Meet the Authors

About the Author

Maria K. Alexander is an award-winning contemporary romance author of the Tangled Hearts and Pelican Bay series. She writes about women who are fearless in the pursuit of their ambitions. Her stories have strong connections with family and friends. When not writing, she loves to read, bake, crochet, play pickleball, bike, visit the beach, and watch romantic comedies. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and juggles a full-time job.

About the Author

Born and raised in Scotland, Linda Arntzenius left home at 17 and took the train to London, where she followed a circuitous route into higher education and then into publishing, first in Bloomsbury and then in the United States as a staff writer for the University of Southern California News Service in Los Angeles. Upon moving to NewJersey, she taught in the departments of English at Mercer County Community College and The College of NewJersey. Over thirteen years, she conducted an oral history project for the Archives Center at the Institute forAdvanced Study in Princeton. Her awards include a New Jersey Excellence in Journalism Award and an APEX (Award for Publication Excellence). She has a BA (First Class Honors) in Studies in the Humanities from the University of Hertfordshire, an MSc in Logic and Scientific Method from the London School of Economics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Science from Birkbeck College London, and a Master of Professional Writing from the University of Southern California. She is a member of the US1 Poets Cooperative, the Edinburgh School ofPoets (at the Scottish Poetry Library), The National Coalition of Independent Scholars, and The Princeton Research Forum. Her poems have been published in US1 Worksheets, Paterson Literary Review, Slant, Exit 13, KelseyReview, Journal of New Jersey Poets and NonBinary Revue, among other literary journals. This year she celebrates the publication of her first chapbook of poems, Should Have Known, from Finishing Line Press.

About the Author

Atlas is the acclaimed author of The Savior of the Stars series. They spend the majority of a twenty-four-hour day getting lost in anime, manga, and diving into all the things that make a great story—minus the superpowers, unfortunately. The only real power Atlas has? Bringing the worlds in their head to life, one page at a time. Don’t look now, or their next plot twist might sneak right up behind you.

About the Author

Personal Development
High Performance Coach
Author-Speaker
I help individuals who feel stuck or misaligned shift their mindset, get unstuck, and take action towards achieving their goals and desires. Whether it’s personal or professional, I use a blueprint and practical strategies to help them dig within, uncover their potential, strengthen their skills, and create ongoing results. I help people grow and become unstoppable.

About the Author

Shikha Bajaj is an award-winning author, transformational leader, and sought-after keynote speaker based in Mercer County, New Jersey. A Robbinsville resident for more than a decade, she is a deeply engaged community leader whose work bridges global influence with local impact. She is the author of Own Your Color, a bestselling self-help and leadership book that helps readers reclaim their voice, embrace their strengths, and lead with authenticity through real-life stories and practical guidance.

With more than 25 years of experience leading digital and business transformation across education, finance, and healthcare, Shikha brings uncommon depth to her writing. Her career includes pioneering initiatives such as MIT OpenCourseWare, fintech automation for hedge funds, and AI-driven programs advancing equity in healthcare. She is the founder of the Own Your Color movement and Academy, where her M.E.N.T.O.R. framework and curated Power Kits help individuals turn insight into action.

A senior leader at Publicis Sapient, Shikha is also a sought-after speaker at NJBIA, Conferences for Women, the NJWomen’s Expo, Chambers of Commerce, corporations, schools, colleges, and nonprofits.

A lifelong champion of mentorship and equity, she serves on the boards of OneProjectNJ and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County. Significant proceeds from her book, Power Kits, and services benefit Mercer County–based nonprofits.

Own Your Color has received 10+ international honors, including the BookFest Award (Best Self-Help & Business Leadership), the International Impact Award for Female Empowerment, Book Excellence Award, Global Recognition Award, and multiple literary and leadership distinctions. Honored at Capitol Hill as one of America’s Top 20 Women of Excellence, Shikha is an alumna of MIT Sloan and Columbia Business School.

About the Author

CC Bridges spent her childhood visiting other worlds in books, comics, and the starship Enterprise. It’s no surprise that she ended up a librarian, being surrounded by the books she loves so much. She writes about amazing worlds with honorable heroes. Her hobbies include paying money to get locked in a room for an hour so she can solve puzzles to escape, along with the aforementioned reading. She lives with her husband, son, and dog on the Jersey Shore. She has an MFA from Southern New Hampshire University.

About the Author

Willie Mae Brown left Alabama at the age of 17 in 1970 to start a new life in Brooklyn, New York, where she worked for the New York telephone company until 2003. A visual artist and an author, she began writing stories about her childhood in 2012 and reading them in public in 2015. Known for infusing her personal narratives with the vernacular of her southern upbringing, Brown has read at numerous public events, including the University of Alabama, as well as many other special events across New York City and in her home state and beyond.

About the Author

Margaret Buckley is the author of Ice Cream Town and Dino Town, both published by Penguin Random House’s Step Into Reading program. She currently lives in Delaware but lived for many years in New Jersey.

About the Author

Sisters, Annette and Gina Cascone live in Central New Jersey. They are the authors, or co-authors, of over twenty-eight books and two movies.

Their series, DEADTIME STORIES, (Tor) was developed as a Nickelodeon TV series for which they wrote the teleplays. Writing under the pseudonym they have also co-author young adult thrillers, IF HE HOLLERS (Avon), IN ACROOKED LITTLE HOUSE and THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME (both Troll) written numerous treatments and books for children’s series packagers. Gina is also the author of two well-received memoirs, PAGAN BABIES AND OTHERCATHOLIC MEMORIES (SMP 1982, WSP 2003), a child’s eye view of Catholic dogma, and LIFE AL DENTE: Laughter and Love in an Italian American Family (WSP 2003) – a nostalgic journey of her years moving with her family from Chambersburg to Lawrence Twp. . Gina’s newest books, UNICORN YOGA and AROUND THE WORLD RIGHT NOW(Sleeping Bear) are coauthored by her daughter, Bryony Williams Sheppard – a teacher at Princeton Junior School.

About the Author

Kim Catanzarite writes character-driven science fiction, dark fantasy, and supernatural suspense. Her novels mix heartfelt drama, fast-paced adventure, engaging plot twists, and unique imagination. She is the author of the sci-fi Jovian Universe series and the historical vampire Angel of Death series. Her latest book, Come Back and Haunt Me, is her first stand-alone novel. Kim lives in New Jersey with her husband and daughter.

About the Author

Thomas Robert Clarke is an award-winning photographer based in central New Jersey and is known for creating engaging imagery across a multitude of genres. Tom’s work has been published in such notable publications as The Michelin Guides, Conde Nast Traveler, SELF, and Fitness magazines. Tom is also a frequent contributor to Edible Jersey magazine and is proud to have made the images for The Jersey Shore Cookbook, which features recipes from iconic businesses along the Jersey shore from Keyport to Cape May.

About the Author

Frank Comstock has written books and short stories, as well as articles, for newspapers and magazines, local and national. His newest book is the first biography of Harriet White Fisher (later Harriet Andrew), the leading woman industrialist of the early 20th century who owned Fisher & Norris (also known as Eagle Anvil Works) in Trenton for 40 years. She was the first woman to travel around the world in a car in 1909 and 1910. Harriet is a true Mercer County hero and Frank is proud to bring her story to light. Frank’s novels include Charlie’s Gift and When Past and Future Meet. Frank’s fiction and short stories are aimed at what he calls the gentle reader — someone who doesn’t need violence or bad language to have a good read. He has published short stories in several literary journals, both regional national. Frank’s byline appeared often in newspapers owned by Lawrenceville’s Community News Service and for the digital edition of the Hemmings group of publications in Vermont where he had the number one most-read and most-commented on articles for 2016 and 2020. He is currently finishing a biography of Melvin Adams Hall, a 1910 Princeton University graduate who was the second person to drive all the way around the world and then served the United States in many roles before his death. Frank lives in Lawrenceville with his wife, Terry, where he helps care for his grandchildren.

About the Author

Coach Barry Davis, PhD, is a prominent head college baseball coach of 36 years, a leadership consultant, and a keynote speaker. Recognized nationally for his skills in program transformation, Davis has revitalized three baseball programs. As a head baseball coach, he has led his teams to over 1,000 wins, four DIII Junior College National Championships, eight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championships, and five NCAA Regional Tournament appearances. Davis is a five-time Hall of Famer. He holds a PhD in sports leadership from Concordia University Chicago and specializes in rebuilding programs and culture development.

Coach Davis lives in Langhorne, PA, with his wife, Brett.

About the Author

Ted Delgrosso is a lifelong resident of northern New Jersey and is the author of the four books in the Ted’s Tales series of fiction and science fiction short story collections. His experiences in the Boy Scouts, martial arts, the US Navy, and his extensive travels have provided many sources for his diverse tales. He lives with his wife Susan and his two grown children.

About the Author

Miriam works and writes at the intersection of Spirituality and Mental Health. She loves exploring big questions of meaning, hope, and connection that shape our faith and well-being. Miriam has been a chaplain at an inpatient psychiatric hospital for over 12 years. She provides spiritual care and counseling to people with a wide variety of mental health concerns and helps them explore how spirituality can enhance their well-being. She is a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and a Board Certified Chaplain.

About the Author

Nicholas Dollak was born in 1967 in Long Branch, NJ. Since the age of three, he knew he wanted to be “an artist and a book-maker”. He currently lives in Jersey City, NJ, creating art and writing whenever he gets the chance.

About the Author

Hugo dos Santos is a Luso-American writer and translator. He is the author of Reduction in Force (Bauhan Publishing, forthcoming 2026), winner of the May Sarton New Hampshire Poetry Award, and Then, there (Spuyten Duyvil, 2019), a collection of Newark stories. He is the translator of Homecoming (Arquipélago Press, 2024) and A Child in Ruins (Writ Large Press, 2016), a staff pick by The Paris Review Daily.

Hugo has been awarded fellowships from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, MacDowell, the Edward F. Albee Foundation, and the Disquiet International Literary Program. His work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and appeared in Barrelhouse, Cultural Daily, Electric Literature, Hobart, The Common, The Fanzine, and elsewhere.

Born in Lisboa, Portugal, and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Hugo writes toward questions of diaspora, belonging, and memory. His poetry and fiction illuminate the beauty, complexity, and struggles of the immigrant experience and urban life, while his translations bring contemporary Portuguese literature to English-speaking audiences.

Hugo lives in New Jersey.

About the Author

Beck Erixson writes about the beautifully awkward world of navigating the journey to true happiness through friendships, love, and family—be it blood, found, or chosen. Her stories enhance the importance of positive interconnection, even when we feel lonely. She lives at the Jersey Shore and can often be found either writing by the river or in it in some way.

About the Author

M. Flagg, a life-long New Jersey resident, is a multiple award-winning paranormal fiction author whose imaginative world building echoes with the promise of destiny. Adventure, suspense, and romance are woven through plots brimming with supernatural tension where fate will always have one last card to play. Her mystical warriors, witches, not-so-normal creatures of the night, and teenage ghosts speak to the heart. Also published in the field of music education and in Still Standing, a web-magazine about loss and healing, she is a member of LSFW, NJRW, and NJ Author network and has served as a Professor in Residence at a local university. Always an avid reader, the realm of paranormal fiction is her favorite genre. She loves to edit and snuggle with her Maine Coon.

About the Author

Damon Harper made an authorial debut in April 2025 with Vanished Into Darkness, a psychological thriller that marked the beginning of a growing collection of dark, suspense-driven fiction. Known for atmospheric tension and emotionally charged storytelling, Damon’s novels explore layered characters, uneasy alliances, hidden motives, and the moments when trust fractures and survival takes over. Compelling character chemistry, immersive settings, and unexpected twists create stories designed to linger long after the final page is turned.

At the heart of Damon’s writing is a fascination with human behavior—the secrets people keep, the choices made under pressure, and the often-fragile line between truth and deception. Each story invites readers into a world where appearances can be misleading, loyalties can shift without warning, and nothing is ever quite what it seems.

Before becoming an author, Damon built a successful career in the hospitality industry, owning and operating several restaurants and catering businesses. Years spent working closely with people provided a unique perspective on human behavior, relationships, and connection—experiences that continue to influence the characters and psychological complexities found throughout Damon’s work.

A lifelong advocate for both people and animals, compassion and curiosity remain an important part of Damon’s life and creative work. Damon lives in the scenic Princeton area with family and a beloved menagerie of animals.

About the Author

Alicia Hilsher is an author, photographer and adoptive mom. She wrote this book in her season of waiting. She was waiting to be a mom, hoping to adopt and trying to stay positive during an uncertain time. Her book is a piece of her heart, and a manifestation of her perspective on the magic of adoption, written for a child she didn’t know at the time that now brings so much joy into her life.

In her free time, Alicia enjoys traveling, immersing herself in a good book, watching heartwarming Hallmark movies, and embarking on memorable adventures with her family. You can connect with Alicia on Facebook and Instagram or visit her website to discover more about her heartfelt work and passion for sharing the magic of adoption.

About the Author

Jennifer Ann Hoh is an elementary school teacher as well as a published author and illustrator. Jennifer has a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Music from Rider University in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. She has written and illustrated nine books for children. As an elementary school teacher, Jennifer naturally incorporates fun and learning into her children’s books. Her books are perfect read-alouds and help young children practice reading fluency. She uses influence from her own life to create unique stories for children of all ages. Jennifer also enjoys teaching creative writing and illustration workshops that incorporate her collage-art illustration style, making storytelling accessible for children of all ages.

About the Author

James Irwin is the author of the novels ‘Nina’s Friends’ and ‘Lucky Guy.’ In addition, he has published numerous short stories, essays, and creative nonfiction works and is associate editor of the Atlantic Journal of Communication. Before turning full-time to writing, he was a filmmaker and widely exhibited media artist and held leadership roles in national and international marketing communications. Awards include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, National Endowment for the Humanities, Gotham Writers Workshop, Rockefeller Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. He has taught at institutions on both coasts, including University of California at Berkeley, San Francisco State University, Rosemont College, and Wm. Paterson University of NJ. He lives in northern New Jersey.

About the Author

These days Linda Jacobs Snyder spends her time living a farm to table life at home with her husband, Ed, in Pennington, N.J. Until she retired, Linda was the chef/owner of Soup to Nuts, an off premise catering business she created in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, she worked in restaurant kitchens of many kinds. Writing has been intermingled into her life, while food has been her livelihood. Through the years she wrote short stories, poems, essays, and more. They stayed in a chest that traveled with her while she made her way through a male oriented profession as a chef. After many years cooking for others, she enjoys the peacefulness and natural rhythm of her life.

About the Author

R. Katze is a fan of all genres of novels. She began reading at a young age, and her most treasured possession was her library card because it gave her access to new worlds to explore. She began writing in grade school, when she realized that you can create and shape your own worlds, and she hasn’t stopped. In high school R. Katze wrote and published poetry and began writing full novels in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

R. Katze has a particular love of Romance Novels, and is drawn to all genres. She loves stories with a happily ever after and will never write a story that doesn’t end with one, even if it takes the characters time to achieve it. There is enough chaos in the world, and if a book can transport you for even a few moments to another place, then keep reading!

About the Author

John J. Lissaris (JJ) has been writing since childhood. His poem “A Book Is a Best Friend,” written in Mrs. Farran’s second-grade class, was his first critical success—and he hasn’t looked back since.

In addition to his short stories, poems, and novels, JJ has composed and directed two musicals for middle schoolers: Different Lives (2006) and Star Harbor (2008). Notably, in 2023, he assembled a group of twenty-one 11- to 18-year-olds to create a studio recording of Back to Star Harbor, based on the original 2008 musical.

JJ’s interests and hobbies include piano, songwriting, baseball, psychology, and creative design. He speaks Spanish and some French, and he is a strong advocate of immigrants and the treatment of all people with dignity and humanity.

A Brooklyn native, JJ taught middle school and high school for eleven years and is now a senior assessment specialist at a state university. He currently resides in New Jersey with his wife, two children, and adorably judgmental Boston terrier.

About the Author

Ruth Mannino was born, educated, and married in Buffalo, New York. After working and raising her family in Niskayuna, New York, she moved to Robbinsville, New Jersey, to help with her daughter’s growing family. She is a mother of four, grandmother of six, math teacher, tutor, and retired business analyst in the health care industry. She is an avid reader of all genres, enjoys a good mystery, and loves jigsaw puzzles, a form of meditation. An active member of the Robbinsville Senior Center, she leads weekly chair yoga sessions with fun-loving seniors in their sixties through nineties, gaining a respectful appreciation of how everyone deals with aging on their own terms. After reading Happiness is a Choice You Make by John Leland, the idea for this book was born, and her lifelong ambition for authorship came to fruition.

About the Author

Olivia Martel is a writer who has worked extensively in higher education at Princeton University, Northeastern University, and Villanova University, from which she holds a Master’s degree in English.

She was born and raised in New Jersey (where she still lives). She loves to relax at the beach, enjoys vegan carrot cake ice cream, and can do a mean robot dance.

How to Fly is her first novel.

About the Author

“That’s not how the story goes,” a four-year-old Bridget McGowan said about a Little Golden Books her mother had just read her. So, her mother handed her the book, and Bridget proceeded to tell the story the way she wished it was. When she finished, her astounded mother told her she was going to be a writer when she grew up. Thus, a writer was born!

She started writing her own stories at 10 and finally finished her first novel when she was in her early 30s. Since then, she has completed about 25 books, 17 of which are now on Amazon. She calls her stories “fictional biographies,” because most of her character-driven novels and novellas follow a character throughout at least part of their lifetime.

She writes books for every age group, from preschoolers through adults, in a variety of genres. She also has a monthly blog on blogspot.com.

Bridget lives in Mercer County with her husband and their dog, Shadow.

About the Author

CJ McGroarty grew up in a small town outside Philadelphia, where history was around every corner. As a girl, she loved writing stories, and later as a newspaper reporter at a metropolitan daily, she wrote many hundreds of them. After leaving the newspaper, she earned an MFA in Creative Writing and turned to fiction. Her work has been published in a variety of journals and magazines and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Her first novel, Clara in a Time of War, set during the American Revolution, was published in 2022. Her second novel, The House on Chambers Road: A Ghost Story, published in 2025, received a Gold Award from Literary Titan. She lives in Paoli, PA.

About the Author

Andrea C. McLean is an award-winning author, board-certified life, career, and executive coach, and speaker whose books help readers of all ages grow with confidence, clarity, and purpose. With more than 30 years of global leadership experience in Fortune 500 organizations, she brings practical insight to stories and resources that support personal growth, career development, and emotional resilience.

Her motivational book Decide to Be Your Future Self won the 2024 Storytrade Award and introduces her S.O.A.R. Method, a framework that helps readers navigate setbacks and take clear action toward meaningful goals. She is also the author of The F.L.A.P. Method, focused on perseverance through life’s challenges, and S.O.A.R. With God, a devotional series for leaders navigating transition with reflection and faith. Andrea is also a contributing author to the collaborative book, The Impact Effect, which became a #1 international bestseller.

She also writes for young readers, creating children’s books and early-reader activity series that build confidence, emotional intelligence, and future-focused thinking. Her stories, including The Adventures of Burnie & Chloe series and Girl, Your Future Awaits, encourage children to explore identity, friendship, courage, and big dreams.

Across all books, Andrea’s mission is consistent: to help people believe in their potential, navigate change, and step into the future they are meant to create.

About the Author

John David Muth is from central New Jersey. He has worked in the field of higher education for over twenty years. Writing, reading, hiking, and road trips are his favorite distractions. He is a member of the Delaware Valley Poets/U.S. 1 Poet’s Cooperative. He is the author of eight collections of satirical poetry: A Love for Lavender Dragons (Aldrich Press, 2016), Inevitable Carbon (Aldrich Press, 2017), Odysseus in Absaroka (Aldrich Press, 2018), Reassure the Phoenix (Aldrich Press, 2019), Dreams of a Viking Wedding (Aldrich Press, 2020), Misanthropes Rarely Procreate (Aldrich Press, 2021), Songs of Arthritis (Aldrich Press, 2022), and Work, Neighbors, and Ship Disasters (Aldrich Press, 2025).

About the Author

Steven’s journey as a fantasy author began in 2003, when he completed a 500-page manuscript in just 11 months. Though ambitious, the story never fully captured what he envisioned. Over the next two decades, Steven returned to the work repeatedly, reshaping and refining it through countless rewrites as his voice—and life—evolved.

In 2009, Steven faced a life-altering challenge when he was diagnosed with ocular melanoma, a rare and aggressive form of eye cancer. Choosing resilience over surrender, he underwent surgery and emerged determined to keep moving forward—both personally and creatively.

A pivotal moment in 2024 inspired Steven to fully weave his lived experiences into his storytelling. Drawing from fantasy, history, and realism, his writing explores perseverance, loss, and hope. Through his work, Steven aims not only to entertain, but to connect with and inspire readers who may be navigating hardships of their own.

About the Author

Jodi O’Donnell-Ames is a national speaker, author, coach, and tireless advocate for Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). She is also the founder and board member of Hope Loves Company, a non-profit organization committed to providing educational and emotional support to children and young adults who have had or have a loved one battling ALS in their lives. She lives with her husband Benton in Titusville, NJ. Their children, all young adults, have lost a parent to ALS before the age of 11. Jodi has written three books: The Stars that Shine, Someone I Love has ALS, and Hope Givers. Jodi has a TEDx on Living a Life with Purpose.

About the Author

Elisabeth is a Norwegian national whose life and career have been guided by a deep and lasting curiosity about people and cultures. Having lived in many countries, she developed a broad global outlook early in life—one that would shape both her professional journey and personal passions. She recently retired from the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where she worked for 33 years, administering staff members across 59 United Nations Information Centers worldwide, combining her administrative expertise with her linguistic skills, working fluently in Spanish and French while supporting staff around the globe. Now residing in West Windsor with her husband, Elisabeth, inspired by her international experiences and genuine love of people embarked on an ambitious personal project—interviewing 365 individuals between the ages of five and 98 across three continents about what happiness means to them—through which she uncovered deeply personal and often surprising reflections on the nature of happiness. Each story draws the listener in, unveiling intimate moments, hard-earned wisdom, triumphs over tragedy, quiet joys as she seeks to uncover how people from different cultures, generations, and life circumstances define happiness. Elisabeth is currently channeling her passion for history and storytelling into a new book project. Her forthcoming work explores the lives of two generations of Norwegian immigrants who settled in Chile and Argentina in the late 1800s and early 1900s, illuminating themes of migration, identity, resilience, and belonging. Through her writing, she continues to bridge cultures and generations, preserving stories that might otherwise be forgotten.

About the Author

Linda J. Parisi enjoys creating unforgettable characters and putting them in untenable situations, much to their dismay. She is the winner of many awards for her paranormal romances, including the NJRW Golden Leaf Award and the HOLT Medallion for Speculative Fiction. She has fulfilled a lifelong dream and released her debut novel with Harlequin Heartwarming. She is the current President of Liberty States Fiction Writers, has served on the boards of other writing organizations, and is currently a Mentor for RWA. She loves to travel, tries to bake, and lives in New Jersey with her son Chris, daughter-in-law Sara, and Audi and Archer, a pair of pooches who had her at Woof!

About the Author

Camaa Pearl is an international bestselling author known for her sizzling slow-burn romances that balance depth, desire, and emotional payoff. Her work leans into realism, intimacy, and the messy beauty of connection. Off the page, she loves travel, good food, and behavioral research.

About the Author

Donald Proffit is the author of Hardship Alaska (Epicenter Press, 2023), The Object of His Affection (Synthetic Prophetic, 2024), Scapegoat (Synthetic Prophetic, 2025), and A Name Unbroken: The Archive and the Body(Synthetic Prophetic, 2026). A lifelong educator and arts advocate, he has worked as a teacher, school leader, and international consultant in ethics, leadership, and creativity. His experiences in Australia, Bali, Belgium, France, Israel, and Italy continue to influence his writing. He has received two New Jersey Governor’s Awards in Arts Education and was a John F. Kennedy Center Teacher Fellow. Donald’s novels draw on his deep experience in the arts and his fascination with resilience, love, and the choices that shape our lives.

About the Author

Chris Quarembo is an award-winning former news reporter, who also worked as a speechwriter and ghostwriter for corporate executives. Her debut novel, Killer Deals, won an Independent Publishers Award for Excellence in2024. She has also published The Case Files of Philadelphia PI Andrea Fabiano, an anthology of short stories, as well as e-book short stories in the crime and mystery genre.
She is a member of Sisters in Crime.

When she is not reading or writing, Chris loves live theater, art museums, and travel, especially in France and Italy. She is also a volunteer docent at the Barnes Foundation, an early modern art collection in Philadelphia.

About the Author

Amanda Rowe is an author, an academic administrator, an amateur chef, a travel enthusiast, a blogger, and a book hoarder. She is mother to two delightful humans and one unruly rabbit. If There Never Was a You is her first children’s book. Her second children’s book, Christmas with You, is forthcoming with Familius in 2027.

Amanda has also published poems and greeting cards with Blue Mountain Arts.

About the Author

Through his life-long love of poetry, Mark Schardine has found many kindred spirits in the New Jersey poets’ community. He believes each writer is an heir to the tradition of poetry that generations have bequeathed to us. He finds joy and connection in sharing his love of poetry and his work. This sharing has enabled him to observe how writers can experiment with traditional forms of poetry and blend them with their own modern experiences. Very often, these experiments produce new and remarkable works.

In 2015, he published a French language book of his poems, entitled Au bord des rêves, and in 2019, it was followed by Vers des horizons lointains, and in 2023 by Illusions et espérance. Of course, he has not neglected to write in English. Charm, Elegance, and Intrigue, came out in 2019, As if in a Distant Dream in 2020, and Under Watchful Eyes in 2022.

About the Author

Dr. Mark David Scott is a local author from Robbinsville, an industrial psychologist by day and a writer of cozy, thoughtful middle-grade fantasy by night. When he is not writing, he can be found hiking local trails, playing music, or haplessly cheering on his favorite baseball team.

His daughter, a devoted reader and festival companion, has been his first and frankest critic, helping shape the heart of his stories at every step.

About the Author

Tashawna Smith is the author of Broken to Brave: Staying Alive Through Heartbreak and Divorce, a compassionate guide for anyone navigating loss, separation, and the quiet work of rebuilding. Drawing from personal experience and a faith-centered but inclusive perspective, she offers practical steps, encouragement, and hope for those learning how to survive one day at a time—and eventually, how to stand bravely again. Her work reminds readers that healing is not linear, survival is an achievement, and even in the hardest seasons, no one has to find their way alone. Tashawna has been a United States Diplomat with the U.S. Department of State for 21 years and lives in Princeton, NJ.

About the Author

Mike Steele is an elementary school librarian and children’s playwright with eight plays published and licensed for production. Not Lucille is his debut middle-grade novel. In his spare time, he likes to attend musicals, create mixed-media artwork, and win prizes from claw machines. He lives at the Jersey Shore with his tabby cats, Karen and Sox. If you spot him in the wild, he usually has a bubble tea in one of his hands.

About the Author

Matt Weber is the author of BRIMSTONE SLIPSTREAM, THE DANDELION KNIGHT, and other works of science fiction and fantasy. By day, he’s scratched a living out of various data-related professions in academia, digital health, fintech, and government. He lives in New Jersey under a writhing pile of juvenile D&D addicts.

About the Author

Lydia is a young adult fantasy writer from Hamilton, NJ. She’s the author of the Epoch of Dragons series and The Street Rat’s Guide to Spells and Royalty. Some of her biggest inspirations include Eragon, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Harry Potter. She worked as a Barnes and Noble bookseller for a few years and currently works as an admin assistant for the Mercer County Library System. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found playing with a dog somewhere.

About the Author

DS Whitaker is a New Jersey native who loves quirky contemporary stories with oddball twists. A former professional engineer with decades of technical writing experience, DS turned to fiction writing in 2018 to create the kinds of wacky comedic characters and novels she loves to read. Her debut novel, Antigenesis, was a finalist in the 2020 National Indie Excellence Awards. In 2021, her novel Johnnie Finds a Dead Body (first in the Johnnie series) was a NIEA finalist in the comedy category. She is currently working on her eighth novel, which will be the fifth book of the series.

DS resides in Lawrenceville with her husband Tim, where they live in near constant servitude to a giant ornery, demanding, and yet oddly lovable, Maine Coon cat named Tiger. Her hobbies include jogging, painting, nature walks, home improvement, and battling her inner demons who insist it is perfectly fine to eat that entire box of ice cream sandwiches.

About the Author

A former comic editor, Adam Wilson is one of the co-publishers of Read Furiously and an award winning comic writer. His works include Brian & Bobbi, In the Fallout, Helium, the novella What About Tuesday, and the award winning graphic novel Last of the Pops. He co-writes the graphic novel series The MOTHER Principle and edits the anthology series Life in the Garden State with his partner S. Atzeni.