Andrés Aragoneses

Andrés Aragoneses has written two science fiction books and several science textbooks. He is a college professor who has focused on science and science fiction for the past 20 years, and he has given presentations about the science in Star Wars, Doctor Who, Avatar, Superman, and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

John Bladek

John Bladek holds a PhD in history and has published novels for both children and adults including ROLL UP THE STREETS! and LOST IN GHOSTVILLE—humorous novels for middle-grade readers—and WINTERBAY ABBY, a ghost story for adults written with co-author Davonna Juroe. Currently he’s working on a fantasy series called The Last Wizard and advises writers at Eastern Washington University.

Asa Maria Bradley

Asa Maria Bradley is a USA Today bestselling author who grew up in Sweden surrounded by archaeology and history steeped in Norse mythology, which inspired her paranormal romance and urban fantasy series. Her work has been nominated for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA contest and Reviewers’ Choice Award and has won the Holt Medallion and Booksellers’ Best Award. Asa came to the U.S. as a high school exchange student and quickly fell in love with ranch dressing and TV crime dramas—two addictions that still haunt her. Currently, she lives in the Pacific Northwest with her British husband and rescue dog. Sadly, neither obeys her commands.

Colin Conway

Colin Conway is the author of over 30 books. He’s the creator of the 509 Crime Stories, the John Cutler Mysteries, and the Flip-Flop Detective series. He’s also the co-author of the Charlie-316 series. Each of those series is based in or around Spokane, Washington. He served in the U.S. Army and later worked as a police officer for five years. Along with writing crime fiction, Colin is a commercial real estate broker and investor.

Carla Crujido

Carla Crujido is the nonfiction editor at River Styx Magazine. She holds an MFA in creative writing from the Institute of American Indian Arts and has had work published in Crazyhorse, Yellow Medicine Review, Ricepaper Magazine, Tinfish Press, The Ana, and elsewhere. Her short story collection, THE STRANGE BEAUTIFUL, is forthcoming from Chin Music Press in the fall of 2023. She lives in the Pacific Northwest.

Carrie Del Pizzo

Carrie Del Pizzo has over 20 years of business experience across a variety of industries, which has taught her the fine art of personal and professional communication. For the last five years, she has been a freelance book editor for several publishers and author services companies. These days, she focuses on Christian memoirs and Bible studies, but her prior experience includes marketing, coaching, and technical topics. Her specialty is helping writers understand their audience and tailor their message for clear and effective communication.

Lindsay Hill

Lindsay Hill is a native San Franciscan with a literature degree from Bard College, currently living in Spokane. Lindsay’s work, both poetry and fiction, has been published in numerous literary journals. He has published six books of poetry, including CONTANGO (2006) and THE EMPTY QUARTER (2010). His debut novel, SEA OF HOOKS (2013), won the 2014 PEN Center USA fiction award, an IPPY Gold Medal, and was a finalist for the Chautauqua Prize. TIDAL LOCK, a work of experimental literary fiction and Lindsay’s second novel, was shortlisted for the 2021 Dzanc Fiction Prize. He has also co-facilitated a series of writing group meetings at Spark Central.

Christine Holbert

Christine Holbert is the founding director of Lost Horse Press—a nonprofit, independent press—and a founder of Spokane’s Get Lit! Literary Arts Festival. She earned a master’s degree in publishing from Eastern Washington University. She is the founder of the Idaho Prize for Poetry, an annual book contest, and established the Lost Horse Press Contemporary Ukrainian Poetry Series, featuring translations of preeminent Ukrainian poets presented in dual-language format. Christine has hosted 100 Thousand Poets for Change, a worldwide annual poetry and music event in which artists in each participating community come together to express their visions for positive change on local, national, and global levels.

Gordon Jackson

Gordon Jackson is a retired journalism professor who taught at Whitworth University for 32 years. He worked as a magazine journalist in South Africa, where he grew up, and since coming to Spokane in 1983 has written or compiled 18 books, including three satirical novels, two scholarly books about the media, and a light-hearted book about words and their magic, titled MEET THE DOG THAT DIDN'T SH*T. In addition to teaching journalism, Gordon has conducted numerous workshops and consulting sessions for non-profit organizations.

Trace Kerr

Trace Kerr loves to write action-packed, magical stories celebrating queer characters. Her first YA novel, THE NAMES WE TAKE, came out in 2020 with Ooligan Press. When she’s not trolling Spokane bookstores to add to her massive TBR pile, she produces and co-hosts the Brain Junk podcast heard occasionally on public radio stations.

Wendy Oleson

Wendy Oleson (she/they) (MFA, PhD) is the author of two award-winning prose chapbooks. Her recent hybrid prose appeared in Pithead Chapel, The Maine Review, HAD, Denver Quarterly, Copper Nickel, and elsewhere. Wendy’s work has been supported by Artist Trust, the Sewanee Writers’ Conference, Vermont Studio Center, VCCA, Mineral School, and other arts organizations. Wendy serves as managing editor for Split Lip Magazine, associate prose editor for Fairy Tale Review, and lives in Walla Walla, Washington.

Guy L. Pace

Guy L. Pace wrote and completed the first drafts of his first three novels (YA/teen) during NaNoWriMo. A self-described pantser and planner, he learned that planning helps his process immensely. Guy has worked in journalism as a reporter, photographer, editor, and managing editor. With a change of career, he worked in the fields of computer support, training, system and network administration, and information security. He also spent more than 20 years working in higher education in Washington state.

Trent Reedy

Trent Reedy is the author of ten novels for young people, including WORDS IN THE DUST, the Divided We Fall trilogy, and the McCall Mountain series. Along with Jawad Arash, he co-wrote the novel ENDURING FREEDOM. His most recent novel, FISHING IN FIRE, was published in February 2023. Trent also writes a bi-monthly military/veteran anecdote column for The Washington Examiner magazine and has published two essays in Oh Reader magazine. He lives with his family outside Cheney, Washington.

Tara Karr Roberts

Tara Karr Roberts is a writer from Moscow, Idaho. Her debut novel, WILD AND DISTANT SEAS, a historical fiction story with elements of magical realism, is forthcoming from W. W. Norton in January 2024. She is also a freelance writer and columnist for The Inlander and has published a variety of short stories and essays in journals, anthologies, and online magazines. Tara also teaches journalism and professional writing courses part-time at the University of Idaho.

Sarah Rooney

Sarah Rooney is a born and raised Spokanite. She has created an open mic called “Speak Easy at Bijou South” on the South Hill. She performed at Emerge as well as Terrain in 2022 and is currently pursuing her MFA at Eastern Washington University. She loves providing workshop opportunities for other local writers and creators. Her chapbook MOTHER MEDIA is forthcoming this winter.

Chey Scott

Chey Scott has been working as a professional journalist in Spokane since 2010, after graduating from Washington State University with a degree in communication and English. She currently serves as The Inlander’s Arts & Culture editor and as the editor of its sister publication, Annual Manual, a glossy magazine highlighting the best of the Inland Northwest. Her work has been recognized by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and the Society of Professional Journalists. Her poetry and prose has been published in anthologies.

Teresa Sorroche

Teresa Sorroche spent her first three months in Spokane writing the manuscript for SI NO ES AHORA, ¿CUÁNDO? She is self-taught, learning and implementing the entire process involved in the creation, editing, and publishing of her novel. She attended the 4th and 5th Annual Spokane Writers Conferences and self-published her book after that. Teresa also conducts workshops in Spanish on well-being and self-care and works for an organization that presents programs about healthy relationships for young people and adults.

Eija Sumner

Eija Sumner writes lyrical, quirky, and humorous picture books. Her first picture book, CROCODILE HUNGRY, was published in 2022 (Tundra Books). Her second picture book, THE GOOD LITTLE MERMAID’S GUIDE TO BEDTIME, is forthcoming from Tundra Books in the spring of 2024. Eija also writes nonfiction and novels for children and teens.