APRIL 5, 2025

Hometown: Richmond, TX

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Sarah Beth Baca is a mixed media artist, illustrator, and entrepreneur who lives and works in the greater Houston metropolitan area. Her art is directly related to the social and spiritual concerns of injustice, and effectively communicates on issues related to diversity, equality, renewal, unity and empowerment. She is a committed advocate of community-based art.

Hometown: Sugar Land, TX

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Life has taken me from studying Fine Art and Graphic Design at Washington State University; to being a designer, illustrator and art director in Alexandria, VA; to being an illustrator and educator in Lancaster, PA – with a wonderful stop at Syracuse University for grad school. I currently live in Sugar Land, Texas and write children’s books and continue to create humorous illustrations while keeping an eye out for snakes and alligators. When I am not in my studio you can find me teaching at the University of Houston in their Digital Media Program. 

For twenty years my editorial cartoons appeared in Lancaster Newspaper's Sunday News, Lancaster, PA. 

For 20 years I worked with an amazing group of students and faculty as an Associate Professor at Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in Lancaster, PA. 

Hometown: Beasley, TX

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Lauren Piland is an award-winning children's book author with her first published title, Blooming Rose Blasts Off! As a local mom and former teacher, Lauren's mission is to provide social-emotional learning (SEL) support tools to students, educators and parents with her SEL based book series, academic materials and hosting The Blooming Books Podcast. Book 2 in the series will be releasing soon, titled Blooming Rose Finds Her Jam! When not reading her story and meeting new friends in classrooms across our area at author visits, you can find her at home on their little farm with daughter Avery Rose, son Owens, and a whole host of animal characters! 

​Jordan Gray, a Houston native, is the author of The Happy Marauder, the first installment in The Infinite Night series. Dedicated to writing for the past two years, Jordan specializes in space opera, crafting thrilling stories set in the vast expanse of the cosmos. While bringing The Happy Marauder to life, Jordan also completed the series' second installment, Fermi Station, which is currently in editing. With a new cover design underway, readers can soon look forward to the next exciting chapter in this epic adventure.

Alexandra Burnett is a romantic suspense author who is all about murder, intrigue, and of course, steamy sex. Alexandra is a resident of the Richmond area and lives with her husband, daughter, two cats, and corgi, and when she's not writing, she's volunteering at her daughter's school, going to martial arts class, and bingeing on Asian dramas. This local indie author currently has her first series out with the first two books available at multiple retailers. The Burkes is a connecting standalone series starting with The Harvester and continuing with The Siren's Storm.  If you love danger, mystery, plot twists, and happily-ever-afters, then she is your author to look for.

Hometown: Sugar Land, TX

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Kalyani Adusumilli currently lives in Sugar Land, Texas, with her husband and two children. She received her JD from the University of Texas and her MPH from the University of Michigan. She enjoys travel, photography, and writing about mindful living on her website, The Happy Wildflower, in her spare time. She's published a collection of essays and poems from her website, The Happy Wildflower: Reflections on Life, Happiness, and Living Mindfully and Volume 2, The Happy Wildflower: Embracing the Journey. She is currently working on her first novel.

Raul Herrera and his Navy Swift Boat crew were decorated by Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky and Chief of State Nguyen Van Thieu for the capture of Skunk Alpha, a 120-ft North Vietnamese resupply trawler.  His memoir, Capturing Skunk Alpha, received a Silver Medal in a recent Military Writers Society of America Book Competition. His story has been featured on two KHOU-TV FIRST SUNDAY episodes as well as in a more recent show on Debrorah Duncan’s Greatday Houston. A book trailer is available on YouTube.

Born in 1955, Steve Long is a Baby Boomer. A grandson of Sicilian immigrants, he grew up in a

lively and devout Catholic extended family in Buffalo, New York. Now retired after a 32-year

career as a history teacher in which he combined his love of teaching with a flair for theater and

storytelling, he has been a lifelong learner with a fervent desire to inspire others toward being

the same. In Compliments of Pet Milk: A Boomer's Odyssey Across the Millennium Divide, his first book, he reflects on a life lived straddling two eras—one grounded in the simplicity of the 20th century, the other dominated by rapid technological and societal shifts. With sharp wit and poignant insight, the memoir delves into love, family, culture, and the seismic changes that

reshaped the American experience.

He’s also a drummer in classic rock, blues, and country bands, has traveled extensively

throughout the U.S. and Europe, has skydived and water-skied-once, and finally ridden a horse.

His hobbies include scale model building.

Sara Hayes Dietz lives with her husband and two daughters in a century-old farmhouse in Texas. She started writing stories at six years old, and although she'd like to think she's improved since then, the jury's still out. When she's not writing, you can usually find her pushing her preschooler on the swings or reminding her toddler that no, she's not big enough to pick up a cow.

Hometown: Houston, TX

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Danielle Coulanges, born in Haiti and a longtime New Yorker before relocating to Houston, Texas, is a multi-talented writer known for her vibrant presence in various fields. With a background as a former model and fashion designer, the quintessential diva loves to write.  She penned several published articles and short stories over the years. She made her mark in the literary world with her memoir, Cads, Princes & Best Friends: A Tale of Lust, Love & Redemption. Her engaging blog, "One Aging Diva," and the entertaining "D’Auntie Podcast" on YouTube showcase her insights on life, faith, and relationships.

Gemini Wahhaj is the author of the novel The Children of This Madness (7.13 Books, 2023) and the short-story collection Katy Family (Jackleg Press, April 2025). Her fiction is in Granta, Third Coast, River Styx, and other magazines. She has a PhD in creative writing from the University of Houston, where she received the James A. Michener award for fiction and the Cambor/Inprint fellowship. She is Associate Professor of English at Lone Star College in Houston.

Sandra Moreno was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She's been married over forty years. With two daughters and going on five grandchildren, her life is full of love, laughter, and occasional chaos. She enjoys cooking for her family and friends. Her continuous upbeat personality and bright smile light up the room. She began writing in the 90's on pieces of paper. She collected them in storage bags. In 2010, she pulled out the papers and put them together. She began blogging intense short stories about domestic violence. In 2016, her blog became a book, "The Wives of Machismo," which is now a book series. Part two, which is simply more riveting short stories, was published in 2020. She continues to work on book three and completing the series, then moving on to different genres. She's been interviewed on Let"s Vamonos network, featured in Latin Connection magazine, local newspapers, and has written numerous articles. Each of her short stories are all based on a true story, but she adds her own twists, turns, and a bit of karma, which makes these stories fictionally delicious.

Kylie is a graduate of Sam Houston State University. She has loved writing and storytelling for as long as she can remember. 

While Kylie loves writing poetry, her real passion lies in creating fantasy worlds such as the one you see in her debut novel, Adorned in Ice. 

When not writing, you can find her buying books she doesn’t need or cuddling with her dog, Toby, usually a drink with far too much caffeine in hand.

Born amongst torrential rain and tornadoes, Alia Hewitt arrived with a flair for the dramatic—an instinct she has since turned into storytelling. With an eye for history’s most compelling conflicts and a love for sharp-tongued heroes and heroines, she crafts tales where love, power, and peril are always entwined. Her debut novel Betrayers Game is available to read on May 01, 2025! Alia has called Sunrise, FL and Downtown Los Angeles her home, but now she resides in her hometown of Rosenberg, TX, surrounded by countless family

L.R. Powell is a Texas-native who’s obsessed with fantasy and romance books and drinks entirely too much coffee. She lives with her family in the Houston area and works in education. When she isn’t reading, writing, or working, you can find her chasing around her two small humans or catching up on her favorite anime or Star Wars shows with her husband. Her debut romantic fantasy, The Violet Mage, the first installment in the Kingdom of Ash and Water trilogy, was published June of 2024, and its sequel will be released later in 2025.

As a Houston native author, my roots run deep in the rich history, culture, and resilience of this incredible city. From exploring the great outdoors in Sam Houston National Forest to uncovering hidden gems in Houston’s historic districts, I find endless inspiration for my writing right in my own backyard. As an independent author, wife, and mother of two, I draw creativity from every corner of life—the beauty of nature, the echoes of history, the ever-changing pulse of politics, the wonders of science, and the timeless allure of romance. My passions extend beyond writing to reading, singing, painting, and gardening, but it’s the vivid world of my dreams that truly fuels my storytelling. Believing in the transformative power of dreams, I craft tales that span romance, time-travel adventures, and historical fiction. Grounded in my Christian faith and enriched by diverse life experiences—including a love for a good hunt or fish—I invite readers to step into my worlds, where history, love, and adventure collide.

Jennie Ouellette was born in Florida but raised in Texas. She has adegree in Physical Therapy and Biology from Texas State University. She is married to her high school sweetheart and they have remarkable twins. This is her first book and hopes this book brings acceptance to those that may be seen as different but amazing the way they are. She said, “This book was so much fun to do with my Momma!”

Melinda Morris Knight was born in Florida, a tropical state full of colorful and fragrant flowers and trees. Drawing, coloring, and painting have always brought her joy. She majored in art and art history in college, and she finds it thrilling to see original artwork in museums. She said, “It’s been an honor to work with Jennie on her book, and I hope it brings kindness and understanding to children everywhere!”

Shay Abigail is a Katy ISD alumni who received her BA in American Sign Language (ASL) in 2021. Her book, "My Name is Maya", was originally written as an assignment for her Deaf Education class. She is getting her MS-SLP to become a signing speech-language pathologist to advocate for language access for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) community. Shay hopes her book educates children of all ages and abilities about deafness and the super language of ASL!

Allie Lewis is a novelist whose books are equal parts sizzling romance and exciting plot. With a focus on the New Adult genre, Allie’s stories are perfect for the reader who craves a swoon-worthy, tension-filled romance with a plot that will keep them eagerly turning the page until the very end. Her books do not contain explicit content, making them suitable for a wide audience range. A native Houstonian and graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Allie worked professionally in both the nonprofit and magazine industries before transitioning to her role as a full-time author and mum to her baby girl. She currently lives in the Houston suburbs with her husband and daughter, and you can often find her with a cup of coffee in hand, fitting a writing session in during her baby's nap time.

Lisa Vasquez creates vivid, twisted horror with the precision of a scalpel, and cuts into the reader's psyche with fleshed-out characters. Her writing style has been compared to the works of Mary Shelley, Baz Luhrman, and Grand Guignol by John Palisano the Bram Stoker-winning author of Nerves and hailed as, "A writer of nightmarish vision and a new poetic voice in today's horror genre," by Peter Molnar, author of The Clockwork Lazarus." The Editor-in-Chief of Memento Mori Ink Magazine, Lisa Vasquez has led her team to Amazon's Best Seller distraction. Lisa is not only an advocate for mental health, Women in Horror (Vixens of Horror series), LGBTQ+ awareness, and the independent, dark fiction community, she is frequently commended for her mentorship programs.

Hannah is a passionate storyteller, a Fort Bend local mom of six, and an author whose life has been shaped by deep challenges and unexpected miracles. Living on a Prayer is her debut book, a deeply personal journey that intertwines a mother’s love with unwavering faith in the face of grief, loss, and trials. Drawing from her own experiences, Hannah writes to inspire others to find hope, healing, and the transformative power of love and prayer. Her writing is grounded in her belief that faith is the key to overcoming life’s darkest moments.

Gia Stone is an author of steamy romances. Faulted characters, misguided motives, and misconnections are at the heart of her books.  

She loves to collect passport stamps, savory memories, and race medals. Gia’s favorite quote is “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a person perfected without trials.

Gia Stone’s latest romance in her Houston Heights Series sets fire to the Football Romance genre with witty dialogue and sizzling characters who jump off the page.