BookFest 2024 Authors

Christina  Braver writes steamy, small-town, contemporary romance usually set in  the Pacific Northwest. Her stories are character driven and feature  strong heroes with softer sides, independent heroines with a bit of  sass, and the guaranteed happily-ever-after we all need.

“A  little bit nerdy and a little bit dirty”, her books address deeper  issues such as women’s sexual health and sex positivity for all.

When  she isn’t writing, Christina can be found laughing too loudly with  friends, sipping wine, or reading. She lives outside Seattle with her  husband who shares his bourbon, and two teenagers who don’t tell their  friends what Mom writes.

John  Blade has expert knowledge and experience dealing with the science of  bodybuilding, physique transformation, strength training, fall  prevention, and powerlifting. He has an MBA in Health Services  Administration and is a board-certified and Washington state-licensed  Occupational Therapist (OTRL), an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer (CFT),  a cardiopulmonary rehab specialist, has Advanced Cardiac Life Support  and Basic Life Support certifications (ACLS & BLS). John is a  Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) and has over 23 years of  acute care hospital work.

With  over 23 years of experience, competing in 17 bodybuilding competitions,  he walks the talk. John is well known for his ability to achieve  ultra-shredded body composition. His bold, straight to the punch, and  honest approach to personal transformation clears up the clouded and  confusing arena of self-help.

John  is on a mission to put a stop to the exponential rising and worldwide  prevalence of obesity, sarcopenia, poor posture, and early death.

John wants to help you maximize your health, wellness, longevity, posture, and quality of life.

Susan  Blair is a poet, writer, arts event organizer and award-winning  speaker.   Her full-length poetry collection, A Howling, was published  in the fall of 2023 by Press 53 in Winston-Salem, N.C.  Her poetry  chapbook, What Remains of a Life, was published by Finishing Line Press  in 2018; her work has also appeared in numerous print and online  publications.  Susan founded and is the editor of The Shrub-Steppe  Poetry Journal, an annual anthology representing the poets of Central  Washington.  She hosts the monthly “Third Thursday Poets” open mic  event.  She has also written five poetry-activity books for children and  presents them in costume as “Perri the Poetry Fairy” to elementary  school kids.  Susan graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont with a  B.A. in German and Russian and lives in Wenatchee, WA.