Birth City

Rome

Birth State

NY

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Biography

Eileen moved to the Colorado Springs area with her family when she was 8 years old. Although she had lived in three different homes before then, Colorado Springs is where she grew up and has her most fondest memories. After becoming an Army wife she has lived on the west coast, the east, and on the Gulf Coast as well. But now he is back in Colorado, raising her own family in her hometown. She is inspired every day by her children and various friendly faces that help her to imagine a world of stories. She has a newfound love of writing to help bring these stories to life for her young readers in age and in heart.

Education/Training

Associate degree, Psychology, Pikes Peak Community College

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Inspiration for Youth confidence and pursuing their dreams - Self-confidence - Encouraging individual creativity to shine

Pseudonym

L.D. Colter, L. Deni Colter

Current Location

Colorado

Biography

Liz has followed her heart through a wide variety of careers, including farming with a team of draft horses and working as a field paramedic, Outward Bound instructor, athletic trainer, and roller-skating waitress, among other curious choices. She also knows more about concrete than you might suspect. Her novels written under the name L. D. Colter explore contemporary and dark fantasy, and ones written as L. Deni Colter venture into epic fantasy realms. Following a long interlude in Southern and Northern California, she returned some years ago to her home state of Colorado, where she spends her time with her husband, dogs, horses, and writing (according to her husband, not always in that order of priority).

Awards/Honors

Local Authors Genres

Published Works Book Jackets

Interviews

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Publishing through a large press, small press or indie - Writing technique - Short story writing and submissions

Current Location

Front Range of the Rockies

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Time Machine Mechanic

Biography

AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR D. L. ORTON lives in the Rocky Mountains where she and her husband are raising three boys, a golden retriever, two Siberian cats, and an extremely long-lived Triops. In her spare time, she's building a time machine so that someone can go back and do the laundry.

Awards/Honors

Education/Training

Ms. Orton is a graduate of Stanford University's Writers Workshop and a past editor of <em>Top of the Western Staircase</em>, a literary publication of CU, Boulder. The author has a number of short stories published in online literary magazines, including Literotica, Melusine, Cosmoetica, The Ranfurly Review, and Catalyst Press.

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Interviews

Organizations

Independent Book Publishers Association

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Writing a book series - Indie publishing - How to find an editor, publisher, and audience

Birth City

Lincoln

Birth State

NE

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Educator and author

Biography

Carina Bissett is a writer, poet, and educator working primarily in the fields of dark fiction and fabulism. Her short fiction and poetry have been published in multiple journals and anthologies including Upon a Twice Time, Bitter Distillations: An Anthology of Poisonous Tales, Arterial Bloom, Gorgon: Stories of Emergence, Weird Dream Society, Hath No Fury, and the HWA Poetry Showcase Vol. V, VI, and VIII. She has also written stories set in shared worlds for RPGs at Green Ronin Publishing and Onyx Path Publishing. In addition to writing, she has edited several projects; the most recent is in the role as co-editor for Shadow Atlas: Dark Landscapes of the Americas.

As an educator, Carina has taught at Pikes Peak Community College, Glendale Community College, and Arizona State University. She also participated in the Colorado Writing Project and works with educators to develop writing instruction in college and secondary school classrooms. She currently offers workshops focused on story generation at The Storied Imaginarium. Her fiction has been nominated for the Sundress Publications Best of the Net Award and was a finalist for the Ron L. Hubbard Writers of the Future Awards. Her poetry has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and the Sundress Publications Best of the Net Award. In her editorial capacity, she’s received recognition as the Winner at the Colorado Book Awards 2022 (Anthology) and as a Finalist in the Fiction: Anthologies category of the 2022 International Book Award.

Awards/Honors

Education/Training

MFA in Creative Writing (University of Maine, 2018) - M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction (University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, 2011) - B.A. in Integrative Studies (Arizona State University, 1999) - A.A. in Humanities (Glendale Community College, 1998) - A.G.S. in General Studies (Glendale Community College, 1997)

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Organizations

Horror Writers Association - Science Fiction Poetry Association - Colorado Poets Center - Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

* Speculative fiction
* Creative non-fiction
* Speculative poetry
* Memoir
* Other creative pursuits

Birth City

Colorado Springs

Birth State

CO

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Author and Voiceover Actor

Biography

Fantasy author Tai Manivong was inspired to write a children’s novel while she was a third grade teacher, six years ago. But the seed was planted well before when, as a teenager in high school, a class assignment resulted in her first “book,” a story about a girl on a quest in a magical land.
Tai believes a great book is one with believable characters that readers can relate to. With many of her own books’ characters on a journey of self-discovery and finding out where they fit in the world, she hopes her young readers come away from her fantasy novels with a self-acceptance that stays with them long after the book is closed.

When she isn’t writing or being creative, Tai records audiobooks and enjoys spending time with her daughters. They live in Colorado along with their three dogs and two horses. 

Education/Training

Master of Arts in Teaching - Master of Arts in Psychology

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Interviews

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

I can speak about world building, character inspiration, my journey self publishing, formatting novels or education topics.

Pseudonym

Bradley Firebird (Bradley Thunderbird Phoenix)

Birth City

New York City

Birth State

NY

Current Location

Southern Colorado

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Customer service and office clerk

Biography

Born in Brooklyn, Long Island, New York, I have been a resident of southern Colorado since November 2011. I have written over 100 original stories (short stories, poems, indie screenplays, stage plays, and audiobook short stories (radio) plays & skits) of several genres: Twilight Zone-type stories, science fiction, horror, comedy, satire, and drama. I am currently working on a sci-fi novel that is a cross between Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.  I am a former homeless veteran (U.S. Army).

Awards/Honors

Education/Training

A.A. degree in General Studies, Suffolk Community College, Long Island, NY, 1977 - Army Admin School, Fort Jackson, 1980 - Cal Simmons Travel Agent School, Alexandria, VA, 1985. Attended Pikes Peak State College in Southern Colorado.

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Interviews

Organizations

Pikes Peak Community College Radio Theater Club - Pikes Peak Community College Entrepreneurs Club

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Radio Theater - How to Start a Radio Theater Club - How to Write a Radio Play or Script

Birth City

Union City

Birth State

IN

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Email (Public)

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Author - Illustrator - Graphic Designer

Biography

Jodi Cox is an American dieselpunk author born on April 10, 1979 in Union City, Indiana. She graduated from Simon Kenton High School in 1997. Later she went on to graduate with a BFA from the College of Mount Saint Joseph, now known as the University of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. After college, Jodi started writing for Citybeat magazine. Later she went on to become a pioneer in internet graphics and website development. After spending nearly ten years writing for everything from tax websites to poetry, Jodi began developing the world of the Nether After, unbeknownst to her that steampunk and dieselpunk was turning into a literary genre. Jodi enjoys all things speculative fiction, but has a pension for the weird and unusual. She describes herself as a comic book snob. She is often found with a stack of Japanese and American graphic novels in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. She enjoys drawing and painting, as well as writing. Her hours not spent on writing are devoted to geeking out over new computer hardware, or the latest video games. She loves ripping into electronics to see how they work, as well as cooking and developing new recipes. As a writer Jodi has been writing steampunk, dieselpunk, and fantasy of all types. She has even dipped her toe into science fiction.

Education/Training

BFA, Mt. St. Joseph University

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Published Works Book Jackets

Interviews

Organizations

Pikes Peak Writers - Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers - Tesla Writers

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Dieselpunk - Steampunk - Self publishing - Book layout and design - Web comics - High fantasy world building - Fantasy & pop culture tropes and how not to use them - Minority heroes - Ghost stories for kids - Comics in the new digital age - Comics in the classroom - Pop culture fandom

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Biography

Laura Ander grew up in Palmer Lake, CO and participated in numerous summer reading programs through the Pikes Peak Library District during her adolescent years. As she grew older, she developed an interest in writing short stories and dreamed of one day becoming an author. Laura Ander currently resides in Colorado Springs and spends her days working on her series The Alchemist Saga.

Education/Training

Bachelor of Science, International Business

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Self-publishing

Birth City

Ft. Stewart

Birth State

GA

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Occupation(s)

Primary Technical/Editor Writing

Biography

Peter E. Boroch is a former Marine, husband, and proud father. He is the author of the science fiction/military series Gothic Opera and the hard-boiled/mystery book The Man in the Leather Jacket: Predator Games. Peter studied art at Calhoun College and writing at American Military University. Peter is always eager to speak with fans and interact with fellow authors. In his free time, Peter enjoys spending time with his family, reading comics, drawing, writing, killing aliens on his Xbox, and working on the next great American novel!

Education/Training

Bachelor of Arts in English, emphasis on Creative Writing, American Military University, 2016

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Organizations

Phi Theta Kappa - Sigma Delta Kappa - Golden Key International Honor Society

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

Author is available to speak on a wide variety of subjects.

Birth Year (-Died Year)

1985

Birth City

Vendenbergh Air Force Bace

Birth State

CA

Current Location

Colorado Springs, CO

Author's Website

Occupation(s)

Paralegal

Biography

Nicholas S. Casale grew up in Palmer Lake, which is a small town in Colorado. Shortly thereafter, he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and began working as a paralegal.

From a young age he was attracted to history, myth, religion, and spent several years searching for the religion that best matched his personal beliefs; he is now a practicing Messianic Jew and is happily married to the woman who taught him Hebrew.

He first started writing stories when he was 6 years old. He invented a simple character named "Mousey," who was a mouse and a wizard. While his stories have grown more sophisticated since then, he has always had a love for the themes of that original story; the idea that the weak may overcome the strong through cleverness and imagination.

Education/Training

Bachelor of Arts Degree in History, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Local Authors Genres

Published Works

Speaker Availability

Yes

Speaker Topics

The Novels - History - Mythology - Religion