Speakers
The speakers on this list are members of the Northeast Georgia Literary Society and are experienced speakers for writing clubs or book clubs, corporate events, training seminars, and panel discussions.
If you are looking for a speaker for a specific purpose or are not sure what author to pick for your event, please touch base with one of the Board members on the Contact page.
If you are a speaker associated with the Society, and would like to be included in this list, please send a request to the administrator at info@NEGALiterarySociety.org with “Add Speaker” in the subject line.
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Speaking Topics: Transcending loss: Restoring one’s spirit through creativity. My writing journey.
To contact Evelyn, reach out to her on her website.
Evelyn authored A Gypsy’s Tapestry: A Woman Observed. A woman observing when she was an active member of High Country Writers in Boone, NC. Upon her return to Gainesville in 2014, she initiated the Spout Springs Writers Group in Flowery Branch. She credits her membership in Northeast Georgia Writers for introducing her to speakers who have elevated her craft.
Evelyn is an active member of the International Women Writers Guild where she participates in poetry and writing workshops. She values and searches for opportunities to connect with global voices. She published her second collection of poetry, a poetic memoir titled What She Carries in 2022. Evelyn initiated and hosted Ekphrasis for the Masses at the Quinlan Visual Arts Center in Gainesville since 2021.
Evelyn has taught ekphrastic art classes online for Brenau University. She designs writing and ekphrastic art series where she integrates her passion for collage online. She has served as a reading mentor for elementary school children for 15 years and edited a wide variety of research for over 20 years which keeps her curious.
She is known as a wonder artist who loves to write and sketch on the shore of the Chattahoochee River.
She creates little books of rivers as a ”Just Us” project for her two great-grandgifts now 2- and 1-years of age. She notes the names of rivers and where she learned about them with anecdotes to encourage the children to peregrinate wonder-ously.
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Topics: Julie’s book on Rick’s 3rd Great Grandmother, Pauline D’Alvigny Campbell, who was a Civil War nurse in Atlanta, Gone with the Wind, and other Civil War-related.
Website: julieandrickbooks.com
Contact: Send an email to Julie and Rick here.
Julie published a non-fiction book on Rick’s ancestor: “Pauline D’Alvigny Campbell, Civil War Nurse.” It includes an accurate account of Rick Clarke’s third great-grandmother, who served as a nurse and matron in 1864 and early 1865 for the Atlanta Medical College Hospital (now Emory), along with her father, Dr. Noel D’Alvigny. Dr. D’Alvigny was of French origin and the role model for Dr. Meade in “Gone with the Wind.” Rick and Julie are re-enactors and participated in a short film named “Saving Grace,” which was re-run as “The Steeple” on Georgia Public Television. For over eight years, they have spoken about Rick’s extraordinary family roots, including the “Gone with the Wind” connection to various historical and educational groups. Rick is a Civil War buff, and Julie, who loves to sing, wrote several songs about his ancestors.
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Speaking Topics: Her books; Writers Clubs; Critique Groups
Website: www.talltalesfamilyfarm.com
To Contact Charlene, visit her Website.
A former healthcare executive and real estate broker, Charlene DeWitt retreated from Florida to the North Georgia foothills to pursue her passion for writing. For more than twenty years, she has joined and facilitated writers critique groups. Her work crosses multiple genres: poetry, childrens, and historical fiction. Charlene has won multiple regional writing awards and is published internationally. She lives on an organic hobby farm with two miniature schnauzers, a farm cat, goats, hens, ducks, donkeys… AND her retired Navy SEAL husband, Bill.
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Speaking Topics: The Road to Recovery, #cancer #MultipleMyeloma
Website: Not Available
To Contact Keith, email him here.
Mr. Keith D. Guernsey is retired after a forty year career in sales and sales management with several fortune 500 companies.
He currently lives on Lake Lanier with his wife Susan and four-footed son Harley.
Keith spent a good portion of his youth playing sports, active in both football and hockey.
In 1995, Keith was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor (called an Acoustic Neuroma) and he underwent a ten hour operation at the world-renowned Brigham and Women's hospital where it was successfully removed.
While recovering, he met and married Susan. Together they faced his next challenge. In 1997, his neuroma returned. He was to undergo yet another, more complex, operation which resulted in a complete cure. However, side effects of this second more invasive procedure caused prolonged inactivity and led to severe weight gain of over 100 lbs.
Today, Mr. Guernsey is very proud of the fact that he has been able to overcome his physical challenges, losing over one hundred and thirty five pounds, and finding the time to write two successful books (“Confessions of a Beantown Sports Junkie and “Fathers and Sons-Sports and Life”).
For more, please visit me on the web at On the Road to Remission
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Speaking Topics: His books; humor; business of authorship
To Contact, Visit Media Kit on Jameson’s Website
Jameson Gregg won 2015 Georgia Author of the Year for his debut book, Luck Be A Chicken, a comic novel. His second book, Uncorked & Off the Chain, Offbeat Ramblings of a Zany Comic, won the national Gold Medal in the 2022 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards. He has won numerous other writing awards, including the 2018 Georgia Bar Journal Annual Fiction Writing Competition. His works appear in literary anthologies, magazines, and newspapers.
Jameson practiced law for 20 years in Georgia’s Golden Isles and achieved the highest national ranking for lawyers before hanging up his wingtips to pursue his lifelong passion for writing. Offbeat college jobs influencing his worldview include Mississippi River tugboat deckhand, taxi driver, iceman in a chicken plant, and traveling circus promoter (trapeze artist he is not!).
A Mississippi native and graduate of Ole Miss and Mississippi College School of Law, he resides in the north Georgia mountains with his wife, Maureen.
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Speaking Topics: His books; writing scifi novels; writing craft; working with Amazon; critique groups
To Contact Kim, email him here.
K. M. Megahee lives in Gainesville Georgia with his wife Martha and Leo, the stubborn redheaded toy poodle. In the past, he has worked construction, renovated a pet store, taught math and coached soccer at a local high school, wrote computer programs, consulted for IT firms, and tracked hackers on the internet. In 2016, he retired to spend his time traveling with Martha, writing, socializing with friends, debating politics, and playing classic rock with band buddies.
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Speaking Topics: Character Development, Sensory Writing: "Show, Don't Tell," Economy of Words
Website: https://www.eileenaohara.com
To Contact Eileen: Email her here.
"I am and always will be a teacher. Helping other authors is in my DNA." — Eileen O'Hara
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Speaking Topics: Her Books, The Revolutionary War, The Marquis de Lafayette
To Contact Perrie, visit her contact page here: https://perriepatterson.com/contact-us
Perrie is an American Revolutionary War historian. Her historical fiction Leader of Liberty: Tale of America’s First Spy Ring spans fifteen years into America’s fight for freedom and tells the story of Benjamin Tallmadge, a young continental dragoon commander and the espionage leader for what historians would later call the Culper Spy Ring—Washington’s Spies. The story is based around real people and real events. Through her many years of research and tours, and from working with local New York historians, Perrie’s novel is filled with rich history, while telling the tale in a way that most will find entertaining. Perrie included bonus material so readers can deep dive into the bios provided, as well as view photos from her research trips. For fans of AMC’s TURN Leader of Liberty: Tale of America’s First Spy Ring is a must. Perrie speaks to groups regularly about the history behind the story bringing history to life as she shares insight into the members of America’s First Spy Ring through a PowerPoint presentation.
Perrie’s eighth novel will be another historical fiction set in and around Boston and will take the reader from the time of the Boston Tea Party through to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The story will be focused on John Hancock and the Sons of Liberty and will be dedicated in honor of the upcoming semi-quincentennial with plans to release in 2026. It will be another opportunity for Perrie to share more American history and again will include bonus material for readers to find out more. The use of photos from her research and tours will provide another PowerPoint presentation opportunity.
Perrie’s other novels include a contemporary romance set between Atlanta and NYC titled The Tulip Tea Twenty-Four Hours in NY , four books in the Crimson Series, Walking the Crimson Road, My Blood Runs Crimson, All the Crimson Roses and Forever Crimson and a Young Adult sports romance titled Hit Zero.
You can find Perrie’s books bookstores, and online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Walmart.
Bio:
Perrie is a Georgia author. She is the current chapter regent for Chestatee River, NSDAR, a Bible study leader for Brown’s Bridge church, a mentor for Forsyth County Schools, a member of Forsyth Cumming Optimist Club, a member of the Atlanta Writer’s Association, and Georgia Romance Writers. She is one of the founders of Harvesting Hope for Jesse’s House, a fall fundraiser providing help and hope to the young girls living at Jesse’s House. She is the host of The Talking Book Atlanta Podcast which can be found on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Perrie recently partnered with Tri-Spy Tours out of Setauket, NY and Liberty Cellars out of Paso Robles, CA to have signed copies ofLeader of Liberty: Tale of America’s First Spy Ringavailable with the upcoming collection of Liberty Cellars wines featuring all six Culper Spy Ring members.
Instagram: @always.n.style @thetalkingbookatlanta
Facebook: Perrie Patterson Author
TikTok: @authorperriepatterson
X: @PerrieT
Email: perrietuck@mac.com
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Speaking topics: Her books; becoming a novelist; southern suspense; educating our youth about sex trafficking; the art of living a grace-filled life; writing smart; working with an editor; developmental edits vs. line-item edits.
Website: https://AuthorReneePropes.com
To contact Renee: rlpropes@bellsouth.net
Renee lives in Gainesville, Georgia, with her husband, Hardy, and their Yorkshire Terrier, Lucy. She is a member of the NEGA Writers, Atlanta Writers Group, NEGA Literary Society, WomenSource, Inc., and the Georgia Writers Association. Renee is also a Stephen Minister through the Gainesville First United Methodist Church.
Renee had a successful career in the business sector before she took the plunge to recognize her lifelong dream of writing full time. She has since published three books to critical acclaim; her most recent book, The Empty Beach Chair, was released in late 2023.
Renee enjoys spending time with her family and friends when she’s not writing. She likes music, works in her yard, creates charcuterie boards for local literary events with three of her friends, and is an enthusiastic reader across many different genres.
