Robert Kerbeck
Robert Kerbeck is the founder of the Malibu Writers Circle and a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. Kerbeck’s work earned him a mentorship by the managing editor of the highly-esteemed Tin House.
Kerbeck’s first person account of the Woolsey Fire was read by over a million people as an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times.
His essays and short stories have been featured in the Atticus Review, Narratively, Cimarron Review, and The Normal School. His short story, Reconnected, was adapted into a film and appeared at film festivals worldwide. He is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio and an award-winning actor.
In addition to his writing and acting career, Robert is the CEO and founder of a research and corporate intelligence firm. His experience providing strategic corporate intelligence as a trusted business advisor has given him a one-of-a-kind perspective into investigative journalism. His upcoming book is a thrilling look into the extraordinary and riveting world of corporate spying.
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Robert resides in Malibu. Learn more about him and his work at RobertKerbeck.com.
Michael Bland
Michael is a founding member and the secretary of BookPod, an invitation-only, online group of professional writers. He writes the monthly BookPod newsletter where he celebrates the success of their members, which include award-winning writers, film makers, journalists, and bestselling authors.
Michael is the newest member of a class of fresh perspective writers getting their first major exposure to a national audience. One of his short stories, “Elizabeth”, won Honorable Mention in Writer’s Digest 2015 Popular Fiction Awards contest. Three of the short stories he edited have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. Another story he edited was adapted into an award-winning film.
He also had three superhero-themed poems published on The Daily Palette.
Michael currently lives in Denver with his wife Janelle and their dog Nobu.
His novel, The Price of Safety, is the first in a planned trilogy.
