Attending Authors
We’re excited to be sharing the authors who will be attending the 2026 Sacramento Book Festival. We will be adding to this page regularly.
A
Contemporary / General Fiction, Science Fiction, Mysteries set in the San Joaquin Valley
Awarded Pulp Detective's Best Newcomer of 2015, Matt Abraham currently lives in Stockton, California where he splits his time between being a father, husband, and author. Currently he's finishing his series, The Black Cape Case Files, which follows Dane Curse, a former villain turned PI, as he navigates the powered underbelly of Gold Coast City, and Northland Mysteries which stars Detective Jake Carter and his partner Dr. Nafissa Rayan.
Self-Help
Alysse Adularia is a writer of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. In her first book, I Wish You'd Tell Me—Answers to the question, "What can I say to help?" when the one you love has bipolar disorder, she works to meet the expanding need for insight into, and support for, those impacted by mental illness. She is currently working on a romantic-fantasy.
Fantasy, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance
I’m Tasneem Alam—a fantasy and dark romance author who loves building immersive worlds filled with magic, messy emotions, and unforgettable characters. I’m all about ancient bloodlines, supernatural twists, and stories that hit you right in the heart.
Childrens, Contemporary / General Fiction, Middle Grade, Memoir, Thriller, Comics!
Wahab Algarmi is a cartoonist from the Bay Area. He has been creating comics and a community space for other artists for years now with various groups and non profit organizations. He was also a grant recipient for his comic work Town Force 1 and the Battle for East Oakland. Wahab currently lives in Oakland, California, where he juggles the chainsaws of life with his wife and kids.
Children's, Young Adult, Faith-Based
Ayodeji Anifowose is a visionary author, publisher, pastor, and creative leader whose mission is to shape lives, strengthen families, and empower the next generation through faith-based storytelling. As the founder of Ayo LLC, he has built a dynamic content and publishing brand known for producing transformative devotionals, inspiring children’s books, and practical marriage and leadership resources.
Ayodeji’s writings are marked by clarity, depth, and heartfelt truth calling readers into identity, purpose, and spiritual growth. His work with children’s content, including affirmations, illustrated books, and multimedia projects, reflects his passion for raising confident, godly, purpose-driven young minds.
A respected mentor and teacher, Ayodeji partners with his wife, Yemi, to champion strong marriages, personal development, and intentional living. He remains committed to creating resources that outlive generations, believing that stories carry power, truth builds foundations, and legacy is one of God’s greatest gifts.
Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller
Collin Armstrong has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade developing, writing, and producing material for outlets including 20th Century Fox TV, ABC Family, Bleecker Street, Viaplay, Discovery, and LA Times Studios. Polybius, from Gallery Books, is his first novel. Black Mail, from Blackstone Publishing, and The Earthling, from 12:01 Books, are both scheduled for released in 2027. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.
Mystery
Kathleen L. Asay has been a reader, writer and editor of mystery fiction almost since she learned to read and write. A native Californian, ahe is a member and past president of Capitol Crimes, the Sacramento Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and has edited and had stories in chapter anthologies. Curisosity Kills is the second of her two nvels in a series featuring newspaper reporter Liz Cane.
Biography, Childrens, Contemporary / General Fiction, Middle Grade, People of Color / BIPOC
Laura Atkins is a children's book author, editor, and co-organizer of the Social Justice Children’s Book Fair and YouthLit at the Bay Area Book Festival. She has written several books for young readers, including the call-to-action Calling All Future Voters! with veteran voting rights activists, co-writing the award-winning Fred Korematsu Speaks Up with Stan Yogi and Biddy Mason Speaks Up with poet Arisa White. Her latest picture book, Bringing the Beach Home, reflects her passion for creativity, nature-connection and representation of neurodiverse and gender expansive young people. Laura worked at Children's Book Press and as an editor at Lee & Low Books. With an MA in Children's Literature from Roehampton University in London, and an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, Laura lives in Berkeley. She is passionate about equity and true access to all voices in children’s publishing.
Fantasy, Middle Grade
T.I. Avens is an author from North California who specializes in writing middle-grade fantasy books full of odd creatures, unexpected heroes, and sprawling magic-filled lands. When she’s not writing, Avens enjoys yoga, taking care of her plants, gaming, and baking.
B
Contemporary / General Fiction, Literary
Daniel’s coming-of-age story, Lightning Bugs And Aliens, set in 1960, was awarded 1st Prize For A Fiction Novel In IndieReader’s 2024 Nationwide Discovery Awards. The novella has drawn praise from Kirkus Reviews, The U S Review of Books, The San Francisco Book Review, and a number of noteworthy Sacramento and Bay Area authors. His contemporary noir mystery/suspense/romance novel, No More Illusions, was elevated to Kirkus Reviews trade publication for film and literary agents when it first debuted, and has been strengthened, expanded, and a new version released to overwhelmingly 5-STAR and 4-STAR reader reviews — “Accomplished, ambitious crime fiction featuring a sensitive, complex hero and a promising array of secondary characters ....a multilayered tale that has shades of California noir a la Chinatown” (among the greatest films in American cinema history with 11 Oscar nominations, including Best Original Screenplay). Positive, inclusive, life-affirming work from a Sacramento author.
Historical
Anne M. Beggs writes historical adventure/romance. The Dahlquin series is a family saga in Medieval Ireland. Her debut novel, Archer’s Grace, Book One, in her Dahlquin series starts this family saga when a young noblewoman is catapulted from her ancestral home and set on a quest to save her family in Medieval Ireland. By and Arrow and Sword, Book Two is published, and The Highest Love, Book Three is underway. Four short stories appear in Paper Lantern Writer’s anthologies. Also with Paper Lantern Writers, she is a contributor to Crafting Stories from the Past: A How-To Guide for Writing Historical Fiction.
Anne likes to say she researched the Middle Ages into middle age and beyond. Still married to her high school sweetheart, they live on and manage a horse boarding ranch, Equisance, in Watsonville, California. Anne is a member of the Historical Novel Society.
Historical
Shelley Blanton-Stroud grew up in Bakersfield, California, the daughter of Dust Bowl immigrants who fulfilled their ambition to leave the fields. Recently retired from three decades teaching writing at San Francisco State and Sacramento State, she now consults with writers in the U.S. energy industry. She has led and supported literary and arts nonprofits, including 916 Ink, Stories on Stage Sacramento, and the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies at Claremont McKenna College.
Her Jane Benjamin historical mystery series—Copy Boy, Tomboy, and Poster Girl—follows a cross-dressing tomato picker turned San Francisco gossip columnist investigating crimes that never make the front page. Her forthcoming novel, An Unlikely Prospect (She Writes Press, Aug. 2025), is based on the little-known 1945 V-J Day San Francisco Peace Riot, featuring a widow publisher fighting to report unacknowledged rapes and to claim her voice in a male-dominated field, a theme running through all her work.
Fantasy, Memoir, Self-Help, Spiritual
I write memoir, short nature stories and YA speculative fiction. My memoir covers the five transformative years I spent at the Findhorn Community in Scotland. My career was as a Psychotherapist, in private practice in Sacramento and Roseville. I am presently the Vice President of Membership for the Calif Writers Club-Sacramento.
Biography, Childrens, Contemporary / General Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Animal, International
Barchelle (“Chelly”) Bolger Wathen is a spirited storyteller, animal advocate, retired government senior paralegal, and native San Diegan now living in Prescott, Arizona. With a Master of Public Administration and a passion for rescue work, she now works as a State Ombudsman and volunteers with local dog rescues. Her writing reflects her journey from career and education to emotional depth and spiritual insight, through the redemptive bond of animal companionship.
Chelly’s debut adult book, Shayla & Friends, shares the true story of her adventurous wolfdog mix Shayla, who journeyed from a Ukrainian orphanage to her forever home in America. Her fictional children’s series, Shayla’s Adventure, inspires with lessons of love, courage, faith, and friendship—from seashore pirate adventure to lighthouse rescue, and Christmas magic. Her teen/YA novel, Into the Light, follows Shayla’s human-dog family through thrilling adventures marked by danger, temptation, faith and redemption.
Mystery/Thriller
Claire Booth is a journalist-turned-author whose writing career has taken her from Missouri to Washington, D.C., South Florida, the Seattle area, and the Bay Area. She’s reported on many high-profile cases, including the Laci Peterson murder and the San Francisco dog mauling. The case of a deadly cult leader became the subject of her nonfiction book, The False Prophet: Conspiracy, Extortion and Murder in the Name of God. After spending so much time covering crimes so strange they seemed more like fiction than reality, she had enough of the real world and decided to write novels instead. Her acclaimed Sheriff Hank Worth mystery series takes place in Branson, Missouri. The seventh in the series, Throwing Shadows, is out now.
Claire is a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors, Mystery Writers of America, and is a president emeritus of Capitol Crimes, the Central Valley chapter of Sisters in Crime.
Childrens, Fantasy, Paranormal / Supernatural, Young Adult
Artisanal wordsmith and old-school scribbler of no A.I. philosophical fictions and supernatural escapes, some of them en español.
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Allison Brennan believes life is too short to be bored so she had five kids and writes three books a year. Her 50th thriller was released in 2025. A native of Northern California, Allison and her family relocated to Arizona where she enjoys hiking, baseball, and spending time with her grandson.
Memoir, Cookbook
At age eight, Georgeanne Brennan wrote her first cookbook. The recipes were written on lined foolscap paper stapled together with a bright yellow cover, titled 'My Recipes'. Since then, she's written more than thirty cookbooks, won a Julia Child award for one and a James Beard award for another. She's lived in Provence with her young family, where she raised goats and made cheese, and where she still has a home. Her best-selling memoir, 'A Pig in Provence', tells the tale. He books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, including Korean and Polish. Her forthcoming book, Market Memories Cookbook -celebrating 50 Years of the Davis Farmers Market, co-authored and co-illustrated with Ann M. Evans, will be published in June. She lives in Winters with her husband where she writes, gardens, cooks, paints, and welcomes her extended family.
Mystery
Sarah Bresniker is a mystery writer and former librarian who lives in Northern California. Her Arlie Wynne stories are fun, light mysteries revolving around the definitely made-up Ocean Grove Public Library where reference questions often involve murder and the librarians have skills far beyond making book recommendations. Her latest short story, Mother Clucker, can be found in the 2024 Capitol Crimes Chapter Anthology, FARM TO FOUL PLAY. No librarians are involved in that story, only a bad boyfriend and some fancy chickens. She is working hard to finish her first novel, which was a finalist for the Claymore Award for unpublished manuscripts at Killer Nashville 2023. Learn more at www.sarahbresniker.com.
Literary
A journalism graduate of Colorado State University, Beth Brookhart spent two decades reporting on agricultural news. Later, her career shifted to communications roles with several agricultural organizations in Bakersfield, CA. In 2010, she started writing fiction, and soon completing The Book Project, a prestigious two-year program at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver. An avid volunteer, Beth was inspired to write The Four Queens of the Buttonbush Museum by her seventeen years of service on the board of her local museum.
Childrens, People of Color / BIPOC, Poetry
JaNay Brown-Wood, PhD, is an award-winning and New York Times Best-Selling children’s author, speaker, poet, educator, scholar, and a former professor of Early Childhood Education and Child Development. Her first children’s book Imani’s Moon won the NAESP Children’s Book of the Year Award and was featured on Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show, and her second book Grandma’s Tiny House: A Counting Story! won the CELI Read Aloud Book Award. JaNay has over thirty books published including the popular Where in the Garden picture book series, the Harriet Tubman and Simone Biles Little Golden Book Biographies, the Scholastic Love Puppies chapter book series, and the highly praised picture book Jam, Too!—an NCTE Notable Poetry Book for 2025. JaNay is also featured in several educational web-videos including Cooking with JaNay and Jammies with JaNay and she travels the country as a professional speaker presenting to children, teachers, librarians, administrators, parents and community members. JaNay lives in California with her husband Catrayel, her daughter Vivian, and her turtle Theodora. Learn more about JaNay on her website www.janaybrownwood.com.
Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+, People of Color / BIPOC, Young Adult
Alex Brown is a two-time Locus Award finalist, and a queer, biracial Filipino American writer who loves rooting for the final girl—especially if she’s a monster. In a past life, Alex worked on Supernatural and Netflix’s Resident Evil, though now she lives a quiet life in Oregon with her partner and their four chaotic cats.
Historical
Heather Buchanan is an award-winning publisher and producer. She has presented at book venues across the country, including Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco and the Smithsonian. She is currently on a national tour with a musical based on her novel Victors: A Novel of Love, War and Jazz.
Science Fiction, Fantasy
Hailing from sunny Sacramento, California, Brian C. E. Buhl is trying to save the world. Formerly enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, Brian now spends most of his time writing software for the solar industry. When he’s not engineering technical solutions, he can sometimes be found playing saxophone with local community bands. Also, he writes science fiction and fantasy.
Fantasy
As one of seven children, it’s little wonder that Melissa Buhl’s first story concerns itself with witches and witchcraft. Melissa is a voracious reader. When her nose isn’t in a book, she works as a sales assistant in the health insurance industry. Melissa quilts, and has been known to play clarinet from time to time. With her husband, Brian, she has raised two beautiful and intelligent children, Bryanna and Christopher.
YA Fantasy
Writing as Lisa Bunker, Lu has published five rainbow-powered MG/YA books in the past ten years. They are currently working on two manuscripts for adult readers. Lu's employment history includes 30 years in non-profit radio and two stints as a state rep in New Hampshire, among other adventures. In retirement they enjoy chess, Scrabble, language study, and opposing fascism.
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
New York Times Bestselling author Robin Burcell moonlighted as a cop for nearly three decades, while working as a mom fulltime. She wrote police procedurals and international thrillers, until Clive Cussler asked her to co-write with him in the Fargo series (where the good guys sometimes skirted the law, but always saved the day). More info can be found at: www.RobinBurcell.com
C
LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, Young Adult, Biology, Animal Behavior
Dr. REBECCA CALISI-RODRÍGUEZ grew up in Texas, surrounded by her vibrant Mexican-American family. After earning her Ph.D. in Integrative Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, she became an accomplished wildlife biologist. She now resides in Davis, where she serves as an Associate Professor of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior and teaches Animal Behavior at the University of California, Davis.
Calisi-Rodríguez has published over 70 scientific and popular science articles and was inducted as a National Geographic Explorer for her contributions to science communication and for hosting Nat Geo’s web series I CAN SCIENCE. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, LA Times, CBS, KQED, Capital Public Radio, The Guardian, The Telegraph, Nature, Science, and more.
LGBTQ+, Romance
Jole is a high school math and programming teacher. When he's not shaping the critical thinking minds of the future, he spends time with his partner and their two cats. He enjoys video games, watching movies, and, of course, writing his next story. Jole's stories focus on m/m romances with positive plus-size representation. He's the author of Larger Than Love and his short story, Drag Me On Stage, is in the own voice anthology Romance is a Drag.
Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Gail Carriger has multiple NYT bestsellers and millions of books in print in dozens of different languages. She writes book hugs - comedies of manners mixed with steampunk, urban fantasy, or sci-fi (and cozy queer joy as GL Carriger). She is best known for the Parasol Protectorate and Finishing School series. She was once an archaeologist and is fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea.
Mystery
Do you swim with the fishes? The amateur sleuth, Trisha Carson, does. She’s the heroine of the Trisha Carson mysteries that’s set in the San Francisco Bay Area. Trisha is a pushy, determined and family-loving sleuth who seems to find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The four-book series has an undercurrent of open water swimming. She can find dead bodies all over San Francisco Bay. Book 5, Dead and Gone, the latest book of Trisha’s adventures, is a WIP.
Glenda Carroll wrote a weekly sailing column for the Marin Independent Journal for 19 years. During that time, she also wrote for local, national and international sailing publications. Then she branched into travel writing.
Glenda Carroll is the president of Northern California Sisters in Crime. She lives in San Rafael, Ca with her doggo, McCovey.
Fantasy
Russell Carroll is an accomplished author focusing on dark, sword and sorcery fantasy. He passionately crafts tales of noble but flawed heroes overcoming personal demons to vanquish wicked villains, the kind of adventures he and his friends lived while playing Dungeons and Dragons. His hallmark is vivid combat so visceral that it places the reader in the middle of the action.
He released his first novel, Relentless Blades: The Prophecies of Zarune, Volume I on October 21, 2024, to much success. The thrilling sequel, Ashbound Oaths, was released on November 18, 2025. Together, they are tributes to all those who enjoy epic fantasy.
You’re never too old to chase your dreams!
Contemporary / General Fiction, Horror, People of Color / BIPOC, Thriller
Eirinie Carson is a member of the Writers Grotto in San Francisco and a frequent contributor to Mother magazine. Her work has also appeared in LitHub, Notre Dame Review, Mortal Mag, Electric Literature, The Sonora Review, and others. Bloodfire, Baby is her first novel.
Historical, Romance
Sharon E. Cathcart (she/her) is an award-winning author of historical romance, fiction, and short stories, known for blending meticulous research with captivating storytelling. Notable titles include Rose In Bloom, Bayou Fire, the Seen Through the Phantom’s Eyes series, and the Pocketful of Stories collection. Sharon’s works span novels, short fiction, essays, and audio books, showcasing her versatility as a multigenre author.
Beyond her writing, Sharon is a passionate advocate for literary freedom, challenging censorship and encouraging dialogue about diverse and challenging topics.
Historical, LGBTQ+, Romance
Edie Cay writes award-winning historical romance. Her When the Blood Is Up series about historical women’s boxing has won the Golden Leaf Best First Book, the Next Generation Indie Book Award, the Best Indie Book Award (twice!), and has been a finalist for the HOLT Medallion, Chatelaine Award (twice), and Lambda Literary Award.
Edie obtained dual BAs in English and in Music, and an MFA in Creative Writing. She is a member of The Regency Fiction Writers, the Historical Novel Society, and a founding member of Paper Lantern Writers. Her latest series, The Ladies Alpine Society, is about Victorian era women mountaineers.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Mystery
Ann Chehak is an author of mystery books with a love of the outdoors. Her novels take the reader on an adventure where the hero and heroine join forces to solve crime and find love in the end. Ann launched her writing career drafting IT manuals and managing IT projects and now enjoys the imaginative side of her craft. Her appreciation of nature and penchant for wandering the trails and streams of California offer inviting and scenic backdrops for her stories. She invites you to enjoy her books: The Flying Horse Caper — A vile and greedy villain tracks a wild stallion on the ranch. The Seaside Painting Caper — An evil forger tricks our hero into the cathedral catacombs. And her novel coming soon — The Jeweled Chess Game.
You can meet Ann at the monthly California Writers Club Third Saturday Workshop meetings in Sacramento and First Friday Network meetings.
Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance, Mystery/Suspense
Gail Chianese is a multi-published author of contemporary romance and paranormal romantic suspense. Her writing, no matter the genre, consistently delivers humor, sassy heroines, and stand-up heroes, creating narratives enriched with the warmth of family and friends. InD'tale Magazine has called her "a marvel with words."
Her work has garnered recognition as a recipient of the Indiana Golden Opportunity Award and a finalist in respected competitions like the Diamond Heart, the Book Buyers Best Award, National Reader’s Choice Award, National Excellence in Romance Fiction Award, National Excellence in Storytelling Award, and the Holt Medallion Award. In addition to these honors, she has been nominated for a RONE Award.
M.M. Chouinard is the Mary Higgins Clark Award nominated, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and San Francisco Chronicle bestselling author of The Serial-Killer Guide to San Francisco series, the Detective Jo Fournier thriller series, and the standalone psychological thriller The Vacation. She has a Ph.D in developmental psychology from Stanford University and was one of the founding faculty members of U.C. Merced. She enjoys caffeine in all forms, amateur genealogy, crafting, baking, and Halloween. She has three cats, a dog, and is held together by caffeine and dry shampoo.
LGBTQ+
Attending the Sacramento Book Festival for his second consecutive year, Chance Christopher is the co-author of over 40 LGBTQ+ titles, and 50% partner in A Knight’s Day Press Publishing. A Nevada native and happy Californian since 2025, Chance stands for inclusive storytelling and #ownvoices pride. In addition to penning bestsellers, he and his writing partner edit, cover, publish, and market all their own work, making A Knight's Day Press a truly independent outlet. Their previous goals have included publishing a new title every month, hitting a half million combined words written in one year, and monetizing their social media… and they’ve crushed every one.
Fantasy, Young Adult, Cookbooks
Marisa Churchill spent a decade of her career working in some of San Francisco's most notable restaurants and was called “one of the city’s top pastry chefs,” by Michael Bauer, former head food critic for the San Francisco Chronicle. She was a competitor on Top Chef season two and competed multiple times on Food Network Challenge. She is the author of two cookbooks Sweet & Skinny and My Sweet & Skinny Life. Her recipes have appeared in numerous culinary publications, from Food & Wine to Epicurious. Her recipes have also been featured in Oprah.com, Women's Health, and on numerous TV shows: The Talk, Access Hollywood, Hallmark's Home & Family, and more. Secrets, Spells, and Chocolate is Marisa’s debut novel. When she isn’t cooking, she’s usually busy whipping up fun new plots.
Childrens
Cortney Cino is the founder of Whimspire Books, a children’s author, longtime healthcare marketer, and mom of three girls who inspire nearly everything she writes. She launched Whimspire Books in Sacramento in the fall of 2023. Cortney's stories spark curiosity, build confidence, and/or make readers giggle.Before publishing, Cortney spent 15+ years in healthcare marketing, translating complex science into clear, compelling messages. Picture books aren’t so different: you get a few hundred words to make a child feel something, learn something, and want to pick the book up again.Cortney's titles include The Lights That Stay, the Piper’s Adventures series, Finally Home, and Sincerely, Antonia. Her upcoming picture book, Arlo Needs Your Help (May 2026), recently received a Kirkus Starred Review.
Mystery, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance, Self Help
Jessica Arden Cline is an author, educator, speaker, and tarot enthusiast with a passion for helping writers bring their stories to life. Her latest book is Tarot for Fiction Writers, a non-fiction guide designed to help writers use tarot prompts to develop their characters, plots, and get unstuck.
Jessica also writes paranormal cozy mysteries and romances as Jessica Arden. Her short fiction has been featured in Woman's World as well as several anthologies.
When she's not plotting her next story, you can find her hanging with her husband, two teenagers, and giant German shepherd at home, haunting coffee shops, crafting, or spending time with her community of kindred spirits.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Scott lives with his husband Mark in a little yellow bungalow with two pink flamingoes in Sacramento. He inhabits the space between the here and now and the what could be. Indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine, he devoured her library. But as he grew up, he wondered where the people like him were.
He decided it was time to create the kinds of stories he couldn’t find at the bookstore. If there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would write his own
A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, Liminal Fiction, and Other Worlds Ink, sites that bring queer people together to promote and celebrate fiction reflecting their own reality. Scott was the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers, and is Chair of the Sacramento Book Festival.
Science Fiction
Derek Cressman is an award-winning author of fiction and non-fiction based in Sacramento, California. Cressman wrote countless white papers, op-ed columns, fact sheets and reports as well as two books as part of a thirty-year career in public policy advocating for democracy issues such as campaign finance reform and voting rights. In 2019, he published his first novel, Reality™ 2048, which was a finalist in the Foreword INDIES Book of the year and First Horizon American Fiction Book awards. Cressman is a graduate of Williams College, holds a Standford Novel Writing certificate, and has served as a teaching assistance at The Writers Hotel Mini MFA conference.
D
Thriller
Anne Da Vigo is an award-winning former police and court reporter who wrote about murder and mayhem for newspapers throughout California. Now she writes thrillers inspired by real events. Night Flight is her most recent thriller. It’s particularly vivid for her because the horrendous airplane crash that inspired the book occurred in her home town of Denver, Colorado. In researching Night Flight, she visited sites still remaining that are connected to the murderer, John Gilbert Graham.
She lives in Northern California, where she writes weekly with Monday Night Writers, a group she co-founded in 1994.
Horror, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Dystopian
Jill N Davies is an author of Scifi Dystopian thriller and horror novels. She lives in the Sacramento Valley, sandwiched between the ocean and the mountains where it gets far too hot in the summer. She is a scientist, an educator, a parent, and (as evidenced by this and other books) an author.
When not writing or doing the other things life requires for existing, Jill can be found running and hiking the trails along the American River with her labrador retriever, baking imperfect sourdough, and exploring the world with her family.
Literary
Bee Jay Da-vis is a poet, a flash fiction storyteller, an attorney, and an advocate for self-realization. She’s a lover of action movies, live theater, and all genres of music, except heavy metal. Joining Black Women Write six years ago inspired her to pick up the pace on the writing she’s been doing since she was a thirteen-year-old growing up in Baton Rouge, LA. Her debut collection, True…At First: Poems, Musings & Flash Fiction, was published in 2020 and is available to buy on Amazon. Her latest publication is My Only Friends Are Pirates, an epic poem styled as an action/thriller. It is available on Amazon Kindle and in paperback. Her forthcoming book of guided meditations speaks to her deep faith and her desire to guide others towards inner peace.
She draws inspiration from a variety of places and spaces.
Childrens
You can learn about Erin Dealey and her 20+ children’s books at erindealey.com. A credentialed English/Theater teacher & award-winning playwright, Dealey’s picture books celebrate kindness and inclusion, including her latest, SQUIRREL DRAWS BIG FEELINGS (SEL + Art); JUST FLOWERS –A 2025 recipient of the Junior Master Gardener Growing Good Kids award; PETER EASTER FROG (a JLG selection); DEAR EARTH…From Your Friends in Room 5 (NYSRA Charlotte Award), and SNOW GLOBE WISHES (Anna Dewdney Read Together Honor Book).
Contemporary / General Fiction, Romantic-Suspense, Crime Thrillers, Paranormal Crime
A retired high school teacher, Donna Del Oro is a multiple award-winning author of Romantic-Suspense novels, has written and had published twelve novels. A master of the Romantic-Suspense genre, humorous and otherwise, her novels have won awards from Killer Nashville's Silver Falchion judges and the International Latino Book Awards Organization. Donna's a member of Sacramento's Capitol Crimes chapter and NCPA.
Her four R-S series include: The Born To Sing series (about professional singers), the paranormal R-S Delphi Bloodline series (a clairvoyant artist helps police detectives solve crimes), the Jake Bernstein-FBI Undercover series and the Saving La Familia series (featuring a Latina amateur sleuth). The multiple award-winning SAVING LA FAMILIA series includes Saving La Familia, Saving The Fool and--coming in 2026--Saving The Kids.
Find her on www.DonnaDelOroBooks.com
Pets, Non-Fiction
Dr. Mikel Delgado has been working professionally with cats for almost 25 years, as a shelter worker, behavior consultant, and researcher. She is co-founder of Feline Minds, a cat behavior consultancy, which helps cat caregivers, rescues, and corporations understand the needs of cats. She received her PhD in Psychology/Animal Behavior from UC Berkeley and was a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis. Her research has included the health and development of orphaned neonatal kittens, cat play and predatory behavior, and the feeding behavior of cats.
In addition to publishing dozens of scientific manuscripts, Mikel is author of the 2024 book “Play With Your Cat!,” and co-author with Jackson Galaxy of the 2017 book “Total Cat Mojo.” Mikel lives in Sacramento, CA with her partner Scott, and their three cats, Coriander, Ruby, and Professor Scribbles.
Fantasy, Science Fiction
Jason Denzel (he/him) is a fantasy fiction writer and the author of The Mystic Trilogy from Tor books. He is also the founder of Dragonmount, a leading online community celebrating Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson’s Wheel of Time saga. A resident of Sacramento County for over twenty years, Jason is deeply involved in the local literary scene. He is the host of Writing Demystified, a monthly author event at A Seat at the Table Books in Elk Grove, where he interviews writers and explores the craft of storytelling.
When he is not writing, Jason practices kung fu, enjoys basketball, and collects more swords than he probably needs. You can visit his website at JasonDenzel.com, or find him on BlueSky, Instagram, and other social media platforms @JasonDenzel.
Business, Contemporary / General Fiction, Historical, Mystery, Romance, Travel
Jo Donahue writes contemporary Romance, Cozy Mysteries and Western Womens Action series.
Childrens, Contemporary / General Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult
Kavita Dorai is a Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS) in California with a BS in Chemistry and MS in Botany (Microbiology). She believes in the power of storytelling by simplifying concepts.
In her book, Keshu-Climate change and a brave little fish, she shows readers that climate change is not one gigantic monolithic issue but rather made up of many elements that can be improved collectively. The story is about a little fish's adventure, survival, and coming of age with a focus on surviving adversity. It is uplifting, introduces concepts of environmental health, and collective social responsibility.
Kavita lives in Sacramento, California, with her husband and German Shepherd dog. She enjoys travelling, reading, blogging, and her little garden with songbirds.
Contact Information: You can visit her website at KavitaDorai.com, or read her blog at https://medium.com/@thedorais/subscribe. More information on her book: https://sites.google.com/view/keshu-the-book/home
Contemporary / General Fiction, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance
Michele Drier is a fifth-generation Californian and spent better than 20 years as a reporter and editor at California daily newspapers. She’s the past president of Capitol Crimes, the Guppies chapter, and current president of NorCal Sisters in Crime.
Her Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries are Edited for Death, (called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review), Labeled for Death and Delta for Death. A stand-alone, Ashes of Memories was published in 2017.Her eleven-volume paranormal romance series, SNAP: The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, was named the best paranormal vampire series of 2014 by PRG. SNAP: Pandemic Games was published in 2022.
Her new series is the Stained Glass Mysteries, Stain on the Soul and Tapestry of Tears, and Resurrection of the Roses.
Fantasy, Gothic
A. M. Dunnewin grew up with a taste for mysteries and thrillers, inherited ever so lovingly from her family. An affiliate member of the Horror Writers Association, A. M.’s own stories cover a wide range of genres that tend to take a dark turn when least expected. She currently dwells in Northern California.
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Fantasy, Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction
J. P. Edgar is an American author born in Sacramento, California in 1980. He's currently working on a few YouTube channels and a live stream, in pre-production for his next Bloodlines of Atmos (BoA) book, and is close to releasing two more books out of the BoA series.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Historical, Memoir, Poetry, Science Fiction
Marcia Ehinger is a California native and retired physician who writes non-fiction, historical and speculative fiction, and poetry.
Horror, Thriller
Local to Sacramento, Rachel L. Ertassi loves thrillers as a writer and a reader. Rachel is an Alumni of Sacramento State University and is currently there working on her Master’s degree in Public Health. Her debut novel, City of Trees, City of Shadows, is a thriller set in Midtown Sacramento that captures the soul of the city with a chilling twist and a violent lens. She mentions many shops and venues around the city and has been praised for writing a story about Sacramento for the locals. Her new novel, Turn of the Tide, is a thriller set in Bodega Bay. Turn of the Tide tackles themes of growing up, changing friendships, and grief while still appealing to the blood lust of a thriller loving audience. She has received positive feedback for the new novel and is excited to share it with the reader community.
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Contemporary / General Fiction, LGBTQ+
Liz has a full plate between balancing a day job, parenting, writing, and finding some semblance of a social life. In past lives she has been a soldier, a bartender, a shoe salesperson, an assistant museum curator, and even a driving instructor. She focuses her writing on strong, queer, woman leads who don’t back down.
Liz transplanted to California from New York over thirty years ago, and now lives in the East Bay Area. She enjoys exploring nature with her wife and son.
People of Color / BIPOC, Thriller
Cindy Fazzi is a Filipino American writer and former Associated Press reporter. She’s the author of the Domingo the Bounty Hunter series, published by Thomas & Mercer in 2025. Danger No Problem (book one), previously titled Multo, was a finalist in the Best Literary category of the 2024 Silver Falchion Award. Book two is titled Sunday or the Highway. Her historical novel, My MacArthur, was published by Sand Hill Review Press in 2018. Her short stories have been published in SN Review, Copperfield Review, Snake Nation Review, A Thin Slice of Anxiety, and TOUGH. Her articles have appeared in the Daily Beast, Electric Literature, Publishers Weekly, and Writer’s Digest. She has worked as a journalist in the Philippines, Taiwan, and the United States.
Childrens, Memoir
Kitchi Feenix grew up in California; a once spirited self, whose love of team sports and social settings helped provide an outlet for a challenging household. Adopted after being abandoned at birth, then repeatedly reminded of not being wanted from those who should have protected her, Kitchi learned from an early age to shut down, lose her light, and struggle to find a purpose; asking why, and whom am I?
After running away from home as a teen trying to find a place and meaning of her past she kept everyone at a arms distance due to loss of trust. Being employed in various jobs in her young adulthood, Kitchi wanted more. She enlisted into the U.S. Army and spent the next six years in logistics. Ending her enlistment as a Sergeant. She experienced one deployment for Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and the military seemed to take more than advertised.
Fantasy
Carly Feldman is an archer, horticulturist, nature lover, casual hiker, cat adorer, mac and cheese expert, forever Californian, wannabe equestrian, and a bunch of other things too.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, LGBTQ+, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance, Science Fiction
Kim Fielding is very pleased every time someone calls her eclectic. Winner of the BookLife Prize for Fiction, a Lambda Award finalist and Foreword INDIE finalist, she has migrated back and forth across the western two-thirds of the United States and recently returned to Portland, Oregon after decades in exile. She’s a university professor who dreams of being able to travel and write full time. She also dreams of having two daughters who fully appreciate her, a husband who isn’t obsessed with football, and a house that cleans itself. Some dreams are more easily obtained than others.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade
Angela Flatt is a Sacramento based author. She loves fairytales, horror stories and the combination of the two. She has been writing since early childhood.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Middle Grade, Romance, Young Adult, Historical Fiction
Dale Lisa Flint is a mom, wife, teacher, academic, actor, director, playwright, voracious reader, amateur painter, enthusiastic hiker, and keeper of the family zoo. Her life has been a series of plot twists, from meeting world leaders as a child ambassador for peace, to performing in over a hundred stage productions, including iconic Shakespearean roles (Juliet, Titania, Portia). She loves waterfall hikes, perfectly ripe mangos, and strong female protagonists. FINDING JULIET is her first novel.
Romance
When Mary O. Flournoy isn’t plotting murders (on paper, of course), she’s busy writing steamy romance novels from her Northern California home. Her unique blend of heart-pounding suspense and contemporary romance keeps readers guessing until the very end. Drawing from her firm belief that the best stories, like life itself, come with unexpected twists, Mary crafts tales where danger and desire walk hand in hand. Her novels feature determined characters navigating both treacherous scenarios and tricky relationships, often finding love in the most surprising places. Just don’t ask her why she knows so much about alibi creation—she’ll tell you it’s all for research.
Childrens, Paranormal / Supernatural, Cozy Mystery
Michelle Francik has been making up stories her whole life and loves to read and write. She loves creating worlds and characters that invite the reader in and make them feel at home. Cozy mysteries, paranormal cozies and children's chapter books are her forte. Her goal is to take readers away from their problems, at least for a little while. Life is hard. Reading makes it that much better.
Childrens
Lena Co-Authored, and as a creative, brought Sloane to life with her illustrations.
She hopes fellow parents will connect and learn together with their children, the complex subject of feelings and emotions.
Childrens
Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson is a Japanese American author-illustrator who grew up in both America and Japan. She now lives in California in a house filled with three generations of family, two languages, and countless books and art supplies.
She is the author illustrator of these children's books:
• THE MOCHI MAKERS (Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane Books, 2024)
• SHELL SONG (Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane Books, 2025)
Sharon's work is rooted in her Japanese-American heritage but more broadly seeks to normalize all types of diversity through the stories of underrepresented characters. She is dedicated to creating space for diversity, beauty, and kindness in her work.
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Childrens
Auntie Annie’s alligator..A…a…A” - a sentence in a book that would set me on a path of a love for children’s books. Along the way, there were other Dr. Seuss friends, the Berenstain Bears, Adam Raccoon, and one very hungry caterpillar who would carve on to my heart a dream of one day writing my own children’s book. In 1996, I began as a student teacher for preschool and kindergarten, and after 15 years in Early Childhood Education, I stepped out of the classroom and fully into my role as Mom. Pulling from a decade and a half of story times and early literacy programs, I drafted the first version of Meet Thimblebee. It would be another 12 years before it would be finished. Today, I am finding a balance between being an independent author and being back in the classroom teaching full time in Northern California.
Poetry, Philosophy
Jeff worked for 35 years in every aspect of the IT industry despite starting college as a music major and ending as a philosophy student. He has directed a church choir in the recording studio, groups of boys at summer camps, and many USA Swim meets. His youthful accomplishments include class III whitewater kayaking, SCUBA diving Northern California on a Coast Guard warning day, and skiing double-diamond in a blizzard. On the artistic side, he has a professionally produced CD of his own music compositions. He spent many years studying ballroom dance, achieving Full Silver certification. His main loves include camping by a mountain lake or hanging with his kids, bonus kids, grandkids, and fiancée. His house is equipped with a room full of Legos, a backyard with outdoor model trains, a closet full of toy soldiers and slot cars, hundreds of old movies, and lots of history books.
Cookbook
Chef Rogelio Garcia is a James Beard Award–winning chef, author, and culinary leader whose journey from Mexico City to the heart of Napa Valley has defined him as one of today’s most compelling voices in modern cuisine. Raised in Napa after immigrating from Mexico, Garcia began cooking at local restaurants before earning his place in some of the country’s most acclaimed kitchens, including The French Laundry, Cyrus, Spruce, and Luce. Each step sharpened his craft and fueled his vision of food as both cultural expression and storytelling.
In 2023, Garcia achieved a career milestone when he earned his first Michelin star, an honor he went on to retain in 2024 and 2025, making him one of the few chefs in Napa Valley with such recognition. His cooking, deeply rooted in California’s seasonal bounty and the legacy of his Mexican heritage, blends precision and creativity with a sense of identity and belonging.
Childrens, Contemporary / General Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, People of Color / BIPOC
Tiasha J. Garcia is a first-gen Mexican-American author and teacher from Northern California. She writes books in Spanish for new language learners with compelling main characters and relatable pop culture references. An avid fan of Star Wars and Marvel Comics, she strives to bring more authentic representation and inclusion of strong Latino characters to the science fiction and fantasy genres.
Her titles include:- Siempre, Frida (Voces Digital, 2026)
- El Verano de Terror (Voces Digital, 2025)
- El Zombi Vegetariano (TPRS Books, 2024)Seis Meses de Soledad (TPRS Books, 2022)
- La Leyenda de Ted (TPRS Books, 2021)
- La Pena de Crecer (TPRS Books, 2021)
- Amor y Muerte en Tiempos de Zombis (TPRS Books, 2021)
Inspired by her middle school students, Tiasha began writing stories for the classroom to encourage a love for reading that matched her own. She continues to teach and support her students' journey towards biliteracy.
Fantasy
Erika is a sixth-generation San Franciscan of Irish & Basque descent. She attended the University of California at Davis and completed degrees in Medieval History and Biological Sciences. A lifelong lover of books and a scribbler of many tales from a young age (her first story was completed at age five) she turned to writing full-time in 2025. So why the long gap in writing? What happened between 2016 and today? Erika is also a survivor. Between a heart wrenching divorce, the pandemic, and then putting her life back together, the voices in her head stopped talking to her. Thankfully, they are back and now Erika has new stories to share. Erika resides in a treehouse filled with fairies and twinkly lights in Northern California with her cat, Meisie.
Poetry, Crime Fiction
Poet June Gillam also writes award-winning crime fiction exploring the shadow side of humanity. Her Hillary Broome series explores themes of women’s empowerment, racism, greedy land development and intergenerational trauma.
A native of Sacramento, June is a co-founder of the San Joaquin Valley Writers branch of the California Writers Club and Gold Country Writers in Auburn. She also is active in Capitol Crimes, Sacramento Chapter of Sisters in Crime; Northern California Publishers & Authors; and Town Square Writers.
June loves readers to post Amazon reviews, and she invites everyone to visit her website and sign up for her monthly emails.
Children's
Laini is a licensed clinical social worker whose 30+ experience has brought her to understand the power of one's inner voice. This knowledge has allowed her to help others, and now she encourages readers of Sloane Understands to connect with themselves to practice self-love and compassion.
Childrens, People of Color / BIPOC, Non-Fiction, Academic
Dr. Kimberly A. Gordon Biddle is an award-winning author of textbooks and children's literature. She has written 4 picture books, co-authored 3 textbooks, and co-edited 1 textbook. She has a double BA in Psychology and Music from the University of Redlands. She has a EdS in Program Evaluation and a PhD in Child and Adolescent Development that are both from Stanford University GSE. Her literary agent is Deborah Warren. How Now Booking agency books her events.
Memoir
Author Joan Griffin lives under the spell of wanderlust. She takes wing, whenever possible, for actual destinations near and far and for literary locales in the pages of books. A native Californian and proud UCLA Bruin, Joan lives in the Northern California foothills of the majestic Sierra Nevada, a world she loves exploring. Joan navigated her way through two careers—marketing computers, then sailboats—before applying her love of storytelling to her dual passions of teaching and writing. Retired after 25 years of teaching middle school, Joan currently teaches classes in literature and history at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Sierra College.
Joan’s adventure memoir, Force of Nature: Three Women Tackle the John Muir Trail, was published in 2023 by Black Rose Writing. She is currently writing her second memoir about growing up adopted, Strangers in My Blood, scheduled for release in 2027.
Historical, Poetry
Gini Grossenbacher, M.Ed., is an award-winning independent poet and historical fiction novelist, certified by UC San Diego as a professional editor. Based in San Rafael, California, she leads the San Rafael Writers & Artists workshops and serves as membership chair of the California Writers Club’s Marin Branch. With postgraduate studies in European history and Italian literature, and decades of teaching experience, she blends academic rigor with vibrant storytelling in her historical novels, Madam of My Heart, Madam in Silk, and Madam in Lace. Fluent in English, Italian, and French, she’s known for illuminating the hidden narratives of women across continents and centuries. With JGKS Press, she coaches authors with manuscript production and publication. A frequent guest editor and presenter at the San Francisco Writers Conference, Gini shares her many writing skills with other authors. https://www.gini.grossenbacher.com
Contemporary / General Fiction, Literary, Poetry
Anara Guard is a poet and novelist whose mother named her after a character in a modern fairy tale. Her debut novel, LIKE A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (New Wind Publishing, 2022), won Book of the Year Honorable Mention from the Chicago Writers Association as well as other accolades. Her stories and essays have been published as a New York Times Tiny Love Story, in “Persimmon Tree,” “On the Seawall,” “Gold Man Review,” “Under the Gum Tree,” and elsewhere.
Her poems have received multiple awards, including a Pushcart Prize nomination. Her most recent poetry collection, KANSAS, REIMAGINED (The Poetry Box, 2024) gives voice to L. Frank Baum’s characters as they might have lived in Kansas. She lives in Sacramento with her partner and yard dragon and has just completed her second novel.
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Historical, Literary
Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes was born and raised in Hilo, Hawai’i. She is the author of The Pohaku and Hula, named a Best Book of the Summer by Harper’s Bazaar and ELLE, HONOLULU Magazine’s 2024 Book of the Year, and winner of an Audiofile Earphones Award. She is the recipient of residencies from Hedgebrook, VCCA, and Storyknife. She lives in California.
Mystery
ML Hamilton taught high school English and journalism for over thirty years, but she always dreamed of publishing a novel.
That dream came true. Her first novel, Emerald, was published by Wild Wolf Publishing in 2010. In 2013, she published the Peyton Brooks Mysteries, which allowed her to branch into the mystery genre. To date, she’s published 76 novels in three genres and sold over 350,000 books.
In addition to writing, she has three sons, two daughters-in-law, three grandbabies, a golden retriever and a golden doodle.
Horror, Paranormal / Supernatural
Josh Hancock is a teacher, author, and documentary filmmaker. His first novel through Burning Bulb Publishing, The Girls of October, is inspired by his love of all things horror–especially John Carpenter’s Halloween, Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and William Friedkin’s The Exorcist. Josh’s follow-up novel, The Devil and my Daughter, tells a horrific story of the occult, Satanic possession, and ritual murder, and Josh’s latest novels, Death Rituals and The Slicker Man, will have you never looking at a haunted house the same way again.
Historical Mystery
Dan Hanel is author of the award-winning historical mystery series – IN THE SHADOW OF DIABLO, including Mystery of the Great Stone House, Death at the Healing Waters, Ghosts of Black Diamond, and Beneath the Tangled Vines. Retired from public education after 40 years, he was named the Distinguished High School Science Teacher for the state of California, and was a high school, district, and county office administrator. Raised in Richmond, CA and living in Sacramento, he holds a biology degree from U.C., Berkeley and a master’s in education from CSU, East Bay.
Join high school teachers, Harrison Barrett and Celeste Scott, as they solve a series of murders and their adventures blend past and present, fact and fiction, mystery and romance, into stories that both entertain and educate about extraordinary Bay Area and California history found only . . . in the shadow of Diablo.
Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction
Kelly Haworth is a nonbinary artist and writer local to Sacramento. She loves to write LGBTQIA characters in sci-fi and fantasy settings. In fact, she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to write a non-queer couple again. Kelly has degrees in both genetics and psychology and works as a project manager at a genetics lab. When not working or writing, she can be found wrangling her two kids, painting, or curled up on the couch with a good TV show or book.
LGBTQ+, Mystery/Thriller
Brianna Heath is a queer, neurodivergent author of “Be Gay, Do Crime” stories. When not writing, she manages autism research studies and teaches about disability advocacy and inclusion. She lives in Northern California with Beau, her rescued Border Collie/gremlin, who, like her, has no chill.
Self Help
Charlena Henderson is an author, philanthropist, and motivational speaker. Passionate speaker dedicated to empowering individuals and inspiring positive change. With a unique blend of personal stories, practical insights, and infectious energy. At the heart of Charlena's mission is a commitment to motivate and empower every woman to realize her God-given purpose, step out in faith, and believe in her dream.
Memoir
Lynda Smith Hoggan is a retired professor of health and human sexuality and an amateur martini taster. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Westwind UCLA Journal of the Arts, Story Circle Network Journal, the anthology Art in the Time of Unbearable Crisis and more. Her first book is Our Song: a Memoir of Love and Race published by She Writes Press. She blogs at https://www.lyndasmithhoggan.com.
Romance
In early 2018 a woman saw a need for an all-genre, one-day, writers conference in Elk Grove that wouldn't cost $2000 - $3000 to attend plus airfare and lodging. How hard could it be? She found three like-minded writers, and they went to work. The first Elk Grove Writers Conference of October, 2018 was a surprising success. Encouraged by that success, they filed the required State and Federal documents and by early 2020, they were a legal nonprofit doing business as the Elk Grove Writers Guild, Inc. Their mission statement says they will, "Help Writers Be the Best They Can Be Through Education and Networking."
To carry out their Mission Statement, they provide full-day biennial conferences, and shorter events called seminars. The event planning includes searching for new, popular speakers with fresh material. They frequently ask their members for suggestions and feedback on topics for speaker presentations.
Biography
Eileen Hook has been actively researching and portraying California pioneer women since 1980. Her study of Eliza Gregson’s life has taken her to England, Rhode Island, and along the California Trail to pre gold rush California. "Eliza's Story" is the true story of a woman pioneer.
Literary
Jacob Hubbard is a neurodivergent writer and college writing teacher based in San Diego, CA. With a Bachelors in English and a Masters in Rhetoric, Jacob has cultivated a love of writing in all its forms, being drawn to stories about very real human experiences, even if they are rooted in the fantastical.
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Contemporary / General Fiction, Literary
Eve Imagine moved to Sacramento, CA in 1995. She lives in a fixer-upper in Midtown with her husband, Paul, and their three cats. Eve grew up in San Francisco, and then in 1987, moved to Lake Tahoe with her mother, stepfather, and sister, where she finished high school. In 1994, she graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor’s of English Literature. In 2002, after leaving her job as a high school English teacher in Roseville, CA, she earned her Master’s in English from UC Davis, graduating in 2004. Since 2004, she has been an adjunct English professor at Sacramento City College. She earned her Master’s in Education from California State University, Sacramento in 2014. For as long as she can remember, Eve has been dreaming of writing a novel. Body in Script is her first. Eve is working on her second novel.
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Fantasy, Historical, Horror, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, Paranormal / Supernatural, Young Adult
Angelica R. Jackson, in keeping with her scattered Gemini nature, has published articles on gardening, natural history, web design, travel, hiking, and local history. Other interests include pets, reading, green living, and cooking for food allergies (the latter not necessarily by choice, but she’s come to terms with it). Ongoing projects include short fiction, poetry, novels, art photography, and children’s picture books.
She shares a home in California’s Gold Country with a husband and far too many books (if that’s even possible). She is the author of the award-winning Faerie Crossed young adult urban fantasy series, and her photos are collected in Capturing The Castle: Images of Preston Castle (2006-2016). Her latest works are Stay, Girl, about a lost girl and a neglected dog finding home, plus a Gothic short story, To Live for the Dead.
Childrens, Mystery/Action
Ronald Javor lives in Sacramento and was an attorney assisting people with low incomes, disabilities and homelessness access safe and affordable housing. Since “retirement”, he continues that work as a volunteer.
In 2025, Ron published Murders and Mayhem at Muscle Beach, an action-mystery featuring competing groups of homeless veterans and their allies searching and fighting for lost valuable stolen Vietnam War contraband and forming new unexpected alliances. He also has written seven illustrated children’s books on young people confronting and overcoming barriers and demonstrating that all children, despite their handicaps, have the same goals and desires. His Young Adult book, Our Forever Home, is a fictional recounting of past and present worlds of extinct animals now living in Our Forever Home, the effects of climate change, and how to save today’s animals and humans from extinction. See more information about his books at ronaldjavorbooks.com.
Biography, Historical, Memoir, People of Color / BIPOC
Karin K. Jensen is a local news writer for the Alameda Post and the author of The Strength of Water, an Asian American Coming-of-Age Memoir, which received a coveted starred review from Kirkus and appeared on the annual Kirkus List of Top 100 Indie Books. It also won awards from The BookFest, International Book Awards, and the San Francisco Book Festival in 2024. She has written for AsAm News and NewsBreak, winning NewsBreak editorial awards on the topics of #StopAsianHate and #AAPI Voices. For her work, Authority Magazine named her a Social Impact Author.
Narrative Nonfiction
Akemi Johnson is the author of NIGHT IN THE AMERICAN VILLAGE: Women in the Shadow of the U.S. Military Bases in Okinawa, which was shortlisted for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing.
She is currently at work on a second narrative nonfiction book, to be published by One Signal/Simon & Schuster, about the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans and Tule Lake concentration camp, where her grandfather renounced his U.S. citizenship, along with more than 5,000 others. The project was awarded a 2025 Silvers Grant for Work in Progress and shortlisted for a 2025 J. Anthony Lukas Work-In-Progress Award.
Akemi has also written for The New York Times, The Nation, NPR’s Code Switch, The Washington Post, Travel + Leisure, and other publications. She has been the recipient of a Fulbright grant to Japan, the James D. Phelan Award from the San Francisco Foundation, and residencies at Mesa Refuge and Playa.
Historical, Mystery
Ms. Johnson’s first novel, Beat Until Stiff, was nominated for the 2003 Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Her second book in this series, Roux Morgue, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Fog City, her noir crime novel set in Prohibition-era San Francisco featuring Maggie Laurent, P.I., debuted in July 2024 from Level Best Books. This book is the first in the Fog City Noir series.. The second book in this series, City Lights, was published in July 2025, and the third book, Crookedest Street in the World, will debut in the summer of 2026. Fog City has been nominated for the 2025 Shamus Award for Best First P.I. Novel from the Private Eyes Writers of America and a Macavity Award for Best Historical Mystery by the Mystery Readers International. Ms. Johnson was the recent President of the Mystery Writers of America’s Northern California Chapter.
Science Fiction
Born in the San Francisco bay area and raised in Napa, California, Michael R. Johnston grew up steeped in everything Science Fiction and Fantasy from Asimov to Zelazny, as well as endless terrible SF TV shows he still has a slightly embarrassed fondness for. He currently lives in Sacramento, California. When he’s not writing or teaching, he spends time with friends, plays video games and tabletop RPGs, and reads. He blogs at MJohnstonBooks.com, and can be found on Bluesky @Johnstonmr.bsky.social.
Mystery
As a child, Kate Hopkins Joyce adored books featuring “old-fashioned girls”: Anne of Green Gables, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, The Five Little Peppers, the Betsy-Tacy series …. So when it came time to write a new mystery series, Miss Joyce created a grown-up version of those “old-fashioned girls” and set her loose in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century. In another lifetime, Miss Joyce worked in print and broadcast journalism. She published three contemporary mysteries with St. Martin’s Press under a different pen name. Miss Joyce lives on California’s beautiful Central Coast with the requisite feline companion, a tabby named Dandy.
Childrens, Self-Help
Jennifer Junghans is the author of several titles in the workbook collection, “My Parents’ Divorce Through My Eyes” for children navigating divorce and the co-author of “The Divorce Playbook for Smart Women” (available in January 2026). She is a former journalist and editor whose work has appeared in publications and outlets for audiences of all ages across print, web, and radio. She applies her editorial expertise and deep empathy to projects that promote compassion and well-being for people, animals, and the planet. She lives in Northern California. More at amazon.com/author/jenniferjunghans
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Horror, Science Fiction, LGBTQ+
Bitter Karella is a writer of gonzo psycho-sexual body horror with a grotesquely humorous edge. His short story “Low Tide Jenny,” originally published in Seize the Press magazine, was a winner of the Brave New Weird award for best new weird fiction of 2022 by Tenebrous Press. Her first novel, Moonflow, is now available from Orbit’s new horror imprint Run For It.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Crime, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Mike Karpa is a gay San Francisco writer whose short work has appeared in Tin House, Foglifter, Faultline and other journals. His first novel, Criminals (Mumblers Press, 2021), was a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2022 (Indie) and his third, The Wealthy Whites of Williamsburg (Mumblers Press, 2023), won Best Gay Book at San Francisco Book Festival. He also translates Japanese to English and has published several book-length translations and until recently taught Japanese translation in the Master's programs at Kent State University and previously at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.
Nature, Education, Travel
Mornings on Fair Oaks Bridge, Watching Wildlife on the Lower American River is a guidebook for residents and visitors to actively participate in nature and wildlife observation through all seasons of the year. She leads river tours and nature journaling workshops sharing her knowledge of the area. Janice was a featured guest on Insight with Beth Ruyak at Capital Public Radio and Good Day Sacramento to discuss her early morning experiences on the river. She has also written books to inspire children and families to create meaningful connections to the outdoor world, including Nature Detectives at Home and What Song does the Rain Sing?
Kelley brings a lifetime of writing experience to adult Life Writing workshops, guiding students to observe life’s everyday moments and turn them into bits of wisdom, creative insights and stories. She presents writing workshops at Sierra College Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and active living communities.
Childrens, Self Help, Faith
Bitsy Kemper is an award-winning author of 30 books, from kids books to adult. Her ""Mommy & Me Micro-Moments: Nurturing Faith, Sharing Laughs,"" a devotional, family journal, and activity book all rolled into one great mix of laughs, was awarded the 2025 Devotional of the Year. Her early career focused on the computer industry, appearing in places like CNN and co-writing a nationally-syndicated newspaper column (remember newspapers?). You may have seen her profiled in Writing Children’s Books for Dummies and Children’s Book Insider or literally hundreds of other media outlets and podcasts. Bitsy enjoys hot yoga and dark chocolate–but not at the same time. When not nose down and knee deep creating & editing, she finds time to present at events from NY to CA. She is an accomplished speaker, mother of three (four if you count her husband), and according to her business card, a really nice gal. www.BitsyKemper.com.
Childrens, Crime, Historical, Mystery, Poetry, Romance, Thriller
Nafisa Zareen Khan is a Fiji-Indian author, designer, and creative entrepreneur whose work weaves together heritage, history, and imagination. She is the author of The Serpent and the Saffron Bride, the first book in her Gothic romance trilogy, as well as the Laila Mirza Mysteries, children’s books like Pandora’s Delicious Dilemma, and cultural works such as Bula the Compassionate Fijian Rooster and Fiji Hindi Baat: The Ultimate Learning Guide.
Nafisa is also the founder of Nafisa Khan Designs, where she creates handcrafted merchandise, literary services, and storytelling projects under her brand Authors Alchemy. Drawing inspiration from her upbringing in Suva, Fiji, her Indo-Fijian roots, and her background in public service, she brings cultural memory and personal experience into her writing. Whether crafting Gothic love stories, family mysteries, or whimsical children’s adventures, Nafisa’s work celebrates resilience, creativity, and the enduring power of stories to connect people across generations.
LGBTQ+, Romance
Katta Kis’ first job was playing a vampire baby in a student film, sealing her fate as a goth child for life. After a variety pack of jobs and apartments, she is currently settled in Sacramento. She cohabitates with her two adorable demon babies masquerading as cats and her high school romance which never ended. When not writing, she can usually be found reading or at a concert.
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Mystery, Thriller
James L’Etoile uses his twenty-nine years behind bars as an influence in his award-winning novels, short stories, and screenplays. He is a former associate warden in a maximum-security prison, a hostage negotiator, and director of California’s state parole system. His novels have been shortlisted or awarded the Lefty, Anthony, Silver Falchion, Macavity, and the Public Safety Writers Award. River of Lies and Sins of the Father are his most recent novels. Look for Illusion of Truth coming in 2026. James also serves as the Executive Vice President of Mystery Writers of America. You can find out more at www.jamesletoile.com
Historical, Horror, LGBTQ+, Paranormal / Supernatural, Comics
Perry Lake has made up stories about monsters and the supernatural since he was a child. You’d think he'd grow out of it.
His tales of ghosts, vampires, ghouls, strange laboratory creations, and more have thus far been collected into twelve books and four inter-connected series: The Legend of Dracula, The Legend of Frankenstein, the Ghoul Family Chronicles, the Huang Zhou series, and he’s the creator of Cassiopeia The Witch, a small press comic book, relating the adventures of a modern-day Wiccan practitioner and lesbian who can’t seem to stay dressed. For over forty issues, Cass tangled with evil cults, intolerant fanatics, vengeful ghosts, ravening werewolves, and inhuman cryptids. Cassie’s original adventures are available once more in a four-volume set, with new material planned.
Mr. Lake survived the 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed the city of Paradise, California. He escaped through the flames with his laptop and all his stories.
Travel, Hiking
Ashley Shult Langdon is the author of Mildly Scenic: A Trail Guide to Sacramento's Lower American River. She worked for decades as a guide for international and wilderness expeditions, but currently finds it just as thrilling to explore the local nature without the hours of travel.
Fantasy, Historical, LGBTQ+, Mystery, Romance, Young Adult
M Pepper Langlinais, who also writes young adult fiction as Amanda Innes, is an award-winning author and screenwriter, and a playwriting member of the Dramatists Guild. She has interned on film sets, performed and taught Shakespeare’s works, and been a project manager and developmental editor for major publishing houses. M enjoys reading tarot, watching anime, and making YouTube videos. She lives in California with her husband, kids, cats, and snake.
Romance
Brittney is a Northern California native who spends her nights crafting love stories. When she’s not writing you can find her amongst friends deciding what game to play next, performing Taylor Swift songs to her unsuspecting husband, and binge watching period romance movies.
Horror, Young Adult
V.S. Lawrence grew up in Utah being scared of everything. Now, she puts her fears on paper, writing spooky books that feel like Scooby-Doo chase music. When not writing, she can be found buried in a horror novel, wandering aimlessly, or cuddling her dog, Rigby. She is still scared of everything.
Historical
Award-winning author, C.V. Lee hails from the Pacific Northwest and is an alumna of the University of Washington.
Her literary endeavors center on historical fiction, delving into the rich tapestry of the 15th and 16th centuries, encompassing the medieval, Renaissance and Protestant Reformation periods. Weaving together fact, fiction, and folklore, she creates vivid narratives that invite the reader to journey alongside her characters as they navigate life’s triumphs and trials.
Childrens, Middle Grade
Gwen Lee is a Singapore-born, US-based author of eight children’s books such as Elven and The Puzzle Box. Her award-winning work Little Cloud Wants Snow! is used by schools in the United States to educate children about weather science and a recommended selection at the Read! Singapore Festival. Gwen lives in California with her family.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Horror, Paranormal / Supernatural, Thriller, Young Adult
Benjamin Lilly discovered a love for writing in his fifth-grade class in South Sacramento, and has been exploring it ever since. He graduated from SFSU with a creative writing degree and now lives in Oakland with his wife and son. After a couple of decades of working on his first feature-length novel, The House Always Wins is finally available.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Horror, LGBTQ+, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance
G.B. Lindsey's most salacious and long-term affair is with the horror genre, but she also writes sci-fi, romance, and historical fiction. By day, she works in kidney and liver transplant; by night she reads voraciously, rocks out to metal, and bothers her cat. She earned her Master's in Creative Writing in Newcastle Upon Tyne, and participates regularly in live readings and book sales through the Queer Sacramento Authors Collective, as well as acting as their events coordinator. She is proud to have been a featured writer in September 2021 for MITA's ongoing project, Madwomen in the Attic, during which she explored her experiences with chronic depression and clinical OCD. She was recently published in Ghost Orchid Press's eco-horror anthology, Chlorophobia, the Sapphic horror anthology Moonflowers and Nightshade, and the queer anthology Don't Ask, Ghosts Tell from Tundra Swan Press.
LGBTQ+, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance
Philippa Lodge is an office worker by day, reader by night, and author on the weekends. She lives in California (though not one of the cool parts) with her husband, whatever kids (maximum of three) as haven’t yet gone to college and/or moved out and/or are home for a pandemic, and two cats (and a million fleas).
Science Fiction
Frank Luna is an Emmy award-winning television director/producer with forty years of experience in broadcast news and independent freelance projects. His fascination with space exploration was fueled by his dad’s early wake up calls to watch the launches of Alan Shepard and John Glenn. Mars is the setting for his first novel, Red Storm, about eight scientists and engineers who lose complete contact with Earth. His second book in the Mars series, The Community, is the parallel story of what’s happening on Earth as Red Storm unfolds on Mars. Born in San Bernardino, California, Frank is a longtime Sacramento resident and a member of Northern California Publishers and Authors. Now retired, he is an avid golfer and enjoys swimming and hiking with his wife in beautiful Northern California.
Self Help
Chandra Lynn, MBA, is a certified transformation coach and founder of Glow Living, a platform dedicated to helping people love life. After a 25-year career leading marketing for top brands like Apple and Universal Audio, she turned her focus to personal growth, creating the Root-to-Rise Framework to guide people through healing, resilience, and authentic living. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is passionate about empowering others to rise into their fullest potential.
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Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction, Mystery/Thriller
T.E. MacArthur is an award-winning author, artist, historian, amateur cat whisperer, and aspiring parapsychologist living in the San Francisco Bay Area with her cat and far too many books.
She’s written for specialized publications, anthologies, and even — accidentally — served as a sports reporter for Reuters News.
Thanks to the pandemic, her storytelling dramatically pivoted toward Retro-Futurism and Supernatural Mysteries — lifelong obsessions — and she now publishes in the Dieselpunk and Paranormal subgenres of Mystery and Thriller fiction. Her 2026 upcoming book is a Gothic Western.
If you ever want to talk ghosts, Raymond Chandler slang, steam locomotives, or Elizabethan insults?
She’s your girl.
Historical, Mystery
Lexa M. Mack writes San Francisco mysteries featuring DNA secrets, family lies, and murder. Her Kestrel Jonas Mystery Series combines authentic Bay Area settings with twisty plots and sharp humor. LineUp Editor for Mystery Writers of America's Northern California chapter, Lexa lives in the Sierras with her husband, a very fat cat, chickens, and forty thousand honeybees. When not plotting murders, she blogs about retirement. Her debut, Legacy of Lies, proves old money hides the deadliest secrets.
Childrens
I am an Early Childhood Educator with over twenty years of experience in education. I have worked with federally and state-funded Early Learning Programs in Southern California, including the Head Start Program. I strongly believe in the power of storytelling, the importance of play, and the value of developmentally appropriate early learning practices for young children. I am an award-winning author, and I create bilingual as well as trilingual stories.
Literary
Born near Chicago to Indian immigrants, Archana relocated with her parents to Mumbai at age four. After the culture shock abated, she fell in love with her homeland until chance brought the family to California. She studied political theory and biology at UCLA before attending medical school at the University of California, Davis. As a professor of medicine and infectious disease doctor, she was on the frontlines from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Always a writer in the margins of her day, storytelling became an obsession during her medical career, an outlet for her stubborn creative instincts.
Memoir, Mystery, Thriller
Ana Manwaring is the author of award-winning thrillers set in Mexico against the backdrop of organized crime and systemic corruption. Co-authored with Fernando Leon Torrens, Ana’s latest, Mortal Revenge, a medical/legal thriller based on a true story, explores Mexico’s culture of impunity. She has target practiced with an Uzi, camped out in ancient Mexican ruins, toured a mortuary and a District Attorney’s office, and tasted tequila in Mexico City’s oldest cantina. Her memoir, Saints and Skeletons chronicles the years she lived in-country. Ana produces North Bay Poetics, a monthly poetry event, is the vice president of Sisters in Crime Northern California, and has 20+ years teaching creative writing.
Historical, Paranormal / Supernatural
Ruthie Marlenée, a native Californian with Mexican roots, is the author of Isabela’s Island, Curse of the Ninth, Agave Blues and And Still Her Voice. Her writing has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize. She is a member of Macondo Writers Workshop, Inlandia Institute, Palm Springs Writers Guild, and is a WriteGirl Mentor.
Her poetry and short stories can be found in various publications, including 3 Element Literary Review, Calendula Review, Gunpowder Press, Kelp Books, Shark Reef, The Coiled Serpent Anthology, So To Speak, Detour Ahead, What They Leave Behind: A Latinx Anthology, Silver Birch Press, Slow Lightning: Impractical Poetry and Writing From Inlandia.
Thriller
Elle Marr is the #1 Amazon Charts bestselling author of seven thrillers. Originally from Sacramento, Elle graduated from UC San Diego before moving to France, where she earned a master’s degree from Sorbonne University in Paris. She now lives and writes in Oregon with her family. For more information, visit www.ellemarr.com or follow her on social media.
Historical, Memoir, People of Color / BIPOC
Kathy Lynne Marshall isn't just a genealogist; she's a historical detective, giving voice to the forgotten. Through meticulous research and a touch of creative empathy, she unearths the stories of women, African Americans, and other unsung heroes who shaped America. Imagine experiencing history through the eyes of those who lived it–that's the power of Kathy's ""speculative nonfiction."" But she doesn't stop there. Kathy empowers others to reclaim their heritage, leading workshops and sharing her successful research and self-publishing secrets so anyone can become the author of their own family story.
Kathy has been featured in Sacramento Magazine, The Sacramento Bee, The Sacramento Observer, Sacramento News & Review, and Elk Grove Citizen. She has been interviewed on CBS-TV, Fox40-TV, as well as on several podcasts. Kathy has delighted audiences at local and national genealogy and writing conferences, including as the keynote speaker in 2024. Her books have won nine awards since 2018.
Contemporary / General Fiction, LGBTQ+, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance
BL Maxwell grew up in a small town listening to her grandfather spin tales about his childhood. Later she became an avid reader and after a certain vampire series she became obsessed with fanfiction. She soon discovered Slash fanfiction and later discovered the MM genre and was hooked.
Many years later, she decided to take the plunge and write down some of the stories that seem to run through her head late at night when she’s trying to sleep.
Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction, Intergenre
Matt Maxwell is an author from California, working primarily in the fantastic. He was born between the assassination of JFK and the Moon landing. Don't ask, you wouldn't believe it anyways.
Childrens, Memoir, Nonfiction - Beekeeping
Meredith May is an award-winning journalist and the author of five books, including The Honey Bus, the best-selling memoir about her beekeeping childhood with her grandfather in Big Sur. Her books have been published in eighteen countries and translated into eleven languages. She spent sixteen years at the San Francisco Chronicle, where her narrative reporting won the PEN USA Literary Award for Journalism and was short-listed for the Pulitzer Prize. She lives on the California Central Coast, where she is a fifth-generation beekeeper and volunteers as a scuba diver for the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Fantasy, LGBTQ+, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance, Science Fiction
International best-selling author Belinda McBride has been publishing romance since 2008, primarily in paranormal, fantasy, and science fiction. She has a reputation of fearlessly (or foolishly) mashing genres, genders, and putting her own twist on tired tropes. She is best known for the timeless M/M classic, An Uncommon Whore, as well as Blacque/Bleu and of course, the cult classic Doms of Dark Haven. (with Cherise Sinclair and Sierra Cartwright) She's a graduate of CSU Chico and lives in Shasta County, where she's care gives a family member.
When Belinda isn't reading or writing, she's either working with her union, making soap or playing with a dog. She hates forest fires, house flies and weed eating the property.
Fantasy, Historical, Middle Grade, Mystery
Karen McCoy is an author, librarian, and tea enthusiast. She has reviewed books for Library Journal and Children’s Literature, wrote a feature article for School Library Journal and contributed a chapter to Now Write! Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror. She also maintains a blog where she interviews other authors. She lives in Sacramento with her husband and two opinionated cats. The Etiquette of Voles is her first published novel, with a potential sequel on the way.
LGBTQ+, Science Fiction, Mystery
Sharon A McDonell thought Star Trek’s Data was just like her. So of course, she writes in first person about being an AI robot with lesbian tendencies! These days she’s feeling a lot more human and spends time walking Lucy, the cutest chiweenie dog, reading, traveling, jigsaw puzzling and of course, writing novels. After years of loving to read murder mysteries, sci fi and about those with found families, she is now writing about AI’s on Earth and Mars.
Historical, Romance, Suspense/Mystery
Loucinda McGary's two great passions are writing and travel. To date she has visited 47 states, 39 countries, and taken 49 cruises. She likes to set her stories of contemporary and historical romance and suspense in some of the exotic locations she has visited.
She has published both traditionally and Indie.. Her stories have placed and won several contests and awards including the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest, the Australian Romance Readers Awards, the Kindle Book Review's Best Indie Book of 2012 and 2013 and the 2021 Chesapeake Writers "Rudy" contest.
Biography, Literary, Memoir, Travel, Outdoor Adventure
Rosanne S. McHenry has worked as a National Park Ranger and a California State Park Ranger in many different locations over the years. Her recently released book – Tales from a Rogue Ranger – speaks to the comedy and tragedy of being a park ranger: a job that is nothing like you might imagine. Set against the stunning backdrop of California’s American River Canyon, this is an engaging and wildly unusual read about the untamed life of a woman ranger.
She is also the author of the book – Trip Tales: From Family Camping to Life as a Ranger, about how family camping trips as a child inspired her to become a National Park Ranger.
McHenry is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, American Legacy Book Awards, Non Fiction Authors Award, and the International Book Awards.
Childrens
Nicole Mechem is a California-based debut author whose storytelling is rooted in warmth, creativity, and the joy of seeing the world through children’s eyes. Her first book, Lizabeth and the Great Tooth Fairy Blunder, was inspired by her young daughter’s beautiful imagination. Blending playfulness with heart, Nicole reimagines a beloved childhood tradition in a way that delights children and parents alike. Nicole has spent nearly twenty years leading teams and building programs in both the nonprofit and technology sectors, but her most cherished role is being a mom. As a mother of two, she has seen firsthand the power of stories to spark curiosity, build confidence, and create meaningful family traditions. Her love of children’s literature began when she was read to as a child and grew through the nightly ritual of reading aloud with her daughters.
LGBTQ+, Literary, Poetry
Lilliana Méndez-Soto is a Cuban-American writer based in Northern California who seeks to cultivate compassion and encourage empathy. She is a Former Pharmacist, Dog Mom, Gardener, Zen Student, & Outdoor Enthusiast.
Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Raised on episodes of Sea Hunt and Jacques Cousteau, Richard Meredith moved from Michigan to pursue a career as a marine biologist in California. His work has provided rich fodder for his writing. His latest novel, Maskirovka—The Russian Science of Deception, which received a Starred Review from Kirkus Reviews, draws on his work as an analyst in the petroleum industry. His years on commercial fishing boats formed the backdrop of his thriller, The Crow’s Nest, which won the Silver Falchion Award for the Best Action-Adventure novel in 2021 at Killer Nashville. Richard is Vice President of Capitol Crimes, the Sacramento area chapter of Sisters-in-Crime.
When not writing, he enjoys travel, bird and wildlife watching, scuba diving, guitars, rock concerts, and most sports. He is married with two children and four grandchildren.
Horror, Science Fiction
Joshua Millican is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz where he earned degrees in literature and creative writing. He is a journalist (Dread Central), an actor, and an active member of the HWA. Millican’s best-known works of fiction include Teleportasm (Killer VHS Series #3) and Chopping Mall: The Novelization. His next novel, a gory cryptid mystery titled Dopefoot, will be released on June 16th, 2026.
LGBTQ+, People of Color / BIPOC, Young Adult
Lio Min is the acclaimed author of "Beating Heart Baby," a longtime music reporter, a MacDowell fellow, and a fullmetal optimist. "The L.O.V.E. Club" is their second novel. Min lives in Oakland, California, and writes toward the future.
Childrens, Poetry, Self-Help
Sandra Marie Mohsan is a retired Registered Nurse (CRN, BSN, PHN, TNP) and Caritas Coach®, distinguished for her exemplary standards in nursing practice and compassionate patient care. With extensive experience and specialized expertise in pediatric nursing, Sandra has consistently demonstrated professionalism and dedication throughout her career. Beyond her clinical roles, she promotes reflection and healing through her book, “Caregiver’s Poetic Journal: Begin Healing from Grief and Loss Through Journaling,” which supports readers navigating grief after the loss of her husband and lifelong companion of forty years. Sandra welcomes individuals to utilize her book as a resource for processing grief and sharing their journeys.
Sandra has focused on supporting children by authoring animated stories that thoughtfully address common childhood illnesses and injuries, fostering comfort and understanding. Residing in Northern California, Sandra pursues creative interests including poetry, painting, and various artistic activities, often accompanied by her journaling companion, Simba the cat.
Young Adult
L. J. Monahan lives in Northern California with his wife, two sons, and a crazy dog named Luna. He graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in English and once fell off a roller coaster. (Spoiler alert: he survived.) He is the author of young adult sci-fi adventure books.
When he's not writing, you might find him teaching middle schoolers history, walking his dog, or trying to find his golf ball on the course.
Historical, LGBTQ+, Literary
Lisa Montanaro is part no-nonsense Italian American New Yorker and part sunny Californian. Her unique background encompasses performer, teacher of the Deaf, lawyer, productivity consultant, writer coach, speaker, and author. Lisa’s debut novel, Everything We Thought Was True, published by Red Adept Publishing, drew inspiration from her family history and examines the corrosive nature of secrets—those we keep from ourselves, from each other, and from society. It won first place for Best New Fiction/Debut in the American Writing Awards, first place for LGBTQ Fiction in the International Firebird Book Awards, received Honorable Mention for General Fiction in the Los Angeles Book Festival, and was a finalist for LGBTQ Fiction in the National Indie Excellence Awards. Lisa serves as webinar host for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. When not writing, Lisa enjoys cycling and hiking with her veterinarian husband, tending to her garden, and chasing after their rescue dog.
Memoir
Edward L. Moore III, M.A. Psych, was in his teens when he authored a Science Fiction short story for which he won a creative writing contest. He grew up in a house where reading was a valued pastime. Ed discovered the magic of the written word and the power of books to transport you to other places and introduce you to new ideas. He wrote several hundred stories, papers, and reports while in college earning two degrees in Psychology. His career in the medical and counseling/social work fields gave him a firsthand view of the best and worst of human nature – something that Ed seeks to bring to his writing. He is fond of saying, “If at first you don’t succeed . . . skydiving isn’t for you!”
In his spare time, Ed has authored several stories and articles featured in various Scottish/Irish heritage newsletters as well as Scottish magazines.
Childrens, Middle Grade, Poetry
Kate McCarroll Moore is a life-long educator and the former Poet Laureate for the City of San Ramon, California. She is the author of two novels for children, Elinormal and New Girl: The Further Adventures of Elinormal. Her debut picture book, Chelsea Skye, Nature Spy was recently published, and a second picture book is slated for a Spring 2026 release. Kate also has published poetry collections for adults; her most recent collection is Alphapoetica: A Poetry Primer for the Everyday Poet. She holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership for Social Justice, and she continues to promote poetry as a tool of transformation and healing. She never grows tired of people-watching and eavesdropping, using her writer’s imagination to turn ordinary events into unique characters with interesting stories to tell. She lives with her family in Rocklin, and teaches on-line and in-person poetry and memoir workshops.
Mystery
Former newspaper reporter Jennifer K. Morita believes a good story is like good mochi - slightly sweet with a nice chew.
Her debut mystery, GHOSTS OF WAIKĪKĪ, won the 2025 Left Coast Crime Lefty Award for Best Debut Mystery and was an Agatha, Anthony and Macavity award finalist. It’s about an out-of-work journalist who reluctantly becomes the ghost writer for a controversial developer. When she stumbles into murder - and her ex - she discovers coming home to paradise can be murder.
Jennifer is a writer for University Communications at Sacramento State. She lives in Sacramento with her husband and two teenage daughters. When she isn’t plotting murder mysteries or pushing Girl Scout cookies, she enjoys reading, experimenting with recipes, Zumba, and Hot Hula.
Childrens
Lovable Little Books
Simcha is an author, artist who writes children’s books in both Hebrew and English. Over the past four years, she has published five titles and is currently developing two new works.
Her first book, Nika – Her First Days in First Grade, was published with a traditional press and was later selected for Israel’s national Cultural Basket program, supporting children in their transition to school. Following its release, she toured elementary schools for a year, meeting first-grade students and engaging them in conversations about the book and their experience of entering first grade. Since then, she has independently published bilingual stories with imaginative narratives designed to inspire young readers.
Drawing inspiration from her grandchildren and the children she observes in everyday life, Simcha creates stories that reflect the voices, questions, and dreams of childhood. Her books carry meaningful lessons, offering families stories that are imaginative and enriching.
Breast Cancer Gift Book
Gina L. Mulligan has a MA in Creative Writing Prose Fiction from the University of East Anglia (UEA). She’s the author of two historical novels; Remember the Ladies and From Across the Room, and the bestselling non-fiction Dear Friend: Letters of Encouragement, Humor & Love for Women with Breast Cancer. Her short fiction has appeared in Paper Brigade, at Stories on Stage, and was longlisted for the 2022 First Pages Prize.
After her own diagnosis, Gina founded Girls Love Mail, a national charity that collects handwritten letters for women with breast cancer. Since the formation in 2011, the charity has sent out over 230,000 letters across the country. Gina has been featured on The NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt, The Steve Harvey Show, People.com, Today.com, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Woman’s Day Magazine.
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Autobiography/Spiritual Journey
Ann has been a psychotherapist for 32 years. She has explored multiple spiritual disciplines, led countless meditations, and taught many spiritual classes. Her work helps people balance mind, body, emotions and spirit.
Historical, Middle Grade, Memoir, American Cultural History
Sandra S. Navarro holds a doctorate in Anthropology. Her narratives are informed looks at people and places in the United States over time. Inspired by a collection of documents from five generations of her family, Sandra writes about the impact of historical events and societal change on family members and collective family lore. The author is an active member of the California Writers Club, one of the nation’s oldest professional organizations for writers. Sandra’s works for children and adults are published by Cornsilk Press (www.cornsilkpress.com) and are available on Amazon.com/books.
Literary, Thriller
Karen Nelson is the author of the novels The Last Summer at Feather River and The Sunken Town, and she is the co-founder of the nonprofit Writing By Writers. During her long career in nonprofits she has protected open space, funded cancer research, trained people to complete endurance events, and helped writers bring their work into the world. When not organizing writing workshops, she can be found hiking with her dog, reading, traveling, experimenting in the kitchen, and hosting dinner parties. She writes for various publications and is at work on her next novel.
Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+, Middle Grade, Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction
M.D. Neu is an award-winning gay author who writes epic Sci Fi, Fantasy, Urban Fantasy, and Paranormal stories that reflect our diverse community. Growing up M.D. Neu always wondered why there were never stories reflecting our diverse queer society. Surrounded by characters that only reflected heterosexual society, he decided to change that and began writing, wanting to tell heroic stories that reflect our varied world. When not writing M.D. Neu works for a non-profit in Silicon Valley and travels with his husband of twenty plus years.
Childrens, Middle Grade, Environmental Non-Fiction for Children -- both PB and MG
Sibert Honor author Patricia Newman empowers readers to seek connections to the real world and to use their imaginations to act on behalf of their communities. Her new Teach the Hope initiative integrates gratitude, connection and narrative nonfiction books like hers that introduce readers to civic role models to inspire action, not anxiety. Patricia’s titles have received multiple starred reviews, two Orbis Pictus Recommended Awards (NCTE), two Green Earth Book Awards, and several Eureka! Awards (CRA). All her nonfiction titles are Junior Library Guild Selections, and most have been included in the Bank Street College’s Best Books of the Year lists. To learn more about her books and Teach the Hope, visit her website at patriciamnewman.com or connect with her on Bluesky (@patricianewman.bsky.social), Instagram (@patricianewmanbooks), and X (@PatriciaNewman).
LGBTQ+, Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance
Succoryne is a romantic who has a lot to say about the nature of love and desire; a smug cat towards whom knives are always pointed.
Writing across genres, the core question Succ always wants to answer is this: can the monstrous be loved? And if so, can we, who are sometimes monstrous, be loved as well?
The author themself can be found anywhere there is an improperly pruned tree, standing under it and frowning.
Literary, Memoir
Elizabeth Nguyen, MD is a psychiatrist who believes in the power of storytelling to heal inter-generational trauma. She was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii where her parents arrived as refugees from Vietnam after the end of the war in 1975. She received her BA from Stanford University in Human Biology, her MD from Northwestern University, and her Psychiatry Residency and Child Psychiatry Fellowship training at UC Davis.
She has a private psychiatry practice and also works in community mental health for children at Pacific Clinics. Aloha Vietnam is her first novel, sharing the unique challenges of translating mental health care across different languages and cultures.
She currently lives in Davis, CA and makes frequent trips across the Pacific Ocean to the islands of Hawaii where her body and soul feel most at home. You can find her online at: www.multidimensionalpsychiatry.com and www.waterkeeperscommunity.com
Contemporary / General Fiction, Historical, Romance, Thriller
Author Brenda Novak is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author with more than ten million books in print, translated into twenty different languages. An eight-time Rita nominee, she has won many awards, including the National Reader’s Choice, the Bookseller’s Best and the Silver Bullet. She also runs Brenda Novak for the Cure, a charity to raise money for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). To date, she’s raised $2.6 million. For more about Brenda, please visit www.brendanovak.com
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Contemporary / General Fiction, LGBTQ+
D.L. O’Neil lives a bi-coastal existence, balancing time in northern California with family time in eastern Pennsylvania. As both a traveler and an observer of life, O’Neil’s stories reflect the people she meets and the places she visits. Her pockets or backpack are filled with notes and ideas scribbled on receipts, envelopes, and even cocktail napkins at the end of a trip.
O’Neil spent a lifetime thinking creatively, but her foray into writing follows more than thirty years using the analytic side of her brain. She includes a bit of herself in each book, weaving an event or experience from her non-literary life. When not writing she can be found near a golf course, on a hiking trail, or in her wood shop.
Memoir, Paranormal / Supernatural, Self Help, Creative Non-Fiction
Susan M. Osborn, Ph.D., M.S.W., has created a fascinating book, "Coincidences and Other Spooky Connections," that originated with her personal experiences. It explores four kinds of synchronicity: coincidences, serendipity, the I Ching, and etheric energy. It identifies relationships between Carl Jung's work, Eastern and Indigenous traditions, and quantum physics and supports the conclusion that everyone and everything is connected. Pop-ups record the increasing number of coincidences concerning elephants that she has experienced since she began writing this book.
She is also author of "Awful Bosses Coloring Book," "The System Made Me Do It! A Life Changing Approach to Office Politics" and senior author of "Assertive Training for Women." She has written chapters in "New Life Options: The Working Woman’s Resource Book," ("Living Alone: Puzzles and Polarities”) and in "Wake Me When the Data Is Over" (”We Need More We and Less Me: How Stories Build Teams and Teamwork”).
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Mystery
Gigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling author and locked-room mystery enthusiast who’s been awarded Agatha, Anthony, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been a finalist for the Edgar. The child of anthropologists from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, she spent her childhood being dragged around the world on research trips, which inspired her fiction. Gigi writes the Secret Staircase mysteries (locked-room mysteries called “wildly entertaining” by the New York Times), the Accidental Alchemist mysteries (humorous mysteries with a touch of magic), and the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mysteries (lighthearted adventures steeped in history). She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the backyard garden.
Crime, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Middle Grade, Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction
Michael Panush is a lifelong writer and Sacramento native.
A born storyteller since childhood, Panush is the author of over a dozen books in numerous different genres. He’s crafted Weird Westerns such the El Mosaico and Mark Justice’s The Dead Sheriff: A Cold and Lonesome Grave, Urban Fantasies like the Stein and Candle and Clay Shamus series, Woodland Medieval Fantasy with the Dark Forest series, and numerous stories that play with history in unique and wild ways such as the talking animal mystery Ape’s Honor and The Stone Law, the tales of a Stone Age caveman detective.
His newest novel is No Refuge for Rats, a globe-trotting rodent historical epic set in the world of the Dark Forest.
He lives and teaches in Sacramento.
Follow him on twitter at https://twitter.com/Michael_Panush
Mystery, Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult
By day, Rebecca Inch-Partridge is a mild-mannered freelance editor. At night, she's the
ruler of Paraxous Star Cluster—where her young adult science-fantasy novel is set in. A
lifelong science fiction fan, she’s been excited to see how the increased popularity of mixed-
genre novels has opened speculative fiction to mainstream readers. This trend helped lead
to the publication of the paranormal/mystery/thriller/romance that she co-authored with
her aunt Corrine Malcom Ibeling. Escaping the Dashia and Abby’s Fire are perfect examples
of the wide range of stories covered under the umbrella of speculative fiction.Rebecca teaches writing workshops through Sierra College’s OLLI program. She is a
frequent panelist at science fiction conventions. Abby’s Fire: A Mt. Prospect Mystery took the Gold in the Northern California Publishers & Authors 2024 contest."
Childrens
Crystel is an award-winning author and proud "boy mom" behind the "Inspired to Be..." book series. Her books amplify positive narratives of Black people, inspiring children with stories inspired by real people and teaching valuable life lessons. Her approach to children's literature is deeply rooted in her role as a mother and her passion for empowering the next generation. Crystel’s work has earned media recognition and literary awards, encouraging children to follow their dreams and make a positive impact.
Travel, Food, Fashion, Beauty
A Sacramento-based blogger, Luci writes about doable, everyday sustainable living. With an emphasis on seasonal produce in her cooking, she shares many recipes on her website and has self-published two seasonal cookbooks. Follow her on Instagram @lucismorsels
Romance
Bonnie is a self-published author of contemporary romance novels. During her professional life she used her writing skills as a fundraising and communication executive for several nonprofits. Because Bonnie has romance in her soul, she also worked as a Wedding Planner for several years. Absolutely loved it!! Her passion is digging into what makes her characters behave the way they do. She craves anything sweet, revels in any chance to travel, and is addicted to tracing her family’s roots. A native Californian, the author lives in Northern California with her husband.
Mystery
Karen A. Phillips enjoys writing stories with engaging protagonists. She writes the Rocky Nelson Boxing Mystery series . . . and yes, Karen does take boxing lessons.
Memoir, Psychological Suspense
Lally Pia is a child psychiatrist and an award-winning author. She was born in Sri Lanka, grew up in Ghana and navigated a botched Green Card and refugee status before moving to California from the UK in her 20’s. She then worked a “dead end” job where she removed human heads to get off welfare. She attended medical school at UC Davis. Her memoir, The Fortune Teller’s Prophecy: A Memoir of an Unlikely Doctor” won a publication deal from She Writes Press and was published April 30, 2024. Lally was a finalist in the nationwide talent search for America’s Next Great Author in October, 2022. She is a Board member for the Sacramento Writers Club and volunteer faculty member for California Northstate University’s School of Medicine. She hopes to publish “Andorea” (psychological suspense) by the end of 2025. She lives in Davis with her husband, Tim, and her dog, Zorro.
Fantasy, LGBTQ+, People of Color / BIPOC
RD Pires has found there's always a story to tell, and so he spends his time writing them down. A project is always on his mind, even when there aren't enough hours in a day to work on them.
Author of The Tides That Reign epic fantasy series, Of Chaos and Eternal Night, and A Vast, Untethered Ocean; his works have been described as having "gorgeous lines and descriptions" by reviewers.
He lives in California with his husband and their daughter.
Childrens, Contemporary / General Fiction
Born and raised in Northern California, award-winning author, Anne Polli, spent over thirty years in and around the horse industry. After studying Animal Science at UC Davis, she bred Thoroughbred horses for the show ring. However, most of those years were spent traveling to hunter/jumper shows in California, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado as part of the show staff. No matter where life took her, she never made the trip without a notebook or journal to feed her fire to write.
She particularly enjoys writing strong women characters, or those that manage to find strength within where they believed there was none. She also enjoys the challenge of tackling moral or ethical dilemmas in such a way that the reader draws their own conclusions rather than be led to a particular way of thought.
Recently, she partnered with her daughter, Ryan, a graphic designer, to produce the children's book, Mason the Magnificent.
Historical, Literary
Kathryn Pritchett writes about strong women forged in the American West. A journalist by profession, she wrote for numerous print and online publications before turning to historical fiction. Her debut novel, The Casket Maker's Other Wife, was inspired by her polygamous great-great-grandparents tempestuous marriage. Her work-in-progress, To See the Love-Light, features Gilded Age actress Maude Adams, Broadway’s original Peter Pan. She is a founding member of Paper Lantern Writers and a contributor to their award-winning short story anthologies and craft book. Raised on a potato farm in rural Idaho, she now gardens in the Oakland Hills overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Connect with her at www.thingselemental.com or on Instagram @klooslip
Horror
Sharon Marie Provost is an award-winning author who specializes in horror, thrillers, and speculative fiction. Beginning her career in late 2023, she has published a novella, two short story collections, and two collaborative collections of short stories with her husband. Her first novel, Dark Arts: Love Me Tinder, was published in 2024. It has received acclaim for its detailed and chilling story of a serial killer who turns his victims into works of art. In 2025, her “Shadow’s Gate” received the Imadjinn Award for Best Short Story Collection, and she published two collaborative novels with Stephen H. Provost: Azrael’s Assassin: Testament in Blood and Evermore: Dark Soulmates. Sharon is the chief operating officer of Dragon Crown Books. She has lived in Carson City since 1987.
Biography, Childrens, Fantasy, Historical, Horror, Science Fiction
Stephen H. Provost is a former reporter and columnist with more than 30 years of experience at daily newspapers. Over the past 11 years, he has written or co-authored more than 60 books. In addition to six novels and three novellas, he has produced an extensive collection of nonfiction works on topics ranging from Nevada’s pioneer days to the history of retail in the United States. He has written more than 20 books on U.S. history in the 20th century focusing on highways, towns, and culture. Stephen is the founder and publisher of Dragon Crown Books. He lives in Carson City.
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Contemporary / General Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, LGBTQ+, Literary, Middle Grade, Paranormal / Supernatural, Poetry, Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Steven Radecki is the author of Building Baby Brother, a small handful of short fiction, and a non-fiction book about computer technology. He is the managing editor of Water Dragon Publishing, Paper Angel Press, Cupid’s Arrow Publishing, and Graveside Press. He is also the executive producer of the Small Publishing in a Big Universe podcast. He is a technical writer by trade, with more years in the technology industry than he cares to admit.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade
Middle grade author, Lisa Moore Ramée, still calls Los Angeles home even though she now lives in the Bay Area of Northern California. She counts coffee as one of her best friends and is a devout believer in dreams coming true. Her debut novel, A Good Kind of Trouble, is a Walter Dean Meyers Honor book, an Indie bestseller and made many “best of” lists for 2019. She is also the author of Something to Say, which received 3 starred reviews, MapMaker and The Everybody Experiment.
Childrens, Middle Grade
I am an award-winning children’s book author from Northern California with a passion for reading and writing. I finally followed my dream and published my first book in 2017. Since then, I have published nine books, with another horse book in development. My books are clean, beautifully illustrated rhyming books for kids ages 2 to 8.
In 2022, I founded the Horse Books Summer Reading Program. This free, virtual program is open to kids of all ages. Authors from around the world support the program. Information is available at www.wereadhorsebooks.com.
Literary, Historical Fiction
Pamela Reitman is an award-winning writer with numerous publications in literary journals, news outlets, and magazines. Educated at Columbia University with a B.A., honors in English, and holding a master’s degree from UC Berkeley, she is retired from public health, also from community service aimed at reducing the stigma of mental illness. She is Director Emerita of Makor Or: A Jewish Meditation Center at the JCCSF. “Charlotte Salomon Paints Her Life" is her début novel, winner of a Fall 2025 PenCraft Award for literary excellence in Historical Fiction, and Honorable Mention at the Paris Book Festival. She is a Jewish Book Council Network 2025-26 Touring Author. She is also lay ordained in the Zen Buddhist tradition. A portion of the proceeds from 2025 sales will go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Childrens, Middle Grade
Lisa Frenkel Riddiough is the author of ELVIS AND THE WORLD AS IT STANDS (Amulet 2021), LETTERS TO LIVE BY: AN ALPHABET BOOK WITH INTENTION (Running Press Kids 2022), PIE-RATS! (Viking 2024), and EMBARRASSED FERRET and FURIOUS TURTLE, books 1 and 2 in the Forest School of Big Feelings Series (Disney Hyperion 2025 & 2026). She earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University and is a writing mentor for Society of Young Inklings. Lisa is a former sales executive, an avid squirrel-watcher, and a frequent baker of chocolate pound cake. Learn more about Lisa at www.lisariddiough.com and on IG @lisariddiough.
Science Fiction
Stories have been my compass since childhood—guiding me through worlds of imagination as I’ve created characters, crafted their sagas, and brought them to life through both words and art.
I’m an avid reader and storyteller at heart who believes great narratives transcend format. Whether I’m reading for inspiration, researching new worlds, or diving into a perfectly crafted plot twist, I’m constantly feeding my creative hunger.
My professional background spans the design realm—graphic design, web development, UI, and UX—giving me a unique toolkit that I bring to my writing process. This meandering creative journey has been anything but linear, yet every twist has enriched my storytelling craft.
Childrens, Fantasy, Historical
Doré Ripley loves writing fantasy and history through fiction featuring characters who come alive in worlds long past and looks forward to making connections with new readers. Writing nonfiction has given her the background to make those worlds come alive. As a professor, she wrote for a wide audience in popular magazines, scholarly journals, and textbooks.
She also writes under the nom de plume Yellow Duck Press and produces children's picture books, comic picture books, and leveled readers that are whimsical, fun, and educational. The "Kitty Cat Cousins" series offers children a charming set of books starring their favorite felines who have some of the same dreams and problems experienced by young readers.
As an award-winning author and educator with over 15 years of teaching experience, Ripley strives to create fun (and educational) books for kids at Yellow Duck Press.
Fantasy, Young Adult
Kelsey grew up in a beautiful seaside town where adventures were just a few minutes outside her doorstep. Her hot chocolate addiction keeps her fueled when she writes, along with the sound of rain and cold weather. She loves to create worlds about Dragons, Assassins, and Magic, just not all at once, though that would be an incredible story to tell! When she's not writing or working she can be found hiking and traveling or just bingeing the next good show. She is anxiously awaiting the newest season of Bridgerton and The Great British Bake Off. She's a massive nerd, but definitely in a good way. Is there a bad way? She graduated from the University of Hawai'i with a degree in English.
Science Fiction
Kim Stanley Robinson is an American science fiction writer. He is the author of about twenty books, including the internationally bestselling Mars trilogy. He was sent to the Antarctic by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Antarctic Artists and Writers’ Program in 1995, and returned in their Antarctic media program in 2016. His work has been translated into 30 languages, and won a dozen awards in five countries, including the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, and World Fantasy awards. His most recent novel is The Ministry for the Future.
Thriller, Popular Science
Amy Rogers is a scientist who writes thrilling science-themed novels that pose frightening “what if?” questions in the style of Michael Crichton. Compelling characters and fictionalized science—not science fiction—make her books page-turners that seamlessly blend reality and imagination.
Her nonfiction articles about science and engineering behind the scenes of everyday life first appeared in the Inside Arden newspaper and are now collected in her book Science in the Neighborhood. Amy is an Active member of International Thriller Writers, and serves as treasurer for Northern California Publishers and Authors.
During the pandemic she provided calm, clear, accurate information blogging at her site AmyRogers.com. Readers have described her work as “a voice of calm intelligence amidst a sea of noise”; “very informative”; a “valuable public service”.
She is a sought-after speaker and developmental editor for science and medical fiction.
Self Help
Janecia Rolland also known as Coach Jae, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, author, CEO of Restoration Coaching, LLC, Facilitator, and transformational speaker passionate about healing, identity, and purpose.
With the wisdom of a therapist, the fire of a spirit-filled visionary, and the voice of a movement, Coach Jae is a purpose-driven powerhouse. She’s a trauma-transformer, DEI disruptor, and mom-on-a-mission, turning pain into purpose and restoring “God sense” where trauma once ruled.
Childrens, Poetry
Teacher, author, speaker, therapist, cultural traveler, and life long learner, Tiara says, “I am a lover of art. As I experience more of life I experience more art, through dance, writing, talking with others, painting, culture, nature, and time with God.
But I’ve always wanted to do something to help people and its taken place in varying ways such as obtaining a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, volunteering at various organizations to work with vulnerable populations both locally and overseas, teaching and more.I love working with kids and spending time with community, family, and friends. I hope to inspire you to want to live and dream again, to want to enjoy life again and keep on living.
Thriller
James Rollins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of international thrillers. His writing has been translated into more than forty languages and has sold more than 20 million books. The New York Times says, “Rollins is what you might wind up with if you tossed Michael Crichton and Dan Brown into a particle accelerator together.” NPR calls his work, “Adventurous and enormously engrossing.” Rollins unveils unseen worlds, scientific breakthroughs, and historical secrets matched with stunning suspense. As a veterinarian, he had a practice in Sacramento for over a decade and still volunteers at local shelters. Nowadays, Rollins shares his home up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains with two furry companions, Echo and Charlie. He also enjoys scuba diving, spelunking, kayaking, and hiking. Of course, he loves to travel and experience new places around the world, which often inspire his next globe-trotting adventure.
Literary, Poetry
Mi Danny Romero’s latest book Mi Vida Oakland (and other poems) won a 2024 Josephine Miles Award for Excellence from PEN Oakland. He is the author of the novel Calle 10 and another book of poetry, Traces.
Memoir
Samantha Rose is an Emmy award-winning television producer and a New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling ghostwriter of nearly twenty titles, some that have been selected as Reese’s Book Club and Target Bookmarked Picks and featured in the Wall Street Journal, Oprah.com and Harper’s Bazaar. She is the principal of Yellow Sky Media, an editorial agency in Petaluma, California. Her newest release, Giving Up the Ghost, was awarded “Best Memoir” at the 2025 San Francisco Book Festival, and is her first title written under her own name.
Literary, Thriller, Writing Craft Guide
Jordan Rosenfeld is author of the novels Fallout, Women in Red and Forged in Grace and seven books on the craft of writing, including her latest, The Sound of Story: Developing Voice and Tone in Writing, as well as How to Write a Page-Turner, the bestselling Make a Scene, Writing the Intimate Character, A Writer’s Guide to Persistence, Writing Deep Scenes (with Martha Alderson) and Write Free (with Rebecca Lawton). Her freelance writing has been published in hundreds of publications, including: The Atlantic, The New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, Salon, Scientific American, The Rumpus, Writer’s Digest Magazine, The Washington Post and many more. She is also a freelance manuscript editor, writing coach and teaches online classes.
Childrens
Theresa Saechao Rother is a mother, wife, and children’s author who calls Sacramento, California home. A graduate of CSU Sacramento State, she brings a deep passion for educational advocacy, community engagement, and meaningful partnership building. Inspired by her cultural heritage and family traditions, Theresa has written and self-published original children’s stories that celebrate imagination, diversity, and connection. Two of her titles are currently available on Amazon, offering young readers memorable characters and adventurous tales designed to both delight and inspire learning.
Outside of writing, Theresa enjoys cooking homemade meals, exploring the outdoors, and spending quality time with her children.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Historical, Middle Grade
Jenifer Rowe published numerous short stories and essays over the years before turning her hand to longer works. Her first novel, Unexpected Findings, is a contemporary tale of homelessness, aging in place, and “found family.” She recently published a second novel, Timberlands, a family drama set in Northern Wisconsin during the Great Depression. She is currently working on a novel that follows the same family a decade later, during World War II, which includes Hollywood, trains, and subterfuge.
Jenifer’s juvenile non-fiction book Madam Pantaloons: Gold Rush Pioneer tells the true story of a young Frenchwoman who struck it rich as a miner during the California Gold Rush while defying local laws by wearing trousers. She is actively keeping a lookout for more women who have been under-represented in history books as subject matter for young readers. You can sample some of her writing on her website https://authorjerowe.com.
Childrens
Joanna Rowland is a picture book author that writes on difficult situations children face like her award winning and best selling book The Memory Box: A Book About Grief. She also wrote Big Bear Was Not The Same, When Things Are Hard, Remember, Stay Through The Storm, and Always Mom; Forever Dad. Her most recent book The Memory Tree: A Holiday Grief Story was named as one of the best books on mental health for children of 2025 by the Child Mind Institute. She grew up in Sacramento where she still lives and teaches today.
Moderator
Beth Ruyak is an Emmy-award winning journalist, host, producer, writer, and since 2018, documentary filmmaker. In 2020, after decades in television news, sports, and programming, and eight years hosting Insight with Beth Ruyak on CapRadio (NPR), she went back to school, recently completing her MA in Communications. Through her company, Ruyak Media, Beth completed a third film, WATERFALL A Rock Band., in 2024, and is working on a new project for 2026. She has been a dedicated community contributor who especially values her work with young people and literacy. She has interviewed hundreds of writers and authors, and these conversations are among her favorites. Beth is excited to be part of this year’s Sacramento Book Festival!
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Fantasy
Lori Saltis left her heart in San Francisco. She goes to visit it whenever she can afford the bridge toll. She’s been an indie author since 2016. She’s very passionate about the themes of alienation and found family. Her favorite genre is fantasy because who doesn’t want to believe they’ll look up in the sky one day and see a dragon? Her hobbies include knitting and Eurovision fandom.
Mystery
Cindy Sample is the author of the national bestselling nine-book Laurel McKay Humorous Mystery series set in the California Gold Country and the Spindrift Cove Mystery series set in Washington state. Cindy is a six-time finalist for the LEFTY Award for Best Humorous Mystery, a three-time finalist for the SILVER FALCHION Award for best traditional mystery and best comedy, and a three-time finalist for the Chanticleer Murder & Mayhem award.
Biography
Literary historian Jennifer Basye Sander is a former Random House senior editor and NYT bestselling author. A popular public speaker, her most recent book, Churchill: A Drinking Life, has taken her across the country and onto the shores of Great Britain.
Historical, Craft of Writing
Vanitha Sankaran writes fiction based on history, legend, and mythology. Her literary historical novel, Waternark: A Novel of the Middle Ages, traces the introduction of paper in southern France at a time when heresy was aflame. She is currently working on a speculative novel set in 1950s India. She had just sold another novel set in medieval France, co-written with a colleague, and is currently revising a speculative novel set in 1950s India.
For more about Vanitha, please see her website at www.vanithasankaran.com, and learn about her newsletter, In Liminal Spaces, focusing on NonWestern story structures.
Mystery
Valerie earned a doctorate in audiology, a master’s degree in speech pathology and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford University. This was followed by an unconventional career in hearing healthcare. She was a clinician, the rep for a cochlear implant company and a college professor in the United States, New Zealand South Korea and Singapore. For the last eight years she has been taking creative writing classes and participating in multiple critique groups. Through it all, she has also been a voracious, omnivorous reader. Frustrated with the narrow depiction of older women in contemporary fiction, she decided to do something about it. Her debut novel, The Badass Widows is a result.
Historical, Memoir, Mystery, Romance, Humor
Ramona Scarborough has given birth to 10 books and over 190 of her stories and articles have been adopted by magazines, anthologies and online venues. She just won fourth place in the essay category of the Writers Digest Writing Competition.
Historical, Memoir, Romance
Lisa Schliff earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of California at Santa Barbara, and a master’s degree in English/ESL from Cal State San Francisco. During her senior undergraduate year, she studied in Spain. Now she is a retired English as a Second Language (ESL) adult education instructor. She is also a retired administrative assistant and marketing director for her husband Steve’s construction company in the San Francisco Bay Area. Steve and their charming cat, Shirli, reside withs her in Grass Valley, California. She has two adult children, Adam (in Lodi) and Rebecca (in Chicago).
Lisa is the 2025-26 Vice President of Gold Country Writers in Auburn, California. Until her election to VP, she was the editor of the group’s monthly newsletter for three years. This non-profit writers organization awarded her second place in a poetry contest for her poem “The Downhill Slide”.
Childrens, Middle Grade, Mystery, Paranormal / Supernatural
Lisa Schmid is an author and co-host of the podcast Writers With Wrinkles. When she’s not scaring up ghostly adventures, Lisa visits schools and libraries to share her love of storytelling. She lives in Northern California with her husband, son, two dogs, and one very sneaky hamster.
Historical
Retired from a career as an attorney and law school lecturer, Tim Schooley is a novelist, writing historical fiction. His novel The Wool Translator won the University of Pacific Creative Writing Conference’s Jameson Award and was shortlisted for the 2021 Chaucer Book award.
Tim’s forthcoming novel, The Circus of the Vanishing Elephant, is based loosely on his employment many years ago as a clown with Ringling Bros., and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The novel will be published in 2026 by History Through Fiction Publishing.
Tim is the co-chair of the 2026 Sacramento Book Festival and is on the board of directors of the Sacramento branch of the California Writers Club. He lives with his wife in Fair Oaks. His website: www.timschooley.com
Contemporary / General Fiction, Paranormal / Supernatural, Young Adult
Wendy Schultz, formerly from Placerville, now lives in Oceanside, California with her husband and feisty terrier. She is a former teacher, corporate trainer and award-winning reporter for the Mountain Democrat, California's oldest continuously operating newspaper. It is her goal to publish many more books and visit every beach in San Diego County.
Childrens
Claudia Schwalm is the author and illustrator of several bilingual (Spanish/English) picture books for the early childhood years. She credits her ability to create stories for young readers to her years as an elementary school educator in the Bay Area. Since retiring as a full-time teacher, Claudia has been able to photograph wildlife on all seven continents. She also enjoys presenting workshops for educators and visiting classrooms to introduce the wonders of nature, geography, and world languages. Her studios in Volcano, Ca. are open by appointment. This location also houses a reference library of over 2000 titles on international folk art and children’s multicultural/multilingual literature. More information is available on her website:
www.claudiaschwalmphotography.com
Self Help, Religion and Spirituality
Author Betsy Schwarzentraub is a writer, pastor, and consultant in worship and generous-hearted living. An award-winning stewardship educator and preacher, she has published five books and has been a contributing author in seventeen others. She has published over a thousand articles in secular newspapers and religious publications in North America.
Three of her books will be on hand at this event. Tossed In Time Expanded Edition: Steering by the Christian Seasons offers refreshing rhythms from the ancient worship seasons for experiencing hope and renewal in these disruptive days. Growing Generous Souls: Becoming Grace-Filled Stewards invites readers to focus on being over compulsive doing and consuming. Afire with God: Becoming Spirited Stewards prompts people to find joy in their use of time, personal abilities and passions, and care for the earth.
Betsy posts on Facebook personal and author pages, and has blogs and other resources on her website.
Mystery, Thriller
Terry Shames is the author of two best-selling series: twelve Samuel Craddock mysteries set in the fictitious town of Jarrett Creek, Texas, and two Jessie Madison thrillers featuring an FBI dive instructor. As well as winning the Macavity Award for Best First novel, her first book, A KILLING AT COTTON HILL, was also shortlisted for the Strand Critics Award. Four of her books were shortlisted for a Left Coast Crime Lefty award. THE NECESSARY MURDER OF NONIE BLAKE won the RT Reviews Critics Award for Best Contemporary Mystery of 2016. THE TROUBLING DEATH OF MADDY BENSON was an Amazon Editor's Pick. Find more about Terry on her website https://www.terryshames.com/.
Crime, Mystery
Susan C Shea is the author of 7 mystery novels available in print, e-book and (for some) Audible editions. The three-book series, the highly praised ("wickedly funny") Dani O'Rourke Mysteries, set in San Francisco and a different American location each time: Santa Fe, Manhattan, and New England. Dani is a museum fundraiser who understands how often art plus money equals crime! The most recent four critically acclaimed novels are set in a small town in Burgundy France and feature American expats building new lives and becoming part of local communities, even in the face of murders that come perilously close to them. Susan is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America and lives in Marin County. www.susancshea.com
Fantasy, Historical, Horror, LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction
BJ Sikes is a 5'6"" ape descendant who is inordinately fond of a good strong cup of tea, Doc Marten boots, and fancy dress. I live with one large cat, two sweet teenagers, and one editor-author, plus an array of chickens in a place very unlike my homeland. My fave genre is historical fantasy with themes of a woman’s struggle for agency but I also write gothic horror and science fiction. I have published three full length novels, and a multitude of short stories in anthologies.
I run the Authors’ Salon and Authors’ Alley at Clockwork Alchemy, a steampunk convention in the San Francisco Bay Area. In my day job, I write and edit scientific publications for a university.
I like words. I also like tea, chocolate, cats, and chickens, not necessarily in that order. When I am not playing with words, you might find me mucking about in the garden.
Contemporary / General Fiction
Carper Smith is the author of the Ryanne Brady series and the Blue Moon trilogy. She lives in the Sacramento delta region of Northern California with her cat, Gracie the Wonder Muse, and can often be found day dreaming about her newest mystery or thriller.
LGBTQ+, Literary
Julie Snider, a retired public school teacher living near Sacramento, writes both fiction and nonfiction. Her heartwarming stories, often centered on themes of social justice, help readers from diverse backgrounds find common ground. She is on the board of California Writers Club, Sacramento Branch and her essays and flash fiction appear in various online publications.
Julie’s debut novel, Chapel Bay Secrets, comes out in January 2026. Her Substack, Impermanent Joy, reaches hundreds of readers every week. You can find more information about Julie and her writing on her website: https://juliesniderauthor.com.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Crime Fiction
Faye Snowden is the award-winning author of southern gothic mysteries with strong (and flawed) women characters. A Killing Rain (Flame Tree 2022), the second book in her noir mystery Killing series, was named by Crimereads as one of the best southern gothic mysteries of 2022, and was long listed for the CWA Gold Dagger. Rain won gold in the 2022 Foreword Indies Book of the Year award in the thriller and suspense category. Her next book, A Killing Breath, will be published in March, 2026. Two of her short stories have been anthologized in The Best American Mystery Suspense (2021 & 2023). Learn more at www.fayesnowden.com.
Childrens, Literary, People of Color / BIPOC, Writing Journals
Kakwasi is a prolific journal writer, penning observations about everyday people that provide substance for the fiction and creative nonfiction that she writes.
She earned an MFA in Creative Writing as part of her journey to settle into the writing life in retirement and take those drylongso observations to higher levels. Since then, she’s published a novel, Coming Forth by Day, and a children’s book, Let’s Meditate: This is how we do it. Her fiction has appeared in Flash Fiction Magazine, in the Killens Review of Arts and Letters, and in the Colonial Heights Library Newsletter.
Although retired, she still teaches writing occasionally as an adjunct instructor at Cosumnes River College. To stay in touch with young writers, she helped organize Califa Lit Collective, a creative writing group of Sacramento Valley area BIPOC community college students.
Biography, Crime, Historical, Literary
BIO-Geri Spieler has written about the only woman who shot at a sitting US president. Using her high-level investigative skills, she got Washington to open the file of what really happened the day she shot at Pres. Ford instead of what the FBI covered up. In her breakthrough book, Housewife Assassin-The Woman Who Tried to Kill President Ford, (Diversion Books), Spieler reveals the true story of that woman, Sara Jane Moore, who was a mother and doctor’s wife who lived in the country club community of Danville in 1975 and 18 months, she became the first woman who tried to assassinate the president and missed his head by six inches. The book has a two-book deal with a new publisher.
History, Non-Fiction
Cheryl Anne Stapp writes nonfiction California history. A native Californian born & raised in Sacramento, she graduated from California State University, Northridge; and during her last five years in Los Angeles, was a contributing editor to Working World, a regional magazine. Cheryl lives with her husband in Sacramento—in bygone days, an important Gold Rush town. Her titles have won awards from the Next Generation Indie Awards and the Independent Press Awards. Website “California’s Olden Golden Days” at https://bit.ly/31NaJTb
She is the author of Wild Wicked Woman – The Life of a Gold Rush Courtesan; Rise, Ruin & Restoration – A History of Sutter’s Fort; Before The Gold Rush - The Sinclairs of Rancho del Paso 1840-1849; Disaster & Triumph: Sacramento Women, Gold Rush Through the Civil War; Sacramento Chronicles - A Golden Past, and The Stagecoach in Northern California: Rough Rides, Gold Camps, and Daring Drivers.
Fantasy, Historical
Best-selling author Judith Starkston writes historical fantasy and myth retellings set in the Bronze Age of the Greeks and Hittites. Her six novels bring women to the fore—whether the Trojan War captive Briseis, Achilles’s wife Deidamia, or a remarkable Hittite queen whom history forgot, even though she ruled over one of the greatest empires of the ancient world. Her titles include Hand of Fire, Priestess of Ishana, Sorcery in Alpara, Of Kings and Griffins, Flights of Treason, and Achilles’s Wife. For more information and a free novella, check her website https://www.judithstarkston.com/
Horror
Mark Steensland self-published his first book while in fourth grade and has been telling stories ever since—some of them true. He became a professional journalist before graduating high school, writing about movies for such magazines as Prevue, Millimeter, and American Cinematographer. His award-winning films (including Peekers and The Ugly File) have played in festivals around the world. His first novel—Behind the Bookcase—was published in 2012 by Random House. A movie based on The Special, a novella co-written with James Newman, was released in October 2020. He also wrote Jakob's Wife, starring Barbara Crampton. His most recent books are The Nested Man, a paranormal thriller from Cemetery Gates Media, and a horror version of Taken called Trading Bullets with the Devil, co-written with Kirsten Cross, and published by Cemetery Dance. His next book is scheduled for publication in 2027. For more information, visit www.marksteensland.com.
Memoir
Mary Alice Stephens is a creative nonfiction storyteller. A former television writer-producer for HGTV, Food Network, and other media outlets, Mary shares her powerful story of sobriety, family, and starting life anew at 45 in her debut book, Uncorked: A Memoir of Letting Go and Starting Over, an Amazon #1 new release in alcoholism recovery and midlife self-help. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Dominican University of California and lives in Marin County, California. When she’s not writing, she can be found cyberstalking her college-age kids, planning their next family adventure, or searching for her phone.
Fantasy, People of Color / BIPOC
Andrea Stewart is the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Drowning Empire trilogy and The Hollow Covenant trilogy, and works as a writing coach at The Novelry. The Bone Shard Daughter was her debut and was a finalist for numerous awards, including the Goodreads Choice Award and the British Fantasy Award. When her (admittedly ambitious) dreams of becoming a dragon slayer didn't pan out, she instead turned to writing books. She now lives in sunny California, and in addition to writing, can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes.
Crime, Romance, Thriller
Anna J. Stewart is a National and USA Today bestselling author of more than sixty emotionally layered romances, from sweet to suspenseful. She writes for Harlequin’s Heartwarming and Romantic Suspense lines and writes the Circle of the Red Lily romantic thriller series for Tule Publishing.
A Maggie and Holt Medallion winner, Anna has been a finalist for the Daphne du Maurier and National Readers’ Choice Awards, and her Heartwarming romance, Recipe for Redemption, was optioned for a TV movie.
Family—both the one you’re born into and the one you choose—lies at the heart of every story she tells. Her characters face real struggles, deep wounds, and love that transforms.
When she’s not writing or editing, Anna can be found cooking in search of comfort, or deep in a TV binge involving The Great British Bake-Off, Supernatural, or anything Starfleet-approved. She shares her workspace with two mischievous feline muses, Rosie and Sherlock.
Historical
Valerie Stoller grew up in New Jersey, went to college in Ohio and kept heading west until she landed in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she worked as a nurse practitioner. Shipyard Gals is her first novel. She lives in Oakland with her husband and their two disobedient (yet adorable) cats.
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Contemporary / General Fiction, Psychological Thriller
V. Carson Taylor is the author of Guided by Voices, a debut psychological thriller that will leave you breathless with its twists and turns - and a shocking ending no one will see coming. Known for a cinematic writing style, Taylor creates vivid, film-worthy scenes layered with context, atmosphere, and deeply developed characters.
An accomplished poet and short story writer, Taylor has been writing most of her adult life. Originally from the Bay Area, she now resides in Sacramento, California, with her wife and their four beloved cats - Kahlua’, Tiki, Finnley and Cobie, affectionally know as Baby Girl.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Horror, Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction
Marla Todd is a writer, blogger, and artist. Her works include speculative fiction, horror, romance, humor, and works beyond classification. She also writes under the name Juliette Kings. Marla is a member of the HWA Sacramento Chapter, and a founding member of WPaD (Writers, Poets and Deviants.) She lives in Orangevale, CA.
Travel
Matt Tory is a writer and filmmaker from Sacramento, California. He has written and directed a wide range of films, podcasts, and streaming series — including the comedy series "The Beech Boys" and the mockumentary "We Make Movies," which was called “one of the best films of the year” by Cinescape Magazine. He spends most of his time creating things that aim to make people laugh, feel encouraged, or – on a good day – both.
His latest book, "Go See America" was inspired by a lifetime of road-tripping across the country in search of its most beautiful, quirky, and unforgettable places.
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Lisa Towles is an award-winning crime novelist and an engaging speaker on writing, creativity, and marketing. With 14 crime thrillers to her name, she will soon release her newest title, The Weight of Cold Things, in August 2026 through Indies United Publishing House. Her E&A Investigations series titles, Salt Island (June 2023) and Hot House (June 2022), received Readers Choice and Pencrafts, and both became Amazon Kindle #1 bestsellers. A member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers, Towles actively engages with the literary community and hosts the Story Impact Author Interview Podcast available on YouTube, Podbean, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Towles holds an MBA in IT Management.
Learn more at www.lisatowles.com and follow Lisa on social media: linktr.ee/authortowles.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Historical, Literary
Julia Park Tracey is an award-winning journalist and author. Inspired by a mysterious train receipt in her family’s scrapbook, she researched her Orphan Train roots and wrote The Bereaved. She has ancestors—or should we say an-sisters? Another such ancestor is the Puritan woman named Silence Greenleaf; Silence: A Novel is published by Sibylline Press. New in November 2025 is Whoa, Nelly! —a contemporary journey into literary fandom by a lonely librarian who lives through a fixation on the Little House books.
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Historical Fiction
A founding member of Paper Lantern Writers and member of Historical Novel Society, Linda Ulleseit is the award-winning author of historical novels Under the Almond Trees, The Aloha Spirit, The River Remembers, and Innocents at Home. Her books are the stories of women in her family who were extraordinary but unsung. Her novel, Under the Almond Trees, is set in pioneer California. It follows the lives of three strong women, a suffragette, an architect, and a photographer. The Aloha Spirit is set in territorial Hawaii, inspired by the difficult life of her husband's grandmother. The River Remembers, 1835 Minnesota, explores the intertwining Native American, Black, and white cultures through the eyes of three women building a legacy for their children in a changing world. Her newest novel, Innocents at Home, features two of her ancestors who were with Mark Twain on the cruise that inspired his novel Innocents Abroad.
Literary, Travel, Journalism
Steven P. Unger published three books in three years: the first of three editions of “In the Footsteps of Dracula: A Personal Journey and Travel Guide” in 2010 (the latest and 3rd Edition was published March 23, 2014, World Audience Publishers); “Before the Paparazzi, 50 Years of Extraordinary Photographs” in 2011 (World Audience, Inc.); and “Dancing in the Streets” in 2012 (Anaphora Literary Press). In September 2011, flaier.net ranked ""In the Footsteps of Dracula"" ahead of the Lonely Planet and National Geographic Traveler guides in its “The Best Romania & Moldova Travel Guides.”
A fourth book, "Black as Hell, Strong as Death, and Sweet as Love: A Coffee Travel Guide," was published by Robert D. Reed Publishers in January 2025.
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Childrens, Contemporary / General Fiction, Historical, Middle Grade, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, Young Adult, Non-Fiction book on writing
Wendelin Van Draanen is an international-award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty traditionally published novels. Her titles are sold worldwide and include Flipped, which became a Warner Brothers feature film. A lifelong California resident and former classroom teacher, Wendelin is a regular speaker at educational institutions and conferences. Her novel The Peach Rebellion, set shortly after WWII in the Central Valley, won California Library Association’s prestigious Beatty Award. The novel weaves together the stories of three families with very different social standings and spotlights the long-standing traditions and challenges passed down through farming families. From Francisco Jiménez, award winning author of The Circuit: “The Peach Rebellion is a beautifully written historical novel about compassion, marginalization and inclusion and, above all, empathy and friendship. Sure to delight and inspire.” For more information, visit www.wendelinvandraanen.com
Horror, Thriller
Andrew Van Wey writes supernatural fiction that lurks at the intersection of the eerie and unsettling, where horror and hope often collide. His books explore uncanny spaces—the weird and the liminal, the haunted and the half-forgotten. Nightmares that linger in the daylight too long. Small towns where things are just slightly wrong.
He is best known for Head Like a Hole, a novel of 1990s body horror, and the Beyond the Lost Coast series, where cosmic dread meets coming-of-age at the edge of the world. You won’t find perfect people in his work. But you will find flawed, relatable humans facing unstoppable forces from this world... and beyond.
A child of the 1980s, he grew up biking to libraries, collecting nightmares from bookshelves and used VHS tapes. Now, he gets to share his nightmares with you.
Science Fiction
A devotee of science fiction since he learned to read, Magnus weaves his interest in Military History and his advanced degrees in automation and Engineering into his writings. He enjoys using his stories as a method to examine the future that could be (or the past that could-have-been) given changes brought about by technological and social innovations.
Childrens, Poetry
Christine L. Villa is a Filipino-American resident of California, who lives with her husband and Maltipoo named Haiku. She is an all-around creative explorer—a children’s book author, haiku and tanka poet, publisher, speaker, mixed media artist, and photographer. Among the eleven picture book titles she has published since 2014, nine have won awards in the Northern California Publishers and Authors Book Award Competitions, Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, Royal Dragonfly Book Awards, and Story Monsters Approved Book Awards. Some of these book titles are now available in bilingual editions (English and Filipino) and (English and Spanish). Her poems, photographs, and artwork have also won recognition and several awards.
She is the founder of Purple Cotton Candy Arts, a business that offers publishing services such as editing, proofreading, illustrating, formatting, and book trailers. She teaches a workshop entitled “Essentials of Writing a Picture Book."
Contemporary / General Fiction, People of Color / BIPOC, Romance, Young Adult
Ambika Vohra is an Indian American writer living in San Francisco surrounded by tiny plants and big books. A Michigan native, she spent her childhood in pumpkin patches and cider mills. When not writing, she's making Indian-style chai with concerning levels of cardamom pods. The Sticky Note Manifesto of Aisha Agarwal is her debut novel.
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Childrens, Middle Grade, Mystery, Paranormal / Supernatural
Penny Warner is the author of the three-time award-winning middle-grade mystery series, THE CODE BUSTERS CLUB, featuring four diverse kids who solve mysteries by cracking codes. There are twelve books in the series, available from Lerner Books. She's also the author of the award-nominated, THE OFFICIAL NANCY DREW HANDBOOK, and her latest adult mystery, MURDER AT BLACKWOOD INN, debuted on September 23, 2025 from Crooked Lane Books. She does school events for third-graders where she talks about how she writers her mysteries, and offers some code-busting fun, along with Top Secret code packets.
Fantasy, Young Adult
Adam K. Watts is an award-winning author of fantasy and science fiction, and has been a lover and avid reader of F&SF since he was knee-high to a short Hobbit.
He was also shaped at a young age by the poetry of Robert Frost and by Cervantes and Don Quixote. This has been reflected in many of his works; images that bespeak of places that call, of paths that make you want to walk them, and corners that beg you to come see what is just around them, or simply the wandering wind asking you to walk with her. “Tilting at windmills” is metaphorical for pushing back against the machinery of civilization advancing at the price of beauty and the human spirit. He believes that advancement can and should be achieved, but the cost should not be valor, honor, or justice. An impossible dream? Perhaps.
Cross-genre including Adventure, Mystery, Cybersteam Secret Agents, Gaslamp Fantasy, and Poetry with coloring pages.
Dover paints stories outside the lines. Her books dance on the borderline between genres: cybersteam and spies (She-Wolf in Shorts), haiku poetry and coloring pages (Haiku Hedgehogs), gaslamp fantasy and Hardy Boys style mysteries with kick-ass girls (The Stolen Songbird) and sleuthing and superheroes (the upcoming Murder by Spandex). Her whimsical art becomes stickers, notepads, and postcards from places that don’t exist. Dover was born in the shadow of Fujiyama, raised in the shadow of Olomana, and lives where she can see the shadow of Mt. Shasta if she squints and it’s a really clear day. She believes that drawing a hedgehog a day keeps the blues at bay. Follow Dover at www.doverwhitecliff.com.
Fantasy, Horror, Paranormal / Supernatural, Science Fiction
G. Allen Wilbanks has been a member of the Horror Writers Association (HWA) since 2012 and has published over 200 short stories in Deep Magic, Daily Science Fiction, The Talisman, and other magazines, as well as featuring in best-selling anthologies from all over the world. He has also authored over a dozen novels and novellas, including the On Dangerous Grounds trilogy, and his most recent series entitled, Dead Town. Several of his books have reached #1 on Amazon in several categories, and his novel, A Life of Adventure, was an Amazon U.S. top 100 release.
Paranormal / Supernatural, Romance, Mystery/Suspense
"The best secrets are the most twisted.” Sarah Shepard’s quote best describes author Dänna Wilberg’s quest to unravel life’s mysteries with every keystroke, on every page. Her series, The Red Chair, The Grey Door, and The Black Dress, featuring psychotherapist Grace Simms, pose the question: “What do we really know about a person?”
Dänna’s paranormal Borrowed Time series about a woman who acquires a psychic gift after a near-death experience is filled with gems from Dänna’s own experience producing/hosting TV show “Paranormal Connection.” Her plot points are ripped from the headlines, addressing current issues such as serial murders, human trafficking, AI mind control, cartels, etc. Wilberg’s characters are richly drawn and authentic, her scene settings span the globe, and her background as an award-winning script-writer and film-maker add magic to her storytelling. Her short films have won numerous awards, and her short stories can be found in anthologies world-wide.
Contemporary / General Fiction, Literary, Women's Fiction
Chicago born, third of eleven in a creative family, Lorraine Devon Wilke was imbued early with love of the arts. Folk groups in high school, theater in college, writing throughout, she hit the road with a rock band and ultimately landed in Los Angeles, where she immersed herself in acting, music, and writing. She started a blog in 2010, wrote for HuffPost, and self-published her first two novels, After the Sucker Punch (2014); Hysterical Love (2015). She Writes Press released her third novel, the award-winning, The Alchemy of Noise (2019), and in April 2025 Sibylline Press published her fourth, Chick Singer, as they will her fifth, The Weight of Fables (Fall 2027). She maintains a popular Substack, “Musings of a Creative Loudmouth,” sings with The Threshold Choir, and stays politically active, spending time with family and friends, traveling, photographing the world, and playing gigs with her band, Sixth & Third.
Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Short Stories
USA TODAY bestselling author, Simon Wood is a California transplant from England. He's a former competitive racecar driver, a licensed pilot, an endurance cyclist, an animal rescuer and an occasional PI. He shares his world with his American wife, Julie. Their lives are dominated by a longhaired dachshund and five cats. He's the Anthony Award winning author of The One That Got Away, Paying the Piper, Terminated, Deceptive Practices and the Sacramento set, Accidents Waiting To Happen. His current book is SAVING GRACE.
Childrens
Carolyn is enchanted by the magic of storytelling. As a little girl who loved to read, her dream of becoming an author was realized with her debut picture book, A Shelter Is… This is the first book in her Animal Ally Series. Her goal is to help educate and empower kids to have positive impacts on their local animal shelters and animal rescue organizations.
Carolyn studied English and French in college, enriching her love of literature with studies abroad in England and Scotland. Her passion for travel led her to collect stories and books from around the world.
In 2023, she co-founded Hard Luck Animal Welfare Advocates with her husband, a nonprofit dedicated to providing medical care for animals at the Stockton Animal Shelter who are down on their luck. Her passion for advocating for these animals led her to write this story.
Historical, Science Fiction
Bernard is the author of 3 novels, 2 of which are award winners. The Girl Electric series is about AI entities that inhabit humans as physical enhancements. He also writes creative nonfiction, true stories dramatized to recreate the event. Bernard is active in local writers’ clubs, at the executive level. As past president of the California Writers Club, he created the Sacramento Book festival which others, such as J Scott Coatsworth, have taken to a professional level.
Cooking & Food
T.L. Wright is an athlete, coach, and cookbook author whose passion for performance nutrition grew from a personal journey. After being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, she turned to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)and began developing recipes that supported gut health while meeting the demands of her competitive sports. What started as a personal experiment evolved into a powerful nutrition playbook that helped her earn a natural pro bodybuilding title and successfully fuel marathon training.
Her debut book, The SCD Athlete Cookbook: Over 250 Recipes and Meal Plans Following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet That Are Gluten-Free and Grain-Free for an Active Lifestyle, quickly ranked #1 in Paleo and #5 in Gluten-Free on Amazon as a new release and continues to perform strongly in sales today.
Her next two cookbooks are slated for Spring and Fall of 2026, one focused on gut-friendly travel recipes and SCD gourmet recipes for sharing and entertaining.
Romance
Leslie J. Wyatt writes romance novels that celebrate love later in life. Her debut, All of Me, was published 2024 by Sibylline Digital First, coming out in print April 2026, with a second novel, When I’m 64, released in digital and print versions in 2025. A professional writer since 1997, Leslie has 3 traditionally published middle grade historical novels, and over 1,000 pieces, including work in WritersDigest.com and Romance Writer's Report.
Based in northern California, Leslie presents on podcasts, at writing conferences, and at literary festivals. When not writing, she enjoys camping with her husband and finding inspiration for her next story in the beauty of the universe. Connect with her at lesliejwyatt.com or @lesliejwyatt and @artfortherestofus."
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Biography, Childrens, Historical, Middle Grade, People of Color / BIPOC
Stan Yogi is co-author of the award-winning books "Fred Korematsu Speaks Up" (with Laura Atkins) and "Wherever There’s a Fight: How Runaway Slaves, Suffragists, Immigrants Strikers and Poets Shaped Civil Liberties in California" (with Elaine Elinson). He is the co-editor of two books, "Highway 99: A Literary Journey Through California’s Great Central Valley" and "Asian American Literature: An Annotated Bibliography." His essays have appeared in the "San Francisco Chronicle," "Los Angeles Daily Journal" and academic journals and anthologies.
Childrens, Memoir, Self-Help, Creative Nonfiction, Gift
Barbara Young, award winning author, writes to inspire well-being, creativity and empowerment in non-fiction, short story, children’s picture books, and poetry. Her award winning works include The Heart that Rocks Health Care, Grandma Lost Cuddles!, Mother’s Pearls: An Enduring Gift, “On the Porch with Miss Lizzy”, and “Remedy for Blues”. Barbara is the current historian for Gold Country Writers, former vice-president of internal affairs and secretary, and current member of various author and publisher organizations. Connect at BYoungBooks.com