As writers seem to, Julia H. West has held many arcane jobs. She's been a quality control technician for ultrasound heart machines (video recordings of ultrasound cross sections of her heart were shipped all over the world with the machines). She's been a genealogical researcher, an office manager, a secretary, a desktop publisher, a digger at an archaeological dig, a quality assurance tech, a webmaster, an aircraft electrician for the Air Force Reserves, and a keyer for the United States Post Office.

Julia loves music, and sings with the Utah Filk Organization (that's not a typo: filk is music of the science fiction and fantasy community). She was a founding member of the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism and still enjoys researching medieval culture. She has been an active member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America for over ten years, and has been awarded the Service to SFWA Award.

Julia graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Utah with a BA in Anthropology. When people asked her what she was going to do with the degree, she'd tell them, "Write science fiction." Many of her stories incorporate fascinating bits of culture she discovered while studying. Julia's website is at http://juliahwest.com

Hello, my name is Medron Pryde.

I have been writing stories for most of my life. I have focused mostly on short stories, though have always enjoyed making grand stories out of them. I still have the notebooks I filled with art and story as a kid. They are genuine treasures of my early creativity.

I grew up watching Battlestar Galactica (with Lorne Greene) , Buck Rogers, Star Trek, Star Wars, and every other science fiction show or movie I could track down.

I read Lord of the Rings (and the Silmarillion), The Hobbit, The Chronicles of Narnia, and the compiled works of Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and in general every other science fiction story I could track down. Of course, the first books I found that I wanted to read were the Star Trek series of novels. I would jealously horde my allowance, and the dimes (or quarters on a lucky week) that I got for doing work around the house or other places, for my monthly trip into the book store to buy another Star Trek book....or two...or three.

And then of course, I found the Star Wars comics by Marvel, and their Transformers comic. Those two comics entranced me, and I currently own a complete collection of the Marvel Transformers comics.

Finally, I was introduced into BattleTech, a game of guys in big robots trying to kill other guys in big robots in a future where mankind fell, but was currently rebuilding and rediscovering what it lost.

And that is my bias. I do not write dystopian futures, where there is no hope. I write stories where there is hope, things worth fighting for, and people worth risking everything with. Those are the stories I like to absorb, and so those are the stories I like to write. These stories I have written my entire adult life, and most of my childhood.

My current project is the Jack of Harts series, in a universe where They made Contact with us. And then Their enemies attacked us. We stood back up. We fought back. We defended our right to exist in the universe.

A native Texan, Carol found her way to Texas after being away for 35 years. Her first move was for 5 years in The Netherlands courtesy of her husband Timothy and the US Air Force. From there she spent 30 years in Colorado Springs, CO before moving back to Texas and the little town of Brackettville.

An avid reader at a young age, her strong desire to write came from her love of (her husband calls it her obsession with) Star Trek. It was this early love of Star Trek that led her to the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres.

In addition to her writing she has worked as a receptionist/office manager for two veterinary clinics, a deputy sheriff in El Paso County Colorado and for the Professional Bull Riders.

She has been published in various anthologies and magazines including "Creature Fantastic", "Illuminated Manuscripts", PanGaia Magazine, "Stories of Strength", "The Stygian Soul", Baen's Universe, Tales of the Talisman and Beyond Centauri.

She is also a contributing author to Dragon Moon Press's "Complete Guide to Writing Science Fiction".

In addition to her own writing, she is the editor and publisher of the online e-zine: The Lorelei Signal as well as running her own micro-press - WolfSinger Publications.

Melissa McShane is the author of the Extraordinaries series, beginning with BURNING BRIGHT, the Last Oracle series, beginning with THE BOOK OF SECRETS, and many other fantasy novels. Her love of reading has been a constant in her life and she still remembers the places she lived by the books she was reading there: the Riddle-Master trilogy in New York, the Foundation series in Colorado, Howl's Moving Castle in Texas, Crown Duel in Utah. That love of reading stayed with her after she settled with her family in Utah and grew into a love of writing, first critical essays and reviews, then fiction. She recently moved to India and enjoys the people and culture there. Her family includes her husband (a long-suffering man willing to let ideas bounce off him at speed), four adult children, and two elderly cats.

Stories have captivated Caroline Furlong from early childhood. She considers it a minor miracle that as a child no one ever tripped over the toys she scattered while she set up queens and sent out heroes on quests. Reading meant that the toys got taken out less, and when it came to writing at thirteen or fourteen they were put away for good.

But she continues to dream up realms and heroes, monsters and androids. They are her toys now, parading across paper rather than a carpet. The slightest suggestion – a word, a movie, a flower, or a ship – can bring a new story to mind. So, where there are dragons that talk and spaceships to fly, that’s where she will be.

Her novelette “Halcyon” appeared as the cover story for Cirsova Magazine of Thrilling Adventure and Daring Suspense’s Summer Special. The story was the focus of John DeNardo’s appraisal of the Special for Kirkus Reviews. One of her short stories was the first entry in DAOwen Publications’ Unbound III: Goodbye Earth anthology. She is also a contributor at The Mind at War, The Everyman Commentary, and Tuscany Bay Books' blog. Her poetry appeared in Dragon Soul Press’ Organic Ink, Volume 2 anthology, and two of her stories have appeared in Planetary Anthology: Luna and Uranus. Another story by her appeared in Cirsova Summer Issue 2020. She has been published in Ember Journal and Cirsova Magazines 2021 Summer Issue. Her series, The Guardian Cycle, is available for purchase in ebook and paperback on Amazon.

Caroline enjoys history, reading, writing, swimming, traveling, astronomy, and classic cars.  She lives in south central Virginia, U.S.A.

A software executive turned fantasy author, Roger Alix-Gaudreau writes action-oriented fantasy stories that usually involve themes of family, sacrifice, and hope. Forty years of running tabletop roleplaying games may explain the high action quotient, quirky secondary characters, and sometimes unnecessarily complex plots.

Roger earned his MFA in Creative Writing at SNHU in 2024. When not working on his current novel or wrangling short story ideas, he might be found tromping about town or out in the woods, sitting by the river enjoying a book, or admiring his collection of RPG systems and settings he'll likely never get the chance to play. He lives in Midcoast Maine with his unbelievably talented and supportive wife and two feline overlords, dreaming of his next inspirational visit to a country strewn with castles, especially if it's Ireland.

J.T. Evans arrived on this planet and developed into an adult in the desolate, desert-dominated oil fields of west Texas. After a year in San Antonio, he spent a year in the northern tundra of Montana. This year-long stint prepared him for the cold (yet mild compared to Montana) climate of the Front Range of Colorado.

He has thrived in The Centennial State since 1998 with his lovely Montana-native wife and rapidly growing man-child. He primarily pays the bills by keeping computers secure. Like most writers, he dreams of earning enough income via publications to drop the Day Job and prosper.

He is the author of the Modern Mythology and Flashing Blades series and is hastily working on more right now.

J.T. rekindled his love for writing with his discovery of the Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group in 2006. He was the president of the organization from January 2009 to January 2013. Even though he’s no longer part of the CSFWG, he has continued writing and expanding his knowledge of the business and craft.

J.T. is also a member of Pikes Peak Writers, which he joined in 2008. J.T. was elected the vice president of PPW in January of 2013, and stepped into the role of president of PPW in September of the same year. In April of 2017, he resigned from the role of president.

He joined the Gnome Stew Crew in March of 2016. Since that time, he has written dozens of articles for the site and has earned three Gold ENnie awards (2016, 2017, and 2018) as part of the team at Gnome Stew.

When not flinging code at the screen or throwing words at the wall, he enjoys role playing games, but dislikes anything related long walks on the beach. His favorite genres to write in are fantasy and urban fantasy, but he writes the occasional science fiction or horror short story.

J.T. once held 13 different jobs in a single year, and at the age of 15, his right arm was amputated in a violent car wreck. Don’t worry. He’s become more stable in the job area, and the arm was successfully reattached shortly after the car crash.

Letia Michelle Ames became enchanted with the spark of magical adventure and the allure of love as a child. Her first true adventure came when she ventured across the US to marry her gnome rogue, Scott. Their happily ever after continued with the addition of three new snarky princess party members and two feline familiars.

A lover of all things romantasy, Letia considers herself a "Professional Dabbler." She's a recovering D&D dungeon master, a retired online gaming guild master, a composer of piano pieces, an artist of any medium she can get her hands on, and has over 50 short stories published under various names.

Writer of the weird and the wonderful, Jena Rey has long been a fan of science fiction and fantasy. She finds inspiration

in the Utah landscape where she lives with her amazing kids, inspirational husband, and furry sidekicks.