Jones, C. Buck

Author C. Buck Jones
Birth Year (-Died Year)
1951
Birth City
Springfield
Birth State
MO
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Email (Public)
Author's Website
Occupation(s)
Retired Engineer - Writer
Biography

C. Buck Jones writes science fiction and fantasy novels with a Christian perspective. When he retired as an engineer, he took up writing to give himself something to occupy his time and keep him out of his wife’s hair. He enjoyed reading, especially science fiction and fantasy. When not at his computer writing or editing, he fishes with his grandkids or his dog in the Colorado streams and lakes near his home. He enjoys soccer, walking with his wife, and spending time in God’s infinitely beautiful creation.

Awards/Honors
Salvation and Doom: The Cathardi Prophecy received a 2024 Cristlit Book Award and was a finalist for Book of the Year
Education/Training
Graduated from W. J. Palmer High School
B.S., Colorado State University Pueblo Mechanical Engineering and Technology
M.B.A., University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Published Works Book Jackets
Image
Book cover image of Lightning's Edge
Image
Book cover image of Salvation and Doom
Organizations
Member of the American Christian Fiction Writers national and the Pikes Peak chapter
Member of the Alliance of Independent Authors
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Becoming a writer after retirement - Self-publishing an expensive hobby

Aisling, Nicole

Photo of author Nicole Aisling
Birth City
Colorado Springs
Birth State
CO
Current Location
Breckenridge, CO
Author's Website
Biography

I am a Colorado native, born in Colorado Springs, with a bachelor’s degree in biology (which I rarely use). An incurable thirst for knowledge led me astray to philosophy and psychology classes, which inspired stories like my debut novel, Chasing Nightmares. I love merging magic with science, creating worlds grounded in physics and biology… but still fantastical. I grew up practically living at various PPLD branches and am honored to now have my debut in the library catalog.

Published Works Book Jackets
Image
Book cover image of The Sound of Nothing
Image
Book cover image of Chasing Nightmares
Organizations
Pikes Peak Writers
Speaker Availability
No

Schmoyer, Jeff

Photo of author Jeff Schmoyer
Birth State
MD
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Email (Public)
Author's Website
Occupation(s)
Programmer, writer
Biography

Jeff Schmoyer tries to find humor in the crazy world around him. Several of his short plays have been produced, and his short stories have been published in the Pikes Peak Writers anthologies, Journeys into Possibility and The Other Side of the Mountain. He is the author of the Snack-Sized Mystery series starring food blogger Murph Murphy, including Smoked, Cracked, Tossed, and Squashed. He has lived in the Pikes Peak region for over 40 years, and is always up for a tasty meal and a friendly game of cards. Find more at JmarsInk.com.

Published Works Book Jackets
Image
Book cover image for Squashed: A Snack-Sized Mystery
Image
Book cover image for Tossed: A Snack-Sized Mystery
Image
Book cover image of Cracked: A Snack-Sized Mystery
Image
Book cover image for Smoked: A Snack-Sized Mystery
Organizations
Pikes Peak Writers
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Cozy-ish mysteries

Brick, Reggie

Birth Year (-Died Year)
1962
Birth City
Wichita
Birth State
KS
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Occupation(s)
Author, Registered Nurse
Biography

Reggie has lived in Colorado Springs for 27 years with her husband. She has worked, volunteered and reared two children in Colorado. Her new passion for writing came later in life and the joy of pursuing the goal of writing more novels fuels her happiness.

Education/Training
Registered Nurse. MBA
Published Works Book Jackets
Image
Book cover of Big Bay
Image
Book cover of Big Rock
Image
Book cover image of Big Kiwi
Speaker Availability
No

Burke, Vincent

Author Vincent "Vicenzo" Burke
Pseudonym
Vincenzo
Birth City
Newport News
Birth State
VA
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Email (Public)
Occupation(s)
Regional Senior Librarian Associate
Biography

Vincent Burke III is a cultural anthropologist and fiction writer who specializes in queer storytelling. His degree in Cultural Anthropology comes from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, where he began writing short horror fiction in 2016. Soon after having published his first story, The Remains of Adrian Hewitt, Vincent began formulating a plan for Flesh and Bone, a sprawling series that would encompass his studies, his love of reading, and his own tumultuous past. Growing up in a divided house, Vincent's experiences with abuse and survival ultimately led him into the United States Army where he started developing an understanding of his own queerness and spirituality. After briefly serving as a combat engineer, Vincent moved back to Colorado where he began pursuing his degree in Anthropology at UCCS. Now living safely and comfortably with his boyfriend, best friend, and their cat, Orpheus, he spends the day reading, writing, playing lacrosse and thinking of the next best American novel.

Education/Training
BA in Cultural Anthropology, concentration in History and Memory
Published Works
The Remains of Adrian Hewitt (Deserted Zine Publishing, 2021)
Published Works Book Jackets
Image
Awakening
Organizations
Member of the Pikes Peak Library District - National Archives (Citizens Archivist)
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Queer Storytelling, Embracing Gay Spirituality, Writing as Therapy, Fiction as Healing.

Gillings, Bowen

Author Bowen Gillings
Birth Year (-Died Year)
1973
Birth City
Oshkosh
Birth State
WI
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Email (Public)
Author's Website
Occupation(s)
Author, Park Interpreter
Biography

Bowen Gillings writes to keep fiction fun. Readers love his quirky, offbeat style that "boggles the genre mind." Bowen has shared writing tips and secrets on TV, radio, podcasts, YouTube channels, and through a variety of workshops. He holds a Master of Education, five martial arts black belt certifications, and is an Army veteran. Travel enthusiast, outdoors lover, and RPG nerd, Bowen enjoys cooking big meals for family and friends. Find out more at storiesbybowen.com.

Awards/Honors
Honorable Mention L. Ron Hubbard’s Writers of the Future Competition (Winter 2024)
Finalist, Colorado Gold Rush Literary Awards (2019)
Third Place, Zebulon Fiction Writing Contest: SciFi/Fantasy (2018)
Education/Training
Bachelor of Science, Mass Communications (St. Cloud State University)
Master of Education, Adult Education (University of Alaska Anchorage)
Published Works Book Jackets
Image
Book cover for A Night to Remember
Image
Book cover for Exceptionals
Image
Book cover for Fresh Starts
Image
Book cover for Journeys Into Possibility
Organizations
* Pikes Peak Writers
* Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
* League of Utah Writers
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
* Writing fight scenes
* Getting the most out of a writers conference
* Self-publishing
* How to critique writing
* How to conduct a critique group
* Turning a short story into a novel
* History of Garden of the Gods
* Charles Elliott Perkins (Perkins family gave the original piece of land that would become Garden of the Gods)
* The Civilian Conservation Corps in Colorado Springs

Miura, Susan

Author Susan Miura
Birth Year (-Died Year)
1958
Birth City
Chicago
Birth State
IL
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Email (Public)
Author's Website
Occupation(s)
Author, speaker, editor, book reviewer
Biography

Susan Miura is an author, editor, and speaker as well as a former Chicago-area journalist and public relations professional. She believes book characters should reflect the world in which we live, and therefore includes characters of various ethnicities, abilities, and cultures in her novels. Her award-winning young adult books are clean fiction with suspense, danger, and touches of romance and humor. Susan also writes inspirational women’s fiction and has one children’s poetry book that features several of her wildlife photos. Hobbies include nature photography, hiking, baking, and reading. Susan recently moved to Colorado Springs from a Chicago suburb and loves the sunshine, mountains, and hiking opportunities.

Awards/Honors
Healer: 2018 Readers' Favorite Award/5-star Review: Young Adult Fiction
Healer: 2018 StoryMonsters Royal Dragonfly 1st Place Fiction
Healer: 2018 StoryMonsters Royal Dragonfly 1st Place Young Adult Fiction
Shards of Light: 2019 StoryMonsters Royal Dragonfly 1st Place Young Adult Fiction
Shards of Light: 2020 Bronze Medal: Illumination Book Awards: Young Adult Fiction
Shards of Light: 2020 Readers' Favorite Award/5-star Review: Young Adult Fiction
Shards of Light: 2020 Bronze Medal: Moonbeam Book Award
Signs in the Dark: 2020 Readers' Favorite Award/5-star Review: Young Adult Fiction
Signs in the Dark: 2021 StoryMonsters Royal Dragonfly 2nd Place: Young Adult Fiction
Signs in the Dark: 2021 Readers' Favorite 5-star Review
Signs in the Dark: 2021 Wishing Shelf Awards-Red Ribbon Recipient
Surviving Carmelita: 2021 Christian Inspirational Finalist (American Fiction Awards)
Surviving Carmelita: 2021 Christian Market Novel of the Year, 2nd Place (Advanced Writers & Speakers Assoc.)
Organizations
* SCBWI
* ACFW
* Served as ACFW-Chicago Chapter Vice President for 3 years
* Served as ACFW-Chicago Chapter President for 3 years
* Taught workshops at the Write to Publish Conference and the ACFW-Chicago Conference
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Please Note: All topic descriptions can be found on my website at https://www.susanmiura.com

AUTHOR VISIT: I talk about my books and provide insight on the writing & publishing process.

WRITING WORKSHOPS:
* The Art of Imagery
* Nail That Pitch: How to Talk to Agents & Editors
* Query Letters That Get Results
* Dynamic Dialogue
* The Allure of Foreign Settings
* Write What You Know (for teens)
* Nail that College Admissions Essay (for college-bound high school students)

TRAVEL PRESENTATIONS:
* Florida Keys Journey
* Chocolate USA! (a combination of travel and chocolate)
* Sensational Sicily (one of my books is set in Sicily)
* Roaming the Midwest
* Greek Island Voyage
* Intriguing Italy
* Explore the Smokies
* Savor the 60s (a year-by-year glimpse of the 1960s)

Stanecek, Taylor

Taylor Stanecek
Birth City
Monument
Birth State
CO
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Occupation(s)
Author, Broker, & Commercial Property Manager
Biography

Taylor Stanecek has spent most of his life in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He's currently a commercial property manager with a drive to write in his spare time. His passion for writing sparked in grade school with the help of a motivational teacher and has pushed him to continue to strive for creativity through short stories and poetry over the years, finally moving into fictional novels. Identifying as gay, Taylor has focused his first coming of age trilogy on LGBT culture.

Education/Training
Master of Business Administration – Finance
Real Estate Broker License
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science / Minor in Writing
Local Authors Genres
Published Works Book Jackets
Image
Bad Blood
Image
Blood Ties
Image
Cold Blood
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Writing & Becoming an Author
The route to Self-Publishing
The Steps in Finding Editors & Cover Artists
LGBT+ Culture
Struggles of Family Dysfunction

DeSye, Davyne

DeSye, Davyne
Birth Year (-Died Year)
1963
Birth City
Frankfurt, DE
Email (Public)
Author's Website
Occupation(s)
Author
Biography

Davyne spent her life traveling the world and has lived in Germany, Bolivia, Somalia, Afghanistan, Japan, Korea, Mexico, and the United States. She came to Colorado in 1993 and now writes from a cozy spot nestled at the base of the Pikes Peak in beautiful Colorado Springs. One of the settings in her book, Phantom Rising, is loosely based on Glen Eyrie Castle in Colorado Springs.

Awards/Honors
Reader's Favorite Five-Star Rating (For Love of the Phantom)
Reader's Favorite Five-Star Rating (Phantom Rising)
Education/Training
Juris Doctorate, 1992
Bachelor of Science - Decision Studies/Computer Science, 1987
Associate of Science - Business Administrations, 1987
Associate of Science - General Studies, 1987
Published Works
"Carapace" (Tomorrow: Speculative Fiction, December 1995)
"The Thief Speaks" (Tomorrow: Speculative Fiction, July 1997)
"Mine Eyes" (Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, October 2012)
"There I Was..." (Nth Degree, October 2012)
"The Cloak" (MindFlights, October 2012)
"The Slide" (Penumbra eMag, January 2013)
"Mirror, Mirror" (Daily Science Fiction, March 2013)
"Shattered" (BuzzyMag, September 2013)
"...I Win" (Tales of the Talisman, October 2013)
"Moron" (OnSpec Magazine, May 2014)
"It's Not What You Think" (Perihelion Science Fiction Magazine, December 2015)
"Message in a Bottle" (Shoreline of Infinity, Spring 2017)
"City of the Dead" (Enter the Rebirth, TANSTAAFL, June 2018)
"Message in a Bottle" (Shoreline of Infinity, Special Edition, Spring 2018)
Organizations
Member, Romance Writers of America
Member, Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
Member, Colorado Bar Association
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Various aspects of writing
Subscribe to General Fiction