< Back Plot Twists and Persistence: A Thriller Author’s Journey and Lessons Learned From Northern Virginia roots to an optioned debut, Yasmin Angoe shares a road‑to‑publication story with the momentum of a thriller. She maps the rejections, rewrites, and lucky breaks behind the Nena Knight series, then shows how her process evolved—protecting voice, building discipline, and balancing ambition with life. Energizing, candid, and packed with actionable advice for aspiring and published writers. About Yasmin: Yasmin Angoe is an Anthony Award–nominated author of the Nena Knight action‑thriller series, which begins with Her Name Is Knight, and the domestic psychological suspense novel Not What She Seems. Her work has been optioned for film and television and featured in the New York Times, Oprah Daily, the Guardian, and PopSugar. A finalist for the Library of Virginia People’s Choice Award and a 2024 Goodreads Choice Awards nominee, she serves on the Sisters in Crime board. Born and raised in Northern Virginia, she lives in South Carolina. Previous Next

< Back Allison Gunn Allison Gunn is a researcher, writer, and librarian with a penchant for all things whimsical, folkloric, and strange. Presently digging deep into Appalachian Studies, she earned her MLIS and History M.A. from the University of Maryland with an emphasis on marginalized communities. She currently roams the wonderfully weird land of West Virginia with her delightful daughters, several furry overlords, and one masterful Mountaineer musician. Writing is, above all else, the only thing keeping her somewhat sane. Next

< Back Sarah Newland Sarah Newland is a licensed veterinary technician and award-winning young adult fiction author based in Virginia. Her debut trilogy, Extant, is an edge-of-your-seat beachy scifi-fantasy that has been honored with six awards between the three titles. When not adventuring with her family, writing novels, or saving animals, you can find Newland on her YouTube channel Books&Beasties discussing how animal characters double as literary devices in some of her favorite reads. As a vet tech, Newland’s books will always feature an animal sidekick and, as an avid reader, more than one throw-your-book twist. Next

< Back Jenn Bouchard Jenn Bouchard is the award-winning author of Considering Us and First Course. Her third novel, Palms on the Cape, will be published on July 2, 2026. She is a high school teacher of 26 years and also teaches writing classes and workshops to adults and teenagers in her local community and online. A graduate of Bates College and Tufts University, she lives with her family in the Boston suburbs. Next

< Back Peter Stipe Peter Stipe worked fourteen years as a high school history teacher and track coach, and has also worked in corporate Human Resources. He has a BA degree in History from Boston University and a MEd from Tufts. Peter has published six books of Fiction. His most recent book, “Crossing the Lines” tracks the struggles of the wealthy and the working class in a fishing town in New England through the challenging lives of two of the local public high school’s students. A New Englander most of his life he now lives in Williamsburg, Virginia. Next

< Back Mark Piggott A native of Phillipsburg, N.J., Mark Piggott enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1983, serving for 23 years before retiring in 2006 as a Chief Petty Officer. His first book, Forever Avalon, was published in 2009. In 2021, he signed with Curious Corvid Publishing. He has published more than ten fantasy and steampunk books, winning multiple awards. Mark lives in Alexandria, VA, with his wife, Georgiene. They have three children. Next

< Back Robert Archibald Robert Archibald is the Chancellor Professor of Economics Emeritus at the College of William and Mary. In retirement he’s started writing mystery novels. Blue Fortune Enterprises has published seven of his novels thus far. Set in current day America, his books feature real people dealing with real world problems, for example, identity theft, criminals who get off of technicalities, and judges who take bribes. None of the characters are particularly well endowed with natural abilities, but they are eventually able to bumble their way through to satisfactory conclusions. Next

< Back Luz Schweig Luz Schweig is an emerging poet raised in Mexico-Tenochtitlan, whose work participates in reviving Indigenous eco-spirituality. Her contributions have mainly focused on anthologizing marginalized voices, especially those of women. In 2012, Luz founded a women’s spiritual poetry project through which hundreds of contributors shared their stories. Her award winning anthology, Somos Xicanas, sparked a revival of published work by Mexican American women. First penned under a pseudonym, Luz’s first poetry manuscript was selected by Juan Felipe Herrera as first runner-up for the 2024 Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize. Next

< Back Kathryn Louise Wood Kathryn Louise Wood is the author of the Zephyr Stone middle grade supernatural mystery series published by Blue Ink Press. Born in Washington, North Carolina, she grew up on the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia. She received her BS in Education from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and, as a life-long learner and wearer of multiple hats, has worked as a teacher, social worker, television re-enactment actress, nationally certified massage therapist, writer, and award-winning photographic artist. She and her husband live in Edenton, NC, where they share their 1890s cottage with their beloved, rescued pups. Next

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< Back Sally Stiles Sally Stiles has called four continents, six countries, nine states and a small trawler home. She holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has taught and published non-fiction, fiction and poetry. A former editor of national magazines, her work includes eight published books and hundreds of magazine articles. Locally, she has served on the executive board of An Occasion for the Arts and The Williamsburg Book Festival. Next

< Back Christy Landers Tallamy Christy Landers Tallamy is a writer whose work explores the beauty and complexity of ordinary lives. Her style is often compared to Italian novelist Elena Ferrante. Her poetry and essays appear in several creative writing anthologies, and she has also worked as a ghostwriter, blogger, and essayist, earning small but meaningful accolades for her work. Her debut historical novel, Sugarcane Saint—the first in a planned trilogy—draws on her Southern roots to examine family loyalty, faith, and the legacies that shape who we become. Next