Bios
Michelle Duster is a writer, speaker, and project manager with over 20 years experience in advertising, marketing, concert promotion and film production. Her two books Ida In Her Own Words (BW Publishing, 2008) and Ida From Abroad (BW Publishing, 2010) include both her writing and that of her great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells. She is a frequent speaker for churches, universities and community organizations. In addition, she is involved with various committees dedicated to documenting and promoting the contributions women have made to the United States. www.mldwrites.com
Jen Cullerton Johnson Writer. Educator. Urban environmentalist. Jen Cullerton Johnson is the author of numerous articles and the non-fiction children’s book, Seeds of Change: The Wangari Maathai Story (Lee & Low, 2010). She has led writing workshops for high school students, elementary children, and continuing education students. In her efforts to demonstrate the connection between people and nature she gives a percentage of her book sales to help the environment. For each school visit, or workshop, participants plant one tree in solidarity of saving the earth. Jen holds a MFA in Non-Fiction, a MEd in Curriculum and Development and is Illinois certified. In addition to conducting workshops and writer visits, has won numerous awards and grants for her work, including an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award. Through her work in the schools, Jen helps to plan and create literacy festivals, apply for grants and facilitate teacher in-services. Jen is also a board member of Switchback Books, a feminist poetry press. www.jencullertonjohnson.com
Trina Sotira is a member of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators, through which she helps strengthen the manuscripts of award-winning writers. Her career spans from her first job as an assistant producer of Walter Jacobson’s Perspective on Fox Chicago, later a producer of WTVO-Channel 17’s Daybreak, to writing novels for teens. Trina completed her M.A. coursework in American and British literature at Northern Illinois University and will continue working toward a Ph.D. in English. She has published several articles and often presents her research at academic conferences. She is represented by The McVeigh Agency. http://trinasotira.com
Featured MuseWriter: Bonni McKeown
I co-wrote the autobiography of West Side blues singer and drummer Larry
Taylor, Stepson of the Blues: A Chicago Song of Survival, and published it
under my own Peaceful Patriot Press in 2010. It took Larry’s harrowing
50-year voyage through gangs, prison and drugs to clarify his life
purpose: to pass on his musical heritage. In a difficult political and
economic climate Larry and I have used the book to gain credibility in our
media push to promote Chicago’s under-recognized heritage blues men and
women. www.stepsonoftheblues.com
The Musewrite seminars validated my writing and publishing efforts, and
helped me stay focused. Taking the Collect! Recollect! Connect! seminar in
2009, Jen, Michelle and Trina worked to free our spirits to look at
ourselves, our place in the world and what each of us wanted to share.
Their process helped me keep my internal critic—and some of my external
ones—at bay while I did the writing.
Path to Publication, which I attended in 2010, helped me see various
business possibilities for getting my book out there. All three workshop
leaders offer different perspectives, from family history to children’s
books to adult commercial genres.
Seeing their books in print reminded me that it was possible, and to keep
going. Now, just like the mother of a human child, I can’t imagine my
world without Stepson of the Blues. I’m grateful to all three of my
midwives!
To read more about Bonni's journey visit http://www.barrelhousebonni.com/.
