Lee Baker is a Louisiana native who has been an arts pastor for almost a decade and is an avid songwriter, poet, music producer, and art community patron. Lee received his undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in Humanities and is currently completing a Masters Degree in Worship Theology. He is a life long New Orleans Saints and LSU football fan, loves to run, and explore the world whether that be his own backyard or western Europe. Lee currently lives in Florida with his wife and 2 young children. Lee Baker has been writing songs since middle school. As a member of several bands, he became the primary lyricist, writing a huge collection of songs that were never used. He did study poetry in college, but it was the sermon poets and metaphysical poets that struck his interest and have been an influence in his work. His new book, Noise Flash, is a collection of poems about people, places, and things.

Mark Boss writes novels and short stories.  He has two thrillers, HIRED GUNS (2011) and THE CULTIST (2011), available as eBooks at Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and other online booksellers.  He is working on two new novels, and also blogs at www.chimpwithpencil.com.

Jeanne Byrns describes her art career as having started at the young age of six years old.  Participation in many area art shows and membership in local artist organizations have helped to broaden her works’ scope and reach.  Her work received nation-wide recognition in 2001 when she was given the United States Air Force National Fine Arts Award.  She was also involved in the Dolphin Splash Project having created two dolphin sculptures to be displayed in front of business sponsors, as well as the Downtown Improvement Board’s lamppost banner program.  Jeanne loves spending time with her family and five grandchildren and entertaining family and friends.  Her first book, The Eyes Have It (2011), is a nonfiction account of her life up to the age of eighteen and how she overcame wrongs and injustices.

With storytelling written in the finest Southern tradition, Olivia Byrd Cooleydelves with wit and amusement into the world of the Deep South with all its unique idiosyncrasies and colloquialisms. The characters dance across the pages in humorous anecdotes that will delight Southerners and baffle many a non-Southerner.Miss Hildreth Wore Brown—Anecdotes of a Southern Belle (2010) is guaranteed to provide an afternoon of laugh-out-loud reading and hilarious enjoyment. Olivia deBelle Byrd was born and bred in the South. She is a graduate of Birmingham-Southern College and a Kappa Delta. She resides in Panama City, Florida, with her husband, Tommy, and is the proud mother of Tommy Jr. and Elizabeth.

Michael Goldcraft is a senior marine ecologist, writer, and owner of a small, independent publishing company, BrimBooks; Brothersons Press. His first novel, Ascent of Evil, won First Place for the Horror/Dark Fanstasy category of published work at the 2010 Royal Palm Literary Awards of the Florida Writers Association, Orlando, Florida. His Darke Lyfe Trilogy includes his second published novel, Inherited Evil. Mr. Goldcraft is at work completing the final book of the trilogy, Arcanum of Evil, to be released on the Spring Equinox, 2011. His book of short stories, Thirteen Tales of Eclectic Evil, was released the summer of 2010. Michael Goldcraft lives with his wife and their pets in Panama City, Florida.

Arlene Greenstudied art at Southern Illinois University, then extended her training in workshops under nationally known artist Roscoe Misselhorn who encouraged her to go professional. While honing her skills and accepting commissions, she also taught workshops through SIU for many years.  During this time her work was being exhibited in national juried art shows.  For many years Arlene was a member of the St. Louis Art Guild, the Southern Illinois Art Association and a charter member of the Misselhorn Foundation and Art Gallery in Sparta. Arlene's work is seen in private and public collections throughout the country.  She now resides and works in Panama City Beach, Florida.

Robert Hill is a native born Floridian and long-time resident of Bay County. He is a graduate of Northside Elementary, Rosenwald Jr. High and Bay High School. While in school here in Panama City, he experimented with his great love of writing by participating in many reading and creative writing clubs and organizations uniquely designed to inspire children's literature.
Robert graduated from Bay High in 1983 and then enlisted in the U.S. Army. He distinguished himself in his military service., including acceptance as an Airborne Paratrooper with the lauded Army Rangers and the much respected 82nd Airborne of Fort Bragg. He served in many operations with tours in Africa (Somalia), Bosnia, Croatia, Kuwait, and Iraq. It was during these deployments that his passion for writing for children caught the eye of newspaper and TV. One years after his retirement from the army, his dream became a reality with the publishing of his first work, Where Do Sea Creatures Go?, a title inspired by children from Bay County.

Douglas Hoy was born in Michigan but currently resides in Panama City. "Over the last three decades he has lived an interesting life in Florida trying to enjoy times, events, and the people who aided in the richness of his life." His book, Paradise - what could go wrong? was published in 2010.

Ann Marie Knapp, a psychologist, has over fifteen years of teaching experience at the university level.  She lives with her son in Northwest Florida.  Reared and educated in the Northeast, Ann Marie Knapp moved to Florida nine years ago.  When not writing, she enjoys teaching, research, and spending time with her son.  Her first novel Ascent of the Immortal was published in 2010.

A native Floridian, award-winning novelist Michael Lister grew up in North Florida near the Gulf of Mexico and the Apalachicola River. In the early 90s, Lister became the youngest chaplain within the Florida Department of Corrections. For nearly a decade, he served as a contract, staff, then senior chaplain at three different facilities in the Panhandle of Florida—a unique experience that led to his first novel, 1997’s critically acclaimed, Power in the Blood. Subsequent books in the series include Blood of the Lamb, Flesh and Blood, and The Body and the Blood. Michael Lister won a Florida Book Award for his first literary novel, Double Exposure. For the past seven years, Lister has written for, edited, and operated the oldest newspaper in Gulf County, The Gulf County Breeze. In addition, he writes and produces plays, films, and blogs.  Lister’s latest standalone literary thrillers include Thunder Beach, Burnt Offerings, and Separation Anxiety.

Nick May is the twenty-something native Floridian author behind the southern religion deconstruction apparatus known as MEGABELT (Energion Publications 2010). His 2nd book, MINUTEMEN, released in October of 2011 on Eucatastrophe Press. Nick earned his B.A. in English and Creative Writing from the University of West Florida and resides in Panama City, Florida where he host a monthly open-mic night for writers. Visit Nick's blog at songofsalmon.com, find him on Facebook at facebook.com/authornickmay or follow him on Twitter @heynickmay

Dean Lincoln Minton is the author of “The Universal Essence,” a novel about the alchemy of love, honor and forgiveness. His novel received a five star review in the Midwest Book Review. He is a caricaturist, and thus developed a vision that brings the world’s nuances to the fore. A research paper for a post graduate degree led him to investigate the arcane practice of medieval alchemy and its correlation with modern spirituality. More info is available at http://theuniversalessence.com.

.

Janet Nicolet, originally from Everett, Washington, is now divorced and residing in Panama City, Fl.  She retired as an administrative assistant in 2005 and set up a home office where she works on her books and website articles. Janet volunteers with the Bay County Council on Aging and belongs to both the Panhandle Writers Guild and Writer’s Aglow.  Her first book, published in 2007, is called Vintage Years, A Fulfilling Life after Divorce and details her own personal story.  Since then, Nicolet has written a trilogy, including Kerri, An Incredible Journey (2008), Kerri, Recaptured Love (2009), and Kerri, A Sister’s Love (2010),as well as Long Journey Westwood (2011)andthe wartime accounts of veterans in I Was There (2011).

As a child NG Parker had an eye for the beauty of art. She began drawing at the age of 6, then later took a few classes at the University of Texas at San Antonio studying photography and drawing.  She traveled the world collecting art.  Later, she found love and married the love of her life then they had a beautiful child who inspired her to write a collection of stories, Little Bunny forever in my heart (2010).

Tony Simmons is the author of "Dazed and Raving in the Undercurrents" (a collection of his newspaper columns), the literary novel "Welcome to the Dawning of a New Century," a collection of short stories, "The Best of Days," and the new novel "The Book of Gabriel: An Endtimes Fable." He's a writer/editor at PanamaCity.com and the Panama City News Herald.

Dana Smith began writing as a pass-time hobby with her childhood best friend, Miriyha. It wasn't until her college experience at AB-Tech that she developed her love for writing. She graduated in August 2009 and has been writing ever since. Dana has two children and a partner that she adores. The one word that describes Dana is "passionate." Whether it be the color purple, the Florida Gators, or Amy Grant she is very passionate about what and who she loves. Her favorite things to do while not writing are fishing with her son, watching her daughter's softball games, walking on the beach with her partner and spending time with her closest friends.

T. Marie Smith is a ‘preacher’s kid’ and lived in several states from Florida to the Northwest. She is an ordained minister, specializing in Chalk-Talk evangelism. She has served as a graphic designer for  various international TV ministries.

She has published poems, short stories, and co-authored and published a novel Onesimus the Runaway slave (2001)--a historical Biblical novel--with her father, Rev. E.E. Coleman. Growing up listening to his tales of the Everglades strongly influenced her to write Glades Boy (2010), a historical Christian novel. Her books feature her art on the covers.

John Underwood lives, works, and plays in Panama City, Florida.  He is the father of two daughters and one son.  His son was the inspiration for Special Needs and the book is dedicated to him.  John has written two previously published novels.  His fourth novel, Craps, will be published in 2012.  He has recently completed his fifth novel, Taking Paradise, which will be entered in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest in January, 2012.

Oiginally from Elmhurst, Illinois (just west of Chicago), and residing now in gloriously sunny and spectacular Panama City, FL, Todd Vandermolen lives each day to find all that is beautiful and good and true in our creation and our Creator. Oddly, he accomplishes all this while balancing a pecan on each ear lobe, and a walnut on his nose. It is whispered in many circles that he is "totally nuts" and has definitely "lost his marbles."

Linda Williamson is minister, musician, singer, songwriter and artist having studied at the Ringling School of Art. Originally born in Donaldsonville, Georgia, after acknowledging the many gifts and talents the Lord has given to her and having a sincere desire to usher souls into the kingdom of heaven, she has accepted the call into the work of the ministry. She has published several titles including, I want to be an angel (2006) and The Apple (2010)

Marlene Womack has been a historical researcher since 1973. She is well known for her information on cemeteries and the popular weekly “Out of the Past” column that has appeared in the Panama City News Herald since 1982. When Womack moved to Panama City, FL in 1973, she read all the area newspapers that were available which took about three years. She indexed all the cemeteries and burial places she could find in preparation for a genealogy book of this area. Womack attended Gulf Coast Community College and Florida State University where she took courses in journalism and creative writing before beginning her weekly newspaper column in 1982.  Her published books include Anchor of the Bay – St. Andrew’s (2008), Moonshine Mayhem (2008), War Comes to Florida’s Northern Gulf Coast (2002), and The Rich Heritage of Panama City Beach (2001).

The Panama City Writers Association, Inc., was established in 1999. Panama City Writers Association is a successor interest group welcoming writers of all genres. Our purpose is to provide education, networking, and growth to our members and to the community. Our group goal is the attainment of success for each individual. Meetings are held at the St Andrews Civic Club at 6:30 pm on the first and third Tuesday each month. www.panamacitywriters.org

The Panhandle Writers Guild (PWG) was founded in 1974 to provide fellowship between area writers, help writers develop and publishe their work, and promote goodwill in the community through literary efforts. The common bond shared by members is their love of the written word. Each month the group offers an opportunity for writers, accomplished and novice to meet. The meeting programs highlight guest authors and present information of interest to writers (and readers). Even "non-writers" enjoy and benefit from the meetings.