AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT

Authors we recommend and support.

JOHN MARIOTTI

John L. Mariotti is the President, CEO, and Founder of The Enterprise Group, a coalition of time-shared executive advisors™, established in 1994. He has served as a director on several corporate boards, including roles as Chairman of World Kitchen, and board positions at Henkel Consumer Adhesives, Doskocil/Petmate, Levick Strategic Communications, Union Tools, and HomeCare Industries.

Before founding The Enterprise Group, Mariotti was President of the Rubbermaid Office Products Group (1992–1994), overseeing nine multinational divisions across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Previously, as President of Huffy Bicycles (1982–1992), he led the company to global leadership as the largest bicycle manufacturer in the world, pioneering industry practices in global sourcing, total quality management, lean production, and mass customization.

John holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bradley University and a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin. Early in his career, he worked in electronics research and development at Automatic Electric Laboratories, followed by significant roles at L.R. Nelson Corporation, guiding its growth and acquisitions over 12 years.

Mariotti is an accomplished author with ten published books, including award-winning business titles such as The Shape Shifters—Continuous Change for Competitive Advantage, recognized among the “Top Ten Resources for Leaders,” and The Complexity Crisis, selected as one of the “Best Business Books” by Soundview Executive Summaries. His novel, The Chinese Conspiracy, explores the chilling potential of cyber-terrorism.

His writings have appeared extensively in publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Business Week, IndustryWeek, and Executive Excellence. He has been a columnist for IndustryWeek, American Management Association, Fortune Small Business, and American Express Open Forum, among others.

Mariotti’s expertise has been featured on national media platforms such as CNBC’s Today’s Business and Power Lunch, MSNBC’s Your Business, and he hosted his own radio program, The Life of Business and the Business of Life.

Since 2001, he has published the weekly newsletter THE ENTERPRISE, now available publicly via his blog “Telling It Like It Is!”. He also hosted the prestigious, invitation-only executive gathering known as The Reunion Conference™ for sixteen years.

John Mariotti continues to inspire audiences through his keynote speaking, consulting engagements, and published insights, emphasizing practical wisdom for business leaders around the world.

What happens when nothing works?

John Mariotti’s gripping thriller, The Chinese Conspiracy, explores this terrifying question.

Imagine a world plunged suddenly into chaos—every form of electronic communication and computerized control simultaneously disabled. This nightmare scenario becomes chilling reality in John Mariotti’s riveting novel, The Chinese Conspiracy. As panic sweeps through America, the U.S. government stands temporarily paralyzed, helpless against a shadowy global extortion plot.

The story begins intimately, capturing the anguish of families in a small American town devastated by a plant closure, but soon escalates into a far-reaching crisis involving China and Pakistan. Mariotti’s skillful blending of human drama, authentic global tensions, and realistic portrayals of contemporary technologies lends disturbing credibility to this powerful narrative.

Less immediately deadly than the terrorist attacks of 9/11 yet infinitely more disruptive, The Chinese Conspiracy thrusts readers into an unsettlingly plausible cyber-terror scenario. In the tradition of thriller masters Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn, Mariotti expertly balances fast-paced action, political intrigue, and deep human emotions. This gripping story might not only keep you awake into the early hours—it might compel you to urgently reconnect with loved ones, assuming your devices still work.

“I love stories about conspiracies that could possibly happen, and this one weaves a tale that will keep you on the edge of your seat! I went through this book so fast my head was spinning afterwards! A fantastic read I’ll cherish and share.” — Katherine
“Not since The Manchurian Candidate have I encountered such a compelling thriller on global conspiracy. Mariotti masterfully ties his high-speed narrative to the urgent reality of cyber warfare. This novel is a critical wake-up call for society.” — Richard S. Levick, President & CEO, Levick Strategic Communications; author of The Communicators: Leadership in the Age of Crisis
“Mariotti combines the intrigue of John Grisham, the gritty intensity of Mickey Spillane, and the technological savvy of Tom Clancy.” — Tom Quinn
“A fascinating glimpse into the warfare of tomorrow. This novel compellingly illustrates how the outcomes of future conflicts will be decided long before the first shot is fired.” — Paul Broadbent, Former Senior CIA/Defense Intelligence Program Manager
“America is under constant siege in the escalating cyber war. Mariotti vividly captures the frightening reality of continuous digital attacks by hackers, criminals, and foreign adversaries.” — Jon Stout, Aspiration Software LLC
“A chilling narrative highlighting the dangers lurking behind our ever-growing dependency on the Internet and technology.” — Calvin Myer, Co-founder, WorldWide Ltd.
“A profoundly unsettling vision of nation-state terrorists weaponizing technology as ‘Weapons of Mass Disruption.’ Disturbingly plausible—may we act swiftly enough to prevent it.” — Ed Straw, Vice Admiral, USN (Retired)

DANIEL HARRY

Daniel Harry is the author of The Jesus Ring, Shadows, and Ramblings of an Old Poot. He lives in Port Lavaca, Texas, with his wife, Cathy. Known for his sharp wit and knack for storytelling, Daniel has penned numerous humorous short stories and is set to release two new novels in late 2024.

Born in San Angelo and raised in the rugged oilfields of Odessa, West Texas, Daniel brings a lifetime of real-world grit to his writing. For over forty years, he has led his own companies and written technical documents focused on oil and gas, chemical processing, power generation, and specialty gas plant construction, as well as industrial inspection and testing.

A proud U.S. Navy veteran, Daniel is an active supporter of several veterans’ programs. When he’s not writing, you’ll likely find him fishing, prospecting, or tinkering with inventions he jokingly admits “probably won’t ever sell—but sure are fun to build.”

SHADOWS – The Myth Awakens

SHADOWS – The Myth Awakens, a mystery-horror-thriller, is a tale of a most unique creature like you’ve never imagined. Now we’re not safe anywhere!
A mythical monster of the southeastern US American Indian tribes has risen in our modern times. The creature is awakened by a rare meteorological event and has discovered an egress point from its earthly lair to its prey through one of the most common devices used by humans.

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” Of your unspoken words you are the master; of your spoken word the servant; and of your written word the slave.”
-Quaker Proverb

GEORGE SCHNAIDER

The inspiration for my poetry is God. I believe that God has showered me with countless blessings, one of the most profound being a unique perspective on life. Many of us journey through life witnessing events we cannot fully comprehend, myself included. I once struggled to make sense of why certain things happened to me.

But then, there came a moment of revelation—a deep understanding of life that God granted me. I began to see the reasons behind my past, the meaning of the present, and the promise of the future. We often hear stories of miraculous survival—a person hit by a car who walks away, or someone who plummets from the sky without a functioning parachute, yet somehow lives. People tend to call these instances “luck,” but I believe luck plays no part. Such individuals are spared by the grace of God. I, too, have a story to share.

On November 3, 1984, I was walking along the side of the road when a car struck me from behind. The impact left me with seven fractures in my left leg, four fractures in my pelvis, and a traumatic brain injury. I spent three weeks in a coma, four weeks attached to life support, seven months in the hospital, and two and a half years in rehabilitation. Slowly, I emerged from that coma and began a long road to recovery. While I lost my sense of smell due to brain damage, I regained enough strength to live a normal life—not through luck, but because I was saved by God’s divine hand.

This experience reshaped my entire existence, granting me a newfound appreciation for life and igniting a powerful desire to build a closer relationship with God. Both my recovery and my spiritual journey have deeply influenced the poems I write, each one a reflection of my gratitude, faith, and love for the Almighty.

I hope these poems resonate with you and bring a touch of divine inspiration into your life. May God bless you abundantly.

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”
–Anaïs Nin

JULI-ANN GASPER

Way Up North Where the Kittiwakes Play

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Juli-Ann Gasper grew up in a family with a passion for exploration, spending her childhood summers on immersive camping trips to national parks. These annual three- to four-week excursions sparked her curiosity for geology, flora, fauna, and local cultures, as the family camped under the stars, cooked over campfires, and hiked through forests and canyons. These formative experiences laid the foundation for a lifelong love of adventure and learning.

Her 32-year career at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, showcased her dedication to education. Juli-Ann was always ahead of the curve, adopting emerging technologies to engage students in new and exciting ways. She was the first professor at the university to create a web page for her classes and received wide-eyed amazement from students when she inserted a YouTube video into a PowerPoint lecture. Beyond the classroom, her teaching experience included four semesters in the Dominican Republic and a research trip to Costa Rica, where she studied women’s cooperative businesses.

Now in her second career as a fabric artist, Juli-Ann continues to draw inspiration from nature and her travels. She developed a unique technique called layered cutaway, where up to 10 pieces of fabric are stitched together, layer by layer, creating stunning three-dimensional art. Her subjects often reflect the landscapes, animals, and plants encountered on her journeys, including the Arctic north, which inspired the book on which this bio is based. Over the past two decades, she has sold more than 200 pieces of art.

Retirement hasn’t slowed Juli-Ann’s thirst for adventure. She and her husband regularly embark on travel expeditions, often with their adult children. A cherished tradition is to bring home an alphabet book from each destination for the family who takes care of their home during their travels. When no such book was available during their Arctic journey, Juli-Ann decided to write one herself.

The 2023 edition of her book, Way Up North, features expanded content that includes discussions on the effects of climate change on the plants and animals she encountered, along with links to interactive activities for both children and adults.