A. W. Fleck writes speculative fiction and literary romance. She is a non-profit professional by day, and runs Harlem Writers United in every other free moment. A former Californian, she is celebrating her 10th year living in NYC. In her free time she enjoys collecting Pokémon plushies, sampling french fries, and adding books to her TBR pile - currently 150 books deep. Learn more about her and her work here: www.awfleck.com. For shenanigans, follow her on Instagram: @awfleck.

A.M. Giddings is a writer, scientist, cellist, independent filmmaker and aspiring swamp hag from North Carolina with a PhD in Microbiology. She has authored multiple scientific articles in virology, cell line design, and gene therapy. Her fictional stories live within the murky boundaries between horror, science fiction and fantasy and include the futuristic dark fantasy series Dance of Ages, which begins with “Shadow into Light”. She has horror and science fiction short stories published in various anthologies and has also written and directed fantasy and horror short films. She is the co-director of the Sick Chick Flicks Film Festival.

A.J. Hartley is the award winning and NYT bestselling author of 28 novels in various genres. Recent work includes the Japanese folklore adventure series HIDEKI SMITH, a time-travel fantasy about art and culture (BURNING SHAKESPEARE), a ghost story (COLD BATH STREET), an alt-world period mystery (STEEPLEJACK), and—with Tom DeLonge of Blink-182—the sci-fi thrillers SEKRET MACHINES, CATHEDRALS OF GLASS, TRINITY and TIME RIDER. AJ is Professor of Shakespeare (Emeritus) at UNC Charlotte, his latest academic book being the new Arden edition of Julius Caesar. He hosts YouTube channels on writing and on Japanese rock music. More at www.ajhartley.net

Alex White is one of Disney’s go-to Alien writers, having penned the VR action-horror game Alien: Rogue Incursion and two Alien novels (THE COLD FORGE, INTO CHARYBDIS). They also wrote a Star Trek DS9 novel (REVENANT) and the critically-acclaimed Starmetal Symphony and Salvagers trilogies for Orbit Books. Alex is a well-regarded moderator and performer, entertaining ballrooms from DragonCon to San Diego Comic Con, and has been interviewed by Variety, Digital Trends, IGN and more. For fun, they write music on synthesizers and make knives on an anvil. Never at the same time, but maybe with some practice…

Alison Tracy is a sociologist and sci-fi/fantasy author. Her fiction stories include dystopias that challenge assumptions about free will and divine forces, fairy tale romances with a feminist twist, and more. As a researcher at Stanford University, her academic research on organizational culture change has been published in peer-reviewed journals and has been featured in press outlets like BBC, Forbes, Wired, and Fast Company. Her debut fiction novel, The Guardian, won the Georgia Independent Author of the Year Award in dystopian fiction, among other awards. The Guardian follows the journey of a young woman prophet living in a corporate-run dystopia.

Alyssa Askani is a badass, inspirational writing queen. Don’t let her Amazonian size and strength fool you—her mind burns with the fire of a thousand suns while her heart beats with the thunder of a million gods. As an editor and author specializing in science fiction and dark fantasy, Alyssa channels dreamlike storytelling and emotional drives to help writers craft immersive, engaging worlds. Passionate about compelling prose and dynamic narratives, she also writes as Len Berry, Writer of Ethereal Darkness. In either guise, Alyssa is always empowering others to tell their best stories.

Amber Hansford is the author of The Emari Chronicles, a Persian-inspired epic fantasy series, and a UX director based in Atlanta. She writes character driven fiction about faith, power, and the brutal price of becoming who you choose to be. Member, SFWA.

Amy Brewer-Davenport is an award winning fantasy artist and lifelong con-goer, always looking for new inspiration or ways to inspire others to create. Through her work she emphasizes whimsy through color, texture, and chance. Along with her studio practice she teaches creativity workshops in multiple mediums. Patreon @amybdart

Angela is an illustrator and author working out of her home studio in Atlanta. She is known for her book “Angelic Visions” from Penguin Random House teaching Fantasy fans how to create angels in mixed media and her coloring book “Birthstone Goddesses” exploring flowers and folklore. Angela hopes to bring art to the world that inspires hope, beauty, and compassion in dark times. Angela is a classically trained artist with degrees in Studio Art, English, and Arts Administration from UWG and SCAD. She has won several convention Art Show awards throughout the southeast, including Judge’s Choice and Best in Color.

Raised in Connecticut, April now lives in North Carolina, working as an artist and instructor. Her main mediums are paper, paint, and recycled items — with a particular fondness for pages from old books. When not creating, you can find her at Fred & June’s Books in Mooresville teaching classes on how to make a variety of crafts. She also runs creative writing workshops for kids and adults, along with hosting an indie author book club at the bookstore. In her free time, April likes reading, TV shows, video games, cuddling with her cat Castiel, and has an unhealthy obsession with micro-dramas.

Ariel, a D.C. area native, a Minnesotan transplant and ADHD dyslexic, is a multi-award winning internationally published digital painter. Her dedicated fans love her hyper-realistic style and hidden references beginning with her work as an Official Wheel of Time artist in 2012. In 2023 she was GAoH at Balticon 57 and GAoH at ArmadilloCon 48 in 2026. Currently she is focused on her Patreon community, creating original fantasy works and continuing to work in book illustration and cover work. Now she paints Dragons, Witches and even bunny riding dragons! Recently she has delved from high fantasy works to Romantasy works. She even has a dragon calendar coming in 2027! (www.artistarielburgess.com)

Aubrey Spivey is a book publicist with Inkslinger PR, specializing in Romance and Fantasy. She is also an indie author and was an indie editor in Romance, Fantasy, and Western. She loves getting caught up in a good story and sharing her love of fictional worlds with others. Fun fact: Aubrey was once struck by lightning. She survived, her laptop and homework did not.

Avalon Griffin (she/her) is an indie author who writes fantasy romance with unique characters, far-away settings, and a healthy dose of heat. She is the author of the novel Unbound by Shadows, its sequel To Dwell in Shadows and the short story, The Vampire’s Library, which was published in Once Upon a Book Club’s 2024 Book-Club-Mas anthology. When not writing, she can be found traveling the globe in search of kitschy roadside attractions, off-beat museums, and cryptozoology legends. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband and a crew of formerly feral cats.

BellaNephilim is a dynamic cosplay artist known for transforming fantasy into living art. Blending intricate craftsmanship with bold storytelling, she brings ethereal, dark-fantasy, and iconic characters to life with striking detail and presence. Her work has earned recognition at regional conventions, including multiple Best Costume and Judges’ Choice awards along with featured appearances in cosplay showcases and online creator spotlights. With a passion for design, makeup artistry, wig creation and performance, BellaNephilim continues to captivate audiences by embodying characters that celebrate creativity, power, and imagination.

Beth DeWeese writes romance with bite. Irresistible heroes meet fierce, independent heroines, learning about themselves while they learn how to love. She loves reading and writing paranormal romance, especially shifters with fated mates. When she's not writing delightful love stories, Beth is living her own happily-ever-after with her husband and rescue mutts in Nashville, TN. She’s passionate about new experiences and bringing the audacity of joy to her readers, one happy ending at a time.

Bill Bridges is a writer and game designer, most known for developing White Wolf’s World of Darkness setting and the Fading Suns science-fiction universe. His fiction works include My Time Among the Stars for Fading Suns, and The Silver Crown, The Last Battle, and The Song of Unmaking novels for Werewolf: the Apocalypse. He contributed to world design for Segasoft’s Emperor of the Fading Suns computer game and co-wrote the scripts for Viacom’s interactive horror movie Dracula Unleashed and Interplay’s Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. He serves on the boards of the C.G. Jung Society of Atlanta and Broadleaf Writers Association.

Bob McGough is an author, podcaster, and indie tabletop game designer from south Alabama. As an author he has been published by a number of small presses in a range of genres, from steampunk to horror. He is best known as the author of his ‘Rural’ Urban Fantasy series, the Jubal County Saga. He teaches a number of classes and workshops on various aspects of the business of writing. He has freelanced for a number of tabletop and video games, as well as publishing his own small ttrpgs. He is the host/cohost for a number of book based podcasts.

Carman is a fantasy illustrator, the owner of Carmanda Arts Things LLC, the storyteller on the What the Folklore comedy podcast, and a performer with the Chaos Theory Improv Troupe. She has taught illustration and creative writing with The Art Center of Johns Creek, GA for the past eleven years and loves helping other creatives stay motivated and energized on their artistic journeys. Storytelling is at the heart of everything she pursues, from illustration to writing to performance.

Carmen Loup is an illustrator/author and the creator of Tarot in Space, Aliens in New Florida, and The Audacity sci-fi novel and comic book series. They write psychedelic metaphysical speculative fiction with humor, heart, and an absurdist brand of radical optimism drawing on their study of world philosophy and culture. They own Cosmic Corner, a spiritual supply shop in Savannah with their husband where they practice, research, and teach energy work, channeling, meditation, and yoga.

Cass Morris lives her life at the intersection of storytelling, performance, and education as a writer and editor of novels, short fiction, and immersive experiences. Her novels, The Aven Cycle, are Roman-flavored historical fantasy, and she is one-third of the team behind the five-time Hugo Award Finalist podcast Worldbuilding for Masochists. Cass works as Story Editor at Mythik Camps, providing narrative design, writing, and developmental editing for the mythology-themed summer camps' interactive theatrical experiences, as well as other programming and media projects, including writing and performing the family-friendly Myths and Muses podcast. Find her online at linktr.ee/cassrmorris.

Catherine Barson Eastis is the content creator behind The Gluttonous Geek, a blog and YouTube channel exploring the bridge between food and fiction with recipes based on books, film, and video and tabletop games. A game designer and a recipe developer, her work can be found in The Word Refinery’s Spelljammer Cookbook, as well as her 5th-ed compatible adventure/cookbook, Breakfast of Champions.

During her years in the Army as a medic she was an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, where she earned the nickname Feral, doing both fencing and studying the arts and sciences. Currently she serves as the Fantasy Literature Director at Dragon Con where she runs the Page to Stage Cosplay/Costume Contest and the Gather. Beyond Dragon Con she can be found running book events like Book Flood. Online you can find her doing reviews of Conventions, books, hosting panels and providing information on how people can make the most of their Con events.

Cooper Blackwood is a broadcast television professional and huge nerd. His love for Sci-fi and Fantasy in all media has been a driving force behind choosing to go into production as well as an attempted pivot to chemistry education, which didn’t pan out. You’ll most likely catch him around the con helping to oversee and fix the tech here, or in the Sci-fi track talking about representations of the future in current media. Come say hi!

Darin M. Bush is an award-winning science-fiction and fantasy short-story author. His fiction was published in Creative Loafing & Gemini magazines, as well as several anthologies including “Southern Fried Cthulhu” and “Dragon Tales”. He is the co-publisher/editor of the New Legend Productions anthology “Jukebox Thrillers”. He has created and spoken on panels at ATL Comic Con, DragonCon, Multiverse, et al. He is or was a programming director for AnachroCon, CONpossible, the Georgia Indie Book Faire, Multiverse, WhoLanta, et al. He lives close to Atlanta, GA, with his wife, an infamous dragon, and two yappy dogs.

Darin Kennedy, doctor-by-day and novelist-by-night, writes and practices medicine in Charlotte, NC. Works include his Fugue & Fable trilogy: The Mussorgsky Riddle, The Stravinsky Intrigue, and The Tchaikovsky Finale; The Pawn Stratagem trilogy: Pawn’s Gambit, Queen’s Peril, and King’s Crisis; the Songs of the Ascendant series: Shadows of the Night, All Fired Up, and You Better Run; his YA novel, Carol; and The April Sullivan Chronicles.

Denise N. Tapscott is a California native who left her soul in New Orleans. She is the author of the novel Gypsy Kisses and Voodoo Wishes, and the sequel, Enlightening of the Damned. She recently curated the anthology, The Friends and Foes of Zenobia. Her next project is the third book in the series, Lotus Flowers of the South. She loved playing the sassy vampire Tasha in the YouTube comedy series The Vamps Next Door. Denise cohosts the Beef, Wine, and Shenanigans podcast with fellow dark fiction writers, and it's known for being hysterical and insightful. Her website is www.denisetapscott.com

DragonBeak, aka Billie Liao, is a Smyrna based artist who's currently a game developer on one of the longest running MMORPG, Ultima Online. Over the past 15 years she's also worked as an animator and storyboard artist for television, feature film, and music videos. In her personal artwork, she explores queer identity, political activism, and her Chinese American heritage. When possible, she sources Georgia-based manufacturers to keep her brand local!

Drew Bailey is the author of the dark fantasy series The Giftborn Chronicles, published by Falstaff Books. He has a deep love of the fantasy and horror genres, both in literary and film media. He also maintains a regular schedule on social media providing fellow writers and readers with advice and insights into his writing world experiences, as well as updates on his latest reads, and favorite current movies and tv shows.

E. Marie Robertson is a speculative fiction author with professional experience writing for newspapers, newsletters, and magazines, as well as websites and corporate PR. She's also been a web designer, information architect, and art photographer, and has taught at the college level. She holds a BS in Journalism and an MFA in studio art. Her published work includes the Iona Duology, a novelette entitled Shoot the Moon, and several short stories published in now-defunct ‘zines. Her latest novel, Beyond This Dark Horizon, is burning up the Amazon listings at #350 in the Science Fiction Crime & Mystery category.

Eric is an Atlanta artist, comedian, and co-host of The Goblin’s Corner. Eric has been performing since he was old enough to speak and has carried this into every creative format, from various improv and live acts, to sketch comedy and gaming. With 30 plus years of running various tabletop games, he has extensive knowledge of both the industry and the performance art of storytelling overall. Eric can be seen in the wild building false idols to Godzilla, drinking coffee with abandon, and rolling 20 sided dice wherever fine products are sold.

Ericka Michele juggles being part-timer, a student, mother, and pet mom. No matter how much she has to do, writing will be in the mix. The voices in her head are way too loud, and how else will she escape reality. As an adult she joined a critique group, stitching zines of poetry and shorts together, and scattering them across the city of Atlanta. Her life bleeds into every poem she creates, and she makes sense of the world via horrific and fantastical short stories. The journey has not ended and other genres will be tested because she reads them all.

Lawrence “Geekster the SuperNerd” Luton is an independent Nerdcore hip-hop artist from Belzoni, Mississippi, known for blending introspective lyricism with pop-culture storytelling. Renowned for his heartfelt, thought-provoking songwriting, Geekster fuses anime, video games, comic books, and science fiction into an unorthodox sound showcased in tracks like “Black Republicans,” “Dragon-Tiger Dance,” and “B.O.W.” Unapologetically authentic, his music champions self-love and empowerment for nerds, geeks, and those often labeled as “misfits.”

Hollis invites fantasy readers into new worlds with her empowering, wild stories. Readers of all kinds discover inspiring perspectives when they read her books that help enrich their dreams. She is an award winning fantasy author, designer, Bookfest Bellwether, cosplayer, podcaster, and all around silly person. History and mythology are continuous inspirations in her writing. So, you'll even get some fun historical and mythological nuances to rattle off at parties when you read her books. As a historian, she just can’t help herself.

Isabelle Hardesty writes stories about people doing magical things and kicking butt. She writes for all readers, and people like her, who didn’t see themselves in their favorite fantasy adventures growing up. She is the author of several YA book series, including The Destroyer Witch Chronicles, Sea Witch High, and The Delacourt Shapeshifter Trilogy. Isabelle is best known for her novel about a telenovela actress turned witch, The Witch of Belle Fleur. When she’s not busy writing, you can find this Miami native researching how to grow mangoes in Atlanta. Isabelle lives in the Atlanta area with her family. IsabelleHardesty.com

J.D. Blackrose writes The Summoner's Mark series, a combination of urban fantasy and romance. She has published The Soul Wars, The Devil's Been Busy, and the Zombie Cosmetologist novellas through Falstaff Books.

J.E. Pittman dabbles in many speculative worlds. He blurs the borders between genre and crafts salient lies to tell a measure of truth. His work has been described as: capriciously chimeric, dreamlike, and a vivid enigma with indelible images stamped on your brain. His published works include the Felix Chance series; The St Germain Letters, set in the Felixverse; his Pandora Squad sci-fi action series; and 98 Rabbits, a nonsensical farce. Additionally, he’s been published in Hidden Villains Arise and Behind the Shadows. Discover more on his website: www.halfacrepond.com

Jason Gilbert is an author and film critic best known for his action-packed and often irreverent Coldstone Case Files series and his dark Urban Fantasy/Alternate History Clockworks of War series. Jason streams on Twitch as Failflix with O Hai Mark and The Grey Cat on Terrible Movies with Wonderful People. His influences include horror cinema, bloody video games, dark beer, and heavy metal music.

Jay Peterson is a film and TV actor known for playing supernatural creatures. Most recently, he's appeared as the ghost of a plantation owner in The Piano Lesson on Netflix, a computer troll in Red One, and a demon in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. When not performing, Jay is the author of the Grunt's Grimoires urban fantasy series. Renfield Blues, his first novel, was released in 2023. Ghost Light, the sequel, was released in 2025. His first standalone novel, a Halloween special, will be released in May 2027.

Jay Requard is an award-winning author of Epic Fantasy, Sword & Sorcery, and Urban Fantasy. The author of The Blessed & Possessed Series and The Timeless Ranger trilogy, he is also hosts Where No Bubs Has Gone Before and Jadzia's Closet, two Star Trek podcasts. He is also the Head Game Writer at Red Isle Studios. He currently lives in New York with his wife, son, and a star cat named Mona. Find out more about Jay at jayrequard.com!

Jer Alford is an anime club finder, pop culture journalist, zinester, convention panelist, comics publisher, writer, editor, parodist, and cartoon historian. He runs Anime Anyway, Stupid Comics, and Mini-Komix.

Jessi Ann York is a horror writer who grew up in the creeks and caves of rural Tennessee. Four of her short stories have been recognized in the Summation sections of Best Horror of the Year Vol. 13 and 16, and her most recent story is set to be published in VIEWS FROM THE OVERLOOK, an anthology celebrating the 50th anniversary of THE SHINNING. Her debut novel, THE GIRL WHO ATE DEATH, pays homage to her fellow queer and feral creatures who dwell in the shadows of the Appalachian Mountains.

Jessica Nettles grew up in the South, where things are weird and have weird explanations. She learned to cope by writing about these things. Her first novel is Children of Menlo Park. Her short fiction is featured in several wonderful anthologies. She has also written two gaming adventures for Bob McGough’s Cryptid Capture Corps. Jessica is also a guest Game Master and regular on the YouTube series Hit the Dice on the Go Indie Now Network. Jessica lives in Powder Springs, Georgia with her two black cats. You can follow her (and her cats) on Facebook and Instagram (@steampunkenglish).

Joe Compton is an Indie Author of The Duality of Truth Crime Trilogy, and the coming soon Horror Novella Crying On The Inside Kind and Novel The Light You Wished For. He's also an Indie Filmmaker that’s worked on over 40+ independent TV and Film productions in 5 different countries, working 18 months as Script Doctor/Consultant in Hollywood and as an instructor at the Speculative Fiction Academy teaching Screenwriting classes. Since 2017 Joe runs the Online Network Go Indie Now, which highlights, supports, and promotes Indie Artists of all art disciplines through various shows airing about 8-10 hours of programming a week.

Joel is a comedian and video podcast producer who is based in Atlanta with over 10 years of production experience. He GMs multiple AP podcasts including Critical Bits and Oddity Roadshow.

John G. Hartness is an author, publisher, and editor from Charlotte, NC. He is the author of multiple series, including the award-winning Quincy Harker, Demon Hunter series. He is also the publisher of Falstaff Books, and founder of the SAGA Genre Fiction Writers’ Conference. Find him online at www.falstaffbooks.com.

Judy Black is an Ennie nominated and best-selling writer of tabletop roleplaying games. An excellent source of stories cute and spooky. Find her on DMs Guild or judyblackcloud on Instagram.

Julia Benson-Slaughter is a retired computer science community college professor turned literary and crafting alchemist, splitting her time between creating chainmaille and metal jewelry and writing speculative apocalyptic romantasy (i.e. smut for science fiction lovers, or is it science fiction for smut lovers?). Her favorite activities include consuming vast quantities of coffee, mixing craft materials, subverting tropes, and pushing past genre boundaries.

Epic fantasy author Katharine E. Wibell has published nine full-length novels and sixteen novellas; several new books will release in 2026. The Incarn Saga is a fast-paced, NA, shifter fantasy while The Djed Chronicles is a YA portal fantasy. The Guardian’s Speaker, an adult Viking dark fantasy, retells Nordic myths spanning Yggdrasil’s nine realms. Numerous accolades include sixteen book awards plus several Best-Selling Amazon ribbons. She also hosts weekly live chats on TikTok, interviews other authors and participates on literary panels for various cons. Multi-talented, she hand-paints TTRPG miniatures of her characters, complete with sub-class and character sheets.

Keira is a queer, nerdy personal trainer with a passion for sharing their knowledge, tools, and anecdotes to help others improve themselves. Their classes are trauma informed, built to be flexible for the audience, and empowering. When not lifting heavy weights and putting them back down, they are playing board games, watching Doctor Who, or reading.

Kelley M. Frank is an asexual horror artist, author, photographer, and reviewer. She specializes in creepy watercolor, acrylic, resin, jewelry, and ink illustration, as well as book cover lettering and mixed media expressing her emotional states. She has appeared in a number of horror anthologies including Slice Girls. She’s also completed cover art, interior art, and/or lettering for books such as the Georgia Gothic anthology, Zealot by C. Vonzale Lewis, and The Wolves of Kanta series by Marlena Frank. She’s a Horror Writer’s Association Affiliate, cat mom, and an outspoken advocate for the strange and unusual. Check out www.MorbidSmile.com

Kevin A Davis is a fantasy author with twenty-five published novels including the award-winning DRC Files that is up to seven episodes and a spinoff. His newest series is an urban fantasy, Nick Chambers: Slayer for Hire which combines action, snarky humor, and bad decisions. Working projects include a collaboration with Tim Lewis, and an epic fantasy series. Residing in northern Florida, Kevin A Davis attends conventions throughout the year, including as staff as Director of the Authors Workshop Track at JordanCon. As Inkd Publishing, he publishes novels and a wide variety of anthologies, some of which have won awards and contain authors known to guests of Multiverse.

Kyoko M is the USA Today bestselling author of The Black Parade urban fantasy series, the Of Cinder and Bone science-fiction series, and the Starlight Contingency space opera series with Falstaff Books. The Black Parade has been reviewed by Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews. She is also a contributor to Marvel Comics' Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda (2021) anthology as well as the Captain America: The Shield of Sam Wilson (2025) anthology. She is currently working on a science fiction trilogy with Falstaff Books and her debut novel, The Starlight Contingency, released October 29th, 2024.

Lauren Brown is an Illustrator and Art Director currently working at Wizards of the Coast. She has over 15 years experience working in games and animation, and values whimsy, joy, and inclusion in every aspect of her life.

Liam Fisher is one of the leaders of the Metro Atlanta Geeks facebook group. He is also a long time gamer that has handled many gaming systems, run many campaigns (both planned and improvised), and tested game systems. In his normal day-to-day life, he is a multi-discipline IT engineer, working in various topics and fields.

Lily Luchesi is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of the Paranormal Detectives Series. She is also the founder of Partners in Crime Book Services, where she offers a myriad of services, including editing. They were born in Chicago, Illinois, where many of their stories are set. She is also an out member of the LGBT+ community. When not writing, they're going to rock concerts, getting tattooed, watching the CW, or reading comics and manga. And drinking copious amounts of coffee. Lily also writes contemporary books for adults as Samantha Calcott, and dark/taboo romance as S.L. Sinclair.

LJ Daniel is an indie romance author who loves writing hard fought HEA's and making others feel seen in her work. She's always been in love with the written word. At an early age she was winning short story competitions. Years of story boarding and drafting later, she was brave enough to start publishing her work. That love of putting her story on the page transformed into wanting to hear her stories produced in audio. Through the process of producing her own audiobook, she found a passion for helping other indie authors realize their own dreams of hearing their words brought to life. So you'll also find her helping other indies produce their work with Aurora Sound LLC.

Lucille Yates writes spicy paranormal romance. All her work features witches and/or shifters. They include headstrong women, complicated men, and sizzling chemistry. Her work highlights straight and LGBTQIA+ main characters. Lucille is the author of the popular series, A Bite of Magic. Her new Barmensch Clan series is her first male/male romance collection. This series connects to her sapphic romance The Wolf and the Necromancer. When she is not writing, she is reading, playing with her son, watching videos, or playing games. She lives outside Savannah, GA, with her spouse, kiddo, and cats.

Mab Morris lives in Dahlonega, Georgia, with five cats and is building a labyrinth in her backyard when not writing. Her storytelling and her love of fantasy began at a very young age, where she was drawn to Ursula K. Le Guin and J.R.R. Tolkien. Mythology, history, and folklore are her passion. She writes mystical fantasy books set in the past, present and future of the world of Ihyel, where demi-gods and mortals alike struggle with their fate. She also writes the murder-mysteries of The Bone Reader, about Cemirowl who speaks with the dead, and the Regency adventures of gender-fluid spy Alex Goodward.

Intense gamer, former Japanese teacher (and resident of Japan) and current mastermind of all around mayhem, Madaug Hishinuma first started writing in grade school . . . on his mother’s walls. Deciding that near death experiences weren’t exactly his thing, he traded his crayons for a computer, and once he broke away from his severe gaming addiction, realized that his keyboard could also be used to create his own worlds. He’s been doing that ever since.

Marc L Abbott is a Brooklyn native horror author. He is the author of horror novel, Sinister Ascension from Mocha Memoirs Press, co-author of Hell at Brooklyn Tea and the two-time African American Literary Award-winning horror anthology, Hell at the Way Station. His horror short stories are featured in the anthologies Blackened Roots, The Chaos Clock, A Woman Unbecoming, Soul Scream, Even in the Grave, and the Bram Stoker Nominated horror anthologies New York State of Fright & Under Twin Suns: Alternate Histories of the Yellow Sign. In addition to his works, he is the HWA Vice President.

Marlena Frank is the author of young adult fantasy and horror novels, including several books that have hit the bestseller lists. Readers’ Favorite has praised several of her books with 5-star reviews. A Georgia native, she has been writing and publishing short fiction since 2010. She has various professional memberships, including the Atlanta chapter of the Horror Writers Association and the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association. Some of her more notable books include Stolen, The Seeking, The Man Who Dealt in Death, and her most recent book, The Sea Witch Follows. When not writing and devouring books, she enjoys cosplay, gaming, and spoiling her adopted cats.

Marshall J. Moore is the award-winning author of the cozy horror novel The Henchperson’s Guide to Unionizing, the Rites of Resurrection necromancer murder mystery trilogy, the Son of a Sailor pirate cozy fantasy trilogy, and the children's book Postcards from a Lake Monster. He has also written over thirty short stories appearing in publications such as CatsCast, Mysterion, Flame Tree, and many others. His short story “Red Lanterns” won Second Place in the 2022 Baen Fantasy Adventure Award Short Story Contest.

Marshall Ryan Maresca is a fantasy and science-fiction writer, author of sixteen novels, most of which are part of the Maradaine Saga: Four braided series set amid the bustling streets and crime-ridden districts of the exotic city called Maradaine. He is also the author of the standalone dieselpunk fantasy, The Velocity of Revolution. He is a five-time Hugo finalist as the co-host of the podcast Worldbuilding for Masochists, and has been a playwright, an actor and an amateur chef. He lives in Austin, Texas with his family.

Melanie C. Duncan, MLS, worked in public libraries as a reference librarian, branch manager and cataloger (1993-2026). She reviewed for Library Journal (Romance Reviewer of the Year, 2019), Booklist, Publisher's Weekly, and other publications, covering genres and heat levels from inspirational fiction to erotica. She judges multiple book contests each year, and volunteers at DragonCon for the Diversity in Speculative Fiction Track. Ask her anything about libraries, book reviewing, library programs, and how to get your work into libraries. Her poem, "Morrigan," appears in White Winged Doves: A Stevie Nicks Tribute, and she contributed a chapter to Collection Development Analysis (ALA, 2026).

Milton J. Davis is an acclaimed award winning Black speculative fiction author and the founder of MVmedia, LLC, an independent publishing company based in Fayetteville, Georgia. His work spans genres such as Afrofuturism, sword-and-soul, science fiction, and fantasy. Davis has penned over 30 novels and short story collections and edited/coedited 14 anthologies. In 2022, Davis was honored with the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention Pioneer Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his significant contributions to Black speculative fiction. In 2024, he received the ConCarolinas Polaris Award, and the DeepSouth Con Phoenix Award for his contributions to Southern fandom.

Mina has spent her life becoming the most chaotic version of a Renaissance Woman possible. She has extensive experience in modeling and fanworks, and has recently been focused on collage assemblage and teaching witchcraft to small groups. A longtime fan of horror and the occult, she has self-educated to the point that it's probably a good idea to buy her a drink and ask her something Dracula-related. She would also appreciate it if Universal Studios would let her handle the whole "Dark Universe" thing, since she has some really good ideas (most of which involve making it gayer).

Tiffany Faulkner, N3rdyTeacher, is a teacher by choice and an all-around nerd since birth. It is her goal to help others dive into her fandoms, whether it be Dungeons and Dragons, Mythology and Folklore, Miniature Painting, or books of any genre. She collaborates with many of her local schools and stores to teach TTRPGs to all ages. At conventions she runs miniature painting panels for those interested. She continues to learn about her interests and is always willing to discuss them with you!

Multi-genre fantasy author Nancy E. Dunne lives and works in the Upstate area of South Carolina with her Irish Wolfhound Stanley, her terrier mix Willow-Pickle, and her husband Simon. Nancy is a nationally certified American Sign Language/English interpreter as well as an author. Her work very much informs her writing, and much of her interests involve how language and culture affect character interaction. Nancy loves connecting with her readers, so make sure to follow her on social media as nancyd_writes and on her website, http://nancyedunne.com.

Nate writes words, some of them good. He hopes you read some, or other stuff, whatever you are into.

Nikita Rowitz is the founder of Once Upon A Queer Publishing and the main editor of Lavender Rising Magazine. The independent press focuses on queer speculative fiction and queer writers. Nikita has published books under the name B.R. Michaels and has a new upcoming novel. Her publishing company has a monthly magazine, Lavender Rising, that calls for queer creators from all over the world and promotes their works.

Ojé Kendi is a Metro Atlanta based writer of Southern Gothic Horror and Supernatural Suspense. He is also an artist of all things strange and disturbing, and a wanderer of shadowy forest paths. The comment he recalls receiving most often on his grade school report cards was, “wastes too much time daydreaming,”–a fact which he didn’t regret then, and doesn’t now. He spends most of his evenings with his lovely wife and three cats, most of his nights with his laptop and his stories, and most of his days dreaming, still. The Twelfth of Never is his debut novel.

Feminist fantasy author, Paige L. Christie, is originally from Maine and now lives in the NC mountains. Best known for her Legacies of Arnan fantasy series (#1 Draigon Weather), her work can also be found in anthologies, including Galactic Stew, Witches Warriors & Wise Women, and several More Tales of Valdemar books. When she isn’t writing, Paige runs a non-profit soup kitchen and food pantry, kayaks on mountain lakes, and is teaching herself to crochet (badly). She is a proud, founding member of the Blazing Lioness Writers. PaigeLChristie.net

A 2016 MBA graduate and published author, Priya Sridhar has been writing fantasy and science fiction for fifteen years, and counting. Capstone published the Powered series. Priya lives in Miami, Florida with her family.

Randee Dawn is the author of the "funny as hell" pop culture fantasy "Tune-iverse" books "Tune in Tomorrow" and "We Interrupt This Program." She’s also written the dark rock n’ roll Celtic fantasies "The Only Song Worth Singing" and "Leave No Trace," plus numerous short stories, and hundreds of articles for Variety and the LA Times. She curates and emcees the Brooklyn Books & Booze reading series and hosts a “How to Be Interviewed” set of videos through Creative Coaching Partners. She is happiest while eating a mango.

Rebecca Wynick often reflects on the people and places of her youth, relocating some of her favorite haunts into her fictional settings. Missing her beloved Catskill Mountains, she moved to the foothills of western North Carolina where she still misses New York diners, pizza, and Kosher delis (to name a few). Wynick spends her days largely in the past, teaching about dead, British writers. On weekends, she enjoys treasure hunting with her husband, collecting antique typewriters, blown glass, and pottery from local artists. Her grown children inspire her to keep following her passion for writing, and she occasionally thanks them with homemade cheesecake. Her cat is not so easily impressed.

Rey Nichols, a native of the Midwest, is the love child of an Eldritch horror with more apostrophes than letters in its name and the front person of a forgotten 80’s rock band she can’t quite remember the name of. Only two degrees away from Kevin Bacon, when Rey is not busy trying to evade capture from monster hunters, she spends her time writing urban fantasy and sci-fi detective noir. Her newest title, The Onyx Stone: Chondrial Book 1 releases this year through Gold Dust Publishing. You can find out more about Rey and her works by visiting https://www.reynichols.com.

Born and raised in Detroit, Rita Woods is the award-winning author of three novels: Remembrance, The Last Dreamwalker, and her latest, The Edge of Yesterday. She has twice been named one of Chicago’s Top 50 Artists and has been a recipient of the AALBC (African American Literary Book Club) Award for Fiction as well as the Hurston-Wright Literary Award for Fiction (2020). Today, Rita lives in suburban Chicago with her family, where she also serves as a Trustee on her local library board. She loves magic, books, history, coffee, and travel—especially visiting cemeteries—not necessarily in that order.

Rob Gilmore (he/him, writing as Rob Grimoire) is a multi-genre author and screenwriter from rural South Georgia. A father, nurse, and musician, he is a lover of comics, speculative fiction, and all types of horror. His work often explores space shenanigans, psychologically thrilling schemes, and cosmic horror conundrums. Rob began writing prose in November 2022 after a memorable encounter with a group of "radioactive authors" at MultiverseCon. He also lives with synesthesia (which, he clarifies, was not caused by the authors). You can find his social media and collected works here: https://linktr.ee/RGrimoire

Robyn Huss is a freelance editor who specializes in heavy developmental and copy editing. She has spent a lifetime analyzing fiction and writing; she taught literature and writing for more than thirty years in grades six through college, and she has been editing professionally since 2013. She has edited for several Multiverse authors and Inkd Publishing, a Multiverse sponsor. You can learn more about Robyn and see samples of her work at www.HussEditing.com

Rosemary Claire Smith writes about dinosaurs, time travel, exploring space, alternate history, and ancient myths. She co-authored Saurotopia, a novel featuring smart dinosaurs in space. Her story “Apollo in Retrograde” won the Sidewise Award for Alternate History. She is a four-time finalist for Analog Magazine's readers award. Look for her regular book reviews in in Analog. As a former archaeologist, Rosemary excavated ancient sites in the U.S. She’s never given up her dream of jumping back to the heyday of the dinosaurs. You can come along by playing her interactive adventure game, T-Rex Time Machine. www.rcwordsmith.com

Rosie J. Potter (she/her) is an author of romance and speculative fiction, freelance editor, and host of #WIPSnips on Bluesky. Her debut holiday romantic suspense, The Tinsel Twist, releases November 3rd from Turner Publishing, and her horror has been on The NoSleep Podcast. Beyond writing, Rosie is a musician who has performed anywhere from dive bars to the Vatican to Carnegie Hall. She’s also a video gamer, a coffee and tea addict, and has been known to hula hoop with fire. Rosie lives in Tennessee with her partner and their feline overlords.

An unapologetic extrovert, science fiction and fantasy author Sara T. Bond is the author of the space opera GRAVITY'S HEIR, and the Iron Earth urban fantasy series from Falstaff books, including SUMMER’S BLOOD, WINTER’S STING, and the forthcoming IRON'S STRENGTH. She has lived many lives, dabbling in academics, political research, campaign management, and even a short, lucrative career in high-end fashion retail. Now she uses fiction to tell truths about identity, legacy, and what we owe to each other. Born and raised in Atlanta, Sara now lives in Seattle with her husband and two feral but fantastic children. Find her at www.saratbond.com.

Sara’s interest in jewelry design started at a very young age, but her career began with a job at a bead store in Tuscaloosa, AL. Access to other artists and a wealth of materials allowed her to develop her personal style as well as the skills to realize her designs. An interest in textile techniques such as weaving, knitting, and crochet heavily influenced her design aesthetic. She was able to refine some of these textile techniques into jewelry applications. Her day jobs as a bookseller and then librarian provided an entirely new source of inspiration in the books she works with.

Sara Omer is a Pushcart Prize-nominated short story writer. She’s been a technical editor for medical and engineering publications and is now pursuing teaching. You can find her poetry and prose in places like The Dark, PodCastle, Old Moon Quarterly, and elsewhere. The Gryphon King is her debut adult dark fantasy novel. The Harpy Knight, the sequel in the Southwest Asian-inspired Chaos Constellation trilogy, is out July 2026.

Sarah Madsen is an Atlanta-based author and game designer. In TTRPGs, she’s written for Wizards of the Coast, Kobold Press, MCDM, Beadle & Grimm, Legends of Avantris, and more! In video games, she wrote for the gothic RPG The Necromancer's Tale and the cozy village builder sim Ages of Cataria. She is the author of the novels Weaver's Folly and When the Stars Bleed. She is a member of SFWA. In her spare time, she enjoys playing video games and TTRPGs. She loves gin cocktails, fancy lattes, and romanceable NPCs. You can find her on Bluesky (@UnfetteredMuse) and at unfetteredmuse.com.

Sarah J. Sover is the author of the urban fantasy Fractured Fae Series as well as the comedic fantasy Double-Crossing the Bridge from Falstaff Books. Her short fiction appears in anthologies, and she’s a contributor to both Dan Koboldt’s Putting the Fact in Fantasy and to Writer’s Digest Magazine. Sarah is also co-editor of the upcoming anthology Disruptive Intent. She uses her Biology degree and background in animal care to gross out readers. Living in John’s Creek, Ga, Sarah raises two forces of nature with her husband Alex. She enjoys appearing at conventions, rampaging through Hyrule, dancing, and creating art.

A writer known for thrilling adventures and chilling terrors, Seth Tucker is the author of two book series: The Winston & Baum Steampunk Adventures and The Daughters of Selwynd sword and sorcery fantasy series. He is also the author of five stand alone horror novels, known for subverting expectations. His unique mark is left on all of the genres that he works in.

Shakir Rashaan has been conjuring stories for the past fifteen years and is best known for creating lavish worlds and introducing readers to topics they’ve never encountered before. When he isn’t conferring with characters, new and old, inside of his “NEBU Universe,” he can be found binge-watching series on various streaming platforms. Shakir currently resides in suburban Atlanta with his wife and their hyperactive dogs. Find out more at www.ShakirRashaan.com.

Shannon Strucci is a video essayist and professional video editor, podcast host, voice actor, and writer. They're a co-host on Critical Bits, Oddity Roadshow, Fight Together! on the One Piece podcast, and co-editor and contributor to Inside Out, the body horror TTRPG zine. They have also written for Brinkwood and Hero Too: Super Edition along with voice acting and performing in various actual play podcasts, video essays, and audio dramas, including voicing Noli-Me in Blanksword. 

Defying all odds is what #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon does best. Since her first book debuted while she was still in college, she has placed more than 80 novels on the New York Times list in all formats and genres, including manga and graphic novels, and has more than 70 million books in print worldwide.

When Sonja Dewing quit her job in 2014 and disappeared into the Amazon River basin for nine weeks, she was doing research for her fantasy novels. That journey through Inca ruins, myths, and living history sparked an award-winning series of novels (The Idol Maker Series) that blend adventure/thriller/fantasy with ancient legend. Named Best Author in New Mexico by the New Mexico Entertainment, Sonja has also earned numerous creative writing awards. She holds a degree in journalism from UNM. When she's not writing, she's hiking remote trails or lacing up her roller derby skates as Author of Pain.

Steven Van Patten is the author of the critically acclaimed Brookwater’s Curse trilogy that features an 1860s Georgia plantation slave who becomes law enforcement within the vampire community. In his other series, the titular character in his Killer Genius series is a modern day hyper-intelligent black woman who uses high-end technology as a socially conscious serial killer. SVP’s well reviewed short fiction includes contributions to over two dozen horror anthologies. This includes the Bram Stoker Award nominated Under Twin Suns, Even in The Grave and several appearances in Soul Scream Antholozine. His website is www.laughingblackvampire.com.

Stuart Grosse is an indie writer focusing primarily on the GameLit/LitRPG space. He is known primarily for his focus on episodic stories in a light novel/serial novella style, and his use of Villains as Protagonists. In his words, he writes "Bad People doing Bad Things for Fun and Profit, and they Win, with no redemption arc in sight." He has over 200 titles on his Amazon page, over several series.

Tamsin Silver is a New Mexico based author who writes Historical Fantasy (The Untold Legends about Billy the Kid) and Urban Fantasy. She is also the creator/writer/director of the web series, Skye of the Damned and other novels, like Mark of the Necromancer and the Windfire Series. Learn more at www.tammyandsilver.com.

Tiara Janté is a multi-genre writer whose work explores Black liberation, Ancestral memory, and speculative futures. She is the author of Zone Eleven & Other Dope Tales and has appeared in Terminus 3, Spacefunk!, Spyfunk!, and Luminescent Threads: Connections to Octavia E. Butler. She coined Hoodoofuturism to name the kind of stories she tells—where ancestral technologies and speculative futures move together. She also publishes short stories on Substack and is currently at work on her first novel, creating worlds where memory is archive, story is altar, and language becomes a way back home. She lives near Atlanta with her children, partner, and the characters in her head.

Tiffany is a multi genre author and publisher. An advocate for LGBTQ and women’s rights. A animal lover and a crafty witch.

By day, Tyra Burton is an award-winning marketing professor at Kennesaw State University specializing in digital and social media marketing — because even Jedi need to understand their audience. By night, she writes cozy fantasies and co-hosts the Be Awesome Together podcast, where she helps creators master content strategy, community-building, and the business of creativity. She also explores the intersections of fandom, AI, and social media in her nonfiction work. Passionate about Star Wars, Disney, Ireland, and the sacred combination of coffee and whiskey, she lives near Atlanta with her husband and their fur babies. Find her at tyraburton.com.

Vincent E.M. Thorn is a Japanese-American fantasy author, best known for the award-winning Dreamscape Voyager series. Stricken by a deeply rooted obsession with mythology, his ultimate ambition is to weave his own works into legend. When not writing, Thorn enjoys video games, animated musicals, meddling with dark forces beyond mortal ken, and heavy metal.

Atlanta native, Violette Meier, is a happily married mother, writer, and folk artist who earned her B.A. in English at Clark Atlanta University and a MDiv at the Interdenominational Theological Center. The great-granddaughter of a dream interpreter, Violette is a lover of all things supernatural. Her eerie and unpredictable paranormal, fantasy, and horror stories recreate myths and legends and fashion new folklore. Violette is always working on something fresh. To learn more about Violette and her eerie antics, visit her website VioletteMeier.com.

William Sterling is an author, editor, screenwriter, and sometimes actor from Dacula, Georgia. His latest works include editing the PUNK goes HORROR anthology, the upcoming novel Latchkey Monsters, and screenwriting for the film Signal Zero

Winnifred, or as most know her by Winnie, is an artist, entrepreneur, and author of her debut series, The Gods’ Scion. Since 2019, she has been involved in indie publishing and expanded her creative pursuits by opening her own publishing house in 2024. Winnie has a lifelong love of literature and art, aiming to create beautiful fantasy worlds with compelling and intriguing characters. She loves to spread positivity and joy to those around her, viewing the world through a glittery pink lens.

Woodrow is a (former?) Belly Dancer (former??) Scadian, and Eternal Techie and TTRPGer. He's written Non-Fiction for a wide variety of publications and websites, with Fiction coming at some point before the heat-death of the universe. However, what will be written upon his grave, is that his name was used for the Star Wars character Willrow Hood. He lives in South Carolina with two cats, one of whom he did NOT agree to name Renfield, and a fiancee who loves to read his work and put skulls ‘round the house.

Yin Doll is a witch, druid, and writer who owns Yin’s Psychic Readings LLC. Using a variety of divination methods, her goal has always been to deliver clarity with kindness. After years of study to hone her craft, and as a member of OBOD (Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids) she is committed in her search for esoteric knowledge. Her occult articles were published in Lodestone Magazine for the Final Fantasy XIV: Online gaming community, and she's participated in paranormal investigations at one of the most haunted sites in the US: Waverly Hills Sanatorium.