7th & Cherry Publishing Council

MARK BRAUN

Mark is the Executive Director of The Old Timers’ Baseball Association of Chicago, the club which traces its roots to the 1869 signing by Tom Foley of Chicago’s original nine professional baseball players. He has been a member since 1978, succeeding Joe Molitor Jr. The organization continues to provide resource material for research projects, books (Three Finger, The Mordecai Brown Story) and film (We Believe for John Scheinfeld, Wait ‘Til Next Year for HBO Sports).

Mark is a published artist for DC (Looney Toons, Tiny Toon Adventures, Bugs Bunny Magazine), Marvel (Marvels Epilogue), and other publishers (Real Ghostbusters, Slimer!, Space Parol, Married With Children, Balloonatiks among many) over a span of 30 years.

Mark is the (retiring) Associate Publisher of Food Industry News. He has served on Selective Service, Triton College Community Advisory Board and was instrumental in the building of the Eisenhower Public Library where he continues to serve as President of the Board of Trustees

Mark Braun, as well as his family, is a “frequent flyer” seen in Alex Ross projects from MARVELS (Phil Sheldon), Astro City, Superman: Peace on Earth, Kingdom Come (Ted Cord/ The Blue Beetle) and others.

Mark has helped guide talented, driven creators and is happy to listen to people who are pushing their own vision to new success.

TOM THOMSON

Tom Thomson has over 30 years’ experience in application development, database design, information technology infrastructure support and security. As an advisor on technical and computer issues for 7th & Cherry Publishing may encounter, Tom serves as a problem-solver and innovator.

He is married to author Cindy Thomson, with whom he has researched and experienced the ins and outs of independent publishing. They live in Central Ohio where Tom, if he’s not helping his wife format a book or clean up a spreadsheet, can often be found on weekends and evenings at home or at their sons’ houses enjoying family projects.

JOSHUA JORDAN

Joshua Jordan is an American Comic Book Artist and Creator, as well as a Disney Artist with Disney’s Animal Kingdom Animation Experience.. After publishing his own comic book series in print, he launched a web comic version along with hosting a variety of podcasts and illustrating a children’s book, The Very First Night Before Christmas.

Joshua is also an avid blogger featured on the website www.theacrcadearchives.com . The blogs eventually developed into a web-based comic called Tales from the Game Grid, which celebrated the active video game players community.

Joshua has hosted and co-hosted many podcasts, including the monthly podcast Beyond the Start Button. His latest endeavor is the creation and overseeing of the writing, drawing, and coloring an original comic series titled The Blue Flame Legends. After its debut in April 2017, The Blue Flame Legends will be published as a bi-yearly series. www.facebook.com/theblueflamelegends

YOLONDA TONETTE SANDERS

Yolonda Tonette Sanders is an Ohio native whose writing debut came in 2005 with the release of her first book, Soul Matters. In 2008, Yolonda launched Yo Productions, LLC (Yo Pro), to create a stage adaptation of her debut novel. The company has since evolved into a multi-faceted organization that offers services for novice to experienced writers.

In addition to running Yo Pro, Yolonda is the founder of the annual Women’s Weekend Writeaway; co-founder of the yearly Faith and Fellowship Book Festival; and editor for Urban Ministries, Inc.

Currently Yolonda is seeking her PhD in organizational leadership and is expected to finish her coursework in 2020. Of all her roles, her favorite are those she has with her husband David, adult children Tre and Tia, and grandson Khari. www.yoproductions.net