Barbara Sharik

Barbara Sharik makes her home at Wit's End in Jones, Louisiana with a couple old dogs, young dogs and several stupid dogs, a cat, a talking cockatiel and a white dove. She's active in civic affairs, serves as a Justice of the Peace, a Notary Public, is the Clerk for the Village of Bonita and a columnist for the Bastrop Daily Enterprise. She has authored several books.

Carolyn Files

Chere Coen

Cheré Dastugue Coen is an award-winning journalist and author living in Lafayette, Louisiana. A native of New Orleans, Cheré began her career in communications at the 1984 World’s Fair. She has worked or written for Variety magazine in Hollywood, TravelAge West magazine, the Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge, Gambit Weekly in New Orleans, and the Gannett newspapers of Louisiana, among many other publications. She currently works as a freelance travel and food writer, plus pens the weekly books column and newsletter, Louisiana Book News. Her books include “Exploring Cajun Country: A Tour of Historic Acadiana,” the cookbook travelogue “Cooking in Cajun Country” and the ethereal “Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She is also the author of the blog, "Have Book, Will Travel, Let's Eat."

Deborah Burst

An award winning writer, photographer and social media specialist, Deb owns a Media Arts degree from Tulane University with published work on a local, regional and national level. She specializes in travel, lifestyle, culinary culture and historical architecture along with social media promotions for authors, publishers and small business owners. Deb enjoys a loyal following as a travel and food columnist with Louisiana Road Trips magazine and keeps busy with local publications. A frequent contributor to nationally distributed magazines Fine Books & Collection, Old House Journal and Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine, Deb served as Louisiana bureau chief for the regional blockbuster, Southern Breeze magazine. A New Orleans native now living in Mandeville, Louisiana, she is the co-founder of the Northshore Literary Society, member and former board member of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association.

Deborah Burst, freelance writer and photographer, lives and writes in the piney woods of Mandeville. After a 30-year stint in banking, she graduated from Tulane in 2003. Her work has appeared in regional, national, and international publications. A personal translator blessed with an emotional art form, Deb discovers the food, culture, and people along the backroads each month in Louisiana Road Trips.

Dennis Stewart

Dennis Stewart grew up in northeast Louisiana, graduated from La Tech and LSU Law School. After having taught law at ULM and working as an Assistant District Attorney, Dennis is now a Hearing Officer in Rayville. He loves to hunt, fish, write, and spend time with his three grandchildren.

Dianne Newcomer

Dianne Newcomer is a travel agent at MONROE TRAVEL SERVICE, 1908 Glenmar Street. You may contact her for future travel at 318 323 3465 / 1 800 365 3465, or click on www.monroetravel.com.

Joe Joslin

Joe Joslin is a syndicated outdoor columnist, tournament angler and pro guide on Toledo and Sam Rayburn. Contact him at 337-463-3848 or joejoslinoutdoors@yahoo.com or www.joejoslinoutdoors.com.

Johnny Wink

Larry Brock

A life-long resident of Lake Providence, Larry Brock was inspired by his grandfather’s passion for gardening and his own desire to recover the horticultural uniqueness of this region. Larry is drawn to the relationships between plants, birds, insects and soil and can be found puttering outdoors in his yard most any time, weather permitting.

Lee Estes

Lee Estes, a Kentucky native, migrated to Louisiana in 1956 with his wife, Lottie. He worked in aviation then with A&LM Railway. He began making photographs in Europe after WWII and ranked among the leading monochrome exhibition photographers in the U.S. during the 80’s. His extensive travels included leading tours across the globe. Lee has authored three photo/documentary books and is currently involved with the documentation of The Dixie Overland Highway (US80) in Louisiana, funded by a grant from the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

Lora Peppers

Lora Peppers, a Monroe native, grew up in Bastrop and graduated from ULM. Her love of history dates back to childhood when one of her favorite activities was visiting local cemeteries to examine headstones. She also loves to travel, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park being her favorite place on Earth. Her job as a genealogist and historian has given her the opportunity to lead many lectures and author several books. She can be reached by e-mail at loradpeppers@hotmail.com.

Mary White

Mary White is the author of “Running a Bed & Breakfast For Dummies” and an avid B&B goer. She has stayed at bed and breakfasts all over the world and particularly loves the inns of Louisiana. In 1998, Mary founded BnBFinder.com, a top on-line bed and breakfast directory that lists thousands of B&Bs, inns, and boutique hotels worldwide.

Mona L. Hayden

Mona L. Hayden has been writing, gardening, cooking, and enjoying road trips for as long as she can remember. She continues to appreciate the great conversations and time shared with friends, old and new, as she makes her way to the next adventure.

Robert Lemoine

Shellie Tomlinson

As an infant, Shellie Rushing Tomlinson had one of the earliest cases of appendicitis ever documented. Subsequently, fifty-four doctors came to Natchez, MS to study her case. In retrospect, Shellie believes it may have been better had they studied her brain. Shellie is willing to admit it. She hears voices. After briefly considering medication she has instead chosen a career in storytelling to allow them all a chance to be heard. It's working out pretty well.

Shellie enjoys entertaining and encouraging a wide range of audiences. Whether sharing her humorous slant on growing up southern in civic and educational settings or offering inspiring thoughts in church retreats and ladies' seminars, Shellie's talks are always full of laughs and motivation.

Sherry Perkins

A freelance writer from DeRidder, Sherry Perkins has published photos, articles, blogs, newsletters, and flash fiction. She is the current president of Bayou Writers’ Group in Lake Charles and has given presentations on creative writing to adults and students. Sherry has also written four screenplays, a biography, a children’s book, and a plantation photo book.

Sonny Harrington

Sonny Harrington is a Hunter Safety Instructor. He is also an NRA (National Rifle Association) Rifle & Pistol Instructor and has hunted from Alaska to Mexico.

Stacy Thornton

Steve Cook

Steve Cook is a freelance writer and editor, from Richmond, Virginia. He also writes a daily humor column which appears online atwww.RichmondNavigator.com. Previously, he was the morning DJ for a country music radio station but says he was fired due to his inability to remember the name of the father of Hank Williams, Jr.