Author interviews

Diosa Xochiquetzalcóatl, or Diosa X for short, is a multilingual and multidimensional spoken word artist, workshop facilitator, and international poetiza. She is a seasoned language arts educator with a Bachelor’s in English and a Master’s in Cross-Cultural Teaching. Diosa X was selected Regional 2nd Runner Up in Inlandia’s Hillary Gravendyke’s Poetry Prize in 2023 for her poetry collection titled When the Leaves Come Tumbling Down: An A to Z Poetry Collection About Loss. She was also selected as finalist for Somos en escrito’s Best Raza Short Story Award in 2023 for her piece titled The Weight of the Scales.

I'm a queer femme feminist, a politics lecturer by day, and a seashore wanderer whenever I can sneak away (with my gorgeous dog). My teaching spans sustainable development, human rights, gender, sexualities, intersectionality, and research methods. I have a particular interest in creative approaches to research—especially storytelling. In my work, I explore power relations—from institutions to intimate relationships—using a queering approach to experiment with possibilities and challenge norms. I use she/her or they/them pronouns.

Hailing from Somerset in the UK, Gen is a writer of short stories, poetry, and fiction novels. Her romantasy novel Fayte & Blood has been called “immersive, gripping and romantic” (Bigreads). Both Gen and her husband can “work from anywhere,” and she can often be found writing in underground bunkers in Seoul, bridge-side coffee shops in Vietnam, and beach bars in Thailand. Fayte & Blood is the start of a series; the second novel, Fayte & Bone released in late May 2025. She can be found on TikTok and Instagram @worldofvieve.

Aziza Kibibi is a New Jersey–born author, activist, media personality, and mother whose work bridges memoir and mission. Her landmark memoir, Unashamed: a life tainted… Vols. 1 & 2, chronicles her survival of incestuous abuse, child molestation, and violence, and has cemented her reputation as a fearless storyteller. Her voice reaches far beyond the page: she’s been featured on Investigation Discovery, ABC, PIX11, FOX5, and Glamour magazine. Her memoir has earned widespread acclaim across platforms.

I am German and my six-month-to-a-year stay in London has just had a fiftieth anniversary, so you might have guessed I’m no longer a spring chicken, though to look at I could lie and say I am an autumn hen). My career path is rather varied—twenty-five years in the music business and a short spell in TV (behind the scenes—I was not a screen goddess...), after which I retrained as a homeopathic practitioner and later taught Hawaiian healing massage.

Dottie Lee is a children’s book author, dancer, and healing arts practitioner who writes to inspire inclusion, confidence, and empathy in young readers. Her bestselling picture book, Frances Flamingo: Prima Ballerina, has sparked joy and conversation in families, schools, and libraries. Dottie lives in Texas, where she enjoys a good cup of coffee, walking her rescue Bichon Frise, Lily, and dreaming up new adventures for Frances Flamingo.

Titania Tempest is a lifelong writer of epic fantasy who somehow stumbled into publishing a women's fiction romcom as her debut novel. She’s still trying to figure out how that happened, but overjoyed all the same.

Wendy Waters is an award-winning author, composer, lyricist, and librettist. Born in Australia, she grew up in Sydney, lived in the USA for six years, and now divides her time between London, Sydney, and Paris. In 2011 Waters volunteered to work with OASIS Salvation Army Crisis Centre in Sydney, helping musically gifted young people and it was in this capacity that she first conceived of the idea of a guardian angel rescuing a troubled or abused child as many of the young people at Oasis spoke of guardian angels coming to their rescue at times of danger.

Poet Laureate Emerita Wendy Van Camp is a dynamic voice in speculative poetry, blending cutting-edge technology, astronomy, and daydreams into her work. Her talent has earned her nominations for the Elgin, Pushcart Prize, Rhysling, and Dwarf Stars Awards. Wendy's poems, stories, and articles grace journals worldwide such as Star*Line, Scifaikuest, Worlds of IF, and San Diego Poetry Annual. She also contributes to Indy Author Magazine. Wendy is the editor of Eccentric Orbits: a science fiction poetry anthology. As a member of SFWA, SFPA, and IBPA and co-chair of the SFWA Poetry Committee, Wendy is a passionate advocate for the speculative community. Her debut poetry collection, The Planets, was nominated for the Elgin Award.

Born in the south of England, Wendy trained as a nurse and midwife before moving into teaching after the birth of her two children. After a variety of jobs and houses, she moved to France to open a B&B and teach English as a Foreign Language. When the COVID pandemic started, she used the unexpected time on her hands to start writing the novel she'd always wanted to write.