Authors

Find these wonderful authors at their booths!
Listed alphabetically by last name:

Andrea Arango
Charlottesville, VA

Andrea Beatriz Arango is a writer and teacher obsessed with houseplants. She loves vegan food, board games, and channeling her inner mermaid. Andrea lives with her boyfriend, her two dogs, and her foster daughter in a city unfortunately too cold to grow plantains or avocados. (Ostia.)

Leigh Armstrong
Ashland, VA

Leigh Armstrong lives in Virginia with her husband and has two children. She is 54 years old, enjoys relaxing at the river, and would love to have an unlimited supply of money for buying books. She published her first book, My Heart, in 2018 and the second, Release My Heart, in May 2019. She is planning a trip to Alaska this year. Her dream became a reality and she is grateful to have the chance.

Andrew Ballard & Liz Ballard Hamm
Culpeper, VA

Andrew Ballard & Liz Ballard Hamm are siblings who grew up in rural Virginia, where they spent their childhood exploring the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains with their dogs. Andrew, Liz, and their younger brother Taylor all shared a passion for storytelling from a very early age. Andrew went on to study theater at James Madison University and embarked on a career in the performing arts. Liz also studied theater at Catawba College, and went on to work as an actor for Virginia Repertory Theater, where she and Andrew performed children's theater together for young audiences across the country. Today, Andrew adventures through life as a writer, actor, and teacher living in Culpeper, VA, with his dog Luke at his side. He is currently engaged in postgraduate studies at the University of Virginia. Liz is a student at Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing. She enjoys exploring the wilds of Richmond, VA with her husband, Andrew Hamm, their children, Ruby and Gabriel, and their loving dog, Boba. The Great Big Ark in the Sky is Liz and Andrew's first picture book.

John Bateman
Starkville, MS

John W. Bateman was the first person in his family to leave the fly-over states in more than 200 years. It didn't last. John writes and looks for stories in the Deep South. His work has appeared in The SFWP Quarterly, OneNewEngland, Glitterwolf Magazine, Huffington Post, TIMBER, Nately's, as well as on the silver screen. He has a secret addiction to glitter and, contrary his southern roots, does NOT like sweet tea. John is a recipient of a 2018 Emerging Filmmaker Grant from the Mississippi Film Alliance. His first novel, Who Killed Buster Sparkle?, was released June 12, 2019, by Unsolicited Press.

Louis Bayard
NoVA

In the words of the New York Times, Louis Bayard "reinvigorates historical fiction," rendering the past "as if he'd witnessed it firsthand."

Louis's affinity for bygone eras can be felt in both his recent young-adult novel, the highly praised Lucky Strikes, and in his string of critically acclaimed adult historical novels, which include Roosevelt's Beast, The School of Night, The Black Tower, The Pale Blue Eye, and Mr. Timothy.

A New York Times Notable author, he has been nominated for both the Edgar® and Dagger awards, and his story, “Banana Triangle Six,” was chosen for The Best American Mystery Stories 2018. He is also a nationally recognized essayist and critic whose articles have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and Salon. His other novels include Fool's Errand and Endangered Species (Alyson). An instructor at George Washington University, he is on the board of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation and was the author of the popular Downton Abbey recaps for the New York Times.

Lesley Beiro
Prince George, VA

Lesley Beiro lives in Prince George, Virginia with her husband Joe. They have three sons. She serves as a speaker and teacher in the Christian community. Her passion is in writing about the depths of the human heart and the power of God at work in the lives of those who trust Him.

Debbie Bowie
Richmond, VA

Debbie Bowie has been described as an “organizing angel” by clients. Through her speaking, hands-on clutter clearing, and coaching, she has helped thousands of individuals clear clutter to make room for new opportunities and dreams to manifest in their lives. Debbie’s passion is helping people claim their personal power by getting unstuck mentally, emotionally, and physically so they can move forward to accomplish their goals. She is the author of two books, From Cluttered to Clear in Just One Year: Your Room-by-Room Home Makeover and Rock Scissors Paper: Understanding How Environment Affects Your Performance on a Daily Basis.

Benjamin Campbell
Richmond, Virginia

A native of Arlington, Virginia, the Rev. Benjamin P. Campbell studied political science and political economy at Williams College in Massachusetts, and studied theology as a Rhodes Scholar at the Queen’s College in Oxford. He received a Master’s in Divinity and a Doctorate in Divinity
from the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, and
an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Virginia
Union University.

He was ordained to the priesthood of the Episcopal Church in 1966. He came to Richmond in 1970. He has ministered to three Episcopal churches and served as Communications Director and subsequently Program Director of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. He directed two non-profit corporations—the Richmond Urban Institute, and
Home Base, Incorporated, a neighborhood-based low-income housing corporation. He was the founding Pastoral Director of Richmond Hill, an ecumenical residential Christian community and retreat center on Church Hill in Richmond, where he served from 1987-2015. He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Richmond Hill and as a Pastoral Associate at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in downtown Richmond.

He is a co-founder of the Micah Association, which links more than one hundred faith communities to twenty-five inner city elementary schools in Richmond, of the Armstrong Leadership Program, involving thirty-six students in Richmond’s inner-city Armstrong
High School and of the Armstrong Priorities Freshman Academy. A member of the Richmond Slave Trail Commission, he is a frequent lecturer on the history of Richmond, and the author of a volume entitled Richmond’s Unhealed History.

J.P. Cane
Virginia

J. P. Cane is a long-time reader and first-time writer of vampire stories. His debut novel, Shadows Within, begins The Shadowless series, set in Philadelphia. He hosts a podcast on writing and enjoys supporting fellow writers. He and his wife live in Virginia.

Sara Condrey
Williamsburg, VA

Sara Condrey is a Montessori school teacher, bee keeper, gardener, and animal lover. Despite her many hobbies, she still makes time for writing and is currently working on her next novel at her home in Williamsburg, VA.

LaKesa Cox
Richmond, VA

LaKesa Cox is an award winning author and screenwriter. She has published three adult novels: After the Storm, Water in My Eyes, and Fetish for a Blue Skyy. She has also contributed to three anthologies: Street Chronicles - Girls in the Game, Street Chronicles - A Woman’s Work, and The Ex Chronicles. Street Chronicles - A Woman’s Work became a New York Times Bestseller and was selected by Essence magazine as a summer read. The Ex Chronicles won the 2016 African American Literary Award for best anthology and became a national bestseller.

Not only has LaKesa written for adults, but her highly acclaimed young adult/teen novel, Mulatto Girl Aggie, 13: Name on the Ledger, was released in 2017 and her children’s picture book, Shirleen and the Shoes, was released in 2019.

In 2019, LaKesa was nominated for the prestigious ACHI Magazine Award. She was also named one of the top 100 African-American authors of 2017 by UBAWA.org. LaKesa graduated from Strayer University with an Associate’s Degree in Marketing and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration.

Erin Crocker
Fredericksburg, VA

Erin Crocker is an assistant editor at Salem, MA based Fundead Publications. She also offers freelance editing and has self-published multiple novels. Erin’s short stories and flash fiction have won national and international awards and she has sat as a judge on international flash fiction competitions. In her spare time, Erin runs an organization called When She Walked Away that promotes healing from violence through artistic expression. She also enjoys acting and has appeared on Netflix, Investigation Discovery, and Reelz in addition to acting in multiple short films.

Fatimah Evans
Richmond, VA

Fatimah Evans lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, five children, and cat. She graduated from James Madison University with a major in Justice Studies and a minor in Writing & Rhetoric.

Fatimah enjoys reading (lots and lots of reading) and rainy days with hot chocolate. She also loves to go adventuring with her family, which usually includes playing in the park, going out of town, or just baking and crafting in the kitchen.

Gail Felton
South Boston, VA

GS Felton, author of Scamp and the Legend of Laguna Verde, graduated from North Carolina State University with a BA in English. After studying South America for years, Felton mixed South American culture and folklore together to make a history treasure hunt mystery come to life. Felton's interest in South America stemmed from stories told to her by her grandmother, who crossed the South American continent as a girl in the 1920's. Felton loves history, quests, and searching for clues. She also loves sailing the ocean and navigating waterways, making her own mini adventures. When not on the water, she and her family live in Southside, Virginia.

Michael Gryboski
Alexandria, VA

Michael Gryboski was born and raised in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Michael has a bachelor of arts and a masters from George Mason University, both in history. In addition to writing, Michael enjoys thinking, walking, jogging, and being active in church. A journalist by profession, Michael would rather be correct than widely accepted.

Kristi Guillory
Alexandria, VA

Kristi Guillory Reid has always loved to write, and she’s thrilled to now add the title "author" to her resume with her first book, Harper Counts Her Blessings. Over the years, Kristi's work has appeared in a number of publications, including CNN.COM, the Washington Informer, and Washington Parent.

When she noticed a lack of children's books that capture the spirit of African-American families, she used her love of writing, along with her experiences raising a toddler, to write her very first book. Harper Counts Her Blessings shows how the events of an ordinary day turn out not to be so ordinary when you truly reflect upon the blessings in your life. It’s a story that highlights themes of reflection, gratitude, and appreciation that both parents and children will enjoy.

A proud native of Louisiana, Kristi resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, Efrem, and daughter, Harper. Kristi is a graduate of Loyola University (New Orleans), Carnegie Mellon University, and Duke University Law School.

Michael Gunter
Richmond, VA

There is a lot more to life than meets the eye. This idea has been the driving force behind Michael Gunter's writing for two decades. His realistic science-fiction imagines life on other worlds, interplanetary friendship, and the possibilities offered by time travel into the past. His non-fiction books explore the reality of faith, spirituality, and the Christian experience.

Born in California, Michael spent his early years in Alaska and Nevada. After completing his formal education at Charleston Southern University and Southeastern Baptist Teological Seminary, he served as an associate pastor at local churches in Wyoming, Tennessee, and Virginia. He is a full-time writer and plays the electric guitar.

Andrew Hall
Virginia Beach, VA

Andrew Hall is the author and illustrator of the Bartholomew Babbitt series, with many more books and comic books planned. Andrew loves all things art and animation as he has a degree in animation from Regent University. At the heart of all his artwork Andrew loves to tell stories and create characters! He wants to inspire kids young and old to be imaginative and live adventurously. He is from Surprise, AZ but currently lives in Virginia Beach with his wife and son.

William B. Hardison, Jr.
Glen Allen, VA

William Hardison is a retired minister and former adjunct professor of Christian Spirituality at Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond. Known for his gift of vivid storytelling, he is a member of the National Storytelling Network. Dr. Hardison is a contributor to Character.org, a nationwide movement bringing fresh attention to the development of character in the lives of children through education. Dinosaurs in the Cornfield: Lessons Unearthed on My Grandfather's Farm is his first book and deals with the development of positive character traits learned through the telling of legacy stories. Dr. Hardison lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife, Carolyn.

Audrey Hinds
Dinwiddie, VA

Audrey Hinds is a resident of Richmond, Virginia and is currently raising two adventurous kids with her husband of seven years. Her children teach her patience, flexibility, and immeasurable love. As an educator, Audrey firmly believes in living life on purpose and pouring positive messages into our youth. Now that her two little ones have grown a bit, Audrey has found herself drawn back to her original baby - writing! With her book, Hair with Flair, Audrey's goal is to spark a confidence movement that encourages our youth to embrace and celebrate themselves just as they are.

Lenette Howard
Miclothian, VA

Lenette Howard has a checkered past.

She may look like a grandmother, and it’s true she's crazy nuts about her grandkids, but something else lurks inside, and it’s the heart of a rebel. She's also a bookworm, ever since learning to read at the age of four and continuing all through her hippy days. Marriage (more than once) and becoming an unconventional mother raising two terrific kids never slowed down her bookworm tendencies. Nor did her many jobs or ending up an adult student and eventually obtaining a master’s degree at the age of forty.

While searching for the right occupation, her reading slowly morphed into a writing hobby, which then became something approaching an addiction. Eventually, she succumbed to the only career she ever wanted and became a writer. Better late than never, she's arrived.

Matt E. Jaremko, Ph.D.
& Beth Fehlbaum
Hampton Roads, VA

Matt Jaremko has taught clinical psychology at the university level for almost 20 years, including the University of Richmond. This academic activity has been balanced by the operation of an independent practice of clinical psychology. Over his 40-year career, he also engaged in stress and trauma research activity, as shown by over 30 publications and nearly a hundred presentations at professional meetings. Matt retired from professional work in 2012 and lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife. In addition to writing, he spends time keeping up with his five grandchildren, teaching them to appreciate nature, self-sufficiency, science, and golf. His passion has become working with his hands, building and rehabilitating homes and making furniture. Check out Dr. Jaremko’s blog, Hope for Post-Traumatic Growth.

Beth Fehlbaum is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, an award-winning author, and an experienced English teacher. She is the author of four novels: The Patience Trilogy (Courage, Hope, and Truth) and Big Fat Disaster. Hope in Patience is a 2011 YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and Big Fat Disaster is on the 2015–2016 Spirit of Texas High School Reading List. Trauma Recovery: Sessions With Dr. Matt is her first venture into creative non-fiction. She and her husband live in a house they built in a forest in East Texas. They have three grown daughters.

Jacqueline T. Johnson
Hampton Roads, VA

Jacqueline T. Johnson is native of Virginia and discovered long ago that writing is where her emotions, thoughts and dreams come to life. Jacqueline enjoys writing fantasy because it opens unlimited avenues for the imagination. To those who aspire to be a science fiction writer, she would say don’t allow preconceptions of who a writer should be guide your dreams. Her passion for fantasy, action, and adventure inspired the Sons of Meir series.

Chris Jones
Fredericksburg, VA

Chris Jones is an author, book writing coach, and three-time Virginia Press Association award-winning journalist. He helps individuals and entrepreneurs write and publish their books. His burning desire is to help authors write and publish books that get them the results they desire. He achieves this through his coaching and training sessions and his podcast and book — The Art & Business of Writing.

On his podcast, Chris has interviewed people like New York Times bestselling author John David Mann, EOFire’s Kate Erickson, Foundr Magazine CEO Nathan Chan, lifestyle entrepreneur Kimanzi Constable, Joanna Penn of The Creative Penn, and Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist Efrem Graham.

As a journalist, Chris has interviewed high profile people like HGTVs Sabrina Soto, Food Network celebrity chef Rachael Ray, Supernanny Jo Frost, Keegan Allen of ABC Family’s Pretty Little Liars, teen sensation Caleb Maddix, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actress Daphne Maxwell Reid, and TLC's American Supernanny host Deborah Tillman, to name a few.

Chris has been in the writing and marketing industry for 20 years.

Linette Kasper
Fredericksburg, VA

Linette Kasper is an avid writer of supernatural fantasy but enjoys dabbling in other styles, especially horror and suspense. She has released two novels, Daimon and Rogue, from her first series, and she is currently working on the third book. She also has a horror short story, "What They Did Not Know" published in Fundead Publications anthology One Night in Salem.

Ryan Kent
Richmond, VA

Ryan Kent is the author of Poems For Dead People and This Is Why I Am Insane. He is the microphone player for Murdersome, and contributes to Ozy.com and RVA Magazine. Hit Me When I’m Pretty is his third collection of poetry. He lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Stacy Kingsley
Stafford, VA

Stacy grew up loving the horror genre. When she first saw the movie CUJO she learned that you have to wait because even in those last five minutes something will happen. She loves horror so much she wrote her Master's thesis on The Decline of Horror in Popular Culture and loves to watch every horror movie she can get her hands on, no matter how bad it might be.

Her love of zombies stems from her desire to find true monsters, not sparkling vampires, loving werewolves, or ghosts who help you solve cases. Zombies have one thing on their mind: eating people. She loves zombies so much she has done zombie makeup for an ice-skating exhibition, played a zombie in a short independent film, done several zombie themed runs, and is working on her zombie series. Zombies Are People Too! is the first book in her "Do Zombies Win?" series. Her second book, Zombies Bite!, was released 2014, followed by the third book in the series, Zombie Wasteland, in 2016. She has several stories available as part of the series and is currently working on Zombimerica, the last book in her zombie series, and two other novels to be released soon.

Thus far her favorite zombie movie is the Norwegian film Dead Snow, followed closely by Shaun of the Dead and Fido. She is always willing to discuss horror with other fans, authors, and those who just enjoy the genre.

Currently Stacy lives in Virginia with her husband and two rambunctious boy cats, and she teaches English at a local community college.

Wilheimina Long
Chesapeake, VA

Wilheimina is a children’s book author, entrepreneur, graphic designer, and fine artist who enjoys painting portraits. She received her B.A. degree from the University of Mary Washington. Wilheimina has always been an advocate for children, and in 1999 she founded the non-profit Youth Matter Inc.

Creating the Ray the Buffalo & Friends book series is her passion, as her desire is to motivate and encourage children to be their best and to always strive to excel. She personally produced the layout and design of all books in the series. She continues to work toward her entrepreneur goals with her creative services agency BRITLON.

Amanda Lynch
Glen Allen, VA

Author Amanda Lynch, MA, CTP-E, is an Educational Consultant specializing in Self-Care, Mindfulness-Based Trauma Informed Practices, and Restorative Justice. She is a licensed teacher and has worked in public education for nearly twenty years. Currently, she provides professional development workshops throughout the United States for educators, students and their families on the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) on student and family engagement and on learner cognition. She loves introducing communities of color to mindful practices, meditation, yoga, and sound healing therapy. She lives with her husband, Marcus, and her very busy children Justin, Ava, Hazy, and Rosebud in Glen Allen, Virginia. She is also the founder of Rethinking Resiliency LLC.

Maria Mansfield
Rockville, VA

Maria A. Mansfield has lived in South America, Europe, and the United States. She currently resides in Virginia with her husband, James, their two sons, and their dog, Rocky. Her compassion for people and her desire to help others have inspired her to write her faith-based journey to recovery from depression, anxiety, and bipolar type 2 disorder. She wrote this book thinking of you. She has volunteered at the hospital, and now she volunteers for NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) by telling her recovery story to others who are struggling with mental health challenges. She is becoming a recovery specialist and continues to study more about mental health. In her free time she loves spending time with her family and gardening.

Dr. Kimberly Matthews
Richmond, VA

Dr. Kimberly A. Matthews is an author, professor, researcher, and activist. She is passionate about education and history. History never dies, and she wants to educate a new generation about the sacrifices of those who came before us through her book Images of Modern America: The Richmond Crusade for Voters.

Linda Mayo
Waynesboro, VA

Linda began writing novels when she took a class on creative and novel writing. Sparking her desire to put words to paper, she has now written three books. The beginning of her awakening happened when a grade-school teacher entered her into a short story contest, which she ultimately won. In the back of her mind, Linda always wondered if she could truly write and finish a book. Three books later, she has her answer.

Mary Moss

Writer, speaker, Biblical storyteller, columnist, retreat leader, and occasional blogger, Mary is a prolific writer, a creative and energetic woman with a passion for life and a deep and abiding faith in Jesus. Mary is also a devoted wife, loving mother, and doting grandmother, true blue friend, and child of God. Jobs? Mary has had just about any you can think of! "Jill of all trades" and master of some, she leans on the Lord to make it through every day -- every hour. Okay . . . every minute. Oh! And coffee . . . lots of coffee!

Amanda Nelson
Richmond, VA

Amanda Nelson is the executive editor of Book Riot, the largest independent editorial book site in North America, and the co-host of the Get Booked podcast. She has appeared on CNN International and NPR’s On Point. Tell her about your favorite book!

James Noll
Fredericksburg, VA

James Noll is a writer, a musician, and an educator from Fredericksburg, Virginia. He’s published three books: A Knife in the Back, You Will Be Safe Here, and Burn All The Bodies, and has published short fiction and poetry in WHURK! and the Fredericksburg Literary and Art Review. When he’s not writing, he produces music in his home studio and makes short documentaries on local bands, artists, and other interesting people.

Ngozi Obi
Yorktown, VA

Dr. Ngozi M. Obi is an American author, of Nigerian Igbo descent, whose love for writing has evolved into four published works of fiction and an anthology co-authored with thirty other women to date.

Her journey as a writer began in response to her search for a genre of fictional books with an inspirational message that seamlessly tackle the complexity of life’s concepts. Craving such ingenuity allowed her to tap into her vivid imagination and create tangible characters that most people can relate to. She also found that delving into writing helped give her work-life balance as a pharmacist and served as an escape and a way to deal with her late mother’s illness and subsequent passing.

Love’s Destiny, her debut novel, is an intriguing tale of love lost and found. Her second novel, When Dreams and Visions Collide, is an uplifting tale of fulfilling dreams despite arduous challenges. Her third novel, Love’s Legacy, continues the quest of true love in a riveting sequel to her first novel. Her latest body of work, Land of the rising sun: A Fictional Tribute to Biafra, chronicles the Nigerian-Biafran war through the eyes of a young and impressionable female nurse whose ideas of how life should be are well beyond her times, in a historical fiction tribute. Dr. Obi has also co-authored Women of Purpose anthology along with thirty other women. The Women of Purpose anthology was written to encourage women and girls to go out and fulfill their purpose in life despite any fear or rejection they may face. It is published by Higgins Publishing and is currently available through Higginspublishing.com.

Most of Dr. Obi’s novels are creatively imagined from life’s organic flow and aim to inspire adults of all ages. Her books are currently available in three different formats: hardcover, softcover, and digital download through most online booksellers. They can also be requested at traditional brick and mortar stores.

Dr. Obi resides in the love-filled state of Virginia, where she currently serves the community through pharmacy practice. In her spare time, when she is not busy writing books, she enjoys travelling, experimenting with different food recipes, frequent spa escapes, shopping, and reading.

Stephanie Parwulski
Buffalo, NY

Stephanie Parwulski has a lifelong love of children's literature. She is the author of Beatrice and the Sunflower Gift and Gloria's Hope Tree and is excited to be on this journey of writing her own books. Through her words, she hopes to provide encouragement, hope, and understanding. She lives in Buffalo, NY, where she works as a preschool aide and enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Stephanie is also dedicated to raising awareness about mental health by sharing her personal experiences with anxiety and grief through her writing.

John Plashal
Richmond, VA

John Plashal is a photographer, author, and speaker. In addition to pursuing extreme landscape photography, John spends a considerable amount of his free time assimilating into rural communities in Virginia, ultimately with the goal of tapping into local knowledge to identify, photograph, and document places that offer beauty in decay and unique histories. John's inaugural photographic coffee table book, A Beautifully Broken Virginia, offers a creative visual commemoration to the places he has visited and has come to deeply appreciate. He is also a member of the Statewide Faculty Speakers Bureau for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, speaking to VMFA affiliates about his journey in the form of a presentation full of captivating imagery and amazing stories. John's current customers include the Virginia Tourism Corporation and Delaware North, Inc.

Anne Poarch
Richmond, VA

Anne Poarch is a Richmond-based author and entrepreneur. Her second book of poetry, The Grit & Joy of Being, will be released this fall/winter. Her first book of poetry, Flight, was published in Spring 2017. Both books are by Belle Isle Books, an imprint of local publisher Brandylane.

Anne gathers inspiration for her poems from touch points in nature that represent ephemeral connections of life and beauty. To experience one of her poems is to take a walk through the seasons, where words are arranged not by academic instruction, but by feeling and emotion. She is also founder of Basket & Bike, a bicycle tour company offering beautiful excursions along the Virginia Capital Trail, the James River, and other locations in Virginia. More than a bike tour, Anne encourages people to connect with the land, the river, and their communities by promoting leisurely excursions in nature. She extends her poetic pursuits to her business through an online journal where she pauses, like in her poetry, to reflect on the intersection of the spiritual and physical. Writing and starting her business have both been ways to bridge an out-of-doors childhood with an urban present.

Anne grew up the youngest of five in North Carolina where her mother and sister taught her the fine art of making a home: the equal beauty in shelling fresh peas or folding a crisply laundered sheet. Her father and brothers taught her how to paint, fish, and garden. . .to be outside and ramble the woods. After graduating cum laude from Wake Forest University in 1991, she traveled to Paris, where she worked as an au pair for the Picasso family, and attended the University of Paris, Sorbonne. After her year-long sojourn abroad, she returned to live and work in Richmond, Virginia, where she lives today with her husband and two sons.

Anne worked for twenty-two years in the financial services industry as an institutional salesperson and financial advisor before leaving to start her own company and pursue her creative interests supporting environmental stewardship. She is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Richmond, Reveille United Methodist Church, The Woman’s Club, amd the Tuckahoe Garden Club of Westhampton, a member club of the Garden Club of Virginia and the Garden Club of America. Her company gives back a portion of every tour to a rotating conservation cause.

Lori Hawthorne Ponton
Lovingston, VA

Lori Hawthorne Ponton grew up in southern West Virginia, graduated from West Virginia University, and then moved to central Virginia. There she built her career as an interior designer and furniture buyer, and met her wonderful husband. Early on, she sharpened her design skills with Barbie's Dream House, and her reading/writing skills with the Nancy Drew mystery books. Lori lives in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains (close to friends and family) with her husband and beloved pets. The Cozy Cottage Mystery Series is her first published work of fiction.

Rochelle Ransom
Williamsburg, VA

Rochelle Ransom has been writing stories since she was a young girl. She grew up in a small rural town in western New York with little access to TV. This led to an overzealous imagination and a memorable and cherished childhood. Her sister was her first reader and critic. She’d find Rochelle’s stories sitting around the house in random notebooks and read them, only to discover they usually had no ending. A few colleges, degrees, and loans later, her characters were more rounded and willing to stick around for an ending. However by then she was busy as her own main character with work, marriage, and four kids. After much support and encouragement from said husband and children, she has reunited with all of her old characters and a few new ones to publish her Laketown novels. Rochelle lives in Virginia with her patient husband, supportive children, and very needy but lovable dog, Truffles.

Evan Ratke
Hanover, VA

Evan Ratke was born and raised in the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia. He graduated from Longwood University with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology in the spring of 2016. Somewhere between exams, papers, and an awkward attempt at a social life, he started work on what would eventually become his first novel, Dragoon, released in 2018. His sequel novel, Chloe, followed in 2019. Ratke is an active runner and continues to live in the Richmond area. He is currently pursuing new writing efforts, including his third novel.

Chavonn Reed
Chesterfield, VA

Chavonn Michelle Reed was born in Heidleburg, West Germany. She graduated from Virginia State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education. Attending an HBCU was her first real experience in dealing with the real world. She learned about the different ways that people were raised and how as people everyone has something in common: a struggle. Chavonn really embraced her identity and learned more about herself. She earned her master’s degree in education from Averett University, which afforded her the opportunity to get into higher education.

Daphne Maxwell Reid
Richmond, VA

Daphne Maxwell Reid is best known as Aunt Vivian from the hit comedy The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Her forty-year acting career is still vital with roles on many new television programs including guest-starring roles on TV and in film.

Presently serving on the following boards, her involvement in the community at large rounds out a full schedule: the Virginia Humanities Board, ChildFund International, and the Culture Works Board.

Daphne Maxwell Reid is an avid photographer of doors from around the world and is exhibiting and selling her collection entitled "Daphne Maxwell Reid’s Fresh Prints®" at speaking engagements, at art gatherings, and on her website. Four beautifully published books of her photographs, DOORS, Opening Closed Doors: Cuba 2015, Belgium: Doors Old & New, and France (accounts of her worldwide journeys to capture the portals), are available on her website. Also available on the website is Grace, Soul & Motherwit: A Cookbook Spiced With Personal Memories, which was thirty-six years in the making!

In keeping with her desire to express all facets of her creativity, Daphne has launched her limited edition, wearable art collection: Chinese silk brocade “toppers” called Daphne Style. She is exhibiting the two current style collections at fashion shows from Virginia to Las Vegas to New York. Yes, she custom makes them all herself.

Chris Register
Charlottesville, VA

Chris Register spent his formative years in North Carolina. He graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies from UNC-Wilmington, then served two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer, then backpacked alone across South America before earning a J.D. from Georgetown Law. He practiced law in Houston for several years before shifting focus to his longtime dream: working to mend the nation’s growing divide with a rolling inquiry into America called Conversations With US, a 50-state cycling odyssey.

Jeremy Rodden
Chesapeake, VA

Jeremy Rodden considers himself a dad first and an author second. He is the author of the middle grade/young adult cartoon fantasy Toonopolis series as well as numerous fantasy and science fiction stories in numerous anthologies.

Richard Rose
Richmond, VA

Richard Rose has retired from several careers, including teaching, medical lab work, environmental education and research, math and science supervision, and teaching in public schools and universities. Since, he has produced several chamber operas, two children's books, and several books of poetry. Following his wife's death and beginning a second marriage, he completed a novel, FRAMESHIFTS, and the opera Monte and Pinky, to which Coming Around is the companion book. Recurrent themes in Rose’s work are the transience of our lives and habitat, and an insistence that we find effective ways to attend to this fact, not by heroic measures but by paying attention to each other and our world and focusing on compassion.

Amy Whitman Seeger
Elizabethtown, PA

For more than twenty years, Amy Whitman Seeger has been learning from children. Her years of work experience range from learning centers to summer camps to elementary schools. For the past eleven years, she has been on an adventure—not on a “magic school bus,” but on a bookmobile serving as driver and mobile librarian. She considers it a privilege to be in a position to touch the minds of the next generation through the power of words.

Amy has been writing since she was ten-years-old. She has a degree in English writing and literature, and two diplomas from the Institute of Children’s Literature. When she is not reading or writing, she enjoys swimming and spending time with her family at home in Elizabethtown, PA. However, her home away from home is the children’s section of any library or bookstore.

Nancy E. Sheppard
Yorktown, VA

Nancy E. Sheppard is a two-time award-nominated non-fiction author and historian from Yorktown, Virginia. A native of Hampton Roads, she has devoted her career to telling the many rich stories of this historical region in the United States. She has a B.A. in History from American Military University and is also a staff writer and photojournalist for the Yorktown Crier-Poquoson Post. Ms. Sheppard is an ardent advocate for historical preservation, the awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders, Epilepsy, and craniofacial birth defects.

Daniel Sherrier
Glen Allen, VA

Daniel Sherrier is a writer based in central Virginia. He is the author of Earths in Space, RIP, and The Flying Woman. A College of William & Mary graduate, he has worked for community newspapers, written a few plays that have been performed, and earned his black belt in Thai kickboxing. And there was that one time he jumped out of an airplane, which was memorable.

Aditi Singh
Richmond, VA

Internationally bestselling author of the book Strong Roots Have No Fear & founder of RaisingWorldChildren.com (a global multicultural platform for parents), Aditi Wardhan Singh is an authoritative voice on cultural sensitivity and self empowerment. Featured on CBS & NBC, she has also been published on numerous publications like Huffington Post, Thrive Global, and Desh Videsh Magazine, and has co-authored the bestselling book When You're DONE Expecting.

Rita Stewart & Sid Taylor, Sr.
Fredericksburg, VA

Rita and Sid are siblings who write from their life experience and deep faith. Having reared children of their own, they understand the importance of planting seeds of faith and character building.

Rita is a consultant with Centric Vision Consultants, LLC for ministries and nonprofits, a Christian educator, and a licensed financial representative with Legacy Financial Wellness, a Five Rings Financial Agency. Rita enjoys a cup of tea and a good book!

Sid is an honorable career active duty chaplain (LTC) in the US Army. He is an avid storyteller and puppeteer. Sid enjoys reading, sports, and a great conversation over a cup of coffee with whomever is willing!

Meredith Stoddard
Fredericksburg, VA

Meredith R. Stoddard writes folklore-inspired fiction from her attic hideaway in Central Virginia. She studied literature and folklore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before working as a corporate trainer and instructional designer. Her love of storytelling is inspired by years spent listening to stories at her grandmother’s kitchen table. She also advocates for the preservation of traditional fiber arts and the Scottish Gaelic language.

Shweta Ujaoney
Glen Allen, VA

Dr. Shweta Ujaoney is passionate about working with kids and giving them a better dental experience. Through her dental practice, she has found that kids love to learn about the dental gadgets and be active participants in treatment. She believes that kids try to make sense of the world through their own imaginative eyes. Dr. Ujaoney is also the inventor of "The Camouflage syringe," which helps mask the sharp anesthetic needle.

Currently, Dr. Ujaoney works at a private dental practice and teaches at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Dentistry in Richmond, VA. She is the mother of a six-year-old girl, and they have experienced firsthand the anxiety that can develop before dental procedures.

Kelly Williams
Lexington, VA

Kelly G. Williams has had the unique opportunity to experience firsthand the journey that transformed a small Virginia company into one of the largest food distributors in America. Food has been at the core of her life for over thirty years. Her travels have taken her all over the world and created a rich tapestry of food experiences and cultures that have shaped her philosophies on cooking and food production. She currently raises Angus beef cattle with her husband in Lexington, Virginia.

Trent Wynne
Hamption, VA

T.L Wynne is a self-published author and entrepreneur who published his first book titled Daddy and Me in spring 2016. As the first release from the Daddy Daughter series, Daddy and Me is based on the positive relationship between a father and his young daughter, detailing the anticipation of a vibrant little girl who is excited to spend the day with her dad. With uniquely crafted rhymes and vivacious illustrations, this story is a wonderful read for ages 3-6.

As a writer T.L Wynne’s purpose is to focus on eradicating the negative misconceptions that our society has on young African-American fathers and their children by illustrating a father as a positive role model.

Today, Daddy and Me, as well as the second addition to the Daddy Daughter Series, Daddy’s Day at the Park, are available from both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. You can find out more information about T.L Wynne and his other business initiatives on his website at www.iammeinitiative.com.