Nikhil Prabala's debut queer romantasy, The Duchess of Kokora, was released August of 2024 and his audiobook, narrated by Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh, was released early this year. (Check out his feature with Shondaland!)

Nikhil drew from his experience as a Dungeon Master in Dungeons and Dragons to create an immersive fantasy world, with a unique magic system and refreshing take on marriage games, and he has been praised for his realistically flawed characters.

Fatima Alabi was not much of a reader growing up, but that was until she came across te trilogy by E.L. James titled "Fifty Shades of Grey," at a time when she needed an escape from reality. At the time she was 19 years old and homeless, secretely squatting at the office building where she interned. She became completely wrapped up in the love story between the characeres, reading all three novels from the series in under a week. After that experience, a new ambition grew inside her and that was the desire to write a novel just as capticating that would turn a non-reader like she once was into the page-turner that she became, and to also help anyone going through a difficult phase in life escaspe from their reality by imersing themselves in her stories.

Sheryl Bass holds a master's degree in social work and has studied child development. SHe uses these insights to ingotm her picture book writing. Bass is a member of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and Children's Book Insider (CBI). SHe has had personal essays published in two books, Lost Souls: Found! Inspiring Stories About Chihuahuas (Kyla Duffy and Lowrey Mumford) and Second-Chance Dogs:L True Stories of the Dogs We Rescue and the Dogs WHo Rescue Us (ed. Callie Smith Grant). Bass also holds a master's degree in journalism and is currently working in public relations. Her goal in creating Be-Kind Publishing is to produce lighthearted rhyming stories with gentle themes of teamwork and friendship. Bass resides just outside of Chicago, IL with her husband and two terriers.

Dante Terese is the "other" Dante, who writes books, works as a baker/pastry chef, and volunteers with gardening amd ptjher endeavors. Her stories are very different in settings, chartacters, and conculsions. Her nbewest books, "The Base - Book 2" is the second in a planned trilogy.

Helena holds a master's degree and bachelor's of science degree in nursing. She is now retired. Helena practiced nursing for over 4 decades. Her last position was an assistant professor, who researched and presented at international harm reduction conferences in Vancouver and Barcelona.

During her Master's program she swallowed ten narcotic Tylenol no. 1 tablets three times a day and the sedating, anti-nausea pill, Gravol to help her sleep. Depite this, she managed to somehow maintain an A grade average.

She has since quit using alcohol and drugs on her own.

New York resident and author, Flora Qian was born and raised in Shanghai but has lived in Singapore and Hong Kong, where her ancestors had lived, and in Washington D.C. before settling in New York. This cross cultural and multilingual experience influenced her debut novel, "South fo the Yangtze."

At once a coming-of-age-story and a meditation on language itself, South of the Yangtze is Flora Qian's award-winning debut novel that follows Yinan Qian, a girl growing up in Shanghai at the turn of the century.

Returning guest author, Dan Weedin, sits down with me to discuss his candidacy for the mayor of the city of Poulsbo, Washington. We get into how writing his books and his many years of experience as an entrepreneur will serve the city of Poulsbo if elected in November of 2025.

Sasha Saidman is a cherished voice in children's literature, weaving tales of wonder and wisdom from her home in the vibrant heart of the Washington D.C. area. Alongside her devoted husband and ther two delightful children, Sasha crafts stories that celebrate the diverse tapestry of families, drawing from her own unique journey through life.