In January 2001, frustrated because no writer’s group in the Central Bucks County area offered a workable format for critiquing entire novels, five novel writers formed The Rebel Writers of Bucks County. We have met once a month ever since. The concept works. Two of the initial five members are either published or in the process of being published. (40% is not bad) The rest are in the editing/ querying process.

Damian McNicholl was the first to be published with A Son Called Gabriel in 2004. In a two book deal, Marie Lamba’s YA novel, What I Meant is scheduled for publication in summer 2007 followed closely by a sequel.

In alphabetical order, Chris Bauer, Jeanne Denault, Marie Lamba, Dave Jarrett and Damian McNicholl are the original members. John Wirebach joined in September 2003. A seventh member joined in January 2006 but left the group eleven months later. .

Chris Bauer likes writers’ contests. His commercial paranormal mystery Scars on the Face of God garnered two 2005 first place finishes: the Maryland Writers Association’s Novel contest (Action/Adventure/Horror) and the Writers Room of Bucks County’s Novel Competition. Chris is working on his third novel, a mystery about reincarnation, second chances, and what might happen if a person could be reborn to a place and time where she was needed the most. Chris promises to glorify—nay, deify—his agent in whatever manner his agent chooses (acknowledgements, dedications, renaming of first born) and will start right here in this humble bio just as soon as an agent will have him.

Jeanne Denault spent ten years as a visiting nurse in New York City. She was paid to ask fascinating people personal questions and go places few writers are lucky enough to see. She has stories published in nationally distributed nursing magazines and is working on a memoir about raising a son with Asperger Syndrome before it was recognized.

Marie Lamba is a freelance writer whose articles have appeared in national magazines including Writer's Digest and Garden Design. Her first young adult novel, What I Meant... (Random House Children's Books) will appear in summer 2007, and she is currently at work on its sequel. Marie's website can be reached here.

David Jarret is a manufacturers’ agent for industrial and commercial materials of construction. He

lives on Bucks County, PA with his wife. He has three children. He has completed one novel and two-dozen short stories.

Damian McNicholl was born and educated in Northern Ireland and has a law degree from University College, Cardiff. His first novel, A SON CALLED GABRIEL, (CDS Books) is set in war-torn 1970s Northern Ireland and tells the story of increasingly corrosive family secrets. The novel is an American Booksellers Association Book Sense Pick, was finalist in the Lambda Literary Awards and independent publishers ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards. He has appeared on CBS, WYBE, NPR, and other national outlets about his work. He is currently at work on both a second novel and the adaptation of his published novel for the theater. Damian has a site here and a very active and interesting blog here.

John Wirebach teaches literature and composition at Bucks County Community College. Before that he was the senior editor of Automotive Marketing magazine. He hopes to write a novel in which the Big Chill meets the Big Sleep.