Thrillers/Suspense

Wright, Shelly

Wright, Shelly
Pseudonym
Shelly Goodman Wright
Birth Year (-Died Year)
1971
Birth City
Downey
Birth State
CA
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Occupation(s)
Author - Teacher - Homeschooling mom
Biography

As a young, vicious reader, Shelly Goodman Wright spent most of her time, either in the restricted reading section of the library, or scribbling away in journals. Shelly’s first novel A Light into the Darkness earned a Puddly Award in 2013 and in 2015 was nominated for Family Fiction's top ten books. In 2016, she completed and published her third novel in the Twisted Roots series and started teaching creative writing classes at High Country Home Educators. Currently she is working on an apocalyptic romance which can only be described as a cross between Left Behind and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Shelly lives in Colorado with her husband Tim, three daughters, two dogs, and three guinea pigs.

Awards/Honors
Goodreads - Best Christian Fiction
Powell's Bookstore winner 2012 of the Puddly Awards
Local Authors Genres
Published Works Book Jackets
Organizations
Colorado Springs Fiction Writers Group - Fiction Foundry
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
I love writing. Just give me a topic and I can speak for hours. My passion is helping others tell their story. I'm not so strong on the grammar side, but can efficiently show another writer how to grow in the craft of writing. Telling vs Showing...active voice, passive voice, tense shifts (more conceptual). I also love working with young writers and building on their passion for the written word. I know a lot about writing critique groups as well and have been a part of one since 2009--the best way to grow as a writer :-)

Odell, Terry

Odell, Terry
Birth Year (-Died Year)
1947
Birth City
Los Angeles
Birth State
CA
Current Location
Divide, CO
Occupation(s)
Writer
Biography

Terry Odell always wanted to "fix" stories she read so the characters did what she wanted. She discovered this wasn't always possible when the mystery she intended to write became a romance—a real surprise, since she'd never read a romance. Terry writes mystery and romantic suspense, but calls them "Mysteries With Relationships." Her works include the Blackthorne, Inc. covert ops series, the Pine Hills Police series, and the Mapleton Mystery series. Her short story collection, Seeing Red, is a Silver Falchion Award winner. She's currently working on a new series set against the backdrop of a Colorado cattle ranch.

Awards/Honors
HOLT Medallion, best romantic suspense (for Where Danger Hides)
Colorado Romance Award of Excellence finalist (for Rooted In Danger)
Daphne du Maurier Award, RWA
Aspen Gold Award
Volusia County RWA
Education/Training
Graduate of UCLA
Local Authors Genres
Organizations
MWA - RWA - International Thriller Writers - Novelists, Inc. - Sisters in Crime
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Writing craft topics, including voice, point of view, dialogue, plotting - Indie Publishing - Creating Audiobooks via ACX

Bell, Donnell Ann

Author Donnell Ann Bell
Birth Year (-Died Year)
1957
Occupation(s)
Writer (former newspaper editor and writer)
Biography

Donnell Ann Bell is the author of the Amazon bestsellers, Deadly Recall and The Past Came Hunting, both of which were nominated for the prestigious Golden Heart from Romance Writers of America. Deadly Recall is also a 2014 EPIC eBook Awards nominee for best thriller/suspense. Her book, Black Pearl: A Cold Case Suspense, was released in 2019 and was a finalist in the 2020 Colorado Book Awards, Thriller category. Her website is www.donnellannbell.com.

Awards/Honors
For Walk Away Joe (published as The Past Came Hunting): 2007 RWA's Golden Heart for Unpublished Authors
For Deadly Recall: 2010 RWA's Golden Heart for Unpublished Authors
For The Past Came Hunting: 2012 Booksellers Best - Best first book and Best single title
For The Past Came Hunting: 2012 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense - Best Single Title
For Deadly Recall: 2014 EPICON Nominee/Best Thriller Suspense
For Black Pearl: 2020 Finalist - Colorado Book Award, Thriller category
Education/Training
New Mexico State University - Denver Academy of Court Reporting - El Paso County Sheriff Citizen's Academy - Colorado Springs Police Citizen's Academy - Writer's Police Academy, Jamestown NC
Local Authors Genres
Published Works Book Jackets
Organizations
* Toastmasters
* Sisters in Crime
* Mystery Writers of America
* International Thriller Writers
* Romance Writers of America (Kiss of Death Chapter)
* Board Member at Large, Pikes Peak Writers
* Board Member, Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America
Speaker Availability
No

Bazer, Ashley

Author Ashley Bazer
Birth Year (-Died Year)
1973
Birth City
Enid
Birth State
OK
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Occupation(s)
Christian radio producer
Biography

Ashley Hodges Bazer is the author of the epic sci-fi series, The Crown's Call, which explores the onset and aftermath of a religious holocaust in a space opera setting. She also dabbles in young adult fantasy, bringing chess pieces to life in Checkmate and mixing up fairy tales with fun twists in Once Upon a Heist. She lives in Colorado with her husband and three children. After earning her bachelor’s degree in theatrical stage management from Arizona State University, she went on to work for Disneyland in that capacity. Currently a content producer for an international daily radio program, she’s become a pro at balancing work, writing, and mom duties. And she's a real duchess! Learn more about Ashley and her upcoming books at www.AshleyBazer.com.

Awards/Honors
For Asylum: Certificate of Merit, 2012 Deep River Books Writing Contest
For Asylum: Grand Prize Winner, 2012 WestBow Press Writer's Contest
For Checkmate: Top 30 Finalist, 2012 Women of Faith Writing Contest
Education/Training
Bachelor of Arts in Theater (stage management)
Published Works Book Jackets
Organizations
Pikes Peak Writers
Speaker Availability
No

Goraczkowski, Jennifer

Author Jennifer Goraczkowski
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Biography

I have lived in the Colorado Springs area with my family for over 30 years. I love to write and love where I live, so it made sense for my stories to take place here.

Published Works Book Jackets
Speaker Availability
No

Karchut, Darby

Author Darby Karchut
Birth State
NM
Current Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Occupation(s)
Author
Biography

Darby Karchut is an award-winning author, former teacher, and compulsive dawn greeter. Her many books include Del Toro Moon (middle grade fantasy series) and On a Good Horse (middle grade contemporary). She is the recipient of the Colorado Book Award, the High Plains Book Award, the Will Rogers Medallion Award, the IPPY Silver Award, and the Moonbeam Children’s Book Silver Award. A native of New Mexico, she now lives in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where she runs in blizzards and bikes in lightning storms. When not dodging death by Colorado, Darby can be found wrangling words. 

Visit the author at www.darbykarchut.com and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Goodreads.

 

Awards/Honors
For Griffin Rising: 2011 Sharp Writ Book of the Year
For Griffin Rising: 2012 Gold Medal Children's Literary Classics
For Griffin's Fire: 2012 Finalist, Sharp Writ Book Award
For Griffin's Fire: 2012 Readers' Favorite Bronze Award, Young Adult
For Money and Teens: 2013 EIFLE (Excellence in Financial Literacy Education) Book of the Year
For Finn Finnegan: 2014 IPPY Silver Medal for Juvenile Fiction
For Gideon's Spear: 2014 International Reader's Favorite Bronze Medal
For Stag Lord: 2016 USA Book News Best Book Award Finalist
For Stone's Heart: 2016 Chatelaine Award Finalist
For Del Toro Moon: 2019 Colorado Book Award, Juvenile Literature
For On A Good Horse: 2021 High Plains Book Award, Children’s Literature
For On A Good Horse: 2021 Will Rogers Medallion Award, Juvenile Literature
Education/Training
MA in Education - The Colorado College ; BA in Anthropology - The University of New Mexico
Published Works Book Jackets
Image
Book cover for Del Toro Moon
Image
Book cover for The Red Casket
Image
Book cover for Mace and Hammer
Image
Book cover for On a Good Horse
Organizations
PAL member of the SCBWI ; member of the Pikes Peak Writers
Speaker Availability
Yes
Speaker Topics
Craft of Writing - Genre Fiction - Middle Grade and YA Fiction