The RV Book Fair 2024 Panel 2, Comfort, Encourage, and Inspire: Authors Sharing Stories that Uplift and Empower, brings together a remarkable lineup of literary voices and creative leaders shaping the storytelling landscape. Moderated by the dynamic Rick Incorvia and Lucia Matuonto, this panel explores the profound impact of stories that heal, motivate, and inspire. Featuring accomplished speakers like Jan Carroza, Elizabeth H. Cottrell, Chimnese Davids, and Patrick Greenwood, the session promises a tapestry of insights from diverse backgrounds, each dedicated to using their craft to foster resilience and connection. This discussion is a celebration of the written word’s power to uplift and transform lives.
Jan Carroza
Jan Carroza is an accomplished author and ROI-driven ad campaign manager with over two decades of experience in traditional advertising, direct response campaign supervision, digital marketing, and social media creation and implementation. She has worked with clients such as M&M Mars, Volvo, Time-Life, Soloflex, Blue Cross, Braun, Sears, Peninsula Hotels, Kemper Financial Services, and American Express. Jan is the author of “Rockin’ ROI: How to Bootstrap Ecommerce with Performance-based Marketing,” a guide that helps e-commerce entrepreneurs navigate marketing strategies to capture leads and sales profitably.
She has also taught Media Planning at Pepperdine University’s Malibu campus and has spoken at various retail, privacy, and media conventions.
Find out more at Instagram @jancarroza
Rick Incorvia
Rick Incorvia As one of nine children growing up in the 70’s, Rick was surrounded by a cast of characters where controlled chaos was the status quo. He felt that if he didn’t create his own identity, he would get lost in the crowd. Admittedly, he was a bit of a troublemaker and sometimes liked being lost in the crowd, or at least unaccounted for. If he wasn’t scheming a plot to prank a sibling, he was imagining himself as 007 or an Ocean’s Eleven participant. His brothers and sisters say his favorite line is …”just imagine.”
Rick is a born storyteller. Book number five, The Traveler’s Best Seller, reflects his boundless creativity as he introduces historical characters in real-life situations. He takes you on exciting adventures in dreamlike fantasies with intoxicating detail. Rick’s ability to “keep it real” and yet take readers to the edge, has thrilled his cult following.
Find out more at site www.authorrickincorvia.com
Lucia Matuonto
Lucia Matuonto is the creator and host of The Relatable Voice Podcast and Catch The Story! Podcast, as well as the founder and CEO of Relatable Media LLC. She is also the producer and chief editor of The Relatable Voice Magazine and The RV Book Fair. Anaward-winning author and entrepreneur, Lucia has published five books, including the beloved Zoe the Crab series and Out of The Box, A New World. Her latest book, Homegrown Superheroes, is set to be released soon.
In addition to her podcasting ventures, she hosts UNCUT with Lucia, where she spotlights unique voices and stories. Lucia’s passion for storytelling and connecting creatives shines through her work, making her a cherished figure in the literary and podcasting communities.
Know more at site www.relatable-media.com
Chimnese Davids
Chimnese Davids was born in Retreat, Cape Town, South Africa. She completed her studies at Varsity College, Rondebosch in Accounting and Finance finding her roots in tourism since 2021. She had achieved many accolades through her clientele. The writing bug bit in her early childhood, when she would use stories to make up worlds unknown to herself. She had been an administrator and blog reviewer for an American poetry community called “Jingle Poetry & Gooseberry Gardens”. The world’s largest poetry community, Allpoetry.com, took her poetry to another level when she started to meet up with publisher/poet, Myra Lochner, owner of KREATIV SA. Chimnese has published two KREATIV SA poetry titles, “Muses of Wandering Passions” and “No greater love than this”, as well as her memoirs, “Redeeming Soul”. Her organization, “Kingdom Writers Explorer”, assists up and coming writers by sharing her knowledge from years of experience. She has been writing for almost 20 years. Chimnese after years of assisting aspiring writers to get published, joined the publishing community in her new editorial position and believe that many more great manuscripts will be produced through her hands.
Find out more at Instagram @chimneseauthordavids
Elizabeth H. Cottrell
Elizabeth H. Cottrell is the author of “Heartspoken” and a blogger at Heartspoken.com. Born on a Virginia cattle farm, she cultivated a deep connection to nature and community. Elizabeth studied Biology at Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and earned a Master’s in Human Anatomy from Tulane School of Medicine, where she contributed to leprosy research.
She and her husband, Dr. John Cottrell, returned to Virginia, where she became active in local organizations, serving on nonprofit boards and as a Shenandoah County School Board member for nine years. In 2016, she became the first female Board Chair of First Bank.
Elizabeth is dedicated to her work with the Shenandoah Community Foundation, her church, and the Moore Educational Trust, bringing her values of connection and service to her writing and community involvement. Find out more at heartspoken.com.
Patrick Greenwood
Patrick Greenwood is an author and former global technology engineer with over 25 years of experience in sales, engineering, support, and design.
His debut novel, “Sunrise in Saigon”, published in November 2022, is a historical fiction romance with suspense, drawing from his experiences cycling in various countries. The story begins in 1975 with eleven-year-old Jack Kendall’s curiosity about the Vietnam War and the fate of Catholic nuns who helped orphans escape Saigon. Greenwood’s second novel, “Shores of Okinawa”, released in September 2024, delves into the world of cyberterrorism and its potential dangers. For more information, visit his official website at cyclewriterllc.com