book Award silver medal for mid-Atlantic fiction.  Jane Kelly currently lives in the Philadelphia area.

As a lifelong resident of New Jersey, William loves the diversity of the people of New Jersey and of the landscapes of New Jersey's great outdoors.  In doing research about the Piney culture of New Jersey, he created an Facebook page called “PineyTribe” and has published two books – Adventure with Piney Joe” and “New Jersey's Lost Piney Culture.”

Elizabeth “Amber Love” Delaney is a New Jersey author of novels, comics, and short stories. She’s the author of the medium-boiled amateur sleuth Farrah Wethers Mysteries. Her urban fantasy Bear Roots was inspired by a real life black bear in New Jersey who was special to the community. Misty Murder embraces over-the-top slashers mixed with a mystery. She’s been published in the Anthony Award nominated Protectors 2: Heroes and an action-adventure anthology about the character Athena Voltaire created by Steve Bryant in Athena Voltaire: Pulp Tales. 

James McCrone is the author of the Faithless Elector series—Faithless Elector, Dark Network, and Emergency Powers—“taut” and “gripping” political thrillers about a stolen presidency. Bastard Verdict, which debuts in May 2023, is his fourth novel. To get the details right for the new thriller, he drew on his boyhood in Scotland and scouted locations for scenes in the book while attending Bloody Scotland in 2019 and again in ’22.  His short stories have appeared in Rock and a Hard Place; Retreats from Oblivion: The Journal of NoirCon, and in the short-story anthology Low Down Dirty Vote, vols. 2 and 3. 

Former photographer at the Burlington County Times, Dennis McDonald grew up in South Jersey and received a B.S. in Photojournalism from Syracuse University. He retired in 2014 after working as a photographer for the Burlington County Times for 38 years. He has written books on Medford, and Smithville (Burlington County) and recently co-authored a book on Whitesbog all by Arcadia Publishing in their Images of America series.  He has contributed numerous photographs to the Pinelands Folklife Project Collection in the Library of Congress.

Linda started writing her own “Nancy Drew” type mystery in fifth grade. As a student, she studied Biology, Sciences and Literature in college and eventually became a physician. She enjoy writing mysteries that contain medical and light spiritual content. Either way, a good murder mystery is always fun.

Her first book, The Bench, is set in the fictional town of Rocky Meadow, VT. The Rocky Meadow Mystery series then continues with Fatal Breach. While solving crimes, the main characters deal with life, loss, starting over and developing an appreciation for the friends and loved ones in their lives. Linda Rawlins lives in New Jersey with her family. When she is not working in medicine, she is writing.

Roberta Rogow is the author of the four "Dodgson/Doyle" mysteries. She is currently working on a new series set in Gilded Age New York City. She also reviews juvenile mysteries for Mystery Scene Magazine, and is a writer and performer of Science Fiction "filk" songs. She recently retired from a 37-year career as a Children's Librarian in New Jersey public libraries.

Fitness Professional turned novelist, Linda Rosen’s books are set in the “not-too-distant past” and examine how women reinvent themselves despite obstacles thrown their way. A central theme is that blood is not all that makes a family– and they always feature a piece of jewelry! Her novels, The Disharmony of Silence, Sisters of the Vine, and The Emerald Necklace are published by Black Rose Writing. In addition to writing novels, Linda was a contributor to Women in the Literary Landscape: A WNBA Centennial Publication for the Women's National Book Association and the craft book, Launch Pad The Countdown to Writing Your Book. Linda is a snowbird. She lives in Fair Lawn, NJ but when the leaves fall and she has to swap sandals for shoes and socks, she's off to her home in Florida. 

Pamela Stockwell was born in Texas and raised in South Carolina. In between, she lived in the Philippines and, along with her big sister, became fluent in Tagalog name-calling. She abandoned her foreign language studies at age five and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. She lives with her husband and three children on a small farm in New Jersey. She is a member of the Princeton Writing Group and Women's Fiction Writers Association (WFWA).

Writer, Author of the Drowned Realm Series, father to 2 demon hulks, liker of cool things, part-time murderer of people on paper.

Eileen specializes in mystery and suspense fiction. In 2017 she launched the i, starting with The Persian Always Meows Twice. The Bengal Identity and Feral Attraction followed in 2018. Her work has won the David G. Sasher Award for Best Mystery of 2017 at the 2018 Deadly Ink Mystery Conference, and all three novels have received Certificates of Excellence from the Cat Writers’ Association, Inc. Eileen previously published eight novels through Amber Quill Press, most of them paranormal suspense, as “E. F. Watkins.” Her Quinn Matthews Haunting Mysteries have recently become available again through Crossroad Press.

More than 30 of Vicki Weisfeld’s short stories have appeared in leading mystery magazines and numerous anthologies, most recently Black Cat Weekly and Sherlock Holmes: A Year of Mystery 1884. They’ve won awards from the Short Mystery Fiction Society and Public Safety Writers Association. She’s a member of those groups plus Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America. Her first mystery novel, Architect of Courage, was published June 2022. She blogs regularly at www.vweisfeld.com and reviews books for the UK website, crimefictionlover.com.

Lydia has been creating wild stories her entire life (Barbie went on some crazy adventures). As she grew older, she started writing them down. She was heavily inspired by Christopher Paolini when she discovered he first published Eragon at only seventeen, and hoped she could be published before then. While she didn’t reach that goal, she worked on perfecting her craft. She studied creative writing at Roanoke College and self-published a trilogy of novellas with the help of her professors. Since she finds herself unable to stop writing, Lydia has continued to craft novels since college and, every now and then, decides one is good enough for others to read.

Handcrafted Items & Collectibles, Used Books and More

Join the Friends of the Burlington County Library, Inc. for a fabulous book sale during the Burlington County Book Festival! Explore a wide selection including your favorite fiction authors, non-fiction titles, movies and much more.

Hand sewn items, including book sleeves, dinosaur chicken nugget pillows, blankets, plushies (stingrays and dinosaurs). Hand-knitted giant chunky blankets; crochet plushies as well (bees and whales, among a few others).

Popsnmore is a Mount Holly, NJ based authorized supplier of Funko Products, and much MORE. They carry a variety of Action Figures, Toys, Games, Cards, Collectibles and rare/hard to find items.

Book and reading themed gift items, including plush toys, puzzles, mugs, notecards, stickers, games, tote bags, jewelry, bookmarks, clothing items.