Marlene Ratledge Buchanan
Southern Humor
Life is hard - Soften It with Laughter is more than title for Marlene's book.  It is her mantra on how to survive when you don't have any more bless your hearts to give. 
Book signing Times:
1pm to 3pm

Kristine Bone
Historical Fiction
Our elders were once young.  We often forget this.  Cecilia discovers this truth when going through her Great Aunts memoirs.  The pages describes a young girl living in the last Calvary fort, meeting General Custard, and loving a man named John.
Book signing Times:
2pm to 4pm

Luanne was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. Where she completed high school in 1971 and married her husband, Ken in 1972 at Faith Bible Chapel at 9th and Acoma Street in Denver. Her first job, at the age of 14, was at a carnation greenhouse, where she spent her summer hours that year “disbudding” the flowers and carefully packing the ready ones for the florists. She says she still dearly loves carnations and their fragrance! Throughout the years, she has enjoyed various types of work, including, stocking and receiving, Nurse’s Aide, factory work at Jolly Rancher Candies, and much more. After giving birth to their daughter in 1977 she worked as a Fire Department Dispatcher which she said was one of the most enjoyable things she has done!
 
Later, after completing the series of cake decorating courses at Mrs. Mayo’s Cake Decorating School, she spent much time making & decorating cakes for weddings and other occasions. She went on to teach classes at Mrs. Mayo’s and fill in for decorators at various other bakeries as needed, while still doing cakes out of her home. It was a fun and rewarding career for many years!
 
In 1987, Luanne and her family moved to Atlanta, Georgia area and soon found herself increasingly more focused on her interests in whole-grains and nutrition.  She began to sell her whole-grain breads for extra money and she experimented more with other whole-grains.  Luanne has always been interested in culinary arts and nutrition. She has written numerous recipes, which she hopes to compile into a collection of recipe books in the near future! “I have always loved Wowing people with food. No matter where I am or where we go to church, the Lord always puts me to work in the kitchen!” she chuckles!  She has been a valued resource of culinary and nutritional information by her peers and also offered instructional classes at church for over 35 years on subjects from basic cooking and reading labels, to nutritional balances and incorporating whole grains into your diet; and more recently gluten-free facts. Wherever they have been planted she has found herself in the position of coordinating kitchen activities at church for over 30 years and says that “since I have never had the ability to start my own restaurant, the church kitchen is my restaurant!”  With joy she has planned and orchestrated scratch-made meals for various groups of 25 to as many as 400 and says, “I have loved every exhausting minute of it”!
 
Currently, although her desire is to continue with the compilation of her cookbooks, she feels led to focus her strongest efforts on the promotion of her first published book, “Faith Standing”. As well as the continuance of writing the sequel, “Faith Walking”. 
 
Faith Standing is testimony and study of biblical truths to encourage one to stand sturdy and strong in faith, like the tree of old that does not up-root in the midst of winds and storms of life; but it just roots in deeper and continue to stand and trust!  The purpose in Faith Standing, is that through the washing of the word and the testimonial examples therein; the reader might be encouraged to follow James 1:6 in: ASKING IN FAITH… WITH NOTHING WAVERING!
 
Since the age of sixteen, when she solidly gave her heart to Jesus, it has been her heart to serve God to the best of her ability. However, as she says, “I am definitely a work in progress! God has seen me through so many experiences and He has helped me, increasingly, to mature and grow in His word and in my relationship with Him! I learn more as I go along, and He truly is my source of joy, peace and contentment. My hope is that in the reading of Faith Standing, the reader will find out how and why:
 
“Faith dances with great joy at planting… in great expectation of the harvest’s increase!”

Luanne Scrogan
Phone: 770-979-8224
Mailing address:  P.O. Box 390575, Snellville, GA 30039

Lynn won the 2015 First Place Winner, Oak Tree Press, Cop Tales, for her crime novel, Well of Rage. Her cozy mystery Another Kind of Hero was a finalist in the 2018 Sliver Falchion Award. 
 
She has a law enforcement background and writes her character-driven stories with an ear for dialogue and an affinity for plot twists set in rich southern culture. Her novels and short stories use humor and irony. She is a storyteller and member of the dance troupe, The Dancing Flowers for Peace. Her flower persona is "The Dandelion." She lives in Stone Mountain.
 
Another Kind of Hero:
A casket full of drugs and money at the Pick’n Pay in Forsyth, Georgia puts dissimilar sisters, a ghost’s godson, and a DEA agent in jeopardy.
 
Well of Rage:
A female rookie cop in Mobile, Alabama finds an African-American teenager’s bones and a ring in the bottom of an abandoned well. Her training officer confiscates the ring and blames the rookie. She must survive long enough to solve this cold-case murder and bring closure to the victim’s mother.

"The Writer"
Southern Humorist, Marlene Ratledge Buchanan has been entertaining readers with her observations about life through her column, Hey Y'all, published in the Gwinnett Citizen since 2015.  Ms. Buchanan column first appeared in the life section of the Snellville Patch.  She has combined a collection of essays into her first book, Life is Hard Soften It with Laughter. The subject matter for her columns primarily center around life events she has experienced, but no topic  or any person is off limits.   

"The Professional"
After thirty-four years of being in public education either as a teacher or counselor, Marlene "fully" retired in 2007.  Her first teaching position, as an art teacher, was at Duluth High School in 1972.  She moved to Parkview High School in the fall of 1978 and remained for the next tweny-four years.  It was in the classroom where she earned the name "Ms. Rat." that has stayed with her and  garnered her a collection of rat figurines and collectibles over the years from her students.  After her first attempt at retirement, Marlene returned to the education arena as a counselor for students in special education or required academic support in 2002 for Central Gwinnett High School.


"The Person"
Marlene is quick to say that she'd plan to marry someone old and rich, but she only got old.  This is often immediately followed with how she knew on her first date with her husband, Snell, she was positive he was the one for her to the point she proposed.  After his refusal, she considered getting him pregnant.  Marlene and Snell have celebrated forty-two years of marriage.
After seven years of marriage, Snell asked Marlene if she could be pregnant.  The answer was yes and a beautiful olive skin baby boy with a head full of black hair became a part of their lives.  James suffered a lack of oxygen during delivery, resulting in him having special needs.  Marlene refers to James' condition as a special gift. 
Their family is complete with several feline, two of which are often referred to as flying monkeys, and other rescues James has brought home. Her computer is known as Hissy Prissy.  Marlene believes dust is just and admits she is not a domestic diva and has  allergies to cooking,.  The only reason their home has a kitchen is for the resale value it adds.  She is  a connoisseur of coffee and finds therapy in bush hogging around her home. Guest are welcomed to visit.  There is a shovel at the back door to help navigate your way into her home.  She does ask that the fur tumbleweeds are not disturbed.