Mari was born in Cuba and came to the United States as a tennager. She now lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two children. When she is not writing, you can find her outdoors with her family or taking care of patients with retinal diseases.

Celina Kamler is an artist, writer, and social justice advocate. As a fierce proponent of messy art and made-up languages, she is committed to creating a future where all kids can be wild and free. Celina believes in the power of storytelling to open doors to difficult conversations about race, culture, privilege, and other facets of identity. She writes and illustrates books that cultivate empathy and break stereotypes.

David Lewis was born in Wales and moved to Hollywood to become a director of photography. He has shot everything from movies to television series, commercials and music videos, specialising in comedies, and picked up a few awards along the way. For many years, David lived in Scotland and Portugal. An inveterate solo traveler, he now lives in southern California with Hank, the noisiest cat in the world.

Trish Esden would love to say she spent her childhood in intellectual pursuits. The truth is she was fonder of exploring abandoned houses and old cemeteries. When not out on her own adventures, she can be found in her Northern Vermont home writing about brave, smart women who are determined to protect the people and places they love. She is the author of the contemporary fantasy Dark Heart series, and the Northern Circle Coven series.

credit: Lindsey Pantele Photography

Anabelle Bryant is the USA Today bestselling author of seventeen historical romances including the new Maidens of Mayhem series for Kensington Publishing. Her historical romances are high concept, character driven stories which provide a heartfelt connection between hero, heroine, and the reader, believing the emotional journey on the path to true love is the most important bond.

Alyxandra Harvey

Caroline was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, but moved to London in 2006 to seek her fortune. Since then, she's gotten an MA in Medieval Literature, worked for a FinTech startup, been an English teacher in East London, and started an educational technology company. Caroline lives in Southeast London with her husband and two cats. When she isn't writing, she is coding. She thinks there ought to be more books about smart, grown-up women who get to have adventures.

As a so-called “Army brat,” Liane grew up in Germany, South Korea, and several different parts of the United States. She now lives in Philadelphia, where she practices law. Liane is an alumnus of Yale University and the College of William & Mary Law School. She is of Korean and European heritage.

A reader and daydreamer at heart, Bethany started writing on a dare and dove headfirst into the world of writerly madness. She's never looked back.

After a brief stint working in youth magazine publishing, it became clear that the charmed world of fiction is where Kate’s heart is most happy, so she embarked on her journey into the book-publishing world, first as an editorial assistant for a major publisher, and then as an author. Kate makes her home in Toronto, Ontario, where she lives with her husband, daughter, son, two cats, and an ever-rising pile of cherished books.