Angie Thomas' debut novel, The Hate U Give, has spent more than four years on The New York Times bestseller list, where it was joined by her second novel, On the Come Up, and now her third, Concrete Rose.

Alyssa Cole is a New York Times Bestselling author of romance and thrillers. An Extraordinary Union was the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018, and A Princess in Theory was one of the NYT’s 100 Notable Books of 2018. 

Ayana Gray is a lover of monsters and magic. Originally from Atlanta, she now lives in Florida where she writes fantastical stories, follows Formula One racing, and worries over her adopted baby rhino, Apollo. 

Kelly Coon is the author of the Gravemaidens duology, an editor for Blue Ocean Brain and a former high school English teacher. She lives near Tampa with her three sons, brilliant husband, and a spoiled rescue pup.

Stefani Deoul authors the award-winning, young adult mystery series, the Sid Rubin Silicon Alley Adventures. She’s also a television producer, with SyFy’s Haven and Dead Zone among her credits.

Trish Doller is the author of five young adult novels, including Start Here and Something Like Normal. She enjoys sailing, traveling, and avoiding housework. She lives in Fort Myers.

Namina Forna is the LosAngeles-based author of the bestselling epic fantasy YA novel The Gilded Ones. Originally from Sierra Leone, Namina loves building fantastical worlds and telling stories with fierce female leads.

Racquel Henry is a Trinidadian writer, editor, and part-time professor. She owns the writing studio, Writer’s Atelier and Black Fox Literary Magazine. Racquel is the author of Holiday on Park and The Writer’s Atelier Little Book of Writing Affirmations. 

James Holmes is a journalist who has been writing for television for twenty-five years. He wakes at 1:30 every morning to write and in this caffeinated haze, his literary monsters are born. 

Isabel Ibañez was born in Boca Raton and is the proud daughter of two Bolivian immigrants. She received her degree in creative writing and has been a Pitch Wars mentor for three years. 

Brenda Jackson is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of over 100 novels and novellas.

Caitlin Lochner is a graduate student who writes YA novels about found family, adventure, and learning to love who you are. She has worked as a copyeditor, English teacher, and creative writing instructor.

Amber Mitchell is the author of War of the Wilted (October 1, 2018, Entangled Teen) and Garden of Thorns ( 2017, Entangled Teen).

R. M. Romero is a Jewish Latina author of fairy tales. She lives in Miami Beach with her cat Henry VIII and spends her summers maintaining Jewish cemeteries in Poland.

Rob Sanders is a teacher who writes and a writer who teaches. He is known for his funny and fierce fiction and nonfiction picture books and is recognized as one of the pioneers in the arena of LGBTQ+ literary nonfiction picture books. 

Taylor Simonds is the author of Collateral Damage. Talk to her about Spider-Man or Tangled; you won’t regret it. You might regret it. 

Jenny Torres Sanchez is a full-time writer and former English teacher. Her latest novel, We Are Not from Here, is about the plight of three Guatemalan teen migrants aboard the death train known as La Bestia.

Mara Wells loves stories, especially stories with kissing. She lives in Hollywood, Florida, with her family and two rescue dogs—a poodle-mix named Houdini Beauregarde and Sheba Reba Rita Peanut, a chihuahua-mix.

Michael Wiley writes the Sam Kelson, Daniel Turner, and Shamus Award-winning Joe Kozmarski mystery and thriller series—most recently Head Case. He lives, writes, and teaches in Jacksonville, Florida.