On April 13th, our guest speaker is Bob Mutchler, Author and Rotary Foundation advocate for Cures of Polio.

Bob Mutchler, or Motorcycle Bob, as he is known in Rotary and to the media around the world, has been riding his motorcycle with the sole goal of raising awareness of The Rotary Foundation and, more specifically, of PolioPlus since 1998. He has ridden to every state capitol in the United States, every Canadian provincial capitol, every Australian state capitol, and many other riding events on his motorcycle in order to bring about more public awareness of PolioPlus. He has been featured on network television, talk radio, newspapers, and magazines as he expresses the message of PolioPlus and The Rotary Foundation. Bob continues to be a featured media attraction two or more times every month somewhere around the world.

Bob has been a featured speaker in Africa, England, Holland, Australia, Canada, and the United States. He has also been a keynote speaker at District Conferences and PETS in Africa, Canada, and the United States. He has received numerous awards and Legislative Proclamations.

Bob is married to Patti and has four children and four grandchildren. He currently serves as a Folsom City Utilities Commissioner and just published his book From Iron Lung to Iron Butt co-written with author Lynda Lahman with all the proceeds going to PolioPlus, Rotary International’s program to eradicate polio from the earth. In his spare time, he is a successful, fourth generation piano tuner/technician who plays keyboards and sings in the local rock and roll band, “Have Mercy,” when he is not riding his motorcycle. More information at www.polioplusride.org, and www.nopolio.org.

On March 9th our guest speaker is Susan Spann, Author and Copyright Lawyer

Susan Spann began reading precociously and  voraciously from her preschool days in Santa Monica, California, and as a child read everything from National Geographic to Agatha Christie. Susan studied at Tufts University in Boston, earned a degree in Asian Studies, then diverted to law school.

She returned to California to practice law, where her passion for writing fueled her to specialize in intellectual property, business and publishing contracts.

Susan’s first novel, Claws of the Cat: A Shinobi Mystery (Minotaur Books, 2013) was named a Library Journal mystery debut of the month and was a finalist for the Silver Falchion Award for Best First Novel.

The second Shinobi Mystery, Blade of the Samurai (Minotaur Books), was released on July 15, 2014. The third novel, Flask of the Drunken Master, is scheduled for publication on July 14, 2015.

Susan is the President of the Northern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, and a member of Sisters in Crime (National and Sacramento chapters), Historical Novel Society, and the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Association, and is represented by literary agent Sandra Bond of Bond Literary Agency. When not writing or representing clients, Susan enjoys traditional archery, martial arts, horseback riding, online gaming, and raising seahorses and rare corals in her highly distracting marine aquarium. Susan lives in Sacramento with her husband, son, two cats, one cockatiel, and a multitude of assorted aquatic creatures.

You can find Susan on Facebook and Twitter (@SusanSpann), where she founded the #PubLaw hashtag to provide legal and business information for writers. For signings other information, see her events page!

The speaker at our Feb 9th meeting will be Allison Brennan, author of Fiction, Romance, and Suspense, and a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Allison is the author of twenty-four novels and many short stories. A former consultant in the California State Legislature, she lives in Northern California with her husband Dan and their five children.

Crime fiction, mysteries, and romantic suspense have always been Allison’s favorites, so it’s no surprise that her romantic thrillers have a dark suspense edge. Reviewers have called her books “terrifying,” “mesmerizing,” “fast-paced,” “pulse-pounding,” “wonderfully complex,” “layered,” and “a master of suspense – tops in the genre.” As Lisa Gardner says, “Brennan knows how to deliver.”

Allison is currently writing the Lucy Kincaid series about a rookie FBI agent. The eighth book, DEAD HEAT, is on sale now. BEST LAID PLANS will be out on August 4, 2015. Also, she’s thrilled to be writing a second series, this time featuring investigative reporter Maxine Revere. NOTORIOUS was released last year in hardcover and is now available in paperback. COMPULSION will be out on April 7, 2015.

Sandra Brown said, “Brennan’s NOTORIOUS introduces readers to a new and fascinating heroine worth rooting for. She’s an investigative reporter who’s not afraid to kick butt, climb a tree, or go to jail in pursuit of her story. She’s savvy and smart and takes no prisoners. Buckle up and brace yourself for Maxine Revere.” And about COMPULSION, Catherine Coulter said, “Don’t miss Max Revere’s roller-coaster new thriller. Talk about grit and courage, Max never gives up.”

You can find out more about Allison at allisonbrennan.com, also at facebook.com/AllisonBrennan,
twitter.com/Allison_Brennan, or via her blog at murdershewrites.com.