Alexandra Rowland
@_alexrowland
Alex Rowland is a hybrid author of several works including A Taste of Gold and Iron (Tor Books, 2022) and Running Close To The Wind (Tordotcom, 2024), which is an Amazon Editors Pick. Their most recent self-published novel Yield Under Great Persuasion was picked up by Tor UK and is coming to print in 2026. They hold a degree in world literature, mythology, and folklore from Truman State University and are the co-host of the Hugo Award nominated podcast “Be the Serpent”.
Social Media: Alex’s Instagram and Website.
Barbara Perez Marquez
@mustachebabs
Barbara Perez Marquez was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and now lives in the USA. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and writes short stories and fiction. She is one of the creators behind the Eisner-nominated graphic novel series, The Cardboard Kingdom. She is the author of the forthcoming graphic novels To Dance the Moon and Stars (Joy Revolution, 2026), The Library of Memories (Little, Brown, 2026) and Drawing Attention (First Second, 2026), as well as the adapter of the forthcoming graphic novel adaptation of the bestselling novel To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2026).
Social Media: Barbara’s Instagram and Website.
J.R. Cathers
@jrcathers
J.R. Cathers is the self-published author of Child of Shivay (Veils of Terr Book 1), a romantic fantasy that weaves together ancient magic, forbidden love, and the journey of self-discovery. A lifelong lover of fantasy, J.R. has spent years crafting immersive worlds and complex characters that delve into themes of identity, power, and belonging. When not writing, J.R. is often found hiking trails, rock climbing, or chasing inspiration in wild, untamed landscapes that fuel the imagination.
Social Media: J.R’s Instagram and Website.
A.L. Sterling
@a.l.sterling
A.L. Sterling is the self-published author of Foresyth Conservatory, a dark academia murder mystery set at a 1920s occult graduate school. An award-winning scientist, she holds a Ph.D. in materials science and engineering and writes dark and sparkling tales where intellect meets intuition.
Social Media: A.L.’s Instagram and Website.
Abby LeCleir
@abbylecleir
Abby LeCleir is a Miami-based flight attendant whose writing is inspired by the cities she visits and raw, complex relationships. She enjoys creating modern and messy love stories with unpredictable endings.
Social Media: Abby’s Instagram.
C.H. Pearce
@c.h.pearce
C.H. Pearce is a writer of horror-tinged speculative fiction, and an illustrator. As a writer, she has won a Ditmar Award and been shortlisted in the Brave New Weird and Aurealis Awards, and her short fiction has been published in Body of Work, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and The Off-Season: An Anthology of Coastal New Weird. As an illustrator, she has won a Ditmar Award for book cover art, and has artwork in Lost Souls, Midnight Echo, and Literature and Composition. She lives in Canberra, Australia with her family and three pet rats.
Social Media: C.H.’s Instagram and Website.
Eve Halifax
@evehalifax_books
Eve Halifax is a computer science professor who thinks nothing is hotter than a sharp mind paired with an even sharper tongue. When not writing romance, she’s either painting, woodworking with her husband, or cuddling with their two tortie cats.
Social Media: Eve’s Instagram.
Michael Fynan
@michaelfynan
Michael Fynan is a New York based writer and graduate of Fordham University. He currently works as a marketer in trade publishing. Michael was a 2024-2025 BookEnds Fellow; during his time in the program, he further developed the book under the direct mentorship of New York Times-bestselling author Meg Wolitzer.
Social Media: Michael’s Instagram.
Linzy Taylor
@itslinzytaylor
Linzy proudly identifies as queer and calls herself a true Masshole. Her mother called her a little tornado of happiness and said she never needed a microphone. Linzy wrote and produced the Cheer Choice Awards with Kelly Guarnacio in 2024, and 2025. She’s presently revising screenplays and writing her first novel.
Social Media: Linzy’s Instagram.
Sondra Rosenberg
@sondraro
For eighteen years, Sondra Rosenberg, ATR-BC (registered, board-certified art therapist), supervised the Creative Arts Therapies at the Renfrew Center, the nation’s first residential eating disorder treatment facility. Sondra has presented widely on the use of art therapy in the treatment of eating disorders and has contributed articles to the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, the Voice Dialogue Newsletter, Eating Disorder Hope website and Renfrew Connections.
Social Media: Sondra’s Instagram.
Alyssa Polinsky
@starsxalyssa
Alyssa Polinsky is a New York City–based astrologer and fashion expert with two decades of experience in the fashion industry, including design and trend forecasting. After studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Alyssa built a successful career working for major retailers like Macy’s, and she still works in the industry. Her passion for astrology has grown into a thriving second career, blending cosmic insight with style. Her debut novel Styled by the Stars is forthcoming from Weiser Books in fall 2026.
Social Media: Alyssa’s Instagram and Website.
Shelby Dennis
@sdequus
Shelby Dennis is an IAABC Certified Equine Behavior Consultant, horse trainer, and social media influencer among equestrians worldwide. She highlights topics of concern in the equestrian world, with a special focus on horse welfare in sport and practical methods of adjusting horse care and sportsmanship to better consider horse psychology. She is the author of The Other Side of Horsemanship and the forthcoming Secrets of the Horse.
Social Media: Shelby’s Instagram and Website.
Kiara Valdez
@dezinpub
Kiara is an Afro-Dominican writer and graphic novel editor from New York City. She graduated from Williams College with a double major in English Literature and Japanese, and spends her free time reading, writing, and enjoying a long list of other hobbies she can’t keep up with. She is the author of the forthcoming graphic memoir Stepping Up (HarperCollins, 2026) and the forthcoming picture book Mami’s Magic Words (Viking Children’s, 2026) and has authored several children’s books for Scholastic.
Social Media: Kiara’s Instagram and Website.
Bea Northwick
@beanorthwick
Bea Northwick is the author of the award winning self-published gothic romance novel The Cruel Dark and its novella Lover. her most recent self-published novel, the gothic romantasy Blackwicket, is a BookLife Editor’s Pick. She is a former reference and research librarian with a love of magical, spooky, and romantic things. She owns too much perfume, can’t pick an aesthetic, and is obsessed with 80s movies. Bea lives with her family, dogs, and one very old black cat in the sunny American South.
Social Media: Bea’s Instagram and Website.
C.A. Farran
@c.a.farran
C.A. Farran grew up by the sea on a steady intake of fairytales, renaissance faires, and mythology and spent her childhood searching the woods for monsters and magic. Now, she spends her days photographing nature in Maine with her husband and wildling daughters, writing dark fantasy, and chasing said wildlings through the forest. She is the author of the self-published trilogy A Dreamers Misfortune (Songs of the Wicked, Lament of the Wolf, Elegy of the Dreamer) and the standalone fantasy rom-com The Ballad of the Last Dragon.
Social Media: C.A.’s Instagram and Website.
Meg LaForge
@mcleansy
Meg LaForge is from Ontario, Canada and writes dark, emotionally charged romance and romantasy fiction with a focus on morally complex characters. She lives at home with her own morally grey MMC and their nine-year-old son.
Social Media: Meg’s Instagram and Website.
Rae Wilde
@_rae_wilde
Rae Wilde (she/her) is a queer woman and author of dark fiction who has also published under the pen name Rae Knowles. She is the author of I Do Not Apologize for My Position on Men, Happily Ever After the Murders, The Stradivarius, Merciless Waters, and I Can Fix Her, among other works.
Social Media: Rae’s Instagram and Website.
Laura Jordan
@laurajordanwrites
Laura is a former librarian turned first-generation physician and an author of horror and thriller novels. Her micro-fiction is forthcoming in Wild Ink anthologies and her works have been shortlisted for the 2025 and 2023 RevPit Competitions and featured on the Thriller 101 and TSNOTYAW podcasts. When she’s not chasing after her child, you can find her burning her latest batch of cookies or going for a slow run while listening to an audiobook.
Social Media: Laura’s Website and Instagram.
Matt Bays
@mattbayswriter
Matt Bays is a writer, speaker, and life coach known for his nationally released memoir Finding God in the Ruins and his debut LGBTQ memoir Leather & Lace. Both his writing and music have appeared in HuffPost, The New York Times, The Advocate, and Out Magazine.
Social Media: Matt’s Instagram and TikTok.
Allison Crowley
@crash_crowley
Allison is a writer with a penchant for small town horror and an architectural designer based in Baltimore, MD, where they co-own a queer bar called Melanie’s at Griffith’s Tavern. Their architectural design has been honored by the American Institute of Architects, their writing has been published in the Sleeping Fish Literary Magazine, and their work with Melanie’s has been recognized by the Maryland Beverage Journal and Baltimore Magazine.
Social Media: Allison’s Instagram.
Z. K. Abraham
@pegasusunder
Z.K. Abraham is a psychiatrist and writer of speculative and literary fiction and occasional non-fiction. Her short work has appeared in Clarkesworld, Fractured Lit, The Rumpus, Writers Mosaic, and others. She has been a Royal Literary Fund fellow and received a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award. Her debut novel, My Darling Clementine, is forthcoming from Amistad (Harper Collins) in 2027.
Social Media: Z.K.’s Instagram and Website.
Maggie Wyss
@maggiewyss_
Maggie Wyss, PhD, is a public health expert, researcher, and advocate for maternal well-being. With a PhD in Bioethics from the University of Zurich. She has published peer-reviewed articles and presented her research internationally, from Stanford Medical School to Makerere University in Uganda. As a current expert advisor to the Swiss government, she has played a critical role in shaping public health strategies and has been featured in USA Today.
Social Media: Maggie’s Instagram and Website.
Eric Scot Tryon
@eric_scot_tryon
Eric Scot Tryon is a writer and editor from San Francisco, California. His debut novel I’m the Undertow is forthcoming from Central Avenue (May 2026). His short fiction has appeared in over 50 literary journals such as Mid-American Review, Indiana Review, Ninth Letter, Florida Review, Glimmer Train, The Los Angeles Review, and others. His work has also been selected for the Wigleaf Top 50 and the Best Small Fictions and Best Microfiction anthologies. He is also the founding editor of the literary magazine Flash Frog.
Social Media: Eric’s Instagram and Website.
Josh Ray
Josh Ray is a white-collar defense attorney based in London and New York who represented two telecom executives at the center of Gulnara Karimova’s scheme to siphon hundreds of millions of dollars from private businesses. He is the author of a 500-page legal textbook on financial crime that was published in 2022 by the American Bar Association—White Collar Criminal Prosecutions in the US and UK. He earned his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his law degree from Cornell Law School.