Fredric A. Almond Sr.
Author Fredric A. Almond has released a powerful personal testimony of survival in his new book, "Scarred for Life: Stabbed 39 Times and Forgave." Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, the book released nationwide February 17, 2009. He survived one horrific night that changed his whole life. A burglar broke in his house, stabbed and killed his mother and then stabbed him approximately thirty-nine times leaving him for dead. Yet he was nearly killed, he still found the strength to forgive. With a will to live, he refused to die. Almond gives hope to readers and reminds them what scars really are-blessings in disguise that give people the desire to keep living.
John F. Blair, Publisher
Based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, John F. Blair, Publisher has been publishing books on the southeast since 1954. Now in its 55th year of publishing, Blair specializes in regional books with an emphasis on nonfiction categories such as history, travel, folklore, and biography. Blair publishes only one or two works of fiction each year, and the fiction must have a strong connection with the southeast. Visit John F. Blair's Web site at to review a complete title list, request a catalog, view our submission guidelines, and to sign up to receive news from Blair.
The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation
The Foundation is a non-profit organization whose sole mission is to seek private funding to support the print and non-print collections of the Chapel Hill Public Library. The Foundation was established in 1997 and has assets of about $1.6 million. The Love Trust is managed by the Foundation and donations from this Trust help the Library with operational funding and other special projects. The Foundation is leading a capital campaign, "Ensuring Excellence" which is aimed at enriching our community by helping our library collections grow. Since the start of the campaign (2006) the Foundation has raised nearly $500,000. The coaches READ poster is one of our fundraising projects as well as other special events. Following the close of the 2009 NC Literary Festival, the Foundation is hosting a 50th Anniversary benefit celebration at the Barn at Fearrington called "Long Story Short" - music and literature will combine to make this a memorable occasion.
JoyceBelle Edelbrock (Children’s Area)
Joycebelle Edelbrock, founder of Goodstoryaday.com, Inc., and www.goodstorybooks.com, is the author or 16 just released children’s books. She is a publisher and producer of business books, an out-of-the-box idea consultant to NY Times best-sellers, and a coach to thousands of authors (children and adults) in writing, publishing and marketing. Her innovative thinking gives authentic childlikeness to her children’s books which she has packaged so children fall in love, not only with her stories and activities related to them, but with reading itself. She makes reading fun in every aspect of the word by publishing children’s books as Talking, Word Animated, Picture eStorybooks in three classifications: fairy tales, fun word books and real life adventures. Each flash movie is bundled with a goodstory giftpack of the ebook and audio book editions, add on reading supplements with stories about the stories, flashcards and Q&A games and fun activities including coloring pages, to print and make posters, mobiles, finger puppets, party decorations and much more. In fact, her children’s books sell kids on reading for fun! Whether a child is a non-reader, slow reader or excellent reader they read along, read more, and love it. Joycebelle was a non-reader until she was in the 6th grade and never felt comfortable reading to others until late in life. Now, she has dedicated her life to seeing that children read for fun and love it. On a budget? You will be delighted at the low cost and high value the author offers you. Her motto is "Kids, catch the happy reading habit and feel the joy!" Her dedication is "Enriching the World - One Child, One Story, One Day at a Time!"
Phyllis Harrison
Phyllis Harrison actually enjoys doing historical research and reading old courthouse documents. With deep roots on the North American continent, interests in history and genealogy and a first career in finance and property law, it was inevitable that her writing would combine these interests on the printed page. Phyllis Harrison’s first novel, The Fires of Europe is about the Huguenot experience in 17th century France and the Netherlands. Her new novel, Plowshares in the Palatinate, has just been released.The Soleil Bookbindery
The Soleil Bookbindery's Master Bookbinder, Susan Soleil, was trained in Book Restoration in Florence, Italy as an apprentice to a Florentine Master Bookbinder for three years in the 1970's. At her booth in the Exhibitor Booth area on Polk Place in front of Wilson Library Ms. Soleil offers a demonstration of her highly specialized book repair and restoration skills. Festival visitors are welcome to talk with her about their books that may need some restoration care. Prices range from $40 for a simple repair to $200 - 300. for a very damaged and complex repair. At her booth, Ms. Soleil will be booking appointments and distributing her contact information for people who would like to come to her bookbindery on Weaver Street in Carrboro where she will examine and quote on books.
