Desney Carlene provides poetic literature to introspective readers in a lyrical atmosphere, with an authentic voice. Helping them to feel vulnerable and empowered to face their own mental and emotional wellness journeys. Desney is the owner of Desney Carlene Inc. and lives in her hometown of Chicago, Illinois, as a proud Southsider.
Mark David Gerson is the founder of The Mark David Gerson School of Writing and award-winning author of more than twenty books, including classic works for writers, inspiring personal growth titles, compelling memoirs and The Legend of Q’ntana and Sara Stories novels. Mark David is also a popular writing coach, as well as dog dad to Kyri, named for a character in The MoonQuest, the first book in his Q’ntana “true fantasy” series.
WM Parslow is a horror writer based in Oxford, UK. He is inspired by his own experiences (including some time working in a prison), folklore, and ghost stories. He is owned by two cats and has a Venus flytrap called Steve. He can often be found walking Oxford’s streets, looking for a nice pub to sit in and write. The Standing Dead is his debut novel, and he is currently working on the next part of the story.
J Lee Amey was born and raised in Essex, England, but now resides on the beautiful south coast of Dorset, England. In her spare time she can usually be found strolling through sand, fields or forest with her husband and dog. Although Amey has produced many scribblings over the years, The Glastonbury Tales is her first novella.
A creative writing graduate with a master’s by research investigating magic systems in fantasy fiction, I’m also a professional editor and change manager. That said, I am embarking on two new adventures this year: committing myself to pursuing publication of my novel, and starting my own freelance editing business with a unique change management twist! I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome last year, which has impacted every area of my life, but has weirdly reignited my writing mojo and smashed through my chronic writer’s block. I also have a cute but clingy golden retriever called Rufus.
Graeme Hampton was born and brought up in central Scotland. After leaving school, he trained as a stage manager and worked in London for a number of years. He returned to Scotland in his late twenties to study for a BA in English Literature at Stirling University. After many years of dull jobs and bleak times, he became a full-time writer. His first novel, Know No Evil, was published by Hera Books in July 2019, and was followed up by Blood Family in early 2020. His sixth novel, Truth Lies Dying, was published in November 2023. He has just completed his first standalone psychological thriller. He lives in Hastings, East Sussex, with his partner, two Siamese cats, and the world’s laziest dachshund.
Ali Ashhar is a poet, short story writer and columnist from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is a bilingual poet writing in English and Urdu language, but primarily writes in English. He was an academically bright child during his school days and had keen interest in literature. His writing stint began during his college days as a literature student. He is an internationally acclaimed author who has won several international literary awards with his writings being published in 20 countries around the globe.
Jonathan Davis hails from the Pennines outside Manchester in the North West of England. An area that features frequently in his novels due to his immersive upbringing in the region. Having grown up playing on the Saddleworth Moors and exploring a lot of the nooks and crannies.
D. Aiken is a disabled Navy veteran, memoirist, and founder of DeltaTango Press™, an independent publishing company rooted in legacy and truth. His writing explores generational trauma, identity, and Southern Black life with brutal honesty and redemptive hope. Through Buncombe and other works, Aiken uses storytelling to confront silence and elevate the stories often left in the margins. He currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona, where he continues building both SauceGAME™ and DeltaTango Press with his wife, Tenè.
Meeting death changed everything. Now, I live to give back to life. Creativity is how I stay awake to what matters. And wonder, more than anything, remains the compass leading me back to the heart—the most honest place to find, as Hemingway wrote, “the truest sentence that you know.”
Matilda’s fiction is steeped in the past, from rebellious Roman teens to the quiet mysteries surrounding Stonehenge. But her latest book, Alfred Wallis: Child Pauper to Artistic Luminary, takes her in a bold new direction—into biography. Long fascinated by real lives, she was irresistibly drawn to Alfred’s remarkable story: a self-taught artist who rose from poverty to become a key figure in British Modern Art. His life was too extraordinary not to explore—and too important not to share.
I’m a 38-year-old poet from the West Midlands and have been writing poetry since childhood. A lot of my poetry is semi-confessional, where I draw upon my own experiences to inspire my poetry. My poetry deals with themes of mental illness, drug addiction, social injustice, love, loss and healing amongst other themes. Each poem is full of emotion, offering an intimate glimpse into a story of pain, reflection, growth, and resilience. My poems are raw and vulnerable in their honesty.
A Southern California native, I joined the Air Force right after high school to see the world. I saw Missouri. Returning to Orange County, I finished my B.A. and M.A. at California State University, Long Beach. Teaching high school social science became my career and my love. I retired in 2022 and now spend my time volunteering with the adult literacy program at the local library. Favorite pastimes include travel. skiing, and scuba diving. I have two lovely daughters and five amazing grandkids.
Sid Hunter is a teacher and writer now living in Hampshire (because London house prices are, frankly, criminal). He writes thrillers with heart, humour, and a few too many close calls — often featuring a laid-back teacher who finds himself in very unexpected danger.
Kevin Schumaker was educated to be a philosophy professor, became a lawyer, and made a number of good choices and a lot more bad ones. Born in Wisconsin in a new subdivision in the middle of nowhere and far from the city center, Kevin has tried to use words to craft a world from the existential heart of American hopes, dreams, addictions, loves, danger, and lies.
Elias Khalil is a horror-comedy author from Rancho Cucamonga, California, where he lives with his wife and Velcro dog. He earned his bachelor’s degree in International Business from Cal Poly Pomona and a master’s in Leadership from the University of Arizona. He worked in sales and had management roles throughout his career. A lifelong fan of the strange and supernatural, Elias enjoys blending humor with spooky themes to create stories that make readers laugh and shiver at the same time. His debut novel, The Devil Likes It Here, is a quirky, twisted tale that reflects his love for offbeat humor and spooky fun.
Alicia Donovan was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and grew up in a small rural town called New Bedford, which lies in the northwest part of the state. She is a wife, public servant, entrepreneur, photographer, artist, blogger, and novelist who currently lives near Austin, Texas.
Jeanne Mahoney, a retired therapist, moved to Bellingham at the end of 2021 and found herself looking out at the Twin Sisters. A surviving twin for fifty years this December, she is writing her first book, a memoir about rediscovering herself and the beauty in grief after losing her twin, Lynne.
Peter Gooch is a painter, former art professor, and writer originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, currently living in New Mexico. He is the author of the novels SEREN and LIPS. His short fiction appears in numerous literary magazines. He holds an MFA in painting from Western Michigan University. He resides with his wife, Dr. Sharon Ransom, in the village of Corrales, near Albuquerque.
Since visiting the New Jersey shore as a youth, Mark has loved compelling sea stories and has dreamed about writing them. He graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor of Arts and from Seton Hall University with a Master of Arts. He majored in psychology and accounting and earned NJ teaching certifications in multiple disciplines. He currently works in his business, Hawthorne Accounting Services LLC, as an Enrolled Agent, a federally licensed tax expert, and is a licensed loan officer. In 2014, Mark published his debut novel, More Precious Than Gold.