Daren Wang, Publisher and Editor of Verb, has brought literary luminaries to public radio audiences across the country since 1993.
In the early 1990’s Wang produced his first National Public Radio program: “Circle of Friends,” hosted by actor Cliff Robertson, with commentary from literary notables including George Plimpton and Kurt Vonnegut.
Wang hit the road for 2 years starting in 1997 to record “Porches: The South and Her Writers,” a 13-part series distributed nationally to public radio stations. “Porches” included interviews with and profiles of James Dickey, Reynolds Price, Lee Smith, Padget Powell, Larry Brown, Charles Frazier, Clyde Edgerton, Kaye Gibbons, Lewis Nordan, Barry Hannah, Josephine Humphreys, and Sally Fitzgerald.
In 2000 he launched “Between The Lines” with Valerie Jackson. This weekly book show featured guests including President Jimmy Carter and Alice Walker.
In 2001, Wang created “ArtVoice,” a weekly series on WABE Radio that explored Atlanta’s art scene. The same year, he launched “The Spoken Word.” This weekly syndicated public radio series, featured readings recorded throughout the country including such luminaries as Philip Glass, Billy Collins, Patricia Cornwell and Donna Tartt.
In 2005 Wang launched Verb, an audio literary journal of fiction, poetry and music that will be available through University of Georgia Press and Audible.com. He founded The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival and serves as its executive director.
Wang is a graduate of Cornell University. He lives in Decatur, Georgia with his wife Eva.
William W. Starr is the executive director of the Georgia Center for the Book. An Advisory Council of distinguished authors, librarians, publishers, scholars and journalists assist in designing programs and activities around the state.
Among the partners with the Center are the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, Agnes Scott College in Decatur, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Little White House in Warm Springs, the University of Georgia, the DeKalb Historical Society, Chattahoochee Review and Spoken Word Productions.
The Center for the Book aims to be a focal point for promoting collaboration among those citizens and organizations interested in the state's historical and contemporary literary communities and in promoting the value of the book as a central element in American culture.
Linda Harris is a 18-year marketing and communications professional and serves as the Assistant Director of Community & Economic Development for the City of Decatur. She received her undergraduate degree in English Literature/Creative Writing from Agnes Scott College and her masters in communication from Georgia State University. She is a former columnist and stringer for a weekly newspaper and has written features for variety of local newspapers and magazines.
She serves as President of the City County Communications & Marketing Association (3CMA), a national organization of government communications and marketing professionals.
She is the immediate past chair of the Wrens Nest House Museum/Joel Chandler Harris Association Honorary Advisory Board. She is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb and active in a variety of civic organizations including Decatur Rotary.
Linda oversees Decatur’s community development and quality of life programs including Volunteer! Decatur and Special Events. She works with existing Decatur businesses on marketing and advertising programs, business development, special promotions and events to enhance the business climate.
She coordinates the city’s marketing, communications, education and outreach efforts including the monthly newsletter, website, annual report, and Kids Activity Book, and directs the Decatur 101 public education program.
Alice Murray is Business Development Director for Lenz Marketing, Public Relations and Design. Alice joined Lenz in September 2007 after retiring from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution where she worked for 26 years.
In her years with the AJC, she worked throughout the company, starting as reporter for The Atlanta Constitution. Throughout the 1990s, she managed the company’s Special Sections and Advertising Creative departments. She joined the marketing department in 2000 and was Marketing Director for Administration, Marketing Director for the AJC’s Spanish-language publication, MundoHispánico, and Media Buyer.
Alice is originally from Cleveland, Tennessee, and is a journalism graduate of Auburn University.
She is a member of the board of directors of The Empty Stocking Fund and Georgia Shakespeare. She served as chair of the AJC United Way campaign in 2003 and has served on the boards of the DeKalb Council for the Arts and Our House, a daycare facility for homeless children and their families. She is a graduate of the Leadership DeKalb Class of 2006.
Alice is a resident of Decatur.
Richard J. Lenz is founder, president, and CEO of Lenz, Inc., a full-service advertising, marketing, and public relations firm based in Decatur, Georgia.
For the past 15 years, Lenz has brought effective integrated marketing to businesses and cause-oriented organizations primarily in the fields of medicine, conservation, and education. A recognized innovator in the marketing field, Lenz helps clients reach their goals with the skilled use of cutting edge marketing tools including creative design, public relations, advertising, promotions, multimedia, and events. His company has lobbied in Washington, D.C. and has brought fundraising expertise to a variety of causes.
Lenz, an award-winning writer who has studied with Allen Ginsberg, Peter Taylor, and Robert Dana, is the author of two books and co-author of eight others. He has written numerous magazine and newspaper articles on a wide variety of subjects in the areas of conservation, politics, education, and healthcare marketing. He has won awards for photography and design as well.
Because of his love for the written word and the City of Decatur, Lenz joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival Board of Directors in 2005 to help steer Decatur's first literary festival with his expertise in branding, marketing communications, fundraising, and events. More information about his company can be found at www.lenzmarketing.com.
Lenz is a graduate of the University of Georgia, is married to Dr. Wendy Hawke Lenz, and has four children, Laura, Claire, Kristen, and Eric.
Thomas Bell is a freelance writer of short fiction, creative nonfiction, speeches, arts criticism, humor, and feature stories. He is also a radio commentator and a public speaker. He covers topics from books, dance and opera to boxing and home improvement.
Bell is a book critic and contributing writer with Creative Loafing (www.creativeloafing.com) in both Atlanta, Georgia, and Charlotte, North Carolina. After getting his start in radio as a frequent guest on “Air Loaf” (a daily arts and politics show on WWAA, Atlanta's Air America affiliate), Bell was soon picked up as a regular commentator on “The Spoken Word,” a syndicated weekly literary radio show heard on 40 public radio stations across the country. (www.spokenwordradio.org)
In 2005, The Duck & Herring Co. promoted Bell to the rank of Sergeant-at-Arms (a.k.a. production editor) of its Pocket Field Guides, seasonal literary field guides for the soul. His duties include production editing, web development, copy writing, and scripting and voice work for the podcast serial show “The Pirates of the Seven Aunts.” (www.duckandherring.com)
Bell is a contributing editor of the Chattahoochee Review and an assistant editor of Verb: An Audioquarterly. His work has also appeared in the English Journal, the Journal of General Education, Gambit Weekly, Atlanta-Intown, Skirt, and Break Magazine.
Bell gives a popular series of pre-opera lectures before performances by the Atlanta Opera.
A National Merit Scholar, Bell earned his B.A. in English, graduating with honors from Carleton College, consistently ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. He was also certified to teach secondary education. As a College Teaching Fellow in Florida State University's Interdisciplinary Program in the Humanities, Bell earned his M.A. with an emphasis in intellectual history.
Bell is a co-founder of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Decatur Book Festival, Co-Chair of the Programming Committee, and member of the Board of Directors.
He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
For clips and more information, go to www.lexiconic.com
A native of Decatur, Turner has been in banking in the Atlanta metro area for 40 years. She began her career in 1965 with the Citizens and Southern National Bank (now Bank of America). In 1993, she went to work for Bank South (now Bank of America). In 1996, after Bank South was acquired, she formed a group of local business leaders that raised $9.4 million in stock to start a bank for their community. She currently serves as President and CEO and is a member of the Honorary Advisory Board.
Her current community involvement includes Decatur Rotary, The Decatur Education Foundation, the DeKalb Housing Authority, Decatur Hospital, DeKalb Medical Center Foundation, DeKalb Historical Society, Leadership DeKalb, Pro-Active DeKalb and the DeKalb Development Authority, where she serves as Vice Chair. She is also an active member of the Georgia Bankers Association, the Independent Community Bankers Association and a director for the Community Bankers Association.
Turner has worked in the City of Decatur in banking for 19 years. She has always been very active in the community. She was the first woman to be President of the Decatur Rotary Club and the Decatur Business Association, has served as President of the Community Center of South Decatur and helped form the South Decatur Community Development Corporation where she served as Treasurer and Director. One of her more challenging community roles was serving as President and Acting Executive Director of the DeKalb Council for the Arts during some troubled years for this organization. Her most rewarding role was working with the South Decatur community through both the Community Center and the Community Development Corporation. Because of this involvement, she was invited to be part of The Atlanta Project where she worked closely with the Decatur Cluster Advisor, Mrs. Rosalynn Carter, and was later asked to be on The Atlanta Project Advisory Board at the Carter Center.
Turner lives in Decatur with her husband, Roy. They have a daughter, Sherry Storey and twin grandchildren, Lukas and Alyssa Storey.
Web site by Lenz
