Barbara A. Rouillard lives in Springfield with her husband William.  An award-winning writer, Barbara has over 100 publishing credits and has read her work throughout New England and New York.  Retiring in 2015, Ms. Rouillard was a public high school special education teacher for over 30 years.  She is politically active in her community and volunteers at a local domestic violence women’s shelter as a playpal for their children.  

Lisa Ekus is a self-proclaimed book hoarder and avid reader of fiction. She has lived and worked in the valley for almost 45 years. Lisa was the founder of The Ekus Group, a full-service culinary agency specializing in representing cookbook authors and chefs, until she retired in 2023. Lisa is the proud owner of more than 7,000 cookbooks and holds the Guinness Book of World Records for largest personal cookbook collection in the world. She has welcomed chefs from around the globe to her kitchen and table, and once cooked a ten-course Chinese meal for Julia Child.

Barbara A. Rouillard lives in Springfield with her husband William. An award-winning writer, Barbara has over 100 publishing credits and has read her work throughout New England and New York. Retiring in 2015, Ms. Rouillard was a public high school special education teacher for over 30 years. She is politically active in her community and volunteers at a local domestic violence women’s shelter as a playpal for their children.

Lisa Ekus is a self-proclaimed book hoarder and avid reader of fiction. She has lived and worked in the valley for almost 45 years. Lisa was the founder of The Ekus Group, a full-service culinary agency specializing in representing cookbook authors and chefs, until she retired in 2023. Lisa is the proud owner of more than 7,000 cookbooks and holds the Guinness Book of World Records for largest personal cookbook collection in the world. She has welcomed chefs from around the globe to her kitchen and table, and once cooked a ten-course Chinese meal for Julia Child.