Marc Hopkins is an endurance athlete, author, and speaker who has completed the Bigfoot 200, eight Ironman-distance triathlons, and more than 300 races ranging from 5Ks to ultramarathons. He holds an Executive MBA and has coached hundreds of athletes across their own finish lines—often helping them overcome the mental barriers that matter as much as the physical ones.
Shay Casper writes her debut series while juggling the whirlwind of college athletics, classes, and family life. Whether crafting a D&D campaign to save a village from a fire-breathing dragon or winning skittles in a short story competition, storytelling has always been her passion. Inspired by her family and characters, she’s finally sharing her world with readers, inviting them to embark on the adventure with her.
Tim Hutchinson grew up on an Arkansas farm where faith, family, and hard work shaped his understanding of America’s promise. His journey from the hills of Spavinaw Creek to the United States Senate reflects a lifetime of conservative conviction and a belief that freedom thrives when rooted in personal responsibility and enduring values.
Vincent Rubino, aka “Vince” or “Vinny,” was born and initially raised in Brooklyn, New York, before his family moved to North Bay Shore, Long Island. He graduated from Brentwood High School before attending college in upstate New York. Vince returned to Long Island to attend Hofstra School of Law, then relocated to Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, where he met his wife, Julie. Julie and Vince built a house in Stroudsburg, which is where they raised their two fantastic children, Rena and Katie, both now New York City residents.
Belle is a children’s picture book author and teacher who loves creating warm, funny, picture books filled with heart. Inspired by her own shy beginnings, she writes stories that help children find their courage and celebrate who they are. Her tales often feature adorable animals and life lessons, discovering that even the smallest voices can make a difference.
Forever bored of my Midwest upbringing, I read voraciously as a child, falling asleep to the sound of my grandparents reading me Rudyard Kipling as a child. My parents fed the storyteller in me at every book fair; they knew that they were forming my brain to create tales of my own. I wrote stories from the time I could hold a pencil — always romances. Romance remains my homeland.
Artificial intelligence is already reshaping publishing, and we believe it is important to be honest about both its possibilities and its harms. At Atmosphere Press, our approach is rooted in a simple principle: AI may be used as a tool, but books should remain human creations.
Substack for authors can be a useful way to publish regularly, build an email audience, and create stronger relationships with readers — but it should not replace your author website, your broader book marketing plan, or the parts of your platform you fully control.
If people are reading your book, why isn’t your author income higher? The answer is that readership and royalties do not always move together. Many readers access books through libraries, used-book sales, subscriptions, personal sharing, book clubs, or digital borrowing — channels that may generate limited royalties, one-time licensing income, or no direct payment to the author at all.
Sneha Villalva served as the executive speechwriter for the UCLA chancellor and two Pomona College presidents. She previously worked as a journalist with The Press-Enterprise in Southern California.
Growing up in Southern California, I’ve always had a wild imagination, thanks to my love for history and storytelling. Some of my favorite authors, such as Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden, and Brian Jacques, have greatly inspired my writing. This passion for history and knack for spinning myths and fantasies pushed me to write my first novel, The Gathering, while I was chasing my MA in history. Since then, I’ve rolled out two more books, and there’s a fourth one on the way!
Marí is a debut author from West Virginia. Her poetry is inspired by her own experiences with love, loss, motherhood, identity, and family. As a lover of the outdoors and the mountains that she calls home, much of her work is heavily rooted in nature imagery. The Line Between is her first published collection of poetry that began as an emotional outlet and diary of sorts, before morphing into words that she wanted to share with the world. When Marí isn’t writing (or reading), you can find her on a nature trail or at her favorite beer garden with her husband, son, and their two dogs.
Makayla Ghazal is a fifteen-year-old author who published her debut novel, The Ungoblin Brother, at fourteen. She loves her family, chocolate, and Jesus, everything a girl needs! She has lots of pets and enjoys writing stories and watching movies with her dad.
Cisco Gonzalez is an American author who writes fictional stories with a comedic twist under the name Matt Peterson. As a military brat, he grew up all over the place. He enjoys any well written and funny fiction and is influenced by authors such as Christoper Moore, John Scalzi, and Martha Wells. He currently resides in Tucson.
Blake Anderson spent more than three decades in the technology industry, including over twenty years at Microsoft, before retiring to pursue new passions as a certified life coach and author.
Chester is a young trans man from Hertfordshire, England. With an overactive imagination, he has always used writing to bring the worlds and ideas in his head alive, even when he was still small and just learning to write! To have his words printed in books is a massive achievement that he’s entirely honoured by.
Writing a novella can be an exciting journey for any writer, but it’s often misunderstood as just a “shorter novel.” In reality, a novella has unique requirements and offers distinct advantages. In this guide, we’ll delve into what makes a novella special, explore the specific structure and pacing novellas demand, and provide strategies to help you create a compelling story. Whether you’re exploring novellas as a standalone option or as a way to expand your writing repertoire, this guide offers the practical steps to get started.
Launching your book at the right time of the year can make a big difference in its success. Consider the seasonality of your book, competition, and media coverage when deciding on the best time to launch. And remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer – what works for one book may not work for another. Ultimately, the most important thing is to have a great book that resonates with readers, no matter when it’s launched.
I am James Abbot, ‘Jim’ to my family and friends, and the author of The Burdens of Aeneas: A Son’s Memoir of Duty and Love, which was a finalist for a 2018 Georgia Author of the Year Award. I have a doctorate in classics and have written and taught courses on Latin poetry and Roman history. Born and raised in rural Georgia, I now live with my family in Brooklyn, where I dream about wild rivers and deep forests.
Andy Barrow is a New York–based writer whose debut novel, Peter in Progress, draws inspiration from his own later-in-life gay awakening. When he’s not writing, Andy is likely perfecting his backhand, chasing his next cold brew, or making up for lost time on the dance floor — preferably with nineties icons (Crystal, CeCe, Whitney …) on rotation.