Contributor Bios
Alycin Hayes
Alycin Hayes, Echo Hill Productions Creative Director, an award winning author and filmmaker was born into a theatrical family.
In her teens Alycin worked in the property department of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada. She went on to create props in Hollywood for Disney. Later in her career, she became the Associate Producer of Live Oak Theatre in Austin, Texas.
Alycin has spent her life exploring and adventuring all over the world. She studied yoga in India, Drama at the University of Texas, is a Certified Reiki Practitioner and has a degree in Zoo Animal Technology. Her animal behavior research has been published internationally. When not exploring internationally she works in wildlife conservation and rewilding her farm/wildlife reserve in rural Ontario, Canada.
Alycin has performed her original music in United States, Canada, Iceland, Thailand, Malaysia and France with a wide range of musical groups and has contributed on multiple albums. She published a handbook on Gourd Music and designed instruments for The Thai Elephant Orchestra's elephants, for their 3rd album, Water Music.
She is the producer, co-director, soundtrack composer and lead singer on the Award Winning short film WILD FLORIDA'S VANISHING CALL. Her film was featured in the 2024 Hippodrome Theatre Filmmaker Showcase: Frame by Frame Film Festival, won Best Soundtrack at the 2024 YR ERGIN Adventure Film Festival in Wales, United Kingdom. and won Best Local Film at the Cinema Verde International Environmental Film & Art Festival 2020 and 2022.
Alycin is the author of the award winning children's book Milo and The Mustang, a winner of the R. Morrow Great Kid Books for Road Trips Award in 2020. Her poetry had been displayed in several Gainesville Fine Art's Association Art Gallery exhibits in Gainesville, Florida. Alycin's article "Writing About Travel, Writing About Journeys" was published in the Writers Alliance of Gainesville's "Hogtown Quill". She was an exhibitor and a guest speaker at several of the Sunshine State Book Festivals in Florida.
Her internationally popular adventure travel memoir "Amazon Hitchhiker: A Woman’s Adventures from Canada to Brazil " is about her incredible solo travels hitchhiking in the 1970's overland from Canada to South America, to then paddle an leaky dugout canoe deep into the mystical, dangerous Amazon River. Watch Amazon Hitchhiker's official book trailer.
Alycin Hayes has been interviewed about her books and films in several podcasts including the New York Metropolitan Opera's Aria Code Podcast - "Love Takes Flight: Catan's Florencia en el Amazonas".
After trekking through swamps and up rivers in Canada, Alycin Hayes is working on a new children's picture story book "Come Back Maya!" It is a fun story about a friendship between a beaver and salmon that illustrates for young children their relationship in the wild. "Come Back Maya" is scheduled to be published in the Fall of 2025.
In her teens Alycin worked in the property department of the Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada. She went on to create props in Hollywood for Disney. Later in her career, she became the Associate Producer of Live Oak Theatre in Austin, Texas.
Alycin has spent her life exploring and adventuring all over the world. She studied yoga in India, Drama at the University of Texas, is a Certified Reiki Practitioner and has a degree in Zoo Animal Technology. Her animal behavior research has been published internationally. When not exploring internationally she works in wildlife conservation and rewilding her farm/wildlife reserve in rural Ontario, Canada.
Alycin has performed her original music in United States, Canada, Iceland, Thailand, Malaysia and France with a wide range of musical groups and has contributed on multiple albums. She published a handbook on Gourd Music and designed instruments for The Thai Elephant Orchestra's elephants, for their 3rd album, Water Music.
She is the producer, co-director, soundtrack composer and lead singer on the Award Winning short film WILD FLORIDA'S VANISHING CALL. Her film was featured in the 2024 Hippodrome Theatre Filmmaker Showcase: Frame by Frame Film Festival, won Best Soundtrack at the 2024 YR ERGIN Adventure Film Festival in Wales, United Kingdom. and won Best Local Film at the Cinema Verde International Environmental Film & Art Festival 2020 and 2022.
Alycin is the author of the award winning children's book Milo and The Mustang, a winner of the R. Morrow Great Kid Books for Road Trips Award in 2020. Her poetry had been displayed in several Gainesville Fine Art's Association Art Gallery exhibits in Gainesville, Florida. Alycin's article "Writing About Travel, Writing About Journeys" was published in the Writers Alliance of Gainesville's "Hogtown Quill". She was an exhibitor and a guest speaker at several of the Sunshine State Book Festivals in Florida.
Her internationally popular adventure travel memoir "Amazon Hitchhiker: A Woman’s Adventures from Canada to Brazil " is about her incredible solo travels hitchhiking in the 1970's overland from Canada to South America, to then paddle an leaky dugout canoe deep into the mystical, dangerous Amazon River. Watch Amazon Hitchhiker's official book trailer.
Alycin Hayes has been interviewed about her books and films in several podcasts including the New York Metropolitan Opera's Aria Code Podcast - "Love Takes Flight: Catan's Florencia en el Amazonas".
After trekking through swamps and up rivers in Canada, Alycin Hayes is working on a new children's picture story book "Come Back Maya!" It is a fun story about a friendship between a beaver and salmon that illustrates for young children their relationship in the wild. "Come Back Maya" is scheduled to be published in the Fall of 2025.
Elliott Hayes
Elliott Hayes - Author, Playwright, Poet, Novelist ( June 22, 1956-Feb 28, 1994) was born in Stratford, Ontario Canada to a theatrical family, the son of John Sullivan Hayes, one of the original company members of the Stratford Festival of Canada. He graduated from Old Vic Theater School in Bristol England, and worked in Hollywood, California before returning to Canada in 1981. He worked for several years as the literary manager, dramaturge and occasional lyricist and assistant director at the Stratford Festival.
After his untimely death at age 37 when Elliott was killed by a drunk driver, The Literary Managers and Dramaturges of the Americas created an award in his honor The Elliott Hayes Dramaturgy Award. His career produced several important works, including short stories, novels, poems and plays. His most produced play was Homeward Bound. It was first produced at the Stratford Festival and has since been performed across Canada and United States, Britain, Australia and even Latvia. Several of his other plays Blake being one, have been produced internationally and more of his writings are being made into films. Learn more about Elliott on his Facebook Page. Recently some of his plays have been made into films: A short film Poison and a feature film Six LA Love Stories. His plays continue to be produced internationally. Several of Elliott's plays are available through Playwrights Guild of Canada.
John and JoAnn Hayes
John and JoAnn Hayes started Echo Hill Publishing in 1971 with a powerful book of poetry by their son, Elliott Hayes. Both John and JoAnn were early environmentalist who planted thousands of trees on their Echo Hill Farm dedicating much of their land to wildlife conservation.
John Sullivan Hayes - Author (September 1 ,1919 - July 5, 1993) was born in London, England to British stage and screen actor George Hayes and Canadian sculptress Margaret Scobie Hayes. Following in his father's footsteps John pursued a career working as an actor, stage manager and theatrical producer in England, the United States and Canada. In 1953 Tyrone Guthrie invited John and his wife JoAnn to help launch the Stratford Shakespearean Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. From that date forward John was instrumental in planning and organizing 27 consecutive theatrical seasons. Originally named in his honour the John Sullivan Hayes Training Programme for Theatre Training is now called the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre at the Stratford Festival.
John Sullivan Hayes was also a passionate collector of over 6000 antiquarian children's books. Near the end of his life he wrote his own children's book, "The Stratford Adventure of Adrian & Tiddlywinks" which has elements of his life in the theatre told brilliantly through the eyes of a shy boy and brave mouse. John and JoAnn Hayes started Echo Hill Publishing in 1971 with a book of poetry by Elliott Hayes.
John Sullivan Hayes - Author (September 1 ,1919 - July 5, 1993) was born in London, England to British stage and screen actor George Hayes and Canadian sculptress Margaret Scobie Hayes. Following in his father's footsteps John pursued a career working as an actor, stage manager and theatrical producer in England, the United States and Canada. In 1953 Tyrone Guthrie invited John and his wife JoAnn to help launch the Stratford Shakespearean Festival in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. From that date forward John was instrumental in planning and organizing 27 consecutive theatrical seasons. Originally named in his honour the John Sullivan Hayes Training Programme for Theatre Training is now called the Birmingham Conservatory for Classical Theatre at the Stratford Festival.
John Sullivan Hayes was also a passionate collector of over 6000 antiquarian children's books. Near the end of his life he wrote his own children's book, "The Stratford Adventure of Adrian & Tiddlywinks" which has elements of his life in the theatre told brilliantly through the eyes of a shy boy and brave mouse. John and JoAnn Hayes started Echo Hill Publishing in 1971 with a book of poetry by Elliott Hayes.
Adrian Hayes Santos
Adrian Hayes-Santos - Publishing Producer and Technical Advisor grew up in Gainesville, Florida. He has a degree in Finance with a minor in Urban Planning and a Master's in International Business from the University of Florida. His travels have taken him from the jungles of Bolivia and Brazil to the tulips of Holland. He served as a city commissioner for Gainesville, Florida. Adrian was very involved in the editing and production of his grandfather, John Sullivan Hayes' children's chapter book "The Stratford Adventure of Adrian & Tiddlywinks", our Award Winning children's book Milo and the Mustang as well as our non-fiction adventure travel memoir, " AMAZON HITCHHIKER - A Woman’s Adventures from Canada to Brazil".
Jacqui Corn Uys
Jacqui Corn Uys - Editor of our newest book, AMAZON HITCHHIKER - A Woman’s Adventures from Canada to Brazil . She has a BA cum laude from the University of South Africa as well as numerous editing and formatting for publishing credits from the South African Writers College. Working as a professional editor for the past seven years, Jacqui’s attention to detail and her ability to both listen and recognize the strengths and voice of a writer have made her a highly regarded international editor. She specializes in manuscript appraisals, copy editing, proofreading and developmental editing of fiction, narrative non-fiction and nonfiction books. For more information about her work go to her website.
Donika Mishineva
Donika Mishineva - Book Cover Designer for our newest book AMAZON HITCHHIKER: A Woman's Adventures From Canada to Brazil. Donika also designed the maps and book trailer for this book. Based in Bulgaria, Donika has created many beautiful book covers that inspire readers throughout the world. She is an exceptionally talented artist who has been working professionally in graphic design for over ten years. To see more of her international design work please go to her website.
Beverly Marie Melton
Beverly Marie Melton - Illustrator of our award winning children's picture book Milo and the Mustang. Through the insight of her own deafness, Beverly Marie's beautiful hand painted illustrations for Milo and the Mustang bring to life the wonderful therapeutic connection that physically and mentally challenged children can share with horses. More of her art and graphic designs can be seen on her website.
Ben J Greene with his daughter
Ben J Greene - Illustrator of the beautiful cover design for John Sullivan Hayes' The Stratford Adventure of Adrian & Tiddlywinks. Ben is also an art director and concept artist in the video game industry. More of his art work and illustrations can be seen on his Blog.
Michael Bawtree
Michael Bawtree - Narrator of The Stratford Adventure of Adrian and Tiddlywinks Audio Book. A multi talented artist, Michael was a friend and colleague of the author John Sullivan Hayes at the Stratford Shakespearean Festival where the both worked. In Michael's long and varied career he has been a playwright, author, director, journalist, educator and actor, and an initiator of many new and original artistic projects from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, Canada – where he now lives. For more information on Michael visit his website.
Brent Jones
Brent Jones recorded and edited The Stratford Adventure of Adrian and Tiddlywinks Audio Book at his Quiet Earth Recoding Studio on his heritage farm just outside London, Ontario, Canada. Brent is also the Co-composer with Alycin Hayes and Sound Editor of the soundtrack of our Award Winning short film Wild Florida's Vanishing Call which premiered February 13th, 2020 at Cinema Verde International Environmental Film and Art Festival. A Singer, pianist and composer Brent is a busy musical collaborator. He contributes to the work of many artists both local and international through sessions, production, and performance. Brent is an internationally accomplished, talented musician and songwriter who has performed and recorded in Canada, United States, Australia and Europe. He is co-founder of the Back To The Garden Music and Arts Festival. Brent's work focuses on building sustainable creative communities – combining artistic expression and natural systems - to help teach, heal, and celebrate the human experience.
Jimmy Evans
Jimmy Evans - Co-director with Alycin Hayes, Cinematographer and Editor for our Award Winning short film Wild Florida's Vanishing Call which premiered February 13th, 2020 at Cinema Verde International Environmental Film and Art Festival. A Florida-based filmmaker and graduate of the University of Florida, Jimmy specializes in non-fiction character-driven films about climate change and social issues that affect his home state. Jimmy's film Naturally Selected about Miami environmentalist Sam Van Leer won awards at film festivals throughout the United States and is currently distributed by PBS. He is the founder and programming coordinator of the Gainesville Latino Film Festival's Short Film Competition. Jimmy's first feature film, Urban Paradise, further explores the characters and topics of his film, Naturally Selected and is scheduled to be completed soon. You may follow Jimmy's work on his website.
