Meet the Authors 2026

**Elizabeth Ajamie-Boyer: TJ Boyer, the creative genius for the Mirror Gate Chronicles, and his wife, Elizabeth Ajamie-Boyer, have co-written several books in the Sci-Fantasy genre. They are from Phoenix, AZ. A writer in her own right, Elizabeth wrote a historical fiction series about the Underground Railroad and the Civil War, a biographical novel about her great-grandmother, and co-wrote with TJ, a murder mystery.

See MirrorgateChronicles.wordpress.com

**Tom Alberti: Tom is a 51-year resident of Arizona and has enjoyed riding his horses all over Arizona. He has written a seven-book series, ‘The Horseman.’ This series highlights the adventures and history of a young ranching couple and includes danger, romance, and historical background in the Arizona Territory.

Tom has also published a book of western short stories and two independent novels. Nine of his ten books take place in the Arizona Territory. Most of the horses written about in his ‘Horseman’ series are his own horses and the trails described in his books are actual trails he has ridden.

Find out more at TomAlbertiNovels.com

**Bart Ambrose: Born on an Arizona cotton farm, Bart grew up immersed in literature and music. After studying at Arizona State University, he worked as a natural resource conservationist across the western U.S. and Pacific Basin. Ambrose pursued music alongside his conservation career, performing in Arizona, California, and Nashville. Upon retiring, he moved to Nashville to focus on songwriting and teaching guitar. Now residing near Tucson, Arizona, Ambrose has channeled his diverse experiences into writing historical novels set in Arizona and a memoir about his musical journey. His passions include Southwestern haiku, travel, and the pursuit of the perfect chili relleno.

More information about Bart, his books, and his music is available on his website at  BartAmbrose.com

**Amy Ayla: Amy was born and raised in Southern Arizona, where she currently resides with her partner and energetic senior dog. She works in university recruitment but has always had the dream of becoming an author. She draws on her experience in the mental health, special education, and higher education fields to create stories centered on healing, love, acceptance, and emotional growth. Amy Ayla self-published her debut novel, Past Forever, in April 2026.

Find out more here: AmyAylaWrites.com

**Jethro Blanch: Jethro is a haunted history buff who has spent more than three decades exploring and researching the paranormal. His debut book features true stories from haunted cemeteries across Arizona. He lives in a haunted house somewhere in Phoenix.

JethroBlanch.com

* K. A. Bledsoe: K. A.’s writing journey began at the age of six with a short story about kids growing up on a space station. Even through other jobs like scooping ice cream, shoe salesman, pharmacy tech, band director, and parenting, writing has been a constant.

Born, raised and still residing in Arizona, the author continues to pen stories in all genres despite the distraction of house cats underfoot and the occasional bobcat or roadrunner strolling through the backyard.

Find out more at KristiBledsoe.com

**Barchelle Bolger-Wathen: Chelly, a Prescott resident, has always loved dogs, her own plus shelter dogs. Chelly’s world changed forever when she and her husband adopted a very special dog – Shayla from Ukraine. This remarkable shepherd/wolfdog, abandoned as a puppy, learned to love and trust those who raised her at the Christian orphanage Otchiy Dim (Father’s House), then came to America.

Chelly was inspired by Shayla’s life, the leaders and children of Father’s House, and the courage of the Ukrainian people. She wrote Shayla and Friends to share their true story, Into the Light for teens, and Shayla’s Adventure books to inspire kids with lessons of love and friendship.

Learn more at ShaylaAndFriends.com

**Timothy J. Boyer: TJ, the creative genius for the Mirror Gate Chronicles, and his wife, Elizabeth Ajamie-Boyer, have co-written several books in the Sci-Fantasy genre. They are from Phoenix, AZ. A writer in her own right, Elizabeth wrote a historical fiction series about the Underground Railroad and the Civil War, a biographical novel about her great-grandmother, and co-wrote with TJ, a murder mystery.

Find out more about the series at MirrorGateChronicle.wordpress.com

**Patricia L Brooks: Patricia, MAOM, published three memoirs: Sick as My Secrets, Three Husbands and a Thousand Boyfriends and Gifts of Sisterhood – Journey Grom Grief to Gratitude. She is currently promoting her non-fiction book about writing memoirs, Write the Memoir you’re Afraid to Write.

Patricia is president of both Brooks Goldmann Publishing, LLC, and Scottsdale Society of Women Writers. She is adjunct faculty at Arizona State University, teaching memoir writing for the Piper Center for Creative Writing. She also teaches memoir writing at various libraries, group meetings, and schools in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

She works with her husband, author Earl L. Goldmann. (See ad under Vendors)

Find out more at BrooksGoldmannPublishing.com

*Susan Budavari: Susan has always been an avid mystery reader. After years as a scientific writer/editor and encyclopedist in the pharmaceutical industry in New Jersey, she moved to Arizona and began writing fiction. She writes the Merano & Bell Novel series featuring a small-town Arizona PI (and ex-NJ cop) and his physician wife. The Past Remains is the latest book in the series. She co-authored with Merle McCann, Beyond the Broken Door, 2020 Winner of the Anthology/Fiction Award, New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards. She has served as an advisor on the board of directors of Sisters in Crime Desert Sleuths Chapter. Susan is currently working on a cozy mystery.

Learn more at susanbudavari.com

**Tam Chronin: Tam is a figment of the imagination, which might be why she lives there often enough to find her main characters and convince them to share their stories. She lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her family and pets, including a vicious attack tortoise who guards the backyard.

Find out more at TamChronin.com

**Connie Cockrell: A 20-year Air Force career, a manager at a computer operations company, wife, mother, sister and volunteer, provides a rich background for Connie Cockrell’s story-telling.

She writes about whatever comes into her head so her books could be in any genre. She’s published 20 books, has been included in five anthologies and been published on EveryDayStories.com and FrontierTales.com. Connie’s always on the lookout for a good story idea. Beware, you may be the next one.

If you’d like to know more, go to ConniesRandomThoughts.com or to Facebook.

**JJ DeCola: Nothing’s Impossible is Korean War Veteran JJ DeCola’s autobiography. DeCola’s memoir speaks with motivation and inspiration for the American Dream. Relating the story of a life that spans more than nine decades DeCola’s message is that with faith and the right mindset, belief can be the ultimate weapon against failure. When you are faced with insurmountable obstacles, remember, nothing is impossible.

**C.K. Donnelly: As a kid, C.K. wrote stories under the covers with a flashlight. The award-winning journalist and self-described “unsuccessful quitter” released her first novel, Trine Rising, The Kinderra Saga: Book 1, in 2020. Since then, she has published two sequels, Trine Fallacy: Book 2 and Trine Revelation: Book 3, earning 18 literary awards for the fantasy series.

As a sought-after workshop leader and panel moderator, Donnelly resides in Arizona with her husband and little black dog. She no longer writes under the covers by flashlight. Usually.

Find out more at ckdonnelly.com

**R. A. Douthitt: Former writing teacher, R. A. Douthitt is an award-winning author of many books for middle grade readers and adults in fiction and non-fiction. She is the winner of the Moonbeam Children’s Books Award-Bronze Medal for Best Book Series and First Place in the 2022 Christian Indie Awards in the YA category. She currently works for Grand Canyon University and lives in Phoenix with her husband Scott and their little dog. When she isn’t writing, Ruth loves to run, draw, paint, and garden.

Learn more at ArtByRuth.com

**Matthew O. Duncan: Matt is part of the resurgence of old-school sci-fi. His books are a mix of Military Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, and Mystery woven together with non-stop action. Matt started his writing career as a playwright, winning a number of awards and having his plays produced on local stages. He put his pen down in the late ’90s but picked it up again in 2011 with the support and encouragement of his wife, Carleesa. His first book, The Warrior’s Stone, recently won the 2024 International Impact Book Award for Scifi/Fantasy. He currently has 11 published books with more in the works. They are all available in print, eBooks, and audiobooks.

Learn more at MatthewODuncanBooks.com

**Sherry E. Engler: Sherry recently released her new psychological thriller Secret Eliminations by the Iris Planter, depicting protagonist Lily Iris Huntsman, who secretly eliminates the wicked and evil by resourceful, surprising techniques. Sherry wrote Living with LEO: Law Enforcement Officer offering insightful hints to law enforcement supporters, from her perspective as wife and mother. She is the author/illustrator of children’s books: Daisy Doo! Daisy Doo? What? Who?; Holden’s Magical Blue Marble; and Princess Dixie, Princess Ella & 7 Crazy Hens. She has been featured in Voyage Phoenix and Shoutout Arizona. Besides writing and being creative, she enjoys family time.

See more at SherryEngler.com

**Laurie Fagen: Laurie is a long-time “writer by habit” who has written for news, video, films, documentaries, murder mystery plays and more. An honorable mention in a contest led to three published anthology stories, and her crime fiction novel series Behind the Mic Mysteries. Fade Out, Dead Air and Bleeder are available in e-book, print and audiobook. She’s working on Raw Image, the first in a new series, Behind the Lens Mysteries.

Fagen is a member of Sisters in Crime and chapters including Los Angeles, San Diego and Grand Canyon Writers.

Visit her at ReadLaurieFagen.com

**Dalea Faulkner: Dalea is an author, director, screenwriter, and film producer devoted to telling stories that heal. She works alongside her mother, Martina Webster, creating movies with meaning, and serves as Co-Producer of the Show Low Film Festival. Married to U.S. Army Veteran Brien Faulkner and proud mother to their son Daen, Dalea finds inspiration in the rhythms of family life and the quiet beauty of the White Mountains of Arizona.

Her debut novel in the Amberlight Valley Series trilogy, The Christmas Witch, is now in production as a feature film coming soon to the big screen. When she’s not writing or filming, you’ll likely find her baking, reading, or wandering somewhere wild—always in search of a story.

Visit her at DaleaFaulkner.com

**Suzanne Flaig:  Suzanne is the author of the Missy Jenkins musical mystery series: Terror in Double Time, Death in 3/4 Time, Killing in Quarter Time, and Murder in Measured Time. The novels are set in central Pennsylvania, around 1979-80. She is currently seeking a publisher for her latest novel, Tradition and Turmoil, an Amish mystery set in Lancaster County, PA, under the pen name of Elizabeth Yoder. Her short stories have been published in several anthologies. The latest, “A Pandemonium of Parrots,” appears in the Malice 37 anthology. She has also published two original short story collections, Thrilled to Death, and Deadly Droplets.

Suzanne is a past president and current VP of the Desert Sleuths chapter of Sisters in Crime, a member of the Tucson and Triangle SinC chapters, and a member of Pennwriters and the Short Mystery Fiction Society.

For more information, see MissyJenkinsMysteries.com

**Kevin Garone: Kevin is the author of I Know What UFO Did Last Summer and Night of the Living Toilet Paper. He lives with his wife and sons in Arizona and is a graduate of Brigham Young University. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him reading, playing video games, hiking, or cheering on his favorite sports teams. He is a member of The American Night Writers Association.

Find out more at KevinGarone.com

**Howard Gershkowitz: Howard lives in Arizona, though he hails from New York City. Journaling for more than forty years, he began submitting and publishing 12 years ago. To date, more than three dozen poems and eight short stories have appeared in print. His debut novel, The Operator, was published in 2018 by All Things That Matter Press. His second novel, Not on My Watch, was published in 2021, and book three, Special Delivery, is scheduled to be released later this year. Journeys to Authorship is an anthology of true stories by 14 authors outlining our varied journeys to becoming published.

Visit him at GershWriter.com

**Maria J. Greenhalgh: Maria is a bilingual author, a lifelong learner, wife, and mother of two. She learned English at the age of ten, when her family immigrated to the United States. Maria fell in love with learning and credits her education for helping her find a career she loved, leading teams in the financial services sector.

Now her focus is on inspiring children to love learning, as well as appreciate and take care of the world we live in. Her bi-lingual books also encourage adults to value and love the uniqueness of each child. With her newest book, A Turtle’s Hero, she is hoping to inspire the youngest of readers to be advocates for marine life and for conservation.

See more at MariaJGreenhalgh.com

**Earl Goldmann: Earl launched Bounce Back in 2017 at age eighty-two and Intestinal Fortitude in 2022 at age eighty-eight. All his writings focus on his life in Oregon, sports at Oregon State, and growing up in Tillamook.

Earl’s mantra is ‘you can keep going long after you think you can’t.’ His first memoir tells of his journey to survive in several areas of his life. His second is a powerful example of unflinching optimism during his search for identity through playing college sports, and coaching as a way to give back for his life saved.

A partner/author at Brooks Goldmann Publishing, he writes daily and credits his writing life to his longevity. (See ad under Vendors)

www.brooksgoldmannpublishing.com

**David Gordon: David Gordon: Award winning writer, David Gordon has been a social studies teacher, principal, and founding owner of the Grand Canyon College Preparatory Academy in Tempe, Arizona. He grew up reading and watching science and historical fiction. He is also a big baseball fan. He has combined his various passions in the Jigsaw series, which focuses on time-traveling teens thrust into major historical events—many of which never made standard history books.

David was born in New York and now lives in Arizona with the love of his life Gwyn. They are both dog people, and enjoy travel and food—Italian, Asian, Middle Eastern, and Indian cuisines in particular. He is also currently an Instructional Assistant at Roosevelt Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona, and a political writer for Blog for Arizona.

Learn more at DavidAlynGordon.com

**Christine Haese: Christine is an author born and raised in Arizona. She shares her life with her husband, two mules, and their rescue dog in the White Mountains of Arizona.

Christine creates Western/Neo-Western novels using her journal entries and personal experiences, wilderness adventures, colorful characters, native plants and foraging, livestock, pets, wildlife, and wild lives. She is the author of The Complete Book of Pet Names (out of print). The Goodlands: A Wide-Open West Mystery is her debut novel.

Her work has appeared in High Country News; NPR Earth Notes (KNAU); Bird Watcher’s Digest, Organic Gardening Magazine; and Flower & Garden Magazine. She is a member of Arizona Authors.

Find out more at Christine-Haese

**PJ Hultstrand: PJ is the author of 14 books. She has also been a book publisher, managing editor for two newspapers, senior graphics designer and is a digital publishing specialist for a 46-year-old education material publisher.

She is an author of Time-Travel Romance and New Adult Paranormal Fiction (aka Urban Fantasy). She also has an award-winning non-fiction, The Jungle Survival Guide to Media Kits for Authors, and a little duck series for children.

Find out more at PJHultstrand.com

**Elizabeth Johnson: Liz is the author of more than 20 novels, a New York Times bestselling novella, and a handful of short stories. She’s a Christy Award finalist, a three-time ACFW Carol Award finalist, and winner of an FHL Readers’ Choice Award in 2025. She makes her home in Phoenix, where she loves exploring local theater, cheering for the 49ers, and doting on her nieces and nephews. She reads and writes stories filled with heart, humor, and happily ever afters.

Visit her at LizJohnsonBooks.com

**Paul Johnson: Paul is a tour guide and author working in Sedona, Arizona. He has given tours to thousands of visitors to natural and cultural sites in Northern Arizona, sharing stories, geologies, and histories about the area.

Sedona Chi Mysteries follow the adventures of Skip Rhodes, an Arizona guide with a secret past, and his friend, Kulkulkan Balthazar. In Tale of the Broken Spoke and Whitewater Honeymoon, they encounter murder, mystery, and mayhem among Arizona’s dramatic scenery and cultural history.

Visit him at SedonaChi.com

**Tyler Kelley: Tyler started writing in 2009 as a way of focusing his daydreaming in high school. Since then, he has worked hard to get his ideas down on paper. When he isn’t writing, he spends his time at his Arizona home building, gaming, and trying to appease his spoiled cat. His stories focus on adventure, the friendship of found families, and the sassiness of cats.

Visit him at TKelleyWriting.com

**Ivory LaNoue: Ivory is a respected Angel Communicator, Spiritual Counselor, and Mentor. She lives in the Verde Valley and is the host of The Angel Room podcast, heard in 160 countries and in 9 languages. Since 1994, Ivory has helped many people connect with their angels, overcome challenges, develop their spiritual gifts, and create the life they desire. Ivory owns Sedona Soul Sisters Publishing with her friend, Terri Ann Russell. They publish anthologies and are currently seeking authors to participate in an anthology about getting out of a Dark Night of the Soul and emerging stronger.

Find out more at IvoryLaNoue.com

Angela Leimer:

**Betsy Love: Betsy Love: If Betsy had a horse, she’d be out riding. Instead, she writes small town, contemporary romances. Betsy Love has loved to write from the moment she could hold a pen and has been creating stories since she was in elementary school. In high school, her creative writing teacher told her one day she would be published. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s in secondary education/English. When not writing, she loves spending time with her children and grandchildren, so much so that she and her granddaughter wrote a picture book together.

You can find her online at BetsyLove.com

**AnnElise Makin: AnnElise writes from Mesa, Arizona. The Munich native learned her book-making craft at Harcourt Brace College Publishers and offers publishing services at imakinations.com. In her debut novel, The Celtic Stallion, teenager Katrina struggles with essays, bullies, and the local ghosts. Random Accident in Sector Noah 135/56, is a far future story book for all ages, illustrated by her daughter Priyanka. In 2025, A Cowboy in Pune, a spicy dramedy, was launched. A Civil War story, Texas Justice for the Muskrat, will be published next. AnnElise is a Bavarian cowgirl who seasons her books with multicultural flavors.

Find out more at Imakinations.com

**Deborah Malone: Deborah was born and raised in Whittier, California. She has lived with her husband, Craig, in picturesque Prescott, Arizona for the past 25 years. Together, they have two amazing sons and a delightful daughter-in-law. In her free time, Deborah enjoys kayaking, photography, music, reading, and spending time with family. Ms. Malone taught preschool for 17 years and is very passionate about early literacy and fostering a lifelong love of reading in young children. She enjoys volunteering her time with the Imagination Library of the Prescott Area. Deborah has long dreamt of writing a children’s book of her own and is incredibly excited to share it with you.

**Kathie McMahon: Kathie is the author of the humorous, award-winning chapter book series, Mortimer and Me, about eight-year-old Jimmy and a moose named Mortimer. Kathie taught elementary school for 32 years, where she composed several school musicals. She also collaborated on many youth theater musicals, receiving four ariZoni awards for Original Music Composition. She is a member of SCBWI and hosts the East Valley KidLit Mingles. Kathie lives in Gilbert, Arizona, where you won’t find any moose, but plenty of snakes, gila monsters, and mountain lions.

For the latest news involving the adventures with Jimmy and Mortimer, visit KathieMcMahon.com.

**Ron Mealka: Ron served in the USAF as an aircraft mechanic during the Vietnam era. Upon discharge, he spent a few years as a 6th-grade schoolteacher and enjoyed challenging his students to be creative.

Many years ago, he scribbled down on paper an idea to write a children’s book and custom write and illustrate it only for his two small children, Jennifer and Jason. It was supposed to be a family book only, but then he realized that teachers and parents could use his book as a teaching tool. That is how Jason, Jennifer, and the Fun House came to be.

Follow Ron on Facebook.

**R Gregg Miller: After twenty-five years of chasing the bad guys on the streets of Los Angeles, Gregg retired from the LAPD to chase his toddler around the house. Instead of dragging a war bag to the trunk of a police car every day, he began tossing a stroller and a diaper bag into his SUV for another “daddy and daughter adventure day.” Now, with his daughter working on her PhD, the aging street cop lives in the White Mountains. When he isn’t building furniture or strolling through the forest, he’s working on another exciting novel.

Learn more at GoodGuyPublishingHouse.com

**Virginia Mohler: Virgina retired from teaching in June of 2020 and presently writes children’s books that inspire and encourage young minds as well as, history and humor for adults. Virginia writes a weekly blog on her website to inform and entertain. These funny stories and little-known historical facts are meant to encourage and uplift those of any age.

Virginia has taught students from Kindergarten through High School, but she found her love in the Kindergarten classroom where she taught for the last 35 years.

Find out more at VirginiaMohler.com Follow her on Facebook

**Janelle Molony: Janelle is an award-winning author from Phoenix. She is a member of Women Writing the West and the Western Writers of America and is popularly known on YouTube as the “Hottie Historian.” Molony’s latest nonfiction, Birds Gone Wild (And Other Stories of Arizona Ostrich Ranching), has been called “a delightful romp” by AZ historian Jan Cleere and “Fascinating” by D.C. Cogburn of the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch.

Find out more at JanelleMolony.com/BirdsGoneWild

**Margaret C. Morse: Margaret writes about a lawyer with magic powers, a witch. In the most recent, Murder Hexes the Reunion, attorney Petra Rakowitz solves a murder to save her newly discovered birth mother from arrest. When characters can kill with magic, the ways to dispatch a victim dramatically increase. After 25 years as a Public Defender Margaret knows a lawyer can transform into a witch. She lives in Phoenix with her wonderful husband Duane and many mutts. If Margaret is not planning how to kill someone, she loves cooking, bird watching, and visiting stark landscapes.

Visit her at MargaretMorseAuthor.com

**Kassandra Mullan: Living among the cacti and coyotes in Arizona, Kassandra spends her free time writing. Besides entertaining her two Dobermans (that’s the breed you pick when you’re a cat person, right?), the author enjoys photography, hiking, traveling, music, visiting ghost towns and staying in haunted hotels.

Follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kassandra.mullan.author/

**R.L. Nelson: Randee Lee, professionally known as R.L. Nelson, has been writing stories as long as she could hold a pencil. What started as a childhood passion for storytelling, has become her lifelong passion. There is nothing Randee enjoys more than writing (and reading) stories that are heart wrenching, along with some humor and a hint of romance. When she’s not dreaming up new stories to tell, you can find Randee spending her time with family, playing video games, and painting, or binge-watching true crime dramas.

For more information visit her website AuthorRLNelson.com

** R.S. Orey: R.S. is the creator of the Land of the Unwanted. She’s a social worker by day and a writer at night. Her debut novel is Wildborne and Thorneberry, the second in the series, is coming this fall. She uses what free time she has writing, cross stitching and making resin work that you can usually find selling next to her books. She lives with her spouse and her 80 lb lap dog, a pit bull mix.

Follow her at Facebook.

**Kathleen Osborne: Kathleen is the President of the Arizona Professional Writers (APW), an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women, and Chairperson of the White Mountains Chapter of APW. She is a veteran, author, songwriter, community arts leader and founder of Transcendent Authors. (See the Vendors tab about the Chapter’s 3rd annual Writers Conference and Festival of Books to be held July 31st and August 1st.)

Since beginning her publishing career in 2020, Kathleen has released four novels—King of Onus, Hidden Dragons, Dream Brides, and Wyoming Rodeo. Her most recent book, Wyoming Rodeo, is her first audio book and will be released early June 2026. And the Anthology writing group she founded, Transcendent Authors, has produced eight publications.

Her favorite genre, Science Fiction Romance, allows her writing to reflect themes of healing, identity, and restoration. She has recently expanded into songwriting, with “True Love Heals” and “Beyond Compare,” both available on most digital music channels with the artist name of Kathy McCreary.

More information about Kathleen can be found on her website: Kathleen-Osborne.com

**Pastor William OuYang: Pastor OuYang was a pastor for 10 years in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and met his lovely wife, Charisma, online at ChristianMingle.com.  He preaches regularly at Glory Christian Church in San Diego and live online at GCCSD.org . (click on “Worship” then “Sunday Sermons.”)   His book has won 3 awards:   Literary Titan Gold Seal Book Award, ChristianLit International Gold Book Award 2026 and Reader’s Favorite 5 Star Book Award.

**Glenda Sue Paradee: Born in California, Glenda moved to Arizona in the 1970’s. She got her certificate in Computer Programing in 1981. She was a computer programmer, a career she loved, for 30 years. She combined her love of photography and music to became a concert photographer. She created her company, Thanks For The Music, in 1993. She publishes an online music website at ThanksForTheMusic.com.

She is the author of threebooks, Tinkerbell, the Long-haired Chihuahua, and Taffy Travels Around the World to See What She Could Find and The Wild Adventures of Fluffy the Cat at Her Cabin In The Pines. She lives in Gilbert, Arizona with her husband and in the summer months they live up at their cabin in the pines in Overgaard, Arizona.

Find out more at ThanksForTheMusic.com/shop

**Jonathon Pembroke: A meteorologist in a former life, Jonathan now spends his days crafting a completely different type of made-up tales. His adult fantasy series include The Holly Sisters, Tales of Bleakwater, and Way of the Pathfinder, and his middle-grade fantasy series is called Protectors of Palladia. When not writing, Jonathan reads, gardens, and fiddles in his shop. He lives in northern Arizona with his wife Lisa.

See more at FlintHatchet.wordpress.com

**Barbara Renner: Barbara started writing children’s picture books when she retired from teaching. Inspired by nature, the stories in nine of her books revolve around wildlife main characters and include animal sounds and facts. Avid dog lovers, Barbara and her husband rescued a yellow lab mix, Larry, who became the subject of a photo book filled with feel-good messages as seen through the eyes of a dog. When not writing, Barbara can be found walking Larry, hiking the desert foothills, gardening, traveling, and occasionally attempting to play a round of golf.

Info: www.rennerwrites.com

Robert Ronning: From Washington State, Robert had an early career in theatre, earning a Ph.D. in communication arts. He directed two plays Off Broadway: a comedy about George Bernard Shaw and a concert docudrama on Albert Einstein at Lincoln Center. He taught performance literature at City University of New York. His writing has appeared in local, regional, and national publications. He made a pivot to write about wildlife and conservation, including his adventure novel, Wild Call to Boulder Field. He and wife Kathleen Alden live in Tucson and summer in a cabin in Arizona’s White Mountains, just a few minutes daily dog walk from national forest and wildlife.

Find out more at RobertRonningAuthor.com

**Hayley Rose: Hayley is a chocolate-loving writer and goat yoga enthusiast. The author of several successful children’s books, and an award-winning line of gratitude coloring journals, Hayley hopes to inspire a love of reading through education and humor.

Over the years Hayley has been invited to speak at bookstores including Barnes and Noble, Borders and Bookmans, and for the last few years Hayley has been a featured author at the Children’s Learning and Play Festival which garners crowds of 10,000 and up. Hayley has been interviewed on the Author Learning Center alongside authors Stan Lee and R.L. Stine.

Visit Hayley at HayleyRose.com or follow her on Facebook.

**Jane Frances Ruby: Jane has authored two YA Arizona Adventures, The Azurite Encounter and its sequel, Voiceless Whispers. She’s also written several award-winning short works including Surviving the Catholic School from Hell, an essay describing abuse at her elementary school: Brutal Hackage, a sci-fi YA short story about an assassin drone terrorizing a local high school golf tournament: and Theories of Decay, a sci-fi thriller about media personalities gripping with crashing satellites.  Ruby also contributed to Toby Heathcotte’s Women Wronged, an award-winning essay compilation.

Ruby is currently compiling her short works for a 2026 publication.

Read more at ArizonaAuthors.org/members/Jane-Frances-Ruby

**Terri-Ann Russell: Terri Ann is a Healing Heart Specialist and author. She is an intuitive empath healer with abilities in clairsentience and clairaudience. Her book, From Death to Life: The Incredible True Story of Anthony Joseph, was written just 4 months after the passing of her middle son, Anthony about their connection.

She is currently finishing a series of books, the first one, Reaching for You – a Workbook for Spiritual Transformation with Mother Mary, shares a deep connection with Mary through transmissions that help you heal your heart and align you with your higher self.

Follow her on Facebook

**M. Ryan: M is an author local to the White Mountains of Arizona. Her first book—The Monster Hunter—debuted in August of 2023, and was quickly followed by the sequel—The Court of Monsters—in October. When she is not hacking out a story furiously on her laptop, she can be found spending time with her husband, their animals, and family. M looks forward to releasing more projects and is always pleased to find young adults reading her books.

Follow her on Instagram at m_ryan_books

**R.S. Scott: R.S. Scott hails from Canyon Diablo, AZ, born to a Navajo Christian preacher. As the last unruly sibling of 4 brothers and 3 sisters, he grew up herding sheep while armed with a rifle and a horse named Prince for company. He currently resides in Phoenix, AZ where he continues his education studying theoretical math and collecting vinyl records of jazz and blues greats of yore. As a self-professed geek, he expertly juggles school, work, and his love of writing and music while surviving on pub food, pizza, and the occasional binge on sushi.

He writes in Native American, paranormal, and thriller genres.

Find out more at Facebook and at AuthorRSSscott.com

**James Sesnak: James, a retired RN with over forty years in healthcare, has witnessed firsthand the consequences of bad genes, bad luck, and bad choices. In Soldier On, he explores the emotional journey of confronting an inherited condition that breaks something that can’t be fixed. Quirk of Fate reflects on how a single stroke of misfortune can unexpectedly open the door to something better. Unscrupulous Choices examines how a series of desperate decisions can have unintended consequences that ripple outwards and destroy worlds.

Follow him on Facebook 

Jody Sharpe: Award-winning author Jody’s loss of her daughter set her on a course to write books about angels. Her background teaching children with special needs inspired her to write her memoir. She’s written five novels in The Mystic Bay Series, a children’s book and now her first mystery.

Find out more at JodySharpe.com

**Barchelle (“Chelly”) Bolger Wathen: Chelly, a Prescott resident, has always loved dogs, her own plus shelter dogs. Chelly’s world changed forever when she and her husband adopted a very special dog – Shayla from Ukraine. This remarkable shepherd/wolfdog, abandoned as a puppy, learned to love and trust those who raised her at the Christian orphanage Otchiy Dim (Father’s House), then came to America.

Chelly was inspired by Shayla’s life, the leaders and children of Father’s House, and the courage of the Ukrainian people. She wrote Shayla and Friends to share their true story, Into the Light for teens, and Shayla’s Adventure books to inspire kids with lessons of love and friendship.

Visit her ShaylaAndFriends.com

**Fawzia Mai Tung:  Fawzia grew up internationally in a Chinese (Taiwan) diplomatic family. After retiring as a journalist, a psychiatrist, and an educator, this mother of seven and grandmother of eleven turned to full-time writing, publishing The Wonderful Tale of Donkey Skin, and Little Jack and the Giants in the May Fairy series; as well as Mirror in the Sand and Rootless Orchid in her memoir series Life of a Rooster. She has also contributed chapters to various books and published hundreds of articles.

Visit her at FawziaMaiTung.com

**Kimberly Waters: Kimberly calls the White Mountains of Arizona home. She wrote poetry as a teenager and then turned to children’s books when she retired from teaching in 2019. Through her numerous years of teaching, Kim gained insight into kids’ thoughts, helping her choose the best topics for the 17 books she has published. She’s always had a knack for rhyming, which shows up in all her books. Her messages are meaningful and encouraging. When she’s not writing, she loves spending time with family, walks in the park, singing, and playing the piano.

Learn more at KWatersAuthor.com

**Jim West: Author Jim West spent over 40 years in radio working up and down the dial in places like Indianapolis, Baltimore, Albuquerque, Tucson and Phoenix. He served on the Board of the Academy of Country music in Hollywood. Jim was a finalist for the Country Radio Hall of Fame in Nashville. He volunteers his time with the Arizona Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame where he got the idea to document the early Arizona recording and rockabilly music scene in his book The Phoenix Sound. Jim also helped co-write the book Ray Odom, A Lifetime of Radio, Records & Racehorses.

Find out more at JimWestMedia.com

**Paula F. (Pfeiffer) Winskye: Paula, a North Dakota native, began writing stories about horses at age 12. She released her first novel in 2003 and published her 24th this year. The Reverend & the Writer is the 12th in her Tony Wagner mystery series. It also features the protagonist from her Randy McKay mysteries.