Annual Events

Kirsten Eve Beachy lives with her husband Jason Alderfer, twin daughters, Sophie the cat, half a dozen unruly hens, and three skeptical Muscovy ducks in Briery Branch, Virginia, where she writes about motherhood, disability, and changelings. Kirsten received an MFA in Creative Writing from West Virginia University and taught creative writing and journalism at Eastern Mennonite University for many years. Learn more about her publications and connect with her at www.granolamennonite.com.

Linda Berry is the author of ten fast-paced mystery thrillers, including the seven-book Sidney Becker series. Several have been Amazon #1 bestsellers and ranked in the top ten for psychological thrillers, female sleuths, and murder mysteries. Her books are perfect for readers who love small-town mysteries, strong female protagonists, twisting plots, and psychological suspense. Linda conducts intensive research to ensure her characters are complex and unique, and her stories are captivating and original. Before becoming a full-time author, Linda enjoyed a twenty-five-year career as an award-winning graphic designer and copywriter, working with clients including Hewlett Packard, Fujitsu, and movie studios. She was also the award-winning Art Director for South Bay Accent magazine for six years.

ACF Bookens is a Charlottesville-based author who spins tales across a variety of genres, including romantic comedy, YA fantasy, and historical nonfiction. She is perhaps best known for her St. Marin’s Cozy Mystery series, which transports readers to a charming bookstore on Maryland's Eastern Shore. When she isn’t crafting new worlds or digging into history, Andi is busy navigating the adventures of life as a single mom. She is thrilled to be connecting with readers at the Rocktown Author Festival.

A Virginia native, Zac Cannon is an award-winning storyteller and a rising voice in popular fiction. His background in screenwriting gives his work a cinematic feel. He creates character-driven stories filled with tension, vivid action, blue-collar realism, and honest emotional depth. The result is believable, immersive storytelling that lingers with readers long after they turn the last page.

Rel Carroll is passionate about creating characters on the stage and the page. A former student of Brandon Sanderson and Orson Scott Card, she writes a blend of fantasy genres including the Mage Maker series and ghostwrites memoirs and nonfiction. Between storytelling, you can usually find her on the dance floor, trying on new accents, or dreaming up more adventures—real and imagined—with her husband, son, and beloved zoo of rescue animals in the Shenandoah Valley. Connect with the author-actress-activist @relcarroll or visit www.relcarroll.com to join her newsletter for updates and giveaways.

Heather S. Cole is the author, most recently, of "Virginia's Presidents: A History and Guide," "Ohio's Presidents: A History & Guide" and "The Biggest, Busiest and Best Suburb in New England." By day, she is editor and media relations director at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va. She moonlights as a freelance writer and editor of nonfiction, and runs a small publishing company (Rock Street Press) specializing in local history, biography and memoir. Find her on the socials at @HeatherSCole or at www.HeatherSCole.com.

A writer, editor, artist and publisher, Abigail has five earned degrees, including two Master’s and a PhD. She has had careers in business and social service and, since 1999, has worked in various higher education capacities. In 2021, she began teaching technical writing for UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science. As Abigail Dane, she is finishing book five in an historical romance pentalogy based on her own Royalist ancestors during the English Civil War. Book three in the series won five writing awards. She’s planning a second series set in 1600s Quebec, a Western novel, a children’s book, and a nonfiction book on intuition titled Everyday Intuition: Thinking Around Corners. For fun, she enjoys cosplaying as historical characters at nostalgia events and literary conventions.

Linda Ankrah-Dove lives in Harrisonburg and earned her MFA at West Virginia Wesleyan College. She is a member of the Poetry Society of Virginia and the West Virginia Writers. She has taught and performed poetry at JMU's Lifelong Learning Institute, Harrisonburg's Parentheses and Waynesboro's Stone Soup Books. Her poems have featured in a number of literary journals and magazines and, recently in the anthologies Month-to Years, Written in Arlington, and Gatherings. Her 2019 book was Borrowed Glint of Jade, St Brigid's Press. Her recent books are Out of Time which speaks of Loss, Grief and Survival, Gaia's Voices which dwells on man-kind's relationship with the natural world and global warming, and Mindful Matters which asks how the material and mystical worlds intertwine.

Judith Dreyer, MS, an international author, holds a master’s in Nutrition Science and a BSN in Nursing, blending science with holistic modalities like yoga, Ayurveda, TCM, shamanic dreaming, and archetypes. She has authored three non-fiction books: At the Garden’s Gate, Navigating Your Dream World (with companion journal), and her latest, The Gift From Chiron, which explores personal healing through the Chiron archetype. A dedicated teacher, she facilitates The Notebooks, a writing club in Bridgewater, and serves as Treasurer for the Rocktown Writers Guild. Visit www.judithdreyer.com for more about her work, books, and consultations.

The author of 30+ published historical espionage works and two mysteries, P. A. Duncan is a former commercial pilot, government aviation safety official, and stodgy bureaucrat, albeit one with a highly overactive imagination. A graduate of Madison College (now James Madison University) with degrees in history and political science, she lives and writes in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. History and politics often find their way into her writing. Her short fiction has been featured in numerous literary journals and anthologies. She has also edited the works of several award-winning and bestselling authors in a variety of genres. When not writing or editing, she cheers on the New York Yankees, watches Formula 1 and NASCAR, and spoils her grandchildren.

Dr. David Evans is the author of Damned Whiteness: How White Christian Allies Failed the Black Freedom Movement. Dr. Evans is a scholar and speaker on issues of anti-racism, Black freedom, and coalition building. He also co-edited Between the World of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Christianity and is Professor of History and Intercultural Studies/Associate Dean at Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Travis Hellstrom is an author, husband, father, and community builder who lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He has written more than a dozen books about leadership, optimism, relationships, and thoughtful living, including The Peace Corps Volunteer’s Handbook and his Books of Quotes series featuring the Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, and Benjamin Franklin. Travis served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mongolia, where he met the love of his life, and calls the Shenandoah Valley home with his wife Tunga, their son Dalai, and their little dog Bodhi. You can often find him going on hikes, playing LEGOs, and hunting down every cream soda in the world. He loves connecting with others, asking big questions, and creating community with readers and fellow authors.

Jeff W. Ishee is an award-winning journalist with a career in radio, television, and print media. He is passionate about gardening, genealogy, American history, and growing heirloom peanuts. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard three ships of the Atlantic Fleet. Jeff is married to Carole Marshall Ishee and lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

Kurt Johnson is a career higher education administrator whose writing has evolved from years of creating humorous rhymes for friends and family. Now he yearns to share more broadly his writing in historical/fantasy fiction. He lives in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. You may contact Kurt at ckj219@gmail.com.

Molly discovered a lifelong love for Scotland and its tragic history and craggy mountains during her master’s program in publishing studies at the University of Stirling, where she studied and lived for a year. She is fascinated by fairytale retellings, especially the distinction between choice and fate. Her stories reveal the ramifications of prolonged grief ever since her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. As a lover of the written word, she has been an editor for over eight years, but she currently works as a file clerk for the Chapter 13 Trustee in Charlottesville, Virginia. She also works part-time at the Book Dragon in Staunton, VA. Molly is a huge Austenite who collects beautiful copies of Pride and Prejudice.

Her novels and short fiction are primarily in the horror genre, although she also writes historical fiction as well as non-fiction works for educational publishers. She is a two-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, a winner of the Scribe Award, and was honored with the Horror Writers Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023. Her horror novels and collections include Sineater, Hell Gate, Desper Hollow, Wire Mesh Mothers, Madame Cruller’s Couch, The Wages of Belief, and more. Massie’s historical novels include the Young Founders series, The Great Chicago Fire: A Love Story, and others. She is married to illustrator, Cortney Skinner.

I grew up in a city with not much to do, I didn't have many friends, and I never went to parties. I spent much of my childhood in hospitals and emergency rooms. So out of boredom, I spent all my free time in my head creating stories as an escape. Now I'm putting those stories to paper, and hope that the stories that entertained me in my loneliness will bring joy to others.

R.A. Moritz is a paranormal romance author from Staunton, Virginia, where Appalachian folklore and local legends heavily influence her work. A Virginia native, she joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 2015 and later transitioned to the Army National Guard in 2020 to return home, where she continues to serve. Moritz holds a Master of Science in Marketing from the College of William & Mary. When she isn’t writing, she practices photography and Brazilian jiu-jitsu which inspires the grit, physicality, and realism in her stories. Her love of the supernatural began early, shaped by growing up in a haunted house and a lifelong fascination with the thin line between the ordinary and the unknown.

John Norment is a former third grade teacher from Harrisonburg, Virginia. After suffering a debilitating stroke, he has since switched his focus to writing and brain-injury advocacy work. His first book was the self published memoir about his stroke recovery, “Strong Work: Struggles and Opportunities in Illness and Recovery” followed by his children’s fantasy series, “The Hollow Oak.” His latest book is the fourth and final installment in that series, titled “Visions of Ash and Flame.” When not writing, he can be found playing D&D with his two boys as well as exploring new hiking trails around the Shenandoah Valley. For more information on John’s books please visit www.johnnormentbooks.com

Janis Norton writes fiction and essays that spring from her interest in the way relationships work. A career in family therapy and consultation opened a door to crafting stories of marriage and family life. She has published professional pieces from the perspective of family systems and in 2025 debuted a novel of historical fiction What the Red Oak Saw.

A student and multi-disciplinary artist, Nellyber hails from the Dominican Republic and currently resides in Virginia. Her commitment to the arts is broad, encompassing filmmaking, poetry, and arts advocacy. She is the host of the film podcast Fatale Bella, and dedicates time to supporting the Mason Lee Dance Theater as a member of the board of directors. 

Ramón B. Pérez was born in Samaná and later emigrated to Santo Domingo, where he began his life. Subsequently, he moved to Sabana Perdida, where he grew up and received his education at the Otilia Peláez School. Later, he entered the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, where he graduated as a general practitioner. He then continued his training at the Faculty of Medicine of the Catholic University Madre y Maestra, where he specialized in pediatrics. Finally, he completed his training as a perinatologist at the Luis Eduardo Aybar Hospital. In addition, he has undertaken scientific research courses in areas such as cardiology and immunology. He studied Dentistry at the Eugenio María de Hostos University. He currently resides in the state of Virginia, United States.

Dave Pruett retired from JMU’s Department of Mathematics and Statistics in 2012 following twenty-five years of teaching mathematics and a decade of aerospace research at NASA’s Langley Research Center. In retirement, Dave backpacked (in sections) all 550 miles of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia and West Virginia, one quarter of the trail’s entirety, completing the last section at the age of 75. His photographic essay Hiking the AT in the Virginias: A Septuagenarian’s Journey was released by George F. Thompson Publishing in September 2025. This was Dave’s second major book, the first being Reason and Wonder (Praeger 2012), a “love letter to the cosmos” that integrates modern scientific insights with time-tested spiritual wisdom and which received an American Library Association Choice Award in 2013.

N.J. Prynne writes adult fantasy romance with a side of magical academia. She released her debut novel, the first installment of the Arcane Pursuits series, in 2025. When she’s not writing or reading, she’s either gaming or baking. She lives in the Shenandoah Valley with her husband, their cat, and their ever-growing collection of musical instruments.

Chris Register served in the Peace Corps, graduated Georgetown Law, and litigated cases in federal court before embarking on his cross-country cycling and interview project, Conversations With US. Sixteen thousand miles of exploration and inquiry brought Chris and his touring bike into the heart, and along the fringes, of a vast and changing nation, where he sought connection and conversation with hundreds of everyday Americans, hoping to better understand their America. He’s now documenting the unforgettable experiences and heartfelt interviews from that journey with his ongoing Conversations With US book series, and relying on them to inform and inspire his recently-launched campaign to represent Virginia’s 5th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives as an Independent.

Don Rich is the author of the bestselling Coastal Adventure Series. His books are set mostly in the Chesapeake Bay and the mid-Atlantic, reflecting his love for this stretch of coastline. Don is a fifth-generation Florida native who left that state’s crowded waterways in 2000 to relocate to Virginia. He has spent a good portion of his life on, in, under, or beside the water, a fact that becomes readily apparent in his books. When he’s not writing, he can often be found in a marina or a boatyard, researching his next book.

Shanna Swendson earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas but decided it was more fun to make up the people she wrote about and became a novelist. She’s written a number of fantasy novels for teens and adults, including the Enchanted, Inc. series, the Tales of Rydding Village, the Fairy Tale series, the Lucky Lexie Mysteries, and the Rebel Mechanics series. She lives with a few hardy houseplants and a lot of books in a cottage in the woods on the middle of Staunton, Virginia. Visit her website at www.shannaswendson.com.

Jessica Kay Taylor is a Virginia native, first-time novelist, and proud mother of four. When she isn’t writing, she spends her days shaping young minds as a public school teacher and investing in her community through active involvement in her local church. Rooted in faith, family, and storytelling, Jessica brings heartfelt authenticity to her work and is passionate about sharing stories that connect with readers on a meaningful level.

Mary Ann Weir taught eighth-grade English for twenty years before 'retiring' to pursue a career in writing. A self-published author, she focuses on romantasy, especially with werewolf characters, and has written a young adult series featuring nephilim. Originally from central Pennsylvania, she and her husband now reside in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. When not writing, she enjoys sewing, crafts, and reading. Her favorite hobby is crochet, and one of her favorite authors is Terry Pratchett.

Keshia C. Willi melds fantasy with fright to create genre-bending stories that twist reality with every page. Raised in the mountains of Virginia, her writing has been a lifelong journey. Her latest novels, Johnny Be Good and In the Cold, Cold Winter, both debuted in the Top 20 on Amazon's Top 100 Hot New Releases.

After her career as a speech-language therapist, Lois Williams dedicated her spare time to writing. She accomplished this objective by publishing three fictional novels featuring memorable Christian characters on their journeys to discover life's questions. Her most recent book, Joy Comes in the Morning, is a nonfiction work about 12 amazing women and their reliance on God to overcome major trials. When not writing, she enjoys her grandchildren and their activities, reading historical fiction, and playing the piano. She and her husband, Guy, reside in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.

David Wood is a Longwood College graduate with degrees in History and Political Science. David is a retired teacher that specialized in history and government. He spent ten plus years working on Chiefs Letters: A World War II Memoir. David enjoys genealogy and being a volunteer and on the Board of Directors of the Plains District Memorial Museum. He acts in community theatre, is a lifelong blood donor and also serves as an election worker.

Nicole Yurcaba (Нікола Юрцаба) is a Ukrainian American of Hutsul/Lemko origin. Her poems and reviews have appeared in Appalachian Heritage, Atlanta Review, Poetry Ireland, The Belfast Review, Seneca Review, New Eastern Europe, Euromaidan Press, Chytomo, and The New Voice of Ukraine. Nicole holds an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University, teaches poetry workshops for Southern New Hampshire University, and is the Humanities Coordinator at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College. She also serves as a guest book reviewer for Sage Cigarettes, Tupelo Quarterly, Colorado Review, and Southern Review of Books. Her poetry collection, The Pale Goth, is available from Alien Buddha Press.