Pseudonym

JoRayma C

Birth City

Nuernberg, Germany

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Email (Public)

Occupation(s)

Writer - Journalist - English professor - Seminar leader

Biography

A writer, seminar leader, and former English professor, Durthy A. Washington has taught graduate, undergraduate, and adult education courses at several colleges and universities including The Colorado College, UCCS, and the US Air Force Academy. Durthy is the founder of LitUnlocked, which offers workshops and seminars dedicated to the art of mindful, culturally responsive reading. Each workshop centers on the LIST Paradigm, an innovative approach to critical reading that helps readers unlock the power of literature with four keys to culture: Language, Identity, Space, and Time.

Awards/Honors

Education/Training

MA English, San Jose State University - MS Education, University of Southern California, Los Angeles - BA English, San Diego State University

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Interviews

Organizations

The Toni Morrison Society - PILLAR Institute for Lifelong Learning - Pikes Peak Library District Adult Reading Program (Facilitator) - Friends of the Pikes Peak Library - Educating Children of Color Conference - African American Youth Leadership Conference

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Culturally Responsive Reading - Culturally Responsive Teaching - African American Literature - Approaches to Teaching Literature - Writing Memoir and Autobiography

Current Location

Fountain, CO

Email (Public)

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Writer

Biography

Stéphanie McGuirt is a writer and artist living in beautiful Colorado with her husband and two children. She owns Bright Spot Copywriting, where she enjoys helping clients increase their reach organically through SEO copywriting and content writing.

When she’s not working with clients or adventuring with her family, she's hanging out with her growing collection of plants, loving on her chickens, and, of course, playing. For resources and to learn more about Stéphanie’s copywriting services, visit www.brightspotcopywriting.com.

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

The value of play for all ages and simple, affordable ways to play without needing a big budget or fully-stocked craft cabinet.

Birth City

Richmond

Birth State

VA

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Email (Public)

Occupation(s)

Retired Military

Biography

Having reaped the benefits of pedagogical academia, Eric J. Rodwell is an alumnus of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs (UCCS). He has lived in the Pikes Peak Region since 1996. He is a retired military veteran with over twenty-one years of honorable and distinguished service. Ten of those years, being a paratrooper in the elite 82nd Airborne Division; and, he was ordained as a minister of the Gospel in 1983. He has been married to his beautiful wife, Tina, for over thirty-nine years and the proud father of two sons, one daughter, one son-in-law, six grandkids, and one on the way in January 2021.

Awards/Honors

Education/Training

Civilian: Alumnus of UCCS Letters and Arts; Executive Director of the METH Taskforce for El Paso and Teller Counties; Ordained Minister of the Gospel since 1983.

Military: Logistics Automation Specialist, Airborne Jump Master School Graduate, Environmental Compliance Officer Certification Training.

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Organizations

I am a member of the 82nd Airborne All American Guard of Honor Group, and The Paratrooper H-MINUS Group.

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

My book, which happens to be my memoir - My Christian faith, inspired poetry, short narratives with heartfelt and patriotic sentiments, to include hilarious anecdotes.

Birth City

Kennesaw

Birth State

GA

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Local Historian

Biography

Dr. Brian D. Laslie is Command Historian, U.S. Air Force Academy. A historian of air power and space studies, Dr. Laslie received his Bachelor’s degree in history from The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina in 2001, his Master’s from Auburn University Montgomery in 2006, and his Doctorate in history from Kansas State University in 2013.

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Organizations

Rocky Mountain Military Affairs Society

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Local military history including Ent Air Force Base, history of NORAD, and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station

Birth City

Colorado Springs

Birth State

CO

Current Location

Calhan, CO

Email (Public)

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Christian Author

Biography

Rebekah Tyne McKamie is a Christian Author residing in Calhan, Colorado. She has lived in Colorado her entire life, only leaving the Colorado Springs area for three years to attend Adams State College (University) in Alamosa. Rebekah has been gathering up truth and adapting it into books for over a decade. Mrs. McKamie is a Pastor’s wife and homeschool mother of three. She sings on the worship team and ministers to the youth of her community through her church, Rocky Mountain Calvary – Ellicott Campus. Above all, she is thankful to serve a loving, gracious God.

Education/Training

Bachelor of Arts in Music, Adams State University (2007)
Master of Arts in Composition and Rhetoric, Liberty University (2021)

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Speaker Availability

No

Pseudonym

MavaJoyce

Birth City

Clay Center

Birth State

KS

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Occupation(s)

Retired - Volunteer with Finding Our Voices

Biography

Joyce Aubrey has been in Colorado Springs since 1995; an avid reader she has actively engaged PPLD. As a survivor of incest and family sharing, she advocated in the community using healing paintings to speak to various groups including military, faith, mental health, domestic violence/sexual assault and service clubs about the aftershocks of sexual abuse. In October 2019 she published a memoir of hope and inspiration, Beyond Aftershocks, under the author name MavaJoyce. As founder of the non-profit Finding Our Voices, she continues to serve survivors of sexual violence through creative art events and supportive activities.

Awards/Honors

Education/Training

Kansas State University - Bachelor's and Master's degrees

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Interviews

Organizations

Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault - American Association of University Women - Finding Our Voices

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Beyond Aftershocks: Resilience after Trauma - Navigating Post Traumatic Growth - Self-Compassion as a Doorway to Service

Birth City

Hot Springs

Birth State

CO

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Author - Child Development Specialist

Biography

Dr. Cara E. Koch is a Parental Alienation expert, author, and researcher who has written the book, From Heartbreak to Healing: Resolving Parental Alienation. The book recounts her own experience of 43 years as an alienated parent and outlines the vast progress made recently to renew parent/child relationships that may have seemed hopeless.

Cara has a professional background in child development and family relationships where she managed child development programs serving working parents and their children, plus a doctorate in children’s [innate] spirituality, she finds answers to her questions:

“Why me?”

“How did this happen?

“What is the purpose?”

Through a process of deep introspection, she overcame decades of depression, despite remaining unreconciled with her son. She has now discovered resources, formerly unavailable, that could have led to a different outcome.

Awards/Honors

Education/Training

* Bachelor or Science degree in Child Development and Family Relations from South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
* Master of Science degree in Childcare Administration from Wheelock College, Boston, MA
* Doctorate in Children's [Innate] Spirituality from United Theological Seminary, Dayton, OH

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Organizations

* American Association of University Women
* World Affairs Council
* Capital Sisters International (Founding sister)

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

*Why Children Become the Weapon on Choice in a Divorce
* What Happens When One Parent Turns Toxic
* The World-Wide Effort to Prevent and Resolve Parental Alienation

Birth City

Springfield

Birth State

IL

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Email (Public)

Author's Website

Biography

Ashley is the Managing Member/CEO of Koalatative Guided Solutions, LLC. She lives in Colorado where she enjoys spending a large amount of her budget on lotions and oils to battle with the dry climate. With over 10 years of experience educating, mentoring, and providing information to adults concerning the path to self-wellness, Ashley Jelks-Fragier has earned a reputation as a “compassionate leader and guide."

Education/Training

* Bachelor of Arts degree (dual) in International Relations and Sociology with a Criminal Justice emphasis
* Master of Arts degree in Psychology
* Doctor of Philosophy degree in International Psychology with a Trauma Services concentration (in process)

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Interviews

Speaker Availability

No

Birth City

Oklahoma City

Birth State

OK

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Motivational speaker, author, photographer, entrepreneur

Biography

Jené is an entrepreneur, author, and speaker. Her memoir, The Oat Project: How I Faced My Fear and Came of Age in One Wild Summer, about how she finally sowed her wild oats, has been called “raw,” “courageous,” and “fearless.” She is working on her first novel and second big project, The Boot by Boot, which will also be a memoir to inspire.

Though known for her writing, speaking, and idea-generation, Jené is an accomplished photographer and runs two online stores, YoniFlower Collections and LowKeyMad, for which she designs all products.

By authentically and joyfully connecting with friends, strangers, and audiences, Jené is challenging the status quo, shifting how we judge “lost” time and life’s worth, and leaping off metaphorical cliffs to learn from risk, inspiring people to say, “I never thought about it that way.”

Jené was raised all over the U.S. as a preacher’s daughter before finally rebelling. She is a single mom of three, a GenXer in midlife, in menopause, has POTS, and is finally becoming who she is.

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Organizations

Pikes Peak Writers

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

* Integrating the Wild into everyday life
* The writing process
* Writing memoir
* How to finally, really love yourself

Author's Website

Biography

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than twenty-five times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has nine in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, and Rachel’s Reunion. Mary’s Moment comes out May 12, 2023, and book eleven, A Summer at Thousand Island House, comes out in July. She is also a published author of two premarital books, two children's picture books, seven stories in compilation books, and hundreds of published articles. Her book awards include two Illumination Book Awards, three American Fiction Awards, two Indie Excellence Book Awards, and two Literary Titan Book Awards. Reagan’s Reward is a Selah Awards finalist.

Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands.

Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

Awards/Honors

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Organizations

Vice-president, Christian Authors Network (CAN) - Member, American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) - Member, Association of Women Speakers & Authors (AWSA) - Member, Evangelical Press Association (EPA)

Speaker Availability

Yes