To those who say, ‘Now I’m retired, I have no spare time,’ it’s absolutely true! I bought my first horse at fourteen after saving hard during a couple of years of delivering groceries after school and on Saturday mornings, and I still own one more than fifty years later…more fool me. But I never thought I’d write about them, in any of their uses by mankind down the centuries, and I’ve spent my spare time over the last two decades doing just that.
E.A. Jones is based in the heart of Wiltshire, England. She is married to her biggest supporter and has three boys. She is a lover of the countryside, having grown up on a farm. She has a lot of dogs, a horse, and some bantams.
Melanie McClellan-Hartnett is an award-winning poet and visual artist in South Carolina. She won her first prize at seventeen from the Poetry Society of South Carolina for her poem Smoke Serpents.
I was born in rural China. From my first day of school, I was immersed in Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, and theories of the proletarian revolution. As a member of the Communist Youth League, I actively participated in various social and political movements. I fervently engaged in the Great Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) as a Red Guard, witnessing a decade-long catastrophe that devastated China’s socio-economic and political environment, eroded traditional Chinese culture, morality, and cherished values.
Now retired from her thirty-six-year career as a marketing communications professional, Suzanne Groves is a published author of three books, as well as an editor, amateur angler, kitchen wizard, genealogist, world traveler, animal lover, artist, and gardening fanatic. She is an off-the-charts extrovert who can (and will) talk to anyone and everyone about anything and everything.
Sarah Veall is an author, transformational coach, inner-child practitioner, and Reiki practitioner. Her work explores healing, self-trust, and the connection between emotional awareness and physical wellbeing.
Having served a rewarding corporate career, Chris has been enjoying retirement at the Jersey Shore with his wife, Susan, and their three sons. In retirement, his energy and enthusiasm are now directed toward giving back to people in ways that are near to his heart. As a prostate cancer survivor, Chris is dedicated to educating men about the disease and providing consolation, support, and advice through his writing. He also covers alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, and career success.
I started my writing career in 2023. I began my working life as an accountant, took a decade off to raise my three children, and retrained as a fitness instructor, which I still passionately pursue. I live in Leamington Spa in the UK with my husband, three cockapoos, and my cat.
Jody Cooksley is a novelist, communications consultant, creative writing tutor, and lifelong writer. She studied literature at Oxford Brookes University and has a masters in Victorian poetry. Her debut novel, The Glass House, was a fictional account of the life of nineteenth-century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron.
Richard Stokes is the award-winning producer of UK television shows including Broadchurch, Torchwood, Silk, and The Siege, amongst others. He has made critically acclaimed and commercially successful television shows for the BBC, itv, Channel 4, and AMC.
Teri has been writing since she was a small child clicking away on her old typewriter. She sees stories everywhere in this world and loves to share them. When she isn’t writing, you can find her at the elementary school she works at, spending time with her nieces, or snuggled up reading and surrounded by shelter animals.
Hey, my name’s Niki, writer of The Virgin King Series. Flying by the ink of my pen. The more I try to plan, the more of a mess I find myself in. Blue Biros and A5 notepads are my writer’s drug of choice. I fell in love with BL so much, I now write my own. I love a good weepy series but don’t like to write them because I can’t focus on the words, which is difficult, because I’ve made myself cry a few times while writing.
Micah Briarmoon is a true Renaissance man: educator, entertainer, musician, world traveler, and author. After many years entertaining crowds around the country, he pursued his teaching degree, going on to teach both locally and internationally.
I am a storyteller who has always felt the world most clearly through imagination—not as an escape, but as a way to witness and repair what is broken. Growing up, I was drawn to the kinds of stories where wonder walked alongside grief: Treasure Planet, Atlantis, Hercules—tales where flawed heroes stumble toward growth, where loss leaves scars, but where light is still worth carrying forward. Those stories taught me that hope is not naive; it’s hard-won. That same lesson shapes everything I write.
Julie Cruse has over two decades experience working at the intersection of higher education and innovation across public, private, and elite universities. She has led initiatives to create alternative pathways for student success and systemic reform. Her work reflects a deep commitment to equity and survivor advocacy.
Writing has never been just a hobby for me. It is my therapy, my release, my most honest form of breathing. I write when I am struggling and when I am finally at peace. I write when joy catches me off guard and when love takes over everything. Writing is the only thing that knows how to reach into the crowded, heavy noise inside my head and turn it into something soft … something quiet.
I’m a journalist and presenter with twenty-five years of experience working with the BBC, ITV, Sky, Channel 4, and IMG. I’ve been writing for TV and radio throughout my working life, but Angarrack is my debut novel. I’ve loved every second of creating it, although it’s been a steep learning curve. I was delighted when Angarrack was recently short-listed for The Historical Novel Society’s First Chapters Competition.
Effie is an indie author from the North of England, where she lives with her husband of over twenty-five years and their two children. Influenced by her Greek heritage, she is drawn to stories shaped by history, legacy, and the ties that bind people long after they should have let go. She writes emotionally charged romance with a darker edge, often blending contemporary and paranormal elements to explore love, grief, power, and what it means to truly belong.
To say I love books is an understatement. I learned to read before I headed off to school thanks to my grandmother’s insistence and support. She taught me the value of my own curiosity and to seek knowledge beyond face value. My early beginnings have led to a deep commitment to life-long learning. And the occasional life lesson, because reading about it wasn’t enough, I needed to go try it out. I have a master’s degree in counseling, though for the past twenty-plus years I’ve worked in the criminal justice system, first as a probation officer, followed by my work now as an education specialist.
From a young age, Ben Cass was in love with the premises of fantasy novels and comic books: amazing creatures, fantastic heroes, and magical powers that existed right beneath our noses. He created detailed storylines to act out with his toys, often updating the stories until he was satisfied with the plots.