Our Authors

Kebede Haile attributes his success to the values with which he has been raised. A proud love of his country’s heritage, he professes a deep appreciation and attachment to it. He has been in touch with the Ethiopian community in America for most of his life.

Educationally, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from American University and his Masters degree (MBA) in Human Resources from Southern California University for Advanced Studies. He has also completed Business Training of Trainers and Advisers’ courses at the Polytechnic of Central London and attended numerous of International Trade seminars and forums organized by the United Nations and received certificates. He has also completed a graduate study refresher course program in economics at Lancaster University School of Management in UK. He has worked for Friends of Refugee, as an employment counselor and Career coach, and a member of Board of Directors for Network Atlanta Community Technology (NACT). Apart from his professional work, he is a freelance writer and has authored several books.

Kebede Haile was born and bred in Addis Ababa city but spent much of his adult life working abroad – in the United States.

Brian Altano is the author of 11 textbooks, including Writing Processes and Structures and Reading Processes and Structures, published by the University of Michigan Press, and Creative Grammar, a three-level grammar series published by Spotlight Learning. His most recent book is Public and Private Writing by Kendall Hunt. Prof. Altano has taught ESL, literature, and writing at Bergen Community College in Paramus, New Jersey for more than 25 years. He is also a professional storyteller, who has told his original stories throughout the United States, and in Venezuela, Italy, France, Canada, and Morocco. The Emerging Writers and Emerging Readers for ESL series is his first collaboration for Allwrite Publishers.

Leah Miranda Hughes was born a Southern poet in Dalton, GA. While her hometown thought it best that she move to Atlanta, they allow her to visit. She puts her shoes on to cross the Mason-Dixon line. She earned degrees in English and American Literature from Oglethorpe University and Georgia State, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Queens University, Charlotte. Teaching jobs provided funding for her ink and paper habit.

Merlene J. Purkiss (M.S., English Education, Nova Southeastern University) has more than 30 years experience in teaching college prep writing students at Miami Dade College. She is a former writing lab instructor and now an English professor, working with developmental learners who have faced formidable educational challenges as a result of varying factors, mainly language barriers. In creating this book, she has adapted some of her most effective teaching strategies and concepts from the writing lab and classroom. She has also incorporated students’ suggestions about methods that have helped them become better writers.

Michael D. Harper is a native of Atlanta, Georgia. He obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Georgia State University, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Boston College School of Law. Mr. Harper has been a practicing attorney in private practice for over seventeen years. His law firm is currently located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Georgia where he specializes in civil litigation. He has a daughter who currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Harper’s interests include being an enthusiast for theater, sports and international travel. Mr. Harper serves on various nonprofit advisory boards in Atlanta, GA.

Dr. Sergey Sorin is a board certified practice physician who has worked multiple healthcare settings. A member of the American Society of Bariatric (weight loss) Physicians, he is the founder of the "Physicians Weight Loss and Wellness Center," as well as having served as a director for Tri-state Bariatrics, a surgical weight loss center. In light of his personal revelations and bariatric training, he has developed the "Power Principle," a comprehensive approach to empowering people to achieve thier goals. Meanwhile, he continues to educate people as a contributing writer for the New York Tactical Officers Association on Wellness and Fitness

Kriss Smolka is the creator of the award winning health & fitness app WaterMinder. The app was named Apple App Store Editor’s Choice in 2019 and has been featured by The New Yorker, Women’s Health, Glamour, Business Insider, BGR, Venture Beat, Apple and more. Smolka, who earned his bachelors degree in Computer Science and Marketing at College of Economics and Computer Science in Krakow, Poland, is also the founder of Funn Media, a mobile apps publisher company based in Oak Lawn IL. Funn Media released 16 different apps from games, productivity tools to health & fitness. In the last three years, the focus of his company is the health & fitness category, developing apps that improve one’s well-being. Based on his own experience and extensive research, along with numerous real-life feedback received from those affected by dehydration, he started work on the “Water Wellness” book in 2018 with the goal of educating readers on the importance of staying hydrated.

Walter T. Richardson served as the third pastor of Sweet Home Missionary Baptist Church from 1983 to 2010, increasing its membership to megachurch status. The popular fifth-generation church pastor has served in many roles throughout his years in public service, including those of minister, musician, chaplain, board chairman, author, professor, husband, father and more.

A native of Panama, Maureen King Bean has lived in the United States since 1984, first in Lilburn, GA, and later in Kendall, FL, where she lives with her husband, Martin E. Bean. Maureen first graduated as a Spanish Philology major from U.A.C.A in Costa Rica and later as Master in Spanish Culture and Literature from University of Salamanca. She taught Spanish in elementary school for more than 20 years in Miami Dade Public Schools, Atlanta Public Schools, and Bartow County Schools. Maureen is currently working for Miami Dade College as an ESOL instructor. Meanwhile, she continues celebrating life and is grateful for the creative gifts and opportunities God has given her.

Having been consulting pet owners on the problems with their pets for the last seven years, the author, Anastasia V. Nikolskaya, noticed, that quite often the problems are caused by misperception of the animals by humans. Nikolskaya, earned her PhD from the Department of Psychology at Moscow State University in Russia. She is the author of 50 academic papers and four scientific monographs on the diagnostics and modification of abnormal behaviour in dogs. In addition to authoring two other books on the subject of interactions between humans and pets, Nickolskaya is a well-known university lecturer and Russian television guest expert on this subject. Meanwhile, she continues to provide private consultation services for those complaining about their pets' abnormal behaviour.

Annie Donaldson is a licensed cosmetologist who graduated from Fairfield School of Cosmetology in Columbia, South Carolina. With more than 25 years of experience, she has gained the respect of fellow hairstylists and garnered notoriety among her many clients. As the owner of Ritz Hair Salon in Columbia for 18 years, she works as a healthy hair care specialist, who identifies and repairs damaged hair. She helps clients of varying backgrounds to maintain strong, healthy relaxed hair.

Tulasi Acharya was born in the South Asian country of Nepal. He completed his master's degree in English in Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu. He also taught English and journalism courses at colleges in Nepal, where he authored textbooks on mass communication and journalism. A prolific writer, Acharya published short stories, poems, and articles in Nepali journals, national newspapers and online. He moved to the United States in 2008 to pursue a master’s degree in creative writing and subsequently earned a third master's degree in women's studies. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in public administration.

Dr. Nathaniel Wilson obtained his Doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Denver. With an emphasis on holistic care and optimal living, Dr. Wilson has developed a clinical practice on wellness for families, individuals, and couples in Atlanta. In addition to teaching graduate courses in psychology at an area university, Dr. Wilson’s research work and specialty practice involves offering Ntu psychotherapy – an Africentric approach to health and healing, which is based on the traditions of the Bantu people of West Africa. Although he has been in the field of mental health for over 10 years, his work as both a relational and family adoptions life coach is among his current endeavors.

William McCloud is an Emmy Award winner. His journey to the top involved every setback imaginable, and he advocates that life’s disappointments, denials and delays could actually be the keys to a person’s success. He sees these setbacks as something that actually molds greatness and develops character. His new autobiography, “Setbacks Create Comebacks,” is a testimony to his triumphs over his struggles.