About The Story Merchant

The ancient Phoenicians were legendary merchants, often credited with the first evidence of advertising and branding east of the Indus - not to mention the invention of the alphabet! On their iconic ships, they delivered stories and culture from every port they visited, along with in-demand goods to distant consumer markets.

Ken Atchity inherited that marketing spirit from his father’s Lebanese ancestors, and his philosophy today is represented by its convergence with the Cajun tradition of creative ingenuity from his mother’s side.

With more than forty years experience in the publishing world, and twenty years in entertainment, Dr. Ken Atchity is a self-defined "story merchant" - writer, producer, career coach, teacher, and literary manager, responsible for launching dozens of books and films. His life's passion is finding great storytellers and turning them into bestselling authors and screenwriters.

Ken has produced 30 films, including "Hysteria" (Maggie Gyllenhaal, Hugh Dancy, Informant Media), "Expatriate" (Aaron Eckhart, Informant), the Emmy-nominated "The Kennedy Detail" (Discovery), "The Lost Valentine" (Betty White; Hallmark Hall of Fame), "Joe Somebody" (Tim Allen; Fox), "Life or Something Like It" (Angelina Jolie; Fox), "The Amityville Horror" (NBC), "Shadow of Obsession" (NBC), "The Madam's Family" (Ellen Burstyn; CBS), "Gospel Hill" (Danny Glover; Fox), and "14 Days with Alzheimer's" (with Story Merchant client Lisa Cerasoli).

Films in development include "Memories of 100," "Meg," "Boobytrap," "Demonkeeper," "Dr. Fuddle and the Golden Baton," and "Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not!" (starring Jim Carrey; Paramount). Full film bio at imdb

His 14 books include books for writers at every stage of their careers.

Based on his own teaching and writing experience, Ken has successfully built bestselling careers for novelists, nonfiction writers, and screenwriters from the ground up. Clients include bestsellers Steve Alten, Jerry Blaine and Lisa McCubbin, Royce Buckingham, Alaya Johnson, Clint Hill, John Scott Shepherd, Noire, Shirley Palmer, Dennis Palumbo, James Michael Pratt, Larry Thompson, Tracy Price-Thompson, Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not!, Cheryl Saban, and Governor Jesse Ventura.

Ken's Story Merchant companies, AEI, and The Writer's Lifeline have provided full-service development and management machine for commercial and literary writers who wish to launch their storytelling in all media--from publishing and film and television production, to Web presence and merchandising & licensing.

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Lisa Cerasoli - Executive VP 

In 2003, Lisa Cerasoli and Dr. Atchity met for the first time about her script. He thought it read like a novel, tossed her a book and said, “Write it like this.” Two weeks and fifty pages later, Lisa was hooked. Recently, with Dr. Atchity in the executive producer seat, she directed and produced, “14 DAYS with Alzheimer’s.”

Originally a Michigan girl, Cerasoli moved to L.A. in ’95. She nabbed two series, Acapulco Bay and General Hospital, and recurring roles on The Pretender, Diagnosis Murder, Pensacola, Boomtown and more...Family matters drew her back home. Since then, Lisa’s received 25+ national/international awards including:

On the Brink of Bliss and Insanity (Five Star Publications, 2009)

Winner Best Romance: Los Angeles, London, Hollywood Book Festivals

Silver Medal - Foreword Magazine’s Book of the Year

As Nora Jo Fades Away: Confessions of a Caregiver (Five Star, 2010) 

Foreword by Leeza Gibbons

Winner - Paris and Hollywood Book Festivals

“14 DAYS with Alzheimer’s” A Documentary Short

WIN: Randy Becker TV Web Series Competition 2013

Women’s International Film Festival, Los Angeles

Detroit Windsor Film Festival

Grand Rapids Film Festival 

BEST OF FEST: Seattle Film Awards 

AUDIENCE CHOICE: Boulder, Life & Death Matters Festival

As Executive Vice president of Story Merchant, Lisa dedicates her immense energies, management and editorial skills, and visionary focus to helping writers move their careers forward.