HEIDI KURPIELA BARDI, Freelance Journalist
The humorous and clever Heidi takes another turn at the Story Time mic after her resoundingly well received and hilarious tale of courtship for CL's "Fate and Fortune" Story Time. She's also the wife of CL Managing/Online Editor Joe Bardi.
HOLLEY SINN, Host of Studio 10, says in her bio that her most memorable career moments include searching for her composure over the first Studio 10 visit from Indigo Girls and totally nerding out over both Colin Hay and Richard Marx. "Oh...and the dog-riding cowboy monkeys. I mean seriously, there is nothing cuter."
LIFE MALCOLM Host of Black on Black Rhyme
He's a walking maelstrom of charisma as host of Tampa's Black and Black Rhyme and a no-nonsense activist. Expect nothing less than arresting.
ANDA PETERSON, USF professor and writer
CL A&E Editor Julie Garisto discovered Ms. Peterson at a literary event planned by friend and colleague Gina Vivinetto. She grabbed hold of the audience with her vivid and confident prose that relied on no gimmicks or fluff to get attention. She's a writer's writer, for sure.
IRA SUKRUNGRUANG, associate professor at USF and writer
Another writer's writer, Sukrungruang coordinates his own reading nights in the Tampa Bay area and has blessed the local literary scene with biographically inspired works like Thai Boy, which has that great intro all writers strive for: "My mother was a champion bowler in Thailand. This was not what I knew of her. I knew only her expectations of me to be the perfect Thai boy. I knew her distaste for blonde American women she feared would seduce her son."
JULIE GARISTO, CL A&E EDITOR
As a teenager, she danced in new wave clubs, wore old dresses from thrift stores, fishnets and lots of Aqua Net in her hair. From then until now, Julie's work has taken her in and out of the various cultural pockets of Tampa Bay. So, not only does she offer an informed, idiosyncratic and opinionated perspective, she has a fond appreciation of the efforts and determination that go into getting projects off the ground — as well as a deep respect for the locals who go the extra mile.
Read a recent 83 Degrees informative feature about the CL Story Time series at 83degreesmedia.com/features/loaf040312.aspx
For a full schedule of the week's events and to purchase tickets, visit http://cltampa.com/birthday. Buy ticket in advance here.