Atmosphere Press

Cammy Marble grew up on a farm and in the woods listening to what God and Nature had to say. She currently lives on a two-acre country property in Missouri with her husband, Ken, and their young granddaughter. A graduate of the University of Central Missouri, she has been a homeschooler and tutor for 20 years. She enjoys teaching, gardening, drawing, volunteering, and plays several musical instruments. The Holidays in Trees series came to her in a vivid, nighttime dream. The creativity and humor in her artwork and writing are a reflection of her approach to life.

As an author whose formative years were spent as a hippie in San Francisco, Howchi Kilburn continues to chart the course of those who experienced dramatic and simultaneous openings to the sensual/sexual and spiritual sides of human nature. His themes include explorations of gender identity, the ongoing discovery of True Self, and new understandings of relationship and sexuality. Sacred pleasure is a concept which provides a departure point for a long exploration of the potential for ecstatic reverential unity in human relationships and communities.

Tamara Anderson is a pediatric speech language pathologist, education specialist, and consultant with a passion for language and literacy. From an early age, she was captivated by stories, especially those that were set in various places around the world. She is originally from Saint Andrew, Jamaica and lived in Miami, Florida for many years. She now resides in the metro Atlanta, Georgia area.

Barbara de la Cuesta taught and worked as a journalist in South America. Out of this experience came her two prize winning novels, The Spanish Teacher, winner of the Gival Press Award in 2007, and Rosa, winner of the Driftless Novella Prize from Brain Mill Press in 2017. Fellowships in fiction from the Massachusetts Artists’ Foundation, and the New Jersey Council on the Arts, as well as residencies at the Ragdale Foundation, The Virginia Center, and the Millay Colony, have allowed her to complete these novels. Her story collection, The Place Where Judas Lost His Boots, has recently won the Brighthorse Prize.

Diane is an award-winning essayist, memoirist, and poet. She served as Westport, CT’s inaugural Poet Laureate from 2019-2022. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including O, The Oprah Magazine, Brain, Child and Brevity Blog, and she writes a regular column, Everything’s an Essay. Her first memoir, Nothing But Blue, was published in 2018, and her latest, The Undiscovered Country: Seeing Myself Through Shakespeare’s Eyes, was published in September 2023.

Shanita Liu, MPA, CPC, is a mom of three warriors, veteran spouse, salsa dancer, TEDx speaker, and Fulbright Scholar. She created Coach Shanita, Inc. so that she could use her skills as a transformational coach, reiki master, mystic, and speaker to help folks live victorious lives.

Mark Steven Porro, a New Jersey native (Exit 163), earned an Industrial Design degree from the Ohio State University. After years of agency work, his love of acting led him to Hollywood, where he appeared in dozens of television, film, and stage productions. Mark also spent his twenty-eight years in Tinseltown, entrepreneuring. He started five non-profit companies. But hold the applause, none were intended to be. He now lives in the South of France. But hold your pity. He of sound mind and body chose to suffer in the heart of wine country where the locals insist his French isn’t so bad—at least that’s what he thinks they’re saying.

Anttimatti lives in Finland and Spain. He is a writer who keeps his readers hooked with humor, cliffhangers, and thrills without unnecessary bloodshed, leaving an enjoyable experience for all. While drinking an excessive amount of coffee, he is writing stories from his experience, imagination and with thorough research. The Black Table series is his first science fiction trilogy, with a second series already on its way.

A USAF Veteran, Mikki’s career includes speaking, real estate, and marketing. She is the author of IN A HEARTBEAT – The Miracle of a Family That Was Meant To Be, a true story spanning several generations of families born out of love. She now hosts Adoption as a Choice radio show & podcast.

Chicago native Michelle Elder and her family now call North Carolina home, enjoying life between the mountains and the sea. Her days are filled with the company of her favorite people: two curious and very strong-willed daughters, a coffee-snob husband, and one very hairy dog. An avid reader with a passion for fantasy, she also loves to travel to new places, wander through bookstores, and firmly believes dessert is a non-negotiable daily treat.

Three-time award winning author, Anne Lacourrege, was raised in New Orleans. There has always been the desire to do creative writing and The Greatest Treasure was Anne’s first attempt. The story was written and forgotten until Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans. For all that New Orleans means to the author, this story was written.

Though Deborah L. King has been a writer and storyteller her whole life, publishing her first short story at seven years old, she took 32 years to complete her first novel. Deborah loves storms, champagne, Old Time Radio, and 70s Blues and Soul. As a fiction writer, she loves the work of Octavia Butler, classic Stephen King, Peter David, and the illustrations of Dan DeCarlo. Thanks to an interesting childhood, she’s afraid of escalators, bill collectors, and sometimes fresh produce.

Dr. Peter J. Ramos, Jr. lives in Southern California. He is an author, artist, and Doctor of World Religious Studies. He is the Creative Director and Founder of Hous of Ibiko. He has written books such as Hello Enzo: What Does Enzo Like To Do? and Happy In A Thousand Dark Places. His soon-to-be-published book, And Then I Woke Up, Screaming, is his first collection of short stories.

Diane Lefer is the award-winning author of five published novels, three story collections, and more than 100 stories. Learn more about her fiction, plays, essays and journalism at her website, www.dianelefer.weebly.com.

A graduate of the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) with a BA in French and PhD in physiology, Christina taught college-level anatomy and physiology for close to twenty years before concentrating her passion on writing and editing. She’s the author of Rewrite the Stars and The Weight We Carry, and she’s co-author of Historic Photos of University of Michigan. She lives in Ohio with her husband, four children, and a rotating cast of pets.

Gemma Lees is a Romany Gypsy, disabled and neurodiverse fine art installationist, performance poet, actor, facilitator, journalist and theatre-maker from Bury, Lancashire. Her practise focuses on protest, advocacy and telling the stories that no one else is.

I have always loved to write! I have also always loved to spin a tale verbally, whether it be truthful, or a slightly elaborated version of the truth. My best friend and I used to team write full-length stories when we were younger, one of which my Sophomore English teacher actually thought was good enough to be published.