The Penmen Profile: MFA Student, Disney Writer-for-Hire

When Alexandra Z. Lazar isn’t working on her first novel, a re-imagining of the Fairy Godmother’s sister, she’s adapting Disney movies into children’s books. Lazar got her start as a Disney Writer-for-Hire by entering fan fiction contests for her favorite book series, “Kingdom Keepers” by Ridley Pearson.  In an interview…

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The Penmen Profile: New York Times Bestseller Emma Chase

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Emma Chase, a New York Times Bestseller for two series, “Tangled” and “Legal Briefs,” is a writer of “sexy swagger,” with a focus on contemporary romance and romantic comedy. “Royally Endowed,” the third and latest installment of “The Royally” series, centers on the forbidden relationship between a…

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The Penmen Profile: YA and Adult Literary Fiction Author Natalie Haney Tilghman

By Rebecca LeBoeuf Natalie Haney Tilghman co-wrote “A 52-Hertz Whale,” a young adult novel, with author Bill Sommer. When a juvenile humpback whale separates from its pod, a high school freshman calls upon a young filmmaker who volunteered in his special education program to help him locate it. The plot…

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The Penmen Profile: Award-Winning Author and Columnist Vanessa Hua

By Rebecca LeBoeuf Much of Vanessa Hua’s factual and fictional writing focuses on Asia and the diaspora. Her debut novel, “A River of Stars,” which follows a pregnant Chinese immigrant, is due out in August and available for preorder now. The novel already appears in multiple booklists for 2018, including…

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The Penmen Profile: New York Times Best Seller Elinor Lipman

By Rebecca LeBoeuf Satirist Elinor Lipman, who grew up in Lowell, Mass., is approaching the one-year anniversary of her latest romantic comedy, “On Turpentine Lane.” Reviews written by Oprah.com and the Washington Post praise the novel and compare Lipman’s stories with those of Jane Austen. “Then She Found Me,” one…

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The Penmen Profile: Diverse Storyteller Aaron Denius Garcia

by Pamme Boutselis As an actor, screenwriter and author, Aaron Denius Garcia tells stories across broad mediums, drawing upon his skills and experience in new ways. From a bicultural, bilingual childhood to his work on the television show, “Leverage” and other film projects and beyond, Garcia bring diverse perspective and experience…

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The Penmen Profile: YA Fiction Author Ryan Graudin

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Ryan Graudin, a young adult fiction author, just wrapped up her weeklong tour celebrating the Sept. 26 publication of her latest novel, “Invictus.” The tale, which garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly, follows Far, the son of a time-traveler. Far fails his time-traveling exam, crushing his…

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The Penmen Profile: Graphic Artist and Novelist Mira Jacob

Rebecca LeBoeuf When a young woman returns home to find her father talking to dead relatives, she realizes there are secrets that have been haunting her family, stemming from a trip to India that was cut short 20 years prior. Mira Jacob’s debut novel, “The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing,” was…

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The Penmen Profile: Theater Director Gary Beck

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Gary Beck’s wide array of creative writing skills has led to the publication of his poetry, fiction and essays in hundreds of literary magazines. Along with publishing 11 chapbooks, he spent a majority of his adult life as a theater director and had original plays and the…

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