David Leonhardt
The “Happy Guy” is a writer, reviewer, humorist and lecturer from Canada. His book reviews and humorous stories on family and life (such as "Growing Pains" this month in Lifestyles), have graced our Entertainment, Lifestyles and Features sections over the last few years.
In addition to energizing conferences, he trains others to improve their presentation skills. He earned the top "Distinguished Toastmaster" designation in 2001. His speeches have been published in "Vital Speeches of the Day" and "Great Canadian Speeches."
After a decade and a half as the spokesman for CAA Ontario (an affiliate of the American Automobile Association), he has been called Canada's highest profile consumer advocate. As a visible and vocal consumer advocate, he’s picked up a thing or two about getting good media coverage. Some years he’s conducted over 600 media interviews. He has lobbied the Canadian Ministers of Transportation and Finance.
David writes book reviews for Library Journal, among other publications (including past Issues) and is the author of the self-help book Climb your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness.
He resides in the wide open Canadian rural with his wife and daughters where he enjoys the sound of the birds, sights of the lightning bugs, camping, canoeing and sharing his lunch with wildlife.
You can visit him at: www.thehappyguy.com
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Contributing regular book reviews to our Entertainment Department, Carolyn was the youngest person ever hired as a staff writer for the Salt Lake Tribune--"A Great Pulitzer Prize Winning Newspaper." She wrote features and a teen column under the pseudonym Debra Paige. Her experience before that included writing for her beloved high school newspaper, The Olympus High Thunderbolt and her college newspaper, The University of Utah Daily Chronicle.
Later, in New York, she was an editorial assistant at Good Housekeeping Magazine.
She was also publicity writer for Eleanor Lambert (fashion) in that city where she wrote releases for celebrity designers of the time including Pauline Trigere, Rudy Gernreich and Christian Dior.
Other early writing experience included a short stint at the Oak Park Press (a weekly in the Chicago area) and freelance articles in magazines such as Ingenue and humorous features in magazines such as Stereo.
She also founded, operated and did the publicity and advertising for her own small chain of retail gift stores.
When she began writing This Is The Place, she did postgraduate work in writing at UCLA's Extension Division including their Writers Conference. She also attended San Diego State Writers Conference and has studied writing in Prague and St. Petersburg, Russia.
She writes a regular freelance fashion column for the Pasadena Star News, retailing column for Home Decor Buyer and an occasional movie review for The Glendale News-Press. Her poetry and short stories appear frequently in literary journals and anthologies.
Carolyn has a husband who is an actor, two grown children and three grandchildren. She admits to waiting a really long time to write her novel. "Sometimes giving birth is harder than others. This Is The Place had a longer gestation period than most novels. I think time and a little age-related wisdom made it a better book."
For More information go to:
www.TLT.com/authors/carolynhowardjohnson.htm
Munayem Mayenin
Born, brought up and educated in Bangladesh, he now makes England his home.
He studied Bangla and World Literature including the great classical and modern European, African and Latin American literature and poetry, including of course, English at his “mad university days” (as he puts it).
His first collection of English poems, Command the Moon, was published in London in 1993. Some of his philosophical works have been published on the Philosophy Pathways journal of the International Society for Philosophers. He co-edited Slivers: An Anthology of South Asian Poetry in Britain, which was published in London in 1997. Mayenin's second collection The Son of Eternity has been released by Publish America, April 2004. His poetry has received international awards.
Mayenin worked as a freelance journalist for many years, writing for many newspapers both in England and the sub continent. He also worked in the UK government service in the field of education.
He is a member of:
The English Centre of PEN
He is married and a father of two young children, he lives and writes in London.
Her proudest achievements are the completion of her first novel, This Is The Place, and her first screenplay, The Killing Ground. A chapter from the novel has been selected as a finalist for the prestigious Masters Literary Award has won eight other awards. Her second book, Harkening: A Collection of Stories Remembered, is nonfiction and has won three awards including
Michael Levy
Michael has contributed to both our Features and Issues department over the last few years.
Born in Manchester England on the 6th of March 1945. The second world war was drawing to a close and folks were just beginning to pick up the remnants of five hard years of conflict.
He recalls the early days of his childhood; they were exciting times. Every day was an adventure on the streets of the inner city community. Nobody had any spare money. Even candy was on ration until 1950 but nobody ever informed Michael he was poor. He just knew there were only so many hours in each day and he was here to enjoy them. He was a little mischievous in a kindly way and brought a lot of Joy into many peoples lives. He always went around with a big smile on his face and nobody was able to wipe it away.
Throughout Michael's life many negative situations have come his way but they did not knock him of the path of Joy for more than a day or two at most.
Michael's poetry and essays now grace well over 1000 web sites, Journals and Magazines. He is a renowned guest speaker on Finance, Wellness and Inspiration. He has appeared on TV in the USA and UK and hundreds of radio stations throughout the world, including the Howard Stern Show, BBC, ITV4, NBC, C-Span and ABC.. The Royal College of Psychiatry has recently published two of his works. He has recently become a host on the Point Of Life Show at Voice America.
He now resides in Florida and you can find him at: http://www.pointoflife.com
An occasional contributor to our Issues Section writing on political topics.
At First Prague International Poetry Festival (left to right): Munayem Mayenin (UK), Oystein Hague (Norway), Gaby Bila-Gunather (Germany/Australia) and Leah Gold (USA).
The Poetry Society
International Society For Philosophers
The Philosophical Society of England
Authors Den
You can find him at: www.munayemmayenin.com
