Sites I Love
To learn about some of my cool writer, artist, and musician friends, check out their websites:
Marty Crisp My local co-conspirator in livening up staid Lancaster County with "The LO High School of B.S., Ruse, and Illusion." She asks herself WWLD (What Would Linda Do?), and then does the opposite.
Lola Schaefer My most organized friend, a good writer, and a helpful critiquer. Keeps me in line, which is a most challenging task.
Jeff Anderson One of the funniest guys I know, a great writer, and one of the best educational presenters in the U.S.! Jeff and Lola rocked my novel at the Lola Amicalola writing retreat.
Ted Lewin He and Betsy make me laugh really hard.
Betsy Lewin She makes sure that Ted comes home from Gleason's Gym.
Michael Dooling Best artist in Haddonfield, NJ.
Louis Glanzman Another great NJ artist. Lou painted the first Pippi Longstocking, back in the '50s, and he's also known and painted many of the early jazz pioneers.
Anita Crane Maker of art, teddy bears, lace, and other assorted projects.
Aileen Leijten A woman with a cool accent & a talent for drawing dogs in sneakers.
John Rocco John worked with Whoopie Goldberg. His art is quirky and edgy. I like his wife, too. She's Aileen Leitjen, listed above.
Ken Shane Ken is a great Jersey-based singer/songwriter. We're working on a project together. Ken manages the spectacular band Days Awake. They're going to be the next big thing out of Jersey. Watch out, Bon Jovi. Beware, Bruce. Days Awake are on their way.
Donna Upson My song co-writer. The most amazing guitarist in Pa. I met Donna when we played in "Tickled Pink," an all-woman rock band. I thought she was too serious. She thought I was crazy. We ended up liking each other. Donna and I have just been offered our first song publishing contract, for a song called "Empty Chair."
John Morano John writes amazing eco-adventure books. One of his characters is an octopus who speaks in Grateful Dead lyrics.
Mary McIntosh Mary and I became great friends as I was critiquing her memoirs. She lives in Florida, not too far from the Weeki Wachee Mermaids, and she's almost 40 years older than me. She has a ghost in her house. Mary Mac is a fine writer, a good friend, and a tough bird. ("Just shut up and drive," she told me when I visited last March.)
Robert Bender A fabulous artist, The Food Police to Christina, & father of Sophie.
Jen Bryant A great writer and ever-cute.
DyAnne DiSalvo A NJ author/illustrator who plays in the band Smash Palace.
Laurie Halse Anderson A National Book Award nominee! (And to think I knew her when . . .)
David Lubar A great Pa. author & a heck of a funny guy.
Margery Cuyler My very first book editor, and a writer, too. Margery is feisty, funny, and she writes about - HIC - hiccups.
Sara Holbrook One slammin' poet girl.
Neil Waldman Vincent Van Gogh, reincarnated.
Sherry Hoffman Check out Sherry's great program "Get Booked!"
John Bressler I grew up with John. His weird sense of humor must have rubbed off.
Toni Buzzeo The expert in school visits by authors.
Lois Szymanski Check out Lois' amazing project Feather Fund, which assists children in buying Chincoteague ponies! Lois & I like locating Hot Chili Pepper men for our friend MC. We laugh a lot in hotel rooms, brainstorming the most inappropriate children's book ideas on the planet.
Laura Wiess The author of the stunning young adult novel "Such a Pretty Girl." Laura is an amazing writer and human being.
Melissa Wyatt Another great YA author, and my sister in Night Terrors and Loving David Cassidy.
Just Jen She makes the coolest sparkly shirts from real Swarovski crystals.
The Barn Saver My spouse's business. John saves old barns from being bulldozed and landfilled. The entire barn lives on! I even wrote a book about it: "Barn Savers."
Jen Chapin Jen's Dad, the late great Harry Chapin, is my hero. Jen carries on her father's work in the wonderful organization WHY.
Cathy "Boom-Boom" Amerling. I played with Cathy in the all-woman rock band "Tickled Pink." She's a wild woman on the drum kit, and is now offering angelic harp music for events/establishments. Cathy is in love with Harpo Marx, but unfortunately "the only perfect man alive" is dead. Cathy currently plays in the June Bug Band.
Cloud Party My cousin's son Mark plays a kick-butt guitar in this band. His Dad - Johnny Steffy - taught me to play guitar, way back in the 1970s.
George Wildman I grew up reading comic books illustrated by George. He's as cool as Popeye. Below is one of his covers:
Lola Schaefer My most organized friend, a good writer, and a helpful critiquer. Keeps me in line, which is a most challenging task.
Jeff Anderson One of the funniest guys I know, a great writer, and one of the best educational presenters in the U.S.! Jeff and Lola rocked my novel at the Lola Amicalola writing retreat.
Ted Lewin He and Betsy make me laugh really hard.
Betsy Lewin She makes sure that Ted comes home from Gleason's Gym.
Michael Dooling Best artist in Haddonfield, NJ.
Louis Glanzman Another great NJ artist. Lou painted the first Pippi Longstocking, back in the '50s, and he's also known and painted many of the early jazz pioneers.
Anita Crane Maker of art, teddy bears, lace, and other assorted projects.
Aileen Leijten A woman with a cool accent & a talent for drawing dogs in sneakers.
John Rocco John worked with Whoopie Goldberg. His art is quirky and edgy. I like his wife, too. She's Aileen Leitjen, listed above.
Ken Shane Ken is a great Jersey-based singer/songwriter. We're working on a project together. Ken manages the spectacular band Days Awake. They're going to be the next big thing out of Jersey. Watch out, Bon Jovi. Beware, Bruce. Days Awake are on their way.
Donna Upson My song co-writer. The most amazing guitarist in Pa. I met Donna when we played in "Tickled Pink," an all-woman rock band. I thought she was too serious. She thought I was crazy. We ended up liking each other. Donna and I have just been offered our first song publishing contract, for a song called "Empty Chair."
John Morano John writes amazing eco-adventure books. One of his characters is an octopus who speaks in Grateful Dead lyrics.
Mary McIntosh Mary and I became great friends as I was critiquing her memoirs. She lives in Florida, not too far from the Weeki Wachee Mermaids, and she's almost 40 years older than me. She has a ghost in her house. Mary Mac is a fine writer, a good friend, and a tough bird. ("Just shut up and drive," she told me when I visited last March.)
Robert Bender A fabulous artist, The Food Police to Christina, & father of Sophie.
Jen Bryant A great writer and ever-cute.
DyAnne DiSalvo A NJ author/illustrator who plays in the band Smash Palace.
Laurie Halse Anderson A National Book Award nominee! (And to think I knew her when . . .)
David Lubar A great Pa. author & a heck of a funny guy.
Margery Cuyler My very first book editor, and a writer, too. Margery is feisty, funny, and she writes about - HIC - hiccups.
Sara Holbrook One slammin' poet girl.
Neil Waldman Vincent Van Gogh, reincarnated.
Sherry Hoffman Check out Sherry's great program "Get Booked!"
John Bressler I grew up with John. His weird sense of humor must have rubbed off.
Toni Buzzeo The expert in school visits by authors.
Lois Szymanski Check out Lois' amazing project Feather Fund, which assists children in buying Chincoteague ponies! Lois & I like locating Hot Chili Pepper men for our friend MC. We laugh a lot in hotel rooms, brainstorming the most inappropriate children's book ideas on the planet.
Laura Wiess The author of the stunning young adult novel "Such a Pretty Girl." Laura is an amazing writer and human being.
Melissa Wyatt Another great YA author, and my sister in Night Terrors and Loving David Cassidy.
Just Jen She makes the coolest sparkly shirts from real Swarovski crystals.
The Barn Saver My spouse's business. John saves old barns from being bulldozed and landfilled. The entire barn lives on! I even wrote a book about it: "Barn Savers."
Jen Chapin Jen's Dad, the late great Harry Chapin, is my hero. Jen carries on her father's work in the wonderful organization WHY.
Cathy "Boom-Boom" Amerling. I played with Cathy in the all-woman rock band "Tickled Pink." She's a wild woman on the drum kit, and is now offering angelic harp music for events/establishments. Cathy is in love with Harpo Marx, but unfortunately "the only perfect man alive" is dead. Cathy currently plays in the June Bug Band.
Cloud Party My cousin's son Mark plays a kick-butt guitar in this band. His Dad - Johnny Steffy - taught me to play guitar, way back in the 1970s.
George Wildman I grew up reading comic books illustrated by George. He's as cool as Popeye. Below is one of his covers:
