Jen Yontz-Orlando, MBA, MLIS

Since birth Jen was constantly switched back and forth between farms in rural Ohio and living with her wealthy grandparents in Cali, Colombia.

After many years in the corporate world and a severe health scare, Jen now dedicates her time and energy to writing. She credits the GCWA Critique Group with helping her and says, “Bob, Hunter, and Christie are fantastic writers as well as supportive and knowledge editors. Their support has been invaluable.”

Today she writes memoir about how living in these two extremes forged her identity and values.

Jen’s themes include culture, class, language, family dynamics, education, religion, mental illness, alcoholism, and the transformational power of love.

Currently Jen is working on a podcast series about her life with OneC Productions called Heal Me. That podcast comes out in early September.

Claudia has been writing personal essays and other short pieces since 2010.  Her work has appeared in The Lindenwood Review, The Louisiana Review, River Teeth’s Beautiful Things, Hippocampus Magazine, Adelaide Literary Review and others.  She has a BA in English and an MS in Finance.  She moved to SW Florida from NW South Carolina in February 2021.

Mary Lou Williams, M. Ed., is a retired teacher and a professional storyteller. She holds a masters degree in education from Columbia University and has spent 35 years as an educator of English and mathematics on the secondary level. She has served on the board of the Florida Storytellers Association from 2010 to 2014 and received their Distinguished Service Award for 2014. She has produced local storytelling workshops and storytelling performances featuring national tellers. She is a member of a quartet of storytellers that produce and perform storytelling showcases at the Alliance for the Arts in Fort Myers and at Brambles English Tea Room in Naples. She conducts seminars and storytelling workshops at the Renaissance Academy of Florida Gulf Coast University. She is a member of the Tamiami Tale Tellers of Fort Myers.

Website: story-theatre.com

Mary Lou’s books