I have been an elementary teacher in the Avon Grove School District in West Grove, Pennsylvania, for nearly 20 years. During that time I've taught all subjects to fourth and fifth grade students.   I have always been a writer in my spare time.   When I was younger, I read and wrote a lot of science fiction and fantasy, and I’ve always had an interest in ghost stories and the supernatural. I also had a fascination with hoaxes and frauds. In more recent years, I have developed an interest in reading historical fiction. As a fifth grade teacher, one of my favorite units is world exploration. So, in the end, it’s not surprising that my first published novel, High Spirits, revolves around historical persons involved in supernatural events (that might actually be a hoax) and includes a character who is an explorer.  In Feb 2009, I sold the rights to High Spirits to Sourcebooks Inc.  A second edition will be released in the spring of 2010.   In a quest to forge some connections with other independent authors, I accidentally helped to found the Independent Authors Guild in 2007. IAG is a cooperative association of authors and independent publishers who support and encourage each other and engage in cross-promotions.  Connections made through IAG opened up two wonderful opportunities for me:   I was invited to join the review team at POD Book Reviews and More.   I was encouraged to submit short stories to a new pulp fiction anthology series published by Strider Nolan Media. In February 2009, I was pleased to announce the publication of my horror short story "The Necromancer" in Volume 1 of Visions: Chronicles of a Visionary Universe.  Two more short stories are under consideration for future volumes, and a sequel to "The Necromancer" has already been requested.   I live with my husband and two daughters in West Grove, Pennsylvania. I have the obligatory writer's cat, who is black and named Maui, because my oldest daughter has a "thing" about Hawaii. 

First Place in Teen Fiction, 2007 Reader Views Literary Awards for High Spirits: A Tale of Ghostly Rapping and Romance

Dianne K. Salerni is a founding member of the Independent Authors Guild