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Below is a listing of many of our speakers and authors with brief backgropund information about each. We wil update this page frequently to include as many participants as possible.

Joe Ajlouny - Book Club of Detroit Panel
Joe Ajlouny is a past president of the Book Club of Detroit and a member of the Scarab Club. He is a collector of the works of G.K. Chesterton.

Gerri Allen - self publishing panel
Gerri Powell Allen, author of LIFE ON AND AROUND THE FUNNY FARM, is a former journalist and current public relations professional who writes short stories about the characters and misadventures in every day life. Her stories have been published in local newsletters and regional magazines. And, she's proud to count pre-teens through great-grandparents among her readers.

Gene Alloway - Moderator, Sci Fi Panel
Gene Alloway is a librarian, bookseller, and book lover who came to Ann Arbor from Kansas fifteen years ago. He currently is co-owner of Motte & Bailey, Booksellers and works as the librarian for the School of Information at the University of Michigan.

Marvin V. Arnett - AADL panel
In her moving memoir, PIECES FROM LIFE'S CRAZY QUILT (University of Nebraska Press), Marvin Arnett relates her experiences as a young African American growing up in urban Detroit during the 1930's and 1940's. Winner of the 2001 AA-AHA Award for Best Non-Fiction, and the American Library Association BEST OF THE BEST designation for 2003, Metrotimes Magazine deemed it "A Literarity".

Jean Buescher Bartlett - fine press printing
Jean Buescher produces limited edition,letterpress printed books and broadsides under her imprint, Bloodroot Press. Jean's work is in major collections worldwide, including the New York Public Library, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the University of Michigan Special Collections.

Kathryn Beam - Special Collections, Graduate Library, University of Michigan
Kathy Beam is the Curator for Humaities Collections and the Special Collections Library in the University Library. She holds a MLS from the University of Michigan, and M.A. in American Literature from Case Western Reserve University, a B.A. in English from Oberlin College, and a B.M. in French Horn from Oberlin Conservatory. Her research interests include English Reformation history and book arts of the late medieval and Renaissance periods. She served as Manuscript Librarian in this Library from 1983 to 1993, and has been in her current position since that time.

Lars Bjorn - Before Motown
Lars Bjorn is a Professor of Sociology at the University of Michigan Dearborn, and the author of numerous articles and publications about jazz.

Joan Blos - children's panel
Joan Blos is best known for A GATHERING OF DAYS, a work of historical fiction for which she received both the Newbery Medal and the American Book Award in 1980. She has written two other novels for children, BROOKLYN DOESN'T RHYME and BROTHERS OF THE HEART. She has also written some fourteen picture books, which she regards as "the literary invention of the 20th century". She lives in Ann Arbor.

Dianna Borel - sewing on a frame, Bentley Historical Library
Dianna Borel is an apprentice conservator at the University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library.

Dave Boutette - musician, songwriter
Dave Boutette's Midwest is full of passion, humor and shaky grace. Influenced by songwriters that span from Chuck Berry to Paul Westerberg, he documents the trip and triumph of life between the coasts. Before stepping out on his own, Dave spent ten years with the Detroit alterna-rock bar kings The Junk Monkeys. Dave's latest release is CONFETTI on Embassy Hotel Records. His telling lyrics speak of vanishing open spaces, left field patriots and bewildering love.

Darcy Bowden — artist, demonstrator
Darcy has taught high school art and graphic design for over 20 years. She is also a long time bookmaker and rubber stamping enthusiast. Her unique and famous “stilt” books are on display in Hollander’s Book Art Exhibit.

Barbara Brown — book artist, demonstrator
Local book artist and art teacher, Barbara has studied for six years, fine leather binding at the American Academy of Bookbinding in Colorado

Chris Buhalis - musician, songwriter
Chris Buhalis is not only a songwriter, but an accomplished performer; having appeared on radio's "Acoustic Cafe" and performing live at such venerable and respected venues as the Ark in Ann Arbor, MI. In his endless series of gigs throughout the Midwest, Northwest and beyond, Chris has shared with great artists like David Bromberg and Catie Curtis and opened for such luminaries as Dave Van Ronk. Chris also recorded with the legendary Townes Van Zandt who makes a vocal appearance on Chris' debut CD KENAI DREAMS now available on One Man Clapping Records.

Trudy Buklley - Mother Goose Storytelling
Trudy Bulkley, as Mother Goose, comes to Kerrytown once a month (usually the first Sunday, 2 p.m. at Hollander's) to explore the rhymes and tell tales for young and old alike. Merry and magical, she has enjoyed sharing the persona of Mother Goose with audiences for a decade.

Jon Buller - Bessenberg Bindery
Owner of the Bessenberg Bindery in Ann Arbor for the past 21 years, one of the last hand bookbinding studios left in the state. Jon's specialties include traditional leather bookbinding, custom bindings, and the repair and restoration of valuable books. Member of the Guild of Bookworkers.

Ben Burkhardt - linotype printing
Longtime Kerrytown resident and businessman, Ben has owned and operated Burkhardt Enterprises since 1939, a typesetting and linotype print shop located across from the Kerrytown Shops. Although part of a by-gone printing era, his equipment is still operational today.

Annie Capps - musician, songwriter
Drawing on three decades of wide-ranging influences, Annie offers something for everyone. Her lyrics are a shameless expose of her doubts, fears and desires. Her music is stylistically diverse with hints of country, bluegrass. Reggae and jazz, compliments of the artful guitar work of her husband Rod Capps. Their newest CD, NOT SO SURE, released in 2003, is a journey into the psyche of this unique singer-songwriter.

Catherine Compton - Book Club of Detroit
Catherine Compton is a violist with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. She is also an enthusiastic collector of A.A. Milne.

Rowena Conahan - children's storytelling
Rowena Conahan specializes in stories adapted from popular children's literature. A Montessori teacher, Rowena also tells multicultural folktales and original stories. Much of her inspiration comes from the natural world, where she spends as much of her time as she can!

Jim Craven - fine bookbinding
Jim has been a bookbinder and conservator at the University of Michigan since 1949. He is the current head conservator at the UM Bentley Historical Library. He is also a member of the following organizations: American Institute for Conservation, Library Binders Institute, and the Midwestern Association of Forensic Scientists

Shutta Crum - children's panel
Shutta Crum is an award-winning writer of books for children and poetry for adults. Several of her books have made the Bank Street College's Best Children's Books of the Year lists. And her novel, SPITTING IMAGE, was named to VOYA magazine's 2003 Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers list, as well as being short-listed for the 2005 Kentucky Bluegrass Award. Shutta is also a storyteller, a youth librarian, and a former educator.

Peggy Daub - Special Collections, Graduate Library, University of Michigan
Peggy Daub has been Head of the Special Collections Library at the University of Michigan since 1989. She enjoys sharing stories about the books and manuscripts in her care, and does research on publishing history.

Phil Driscoll - letterpress printing
Phil Driscoll is the owner of Marlboro Mats Inc., located in Clinton, MI, arguably the world's largest source for hot metal typesetting matrices. Has
over 6000 fonts of Linotype/Intertype mats and nearly 4000 fonts of Ludlow
mats, as well as some Monotype Display mats.

Victoria Engling— bookmaking, demonstrator
Victoria has a BFA in Photography from Siena Heights, and recently completed a fellowship as traveling artist on the Arttrain USA demonstrating book and paper arts to children and adults.

Loren D. Estleman - mystery panel
Loren D. Estleman is the author of more than 50 novels, many of which feature Hamtramack P.I. Amos Walker. His latest Walker mystery, RETRO, was published this spring. He is the winner of three Shamus awards for his Walker novels and four Golden Spur awards for his western fiction, and has also been nominated fot the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. He lives in Whitmore Lake with his wife, author Deborah Morgan.

Gillian Ferrington — Sumi-e artist, demonstrator
Inspired by her collection of birds and her appreciation of gardens and insects, Gillian is a local elementary school art teacher with a passion for Sumi-e.

Bettie Fisher - moderator, children's panel
Bettie Fisher is a School Media Specialist at Eberwhite Elementary School in Ann Arbor. While being a School Media Specialist (Librarian) requires knowledge and expertise in several areas, including literature, libraries and information technology, Bettie's favorite part of her job is reading and sharing children's books with students and the adults who work with them.

Joe and Beth Fitzsimmons - Honorary Co-Chairs
The Fitzsimmons are residents of Ann Arbor who have served on several non-profit boards and have taken the lead in many community initiatives. Joe is the former CEO of University Microfilms (now ProQuest) and Beth is President of Information Strategists, LLC. Both are book collectors, and Beth is the Chairman of the U.S. National Commission on Libraries and Information Science.

Ann Flowers — archivist, demonstrator
Ann has worked for over 25 years at the Bentley Historical Library in Ann Arbor, currently as associate archivist. Her responsibilities include conservation and preservation issues.

Jim Gallert - Before Motown
Jim Gallert is a veteran jazz broadcaster and writer, and currently vice president of the Jazz Alliance of Michigan.

Annie Gallup - musician, songwriter
Annie Gallup's writing is unabashedly imaginative and richly sensual. She is a teller of short, elaborate tales, song-length works of fiction that sparkle with the complexity and polish of poetry; tightly packed lyrical strands that crackle with intelligence and spry wordplay, and pulse with insistent rhythm. Hold Annie's work up to that of many contemporary literary lions: she's the real thing. Her guitar work is a fresh, welcome interplay of short lead runs and complex picking patterns. Annie's new CD is PEARL STREET.

Bill Gosling - University Librarian, University of Michigan
Bill Gosling came to the University of Michigan in 1986 as assistant director for technical services, following work at Duke University Library and the Library of Congress. He became University Librarian in 1998. He holds a B.A. in history from Bates College and an M.L.S. from the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Gosling is active in a number of library organizations, including the American Library Association, Association of Research Libraries, and the Michigan Library Association. He also a collector of books and art and an authority in a number of collecting areas, notably playing cards and pop-up books.

Tom Grace - self publishing panel
Tom Grace attended the University of Michigan and graduated with a degree in architecture. While working as an architect, Grace found the time to write his first novel, SPYDER WEB, which he then self published. Later picked up by a major publishing house, SPYDER WEB has been followed by three other novels. He lives in Dexter with his wife and children.

Norm Harris - Bookbinding, UM Library Preservation Division
Norm Harris is a bookbinder and book repair specialist at the Preservation
Divivision of the UM Library.

Martin J. Herschock - AADL panel
Martin J. Herschock is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Michigan Dearborn. He is the author of several books, articles and reviews, including THE PARADOX OF PROGRESS: ECONOMIC CHANGES, INDIVIDUAL ENTERPRISE AND POLITICAL CULTURE IN THE OLD NORTHWEST, 1837-1873.

Jim C. Hines - AADL panel
Jim C. Hines has been writing fantasy along with some science fiction and mainstream fiction since 1995. He is the author of two novels, the forthcoming GOBLINQUEST and GOLDFISH DREAMS as well as a multitude of short stories. He lives in Lansing.

Tom Hogarth - UM Conservation lab
Professional bookbinder and conservator at the U of M Conservation Lab where he works on rare books, maps, vellum, and his specialty, photographs.

Jim Horton — wood engraver, demonstrator
Printmaker, wood engraver and long-time art teacher, Jim’s finely detailed wood engravings have won many awards. He is an expert at historical letterpress equipment and printing.

The Hummingbirds - musicians, songwriters
The Hummingbirds are a couple of guitar playing singer-songwriters named Stephen Grant Wood and Rachel. Their Michigan alt-country sound is expressive with songs of love and heartbreak. Stephen has long been involved with the Michigan pop/rock scene as founding member of Red C and The Coyotes. He released a solo record, CHAMELEON BLUE in 2000. Rachel is a young and emerging talent with clear vocals and riveting stage presence. Together, The Hummingbirds of Ypsilanti make great music.

Eric Kelly - musician, songwriter
Eric is an advocate of the state of Michigan. He organized and performed in the 2003 All On A Michigan Night concert at the Ark in Ann Arbor. The event featured 12 local singer-songwriters performing original songs about Michigan and raised money for the Washtenaw Land Trust. Eric also organizes the annual Dylanfest held at the Blind Pig of Ann Arbor in May. His self titled debut release, Eric Kelly, is available on Embassy Hotel Records.

M.G. Kincaid - mystery panel
M.G. Kincaid, a decorated former marine, resides with her husband in Michigan. THE LAST VICTIM IN GLEN ROSS is Kincaid's first book, and she enjoys hearing from readers. A second novel will be published in November.

Joan Knoertzer - miniature books
Joan Knoertzer is the past president of the Book Club of Detroit, now treasurer and Board member. She is also a Board Member of the Friends of the University of Michigan Libraries, the Board of the Fellowship of American Bibliophile Society (FABS), and a member of the Miniature Book Society. She owns and operates The Library Bed and Breakfast in Ann Arbor.

John D. Lamb- musician, songwriter
John D. lamb has long been a fixture in the Detroit and Michigan music scene. His most recent CD, A NOVEL DAY, was released on Schoolkids Records. He performs hundreds of shows each year. He shows his support for local songwriters through hosting the Lambís Retreat for Songwriters each year. This conference brings in some of the countries finest songwriters for intensive workshops in Northern Michigan. As director of the nonprofit organization Springfed Arts, Lamb also produces the annual Walloon Writersí Retreat for poets and writers.

Ira Lax - From Mind to Page, AADL panel moderator
Ira Lax is a former alternative high school history teacher and now plans public programs and community outreach at the Ann Arbor District Library.

Angela Liguori — bookbinder, demonstrator
Angela received her MFA in Art History at the University of Bologna, Italy. She trained as a bookbinder/ marble, and taught widely, including at the Minnesota Center for the Book Arts. She owns her own her own invitation business.

Jeffrey Marks - mystery panel
Jeffrey Marks is the Edgar nominated biographer of the History of Mystery series that includes WHO WAS TAHT LADY? and ATOMIC RENAISSANCE. He is also the author of the U.S. Grant mystery series and an award-winning short story writer. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with his Scottish terrier, Ellery.

Lee Meadows - self publishing panel
Lee Meadows spends his time as a Professor of Management at Walsh College. He is an avid mystery reader and loved the idea of writing a novel. Though originally from Detroit, Ann Arbor has been his home for eleven years. He is a proud graduate of Michigan State University, proud husband of Phyllis and proud father of Garrison. His Lincoln Keller mystery series is based in Detroit and the character represents all the things he's not, but wished he could be.

Michael On Fire - musician, songwriter
Michael on Fire has shared stages and concert billing with the likes of Chris Isaak, Jimmy Cliff, Chick Corea, Stephen Stills, Peter Frampton, and Warren Zevon to name but a few. As an artist and a storyteller, Michael On Fire has traveled the roads of America and the roads of his soul shaping his journey of discovery in song. In the early 80s, he was the founding member of the eclectic Prismatic band. Michael On Fire has just returned to Michigan to give us a another dose of his spontaneous expression.

Deborah Morgan - mystery panel
Deborah Morgan is the author of three mysteries featuring antiques picker Jeff Talbot, as well as numerous mystery and western short stories. She's won awards for both her fiction and non-fiction, and is a member of the Mystery Writers of America, the Western Writers of America and the Private Eye Writers of America. She lives in Whitmore Lake with her husband, author Loren D. Estleman.

John Murrel - Ann Arbor Litho Club
John Murrel is a past president of the Ann Arbor Litho Club, and the second vice president of the National Association of Litho Clubs. He is a scheduling manager at Malloy, Inc.

Tom Nicely - book appraising
Hailing from Massachusetts, Tom attended William College in Williamstown and majored in American Studies. He began selling books in 1972 after stints in the Marines and writing dust jacket blurbs for Doubleday. He is the owner of Leaves of Grass Books and a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America.

Alice Nigoghosian - self publishing panel
Alice Nigoghosian is the retired acting director of Wayne State University Press. She has editorial and book production experience at WSU Press, and is a past president of the Book Club of Detroit.

Shahida Nurullah - Book Club of Detroit
Shahida Narullah, as well as being an avid book collector, is also a jazz singer and performer. She collects versions of The Rubiyat.

Heather O'Neal - Stories fron Nepal storytelling
Heather O'Neal fell in love with the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal in 1986. Today she organizes tours to Mt. Everest twice a year. In Ann Arbor, she operates the Trekker's Lodge Bed & Breakfast, the Himalayan Bazaar in the Garage, and the Everything's Art Gallery.

Karen Koykka O'Neal — papermaking, demonstrator
Local multi media artist Karen O'Neal has taught many workshops as well as lectured on papermaking and is also accomplished at making papyrus. Karen owns the Out of Hand Papermaking Studio.

Jim Ottaviani - self publishing panel
Jim Ottaviani is a technical librarian at the University of Michigan. He founded G.T. Labs, which publishes his series of comics on famous and not so famous scientists. He lives in Ann Arbor with his wife.

Chad Pastotnik -  letterpress & intagio printing
Chris Pastotnik is the proprietor of Deep Wood Press, a publisher of limited
edition, hand-bound, fine press books. The book are letterpress printed, composed in handset types and illuminated by original intaglio, wood engraving and linocut prints on hand made papers. The press focuses on the works of past and contemporary artists and writers in original book designs utilizingtraditional and modern binding styles.

Jay Platt - book appraising
Jay Platt came to Ann Arbor in 1963 and graduated with a BSE-Naval Architecture in 1968. By the early 1970s he became involved in bookselling and opened the West Side Book Shop in 1975. In 1981, he became a member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA). His wife Marilyn Churchill is a writer and poet and they have two grown sons.

Eric S. Rabkin - sci fi panel
Eric S. Rabkin, author or editor of more than thirty books, is Professor of English at the University of Michigan where he currently teaches courses in fantasy, science fiction, and technology and the humanities. He co-leads the Genre Evolution project, a pioneering research team that combines qualitative and quantitative methods on the study of the evolution of American culture. He has lectured on these subjects and on humor, language, pedagogy, and academic administration in North America, Europe and Australia.

Chris Reising — printmaker, demonstrator
With an MFA in Printmaking, Chris has been teaching printmaking and various art classes at Siena Heights University for the past twenty years where she is also the Art Department Chair.

Ann Ridout - Book Repair, UM Library Preservation Division
Ann Ridout is a bookbinder and book repair specialist at the Preservation
Division of the UM Library for past 33 years. She teaches in-house library
book repair workshops for the UM.

Pamela Rups - medieval calligraphy
Pamela's interest in the book arts led her to get a Masters degree in Medieval Studies in 1997. For her thesis project she made her own 80- page medieval English Bestiary and wrote a 150-page paper on her experiences with the processes involved in its creation. Her work is in private, corporate, and university collections and she lectures regularly at colleges and universities.

Betsy VanderVeen Rutz — bookmaker, demonstrator
Betsy graduated with a BFA from the University of Michigan in Drawing and Painting. She has taught workshops to both children and adults including at the Young People’s Theater Summer Camps. She also completed a bookmaking internship with Jean Buescher-Bartlett and plans to assist her at Penland in the spring. She lives with her husband in Ann Arbor.

Gary Schwartz - flip books, demonstrator
In addition to being a director, artist, filmmaker and teacher, Gary's company, Single Frame Films, has produced, designed, and directed award winning animation for Disney, Sesame Street, PBS, others.

Garrett Scott - book appraising
Garrett has been selling antiquarian books on a full-time basis since
1991. He has been the sole proprietor of Garrett Scott, Bookseller, since
locating in Ann Arbor in 1998. His specialties include 18th & 19th century first
editions, with catalogues issued periodically.

Nancy Shaw - children's panel
Nancy Shaw is the author of the best selling SHEEP IN A JEEP and five other sheep adventures. Her most recent book, RACCOON TUNE, was inspired by the can-do spirit of the creatures that raided her garbage cans. She lives in Ann Arbor.

Susan Skarsgard - type design
Susan is an artist & designer from Ann Arbor, Michigan who uses letters to create image and meaning in her work. She is known internationally for her original fine art works, as well as her graphic design and lettering which has been widely published in books, catalogs and magazines. As a lecturer and teacher, she has given presentations to organizations and conferences throughout North America and Europe. Currently, Skarsgard works as a product designer and lettering specialist for General Motors Design Center.

Keith Taylor - Poetry and Page Design
Keith taylor has long been a part of the Ann Arbor poetry scene, contributing award winning poetry, instruction, and unflagging enthusiasm for local verse and poets. Appearing in over 100 publications, he has six books of his own poetry and short stories to his credit and has co-edited several others as well. Currently, Keith teaches part-time at the University of Michigan and coordinates the Undergraduate program in creative writing there.

Thomas Taylor - Book Club of Detroit
Thomas Taylor is a bookseller, collector and publisher, with a special interest in mysteries that have golf as a central theme. He is also the brains behind the Taylor Search Service.

Kathryn Tosney - Professor, science fiction panel
Professor Tosney is an Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at the University of Michigan. She received her Ph.D. from Stanford and did postdoctoral research at Yale University. Her research focuses on embryology and development, particularly the development of the nervous system. She is a three-time recipient of the College of LS&A's Excellence in Education award. Her outside interests include science fiction, handcrafts, gardening and herpetoculture (raising reptiles).

Hope Vestergaard - AADL panel
Hope Vestergaard grew up in Ann Arbor, went away to college, and came home to work at Gretchen's House, where she read hundreds of books aloud to children. A picture book class with Nancy Shaw and Tracy Gallup put her on the road to publishing her own books, and she now has three books in print as well as the most recent, HELLO, SNOW.

Joe Warren - letterpress printing
A longtime printer, Joe owns his own printing business and is an active member of the Michigan Letterpress Guild.

Wong Herbert Yee - children's panel
Wong Herbert Yee's first book for children, EEK! THERE'S A MOUSE IN THE HOUSE, was published in 1991. It remains in print and since then he has written and illustrated a book a year. He lives in Troy, Michigan, with his wife and children.

Shannon Zachary - UM Conservation Lab
Shannon Zachary began studying bookbinding and conservation at the Capricornus School of Bookbinding in Berkeley, CA. She later earned a City and Guilds of London Institute Certificate in Bookbinding at Brunel Technical College in Bristol, England and a Higher National Diploma in paper conservation at the Camberwell College of Art in London. She was book conservator for rare and special collections, Cornell University Library from 1987 to 1992. She has been the head of Conservation Services of the University Library at UM since 1994.

Sarah Zettel - Sci-Fi panel
Sarah Zettel was born in Sacramento, California in 1966. Since then, she has lived in ten cities, four states, and two countries. She currently lives in Ypsilanti with her husband, Tim, their son Alexander, and her cat, Buffy the Vermin Slayer. Ms. Zettel's most recent work, THE FIREBIRD'S VENGEANCE, is currently available from Tor books and her new Arthurian fantasy IN CAMELOT'S SHADOW is out from Luna Books.