Salon @ Chateau Lanny Sept 28, 2024
The Sept. 28 roster is comprised of the following: Anita DeFrancesco True Crime Author, Merry Jones (longtime Liar’s Club member, Coffeehouse host, and crime writer); Steve Zettler — Phila. crime writer and actor; Steve’s wife Cordelia Biddle (yes, those Biddles) author and Penn professor; Ann Stolinsky and Ruth Littner, publishers and professional editors of Celestial Echo Press; Chris Hatch and wife Moira — Chris is a novelist and screenwriter, Moira is a lawyer; Joel Turner — longtime member of the local writing community and recent short story writer; and Kimberly Leahy, shopping her debut novel through an agent and my bestie.
LITERARY SALON’S SPARKLING CAST
Cordelia Biddle: Cordelia’s most recent novel is “They Believed They Were Safe.” Coming up this January: “Listen to Me: The Women of the Bible Speak Out.” She also penned the Martha Beale historical mystery series. Nonfiction: “Biddle, Jackson, and a Nation in Turmoil,” and Saint Katharine: The Life of Katharine Drexel.”
Anita DeFrancesco: M.A., journalist, active member of SAG/AFTRA, and author of the true crime, “The Donna Gentile Story: The Life and Death of an Innocent Runaway,” and “In Case I Disappear.” Anita is also host of the podcast, “Discover Joyous Love,” as well as a Reichian Orgonomy Psychotherapist and relationship coach. She is also the founder of Tantra Wisdom and Kinepathics.
Chris Hatch: Chris is a PR pro and Desert Shield/Storm vet, as well as author of the novel “Hurricane Ron.” He is also author of the short horror screenplay, “Ot-z,” now feature length, and being pitched along with another screenplay, “Cecil’s Woods.” He has also partnered in the creation of TV/Radio entertainment and informational programming in Turkey and Greece. Chris will be accompanied by his wife, Moira Hatch Mulroney, attorney and former Director of Development and Communications for the Support Center for Child Advocates.
Merry Jones: Merry is a charter member of Philadelphia’s Liar’s Club as well as longtime co-host podcaster for and about writers, “The Liar’s Club Oddcast.” She also serves as co-host of Main Line Coffeehouse, the writing craft discussion group. She is a crime/mystery author of novels, “The Trouble with Chalie,” “The Woman in the Cupboard,” “The Nanny Murders,” and others, as well as the non-fiction “Birthmothers: Women Who Have Relinquished Their Babies Tell Their Stories.”
Kimberley Leahy, Ph.D: Kimberley is a former professor of Communication and is represented by Cindy Bullard of the Birch Literary Agency. Cindy is shopping Kimberley’s debut novel, Human Ballast, which has garnered interest from the Amazon book club imprint, Lake Union Publishing. Kimberley currently works for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as their Lead Instructional Designer where she writes and delivers compliance training. She has been an active participant in the Philadelphia writing community for 10 years.
Ann Stolinsky and Ruth Littner: Ann Stolinsky and Ruth Littner: Business partners and friends, Ann and Ruth are longtime stalwarts of the Philadelphia writing community, first as partners of editorial services firm, Gemini Wordsmiths LLC, and more recently, partners in publishing as Celestial Echo Press. CEP’s most recent publishing endeavor is the highly regarded anthology, Ruth and Ann’s Guide to Time Travel, featuring notable authors Jonathan Maberry, Phil Giunta, Joanne McLaughlin, and others. Ann is also a board and card game designer.
Joel Turner: Joel’s fiction has appeared in many US and UK journals, including Ambit, 3AM Magazine, New Millennium Writings, Mobius, Proof, The Medulla Review, Red Fez, Literary Yard and The Eunoia Review. His dystopian novella “The Fisheye Incident” appeared as a serial in Ambit in 2000. Articles he has written about Soul music have been featured on the UK-based Soul Source website, a major platform for news and writing on the Northern Soul scene. His first novel, WILDWOOD EXIT, a noir tale set at the Jersey Shore, will be published by Level Best Books in 2025.
Neal Wiser: Neal is an award-winning TV screenwriter of character-driven sci-fi/suspense/action dramas. He also writes features, shorts, and documentaries for a wide range of media that explore how technology impacts our lives. He has also been an Adjunct Professor of Screenwriting at Drexel University. Most recently, Neal’s short story, “Have We Met,” appeared in “Ruth and Ann’s Guide to Time Travel, Volume 1” by Celestial Echo Press. He is also in post-production on a documentary and in pre-production of a series of one-minute micro-documentaries. Neal’s wife Lisa also joins us.
Steve Zettler: Steve is an author, actor, and well-known Philadelphia crime writer, recently venturing into the realm of political thriller. His books include “Two for the Money,” “Careless Love,” “The Second Man,” and others. In his next novel, “Tick… Tick… Tick…”, he moves into Sci-Fi (due March of 2025). Steve and Cordelia are husband and wife.
Host, Lanny Larcinese: Lanny is a crime fiction author. His earlier short works were multiple first-prize winners at different conferences as well as One Book One, and published in hard copy and other media. His novels include “I Detest All My Sins,” “Death in the Family,” “Fire in the Belly,” and “Get Bek.” He is also author of the memoir, “Women: One Man’s Journey,” and active in the Mid-Atlantic writing community for the past ten years.