Elva Resa Publishing Making a positive difference in people’s lives

Media Information Sheet: Award-Winning Authors & Illustrators Available

Elva Resa Publishing publishes books for military families (Elva Resa), children’s books (Alma Little), inspirational books (Juloya), and hosts an online store (MilitaryFamilyBooks.com).

We provide this flyer as a convenience to editors, journalists, and bloggers. The award-winning authors and illustrators featured here are currently available for interviews, to write and illustrate articles, and for speaking engagements as noted. Areas of expertise listed are examples of topics each person is often contacted about.

To set up an interview, inquire about reprints, or explore writing or illustrating assignment opportunities, please feel free to contact the person directly as noted or contact:

Elva Resa PR651-357-8770pr@elvaresa.com

We also provide on-deadline expert quotes, book reviews, sidebars, fact sheets, photos, discussion guides, activities, lesson plans, and additional press materials upon request. Additional authors and illustrators are available to talk with the press about their published books. For a full listing of our creatives please visit:

www.elvaresa.com/authors.html

For a current listing of active titles, please visit:

www.elvaresa.com/books.html

www.ElvaResa.comwww.Facebook.com/ElvaResaPublishingwww.Twitter.com/ElvaResawww.MilitaryFamilyBooks.com

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Elva Resa Publishing/Elva Resa PR8362 Tamarack Village, Suite 119-106, St. Paul, MN 55125Tel: 651-357-8770 Fax: 501.641.0777 pr@elvaresa.com

Primary areas of expertise:biography - Polette (3)business - Hissong (4), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)children’s literature - Polette (3), Raum (3)cooking/baking - Houts (3)crafts - Kochensparger (3)deployment - Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)family life - Kochensparger (3), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)flyfishing - McElrath-Eslick (2)general assignments - Kochensparger (3)gifted education - Polette (3)homeschooling - Bell (2)illustration - Bell (2), McElrath-Eslick (2), Rodriguez (2)inspirational - Hissong (4), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)leadership - Hissong (4), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)literacy - McElrath-Eslick (2), Polette (3), Raum (3)military life - Pavlicin-Fragnito (4), Rodriguez (2)motivational - Hissong (4), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)multicultural - Rodriguez (2) Multiple Sclerosis - Kochensparger (3)reading - McElrath-Eslick (2), Raum (3)self-esteem - Raum (3)single parenting/absent parent - Kochensparger (3), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)speakers - Hissong (4), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4), Polette (3), Raum (3)spiritual - Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)sports - Hissong (4)travel - Kochensparger (3), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4)writing - Bell (2), Houts (3), Kochensparger (3), Pavlicin-Fragnito (4), Raum (3)

Samantha BellSouth CarolinaContact by email: sbell@samantha-bell.comwww.samantha-bell.comwww.art-made-easy.comwww.mycoolhomeschool.comFacebook.com/Art.Made.Easy

Illustration/HomeschoolingAreas of expertise include: homeschooling, illustration, writing for children

Available to illustrate (2 weeks): general, nature, children

Samantha is a professional artist and teacher in South Carolina. She has illustrated a number of picture books, including Cathy’s Animal Garden: Enter at Your Own Risk, and teaches art to both children and adults. Her articles, stories, and poems have appeared online and in magazines and devotionals.

Lori McElrath-EslickMichigan Contact by email first: LoriEslick@comcast.net 231-744-1388www.EslickART.com

Illustration/Literacy/Flyfishing Areas of expertise include: children’s book illustration; drawing, watercolors, and oil painting; reading, literacy, and art; illustrating and maintaining a family

Article and illustration reprints available.

Articles on assignment: above topics

Columns: kids sketching, flyfishing for kids, beach clean up

Available to illustrate: for books and magazines

Lori has illustrated many children’s books, including The Good Fire Helmet and Read For Me, Mama, and for magazines, including Highlights for Children; Ladybug; and National Wildlife. Her many awards include multiple Magazine Merit Awards from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the International Reading Association’s Storyteller Award, Parent’s Choice Award, and the 2009 Bank Street College’s list of Best Children’s Books of the Year. Lori’s paintings appear in university and public library exhibits and collections around the country.

Christina RodriguezRhode Island Contact by email: mail@christinarodriguez.comwww.christinarodriguez.comwww.christinarodriguez.com/blogFacebook.com/christinaerodriguezTwitter.com/cerodriguez

Illustration/Multicultural/Military life Areas of expertise include: Growing up in a military family; SCBWI & Children’s Literature Network; growing up multicultural; Rhode Island School of Design experiences; creating art (watercolor, digital, finding references); children’s book publishing trends & news; mentoring adults and kids

Article reprints available: illustrator references and tools; illustrator blogging tips; portfolio preparation tips; road to publication

Illustration reprints available. Topics: Latino families, multicultural children, reading, animals, science, editorials. Style: line art, watercolors, colorful, realistic

Available to illustrate (2-5 days): for magazines and newspapers

Christina has illustrated many children’s books, including The Wishing Tree; My Dad’s Deployment; Storm Codes; and Baseball on Mars. She also illustrates for magazines, media companies, cultural centers, and private collectors. She especially enjoys projects that build on her strong multicultural traditions.

Media Information Sheet: Elva Resa Award-Winning Authors & Illustrators Available p. 2

Elva Resa PR 651-357-8770 pr@elvaresa.com www.ElvaResa.com Facebook.com/ElvaResaPublishing Twitter.com/ElvaResa

Charlene KochenspargerOhio Contact by email: chark@woh.rr.com

Writing/Crafts/GeneralAreas of expertise include: general assignment magazine writing, crafts, Multiple Sclerosis, living with a chronic illness

Article reprints available: saving money on college, Oscar party ideas, entertaining kids on snow days

Articles on assignment (3-7 days): writing advice for kids, teens, and adults; crafts and craft ideas for all ages; parenting with an absent parent

Columns: writing for and about children, crafting, writing

Charlene is a writer who lives near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base with her firefighter husband and two children. She wrote “Mama’s Been Called Up” in Military Life: Stories and poems for children.She has been published in Pack-o-Fun; Creating Keepsakes; and Parents magazines. Her family is traveling the United States to each state in alphabetical order. They are currently on the letter m.

Amy HoutsMissouri Contact by email: amysase@gmail.comwww.amyhouts.comFacebook.com/AuthorAmyHoutsTwitter.com/AmyHouts

Cooking/Baking Areas of expertise include: writing for young children, both fiction and nonfiction; cooking/baking for children and families

Articles on assignment (2-7 days): cooking/baking for children and families

Amy Houts has written more than 50 books for children. She was inspired to write “When Mommy Comes Home” and “When Daddy Comes Home,” poems in Military Life: Stories and Poems for Children, after reading about a mother saying goodbye to her young children before deploying. Amy’s numerous short stories, nonfiction articles, and poems have appeared in VFW Magazine, Ladybug Magzine, and American Profile Magazine. Her many books include: Mealtime Magic: Delicious Dinners in Half the Time (Houts & Home); Think Like a Scientist (Pearson Learning Group); and Dora the Explorer Safety (Learning Horizons).

Media Information Sheet: Elva Resa Award-Winning Authors & Illustrators Available p. 3

Elizabeth RaumNorth Dakota Contact by email first: earaum@yahoo.com701-751-1027www.elizabethraum.net

Self-Esteem/Reading/Children’s Books Areas of expertise include: self-esteem, reading to young children, children’s books, research skills, writing

Articles on assignment (2-7 days): children helping others, self-esteem, value of reading to young children, surveys of children’s books in almost any subject area (children’s librarian)

Speaking engagements: classroom visits, Skype

Elizabeth has written nearly 100 books for children, including The Christmas Star; Gift of Peace: The Jimmy Carter Story; Cedric and the Dragon; and dozens of nonfiction books for kids. A former teacher and librarian, Elizabeth writes full time.

Nancy PoletteMissouri Contact: 636-272-4242npolette@mindspring.comwww.nancypolette.com

Gifted Education/Biography Areas of expertise include: children’s literature; literature and the gifted child; building brainpower with books; WWII Virginia Hall; Col. Ruby Bradley

Article reprints or assignment: above topics and biographies on any person

Speaking engagements: keynotes, workshops, travels

Nancy has written more than 150 books, including The Spy with the Wooden Leg: The Story of Virginia Hall. She is a professor of education at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.She taught elementary school for thirty years and directed gifted programs for St. Louis County Schools. School Library Journal describes her as “an educator with imagination, creativity, and an appreciation for the intelligence of children.”

www.ElvaResa.com Facebook.com/ElvaResaPublishing Twitter.com/ElvaResa Elva Resa PR 651-357-8770 pr@elvaresa.com

Judy HissongCalifornia Contact by email first: Judy@NessoStrategies.com 619-546-7885www.nessostrategies.comwww.nessostrategies.com/blog.htmlFacebook.com/NessoStrategiesTwitter.com/judyhissong

Leadership/Sports/Business Areas of expertise include: leadership; leadership in sports; communication and conflict skills; building teams; raising performance in teams; strategic planning for small business; small business operations; inside-out living; connecting passion and profit

Article reprints available: health and wellness in the workplace, coaching and accountability, listening skills, strategic planning for small business

Articles on assignment (1-5 days): motivational and inspirational articles, health and wellness in the workplace, coaching and accountability, listening skills, strategic planning for small business

Speaking engagements: keynotes, workshops, consulting, travels internationally

Judy is the CEO of Nesso Strategies, based in San Diego, and a sought-after international speaker on leadership and accountability. She brings a sense of humor and a wealth of experience as a senior executive, entrepreneur, ACE certified personal trainer, competitive volleyball player, and accredited life coach to lead individuals and businesses in strategic planning, team building, and stress management. She wrote the poem “Best Friends” in Military Life: Stories and poems for children.

Karen Pavlicin-FragnitoMinnesota Contact: kmp@karenpavlicin.com651-336-3043www.karenpavlicin.comwww.karenpavlicin.com/blog.htmlFacebook.com/KarenPavlicinFragnitoTwitter.com/pavlicin

Inspirational/Writing/Leadership/DeploymentAreas of expertise include: military families–deployment/reunion; building strong families; women’s spirituality; celebrating life and grace throughout life’s seasons; writing–nonfiction, fiction, publishing; business leadership

Article reprints available: deployment, reunion, helping kids during deployment

Articles on assignment (2-7 days): above topics, grief, caregiving, living your faith, songwriting, blended families, traveling

Speaking engagements: keynotes, workshops, consulting, travels internationally

Karen is known for her practicality, inspirational insight, and sense of humor. An accomplished (Fortune 1000) business leader, hall of fame athlete, and singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after keynote speaker on a variety of topics. Her award-winning books include Surviving Deployment; Life After Deployment; the Circle of Catholic Women journal series; and her children’s novel Perch, Mrs. Sackets, and Crow’s Nest. Karen regularly consults with family organizations, counselors, and schools to support military families. She has written for city and national magazines and newspapers and is the publisher of the online magazine Books Make a Difference.

Media Information Sheet: Elva Resa Award-Winning Authors & Illustrators Available p. 4

Elva Resa PR 651-357-8770 pr@elvaresa.com www.ElvaResa.com Facebook.com/ElvaResaPublishing Twitter.com/ElvaResa