Local authors to highlight Berkshire’s Blueberry and Book Festival

Local authors who will be on hand at the Berkshire Blueberry and Book Festival, planned for July 24 in Berkshire, include returning authors Lenora Riegel, Karen Bernardo, M. L. Stoughton, and, new this year, Airian and Michael Eastman.

What began as Lenora Riegel’s search for living a lifelong dream turned into a series of children’s books. After 35 years in engineering, she spends her time writing and drawing. Her “Tales from the Finger Lakes” stories exemplify coping skills, mindfulness, authenticity, bravery, and growth mindset. Reading together helps children deal with stress and anxiety. Pepper The Salt Potato accepts himself for who he is. In Quaver Has A Feeling, Quaver explores his emotions through music. There’s more! 

Karen Bernardo, retired director of the Coburn Free Library in Owego, lives in Vestal with her husband David and two cats. She has published two cozy mystery novels and a mystery novella (a short novel) for adults, as well as three books for children. Karen also has completed a collection of short stories, which should be available for pre-order by the date of the Blueberry Festival. She writes, “I love to talk to readers and other writers, so I hope to see you at the Festival.”

M.L. Stoughton, who was at several earlier festivals, writes young adult paranormal romance. Her debut, Pleasantwick won a gold medal in the 2017 Readers’ Favorite awards. In 2019 she added a new genre to her list. Publishing as Michele Lindsey, her first release, Yetta’s Yearning remained in Amazon’s top #100 for American Historical Romance for five months, launching her “Sunsets and Saddles” series.

Airian Eastman’s Forever Family Trilogy is Contemporary Romance, which follows three generations in a single family. The setting is a small town in Central New York, paying homage to the heart of the community she loves. Heller Maple Farms: a Family Legacy is a non-fiction story and back yard guide to making maple syrup. Airian’s family was once the largest maple producer in Cortland County, home to the Marathon Maple Festival. Husband Michael Eastman debuts his first novel Death Unbound: Arc-Light Saga Book One as a co-write with Airian. This is the first in a five book dark fiction series. This book is set in Ithaca, N.Y., but subsequent books will take readers on a worldwide journey. In addition to these works Airian also has two stories in an incoming Dark Fiction Anthology by Witching Hour Press and a Steampunk Trilogy (the first book of which is to be released this fall). 

Richard Mickelson, Pamela Morris, and Charles Yaple will join authors Riegel, Bernardo, Stoughton, and the Eastmans at the festival. The Festival, in a modified form this year, is July 24 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Berkshire Fire Station and Berkshire Free Library lawn, located on State Route 38. Festival information can be found at www.berkshirefreelibrary.org.