2024 Writing Award Finalists

I was born in Great Britain, a long time ago, then emigrated to Alberta Canada. My wife and I are now retired and living in the South Okanagan, BC Canada. I am in the process of writing 4 fictional books - a collection of short stories, a spy thriller, a western action and adventure book and an

Claire Dowley read English and American Literature at the University of Warwick. She worked in London for Theatrical and Advertising Agencies during the eighties before packing a rucksack and flying to Australia. There she trained as a teacher and taught English and Literature in schools for 25

A native New Yorker and captivating storyteller with a flair for embellishment, Jennifer Irwin resides in Los Angeles. After earning her BA in Cinema from Denison University, she worked in advertising and marketing. Jennifer taught Pilates while raising three boys and currently works in the

Alicia Doyle is a voracious reader and lover of large cups of tea. Taking her love of the written word a step further, she published a small collection of her poetry in 2021 and had the pleasure of having one of her short stories published in the online magazine, Short Fiction Break, in 2022. In

I'm a 56 year old violinist and string teacher, the daughter of a german-jewish holocaust refugee. I grew up in St Andrews, Scotland, where my Dad was a history lecturer in the university. Thereafter, I studied and lived in Sheffield until 2000. For the past 23 years I've been a resident of

I consider myself a collaborator and builder. Working as a leader and member of high-performance teams, I have created tremendous capabilities at financial institutions across Canada and in the U.S. I have been a Chief Risk Officer and a Chief Executive Officer. I also consider myself a creator. I

I've been writing fiction for five years and I've just finished my first novel which began as a story told around a campfire, imagining walking into the woods and out into a different time. What might happen? Who would you meet? What would you do? At first, it was an an exciting story to tell the

Pat Sayer studied history and art history as an undergraduate. She practiced medicine as a naturopathic physician. Later, she taught anatomy and microbiology to pre-med students at Washington State University. The inspiration for writing her first historical novel came after reading an article

Originally from Sydney, Australia, I have spent most of my adult life in Switzerland, working as a physio with disabled children, raising a family, and studying. I received a BA with First Class Honours in Literature and Classical Studies from The Open University in 2001, and an MA from Bath Spa

Patrick Eades is a writer from Sydney, Australia. Growing up, he spent his free time reading, on sporting fields, and getting up to mischief in the National Park. After school, Patrick found himself in a variety of jobs. He was a baker, pizza delivery driver and shelf stacker before realising he

Although born in the UK, and educated at Cambridge University, I embarked on a teaching career in California. Securing several promotions, and working in a variety of schools and settings, I became a headteacher in the UK. I currently live in London and am an educational consultant, supporting

I am currently the head of the journalism department at City St George's, University of London and a former journalist who’s worked as a staffer for the BBC, the Independent, the Washington Post, the Sunday Times amongst others. An award-winning short story writer, my work has also been longlisted

Writer based in Dublin

Gemma O'Donoghue was born in Essex, which is where she predominately spent her childhood, apart from a three-year sojourn in Dublin. She currently lives in Chelmsford with her husband, growing a collection of cacti and carnivorous plants. Writing has always been her passion and nothing is more

Dorit d’Scarlett is a CaLD poet and writer ‘of a certain age’ whose short stories and prize-winning poetry have featured in Rattle, Meniscus, Antler Velvet, and other international literary journals. Her long-form fiction has been both short and long-listed for multiple writing awards. Recently

BMG Tate's publication history is predominantly as a poet. As 'Brian McMahon Gallagher' he has been published by RTÉ, NearFM, and in the collection 'Outstraight', archived in University College Dublin's library. As a spoken word performer he has performed at Glastonbury, First Fortnight, Electric

Mikey Jackson is a versatile scriptwriter and novelist from the seaside town of Worthing, near Brighton, United Kingdom. The first ten pages of his novel Disordinary made the final shortlist in the Page Turner Awards 2024. His debut play Cruel was performed at Etcetera Theatre, Camden Town, London

After a career in communications and as a copywriter and editor in the corporate and science sectors in Australia, I published my first novel 'More Than I Ever Had' an historical fiction based on a true story. Since then, I completed a second manuscript in the women's suspense genre, and am now

Prasha is a published children's book author, clinical audiologist and educator with Master's degrees in Audiology and Education (Global Learning). Her award-winning picture book, My Brain is Magic: A Sensory-Seeking Celebration was published by Soaring Kite Books in 2023. She was the recipient of a

Tanya's upbringing lacked adult supervision, allowing her to frolic through the 1970s on the sunny beaches of California. She's an Author Accelerator Book Coach, a real estate Broker, and obsessed with puzzles & paint-by-numbers. Her greatest achievement to date has been raising a decent human. She

Born in Spain, raised in Australia, I now live in Ireland with my husband and two teenagers. I like to tap into the heart and mind of my protagonists, so readers connect to them on an emotional level. I'm a self-taught writer and In Her Skin is my debut novel. I'm active in writing/critique groups

I am a neurodivergent mother raising two readers in upstate New York. When I’m not writing fiction, I work in the EdTech sector, focusing on accessible online course design.

Mike Darcy is the author of the Little Joe series. He spent the better part of his youth wandering the forest, subsisting on foraging wild berries and the generosity of concerned woodland creatures. He holds degrees in Digital Forensics, Applied Mathematics, and a Masters in Public Administration

Michael is a graduate in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University. He lives and works as a lawyer in London. In between spending time with his wife and chasing after his spirited young son, Michael reads and writes.

Dorit d’Scarlett is a CaLD poet and writer ‘of a certain age’ whose short stories and prize-winning poetry have featured in Rattle, Meniscus, Antler Velvet, and other international literary journals. Her long-form fiction has been both short and long-listed for multiple writing awards. Recently

Born in Wlingi, Indonesia, Lis Porter has called Adelaide, Belfast, Byron Bay and Oxford home. A former professor with an extensive academic publication record, she now writes fiction. Her writing explores complex family relationships, with strong women as the focus. Lis loves the research and

Hello! I’m Arianna Kiriakos, and I've been writing as long as I can remember. I completed my first novel at thirteen, and basically haven’t stopped since. I aim one day to be a traditionally published author. My work tends to lean into mysteries with sassy characters and historical or travel

Kirk Rafferty loves to imagine new characters and write their stories. Unfortunately (for them, but fortunately for readers) he has a terrible habit of putting those characters through hell, and oftentimes even outright killing them. Kirk primarily writes historical fiction and fantasy. He lives

My first attempt at serious writing was a play in Spanish in my sixth form at school. Much later, I wrote stage plays for my local amateur dramatic society, Cobham Players, in Surrey, for which I have acted as Chairman. I’ve attended several writing courses, including two at Cambridge University’s

Punk Rock had barely left the charts when I moved to London and started a degree in Fine Art Sculpture at Central St Martins. Nearly a decade followed, working at Virgin Records - going to see bands nightly and heaps of obscure films. As with the music of my generation, the films I saw in my youth

Read Classics and Philosophy at UCL and taught Greek philosophy for a bit at the University of Kent. Did an MA in creative writing at Bath Spa University and have been writing on and off for years. Presently work in a medical school library.

BIOGRAPHY: My name is Rosie Beattie and I have worked as an English and Drama teacher for the majority of my career which has definitely informed my writing. I also have a background in theatre having worked as both an actor and director. I have a keen interest in film and have enjoyed writing LEMON

I was born in Wisconsin, raised in Southern California, then moved back to Wisconsin, where I’ve lived for the last 35 years. Having four seasons instead of two has been one of the many benefits of living in Northwestern Wisconsin. So is living in the country, because I get to enjoy its beauty and

Kristen Dobson was born in Ontario, Canada and graduated college in 1996. For the past thirty years she has worked as a massage therapist while continuing to pursue writing in her free time. Over decades, she has had the unique privilege of delving into peoples stories, while gaining an in depth

Before Melissa started writing romantic comedies and women’s fiction, she worked as a surgical Physician Associate in Nashville, where one of her favorite procedures was re-suturing a lower-lumbar tattoo. Her stories, like herself, are always a mix: light and dark, laughter and tears, outlandish and

Paula Seager is seeking representation for her suspense thriller novel, Alone in the Rainforest, complete at 72,000 words. It won third place in the Fiction Factory First Chapter Competition 2025 and was a finalist in the 2025 Page Turner Writing Awards. The story is set in the Batak rainforest

I've been writing fiction for five years and I've just finished my first novel which began as a story told around a campfire, imagining walking into the woods and out into a different time. What might happen? Who would you meet? What would you do? At first, it was an an exciting story to tell the

Physician, psychiatrist, podcaster, and author Richard Gillett received his medical degree from Cambridge University, England, and is a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He has published three popular books on psychology. "Overcoming Depression" (Penguin), translated into six languages;

Pria Dee aka VPrice ( Victoria Price) is an American author, who lives in Michigan. She writes children’s books, clean new adult/young adult women’s fiction . While not writing, she loves to travel, read and and garden. Pria Dee Social Media https://www.tiktok.com/@priadeeauthor https://www

I have always loved reading and sharing books with others. I never thought I'd write my own, and it wasn't until I hit my fifties that I decided to give it a go. It has been a steep learning curve, but one I've enjoyed from the first step to now. I started writing historical romance, and that

A Mancunian, after 20 years in Sydney, I live in a cabin in an enchanted forest in Cornwall, inspired by the wisdom of nature's seasons. I’m currently enjoying the MA in Nature & Travel Writing at Bath Spa University. Many moons ago I studied a BA (Hons) in Modern Languages. It was my childhood

After deciding to make the most of his surname, Bob has been writing modern Gothic fiction for the past few years. Taking inspiration from current authors such as Catriona Ward and Andrew Michael Hurley, he also draws from the classic horrors by Shirley Jackson and Susan Hill. Always putting queer

A born and bred Southern belle, Kay Elam has been a manager for a global company, a travel agent, an office manager, a consultant working with collegiate women across North America, and a high-end technical equipment salesperson—and those were just the jobs that paid. Each position required

Hannah May is a Cornish writer and feature journalist who lives and works in the far wilds of the southwest. She has written for a range of national travel magazines, online literary journals and websites, and is Chief Features Writer at Wed Magazine – Cornwall and Devon’s go-to wedding glossie

My work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, Writer’s Digest and Family Circle. A Pushcart Prize nominee, I won the Grand Prize in the annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and received a Finalist Award in Prose from the Illinois Arts Council. I graduated with a

I write queer YA fantasy inspired by Scandinavian folklore, exploring gender, animal welfare, and the importance of knitting. I'm an Oregonian of Scandinavian descent, but currently live in Australia with my fabulous wife and numerous reptile pets. I’ve published four nonfiction books with academic

Erin L. Swann is an avid home cook who has taught visual art for eighteen years in Central Maryland. She recently became an online writing instructor for Authors Publish and has given several free online lectures through them as well. Her work appears in numerous anthologies and publications

Steve conveys perspectives and emotions in poems and songs. His draft memoir, Galvanized, tells how he overcame timidity as an air cavalry officer in the Vietnam War. A tuxedo cat from a shelter encourages him from a perch over his PC keyboard. Steve assists disabled veterans in getting government

Amanda Huskisson writes Y.A. fantasy under the pen-name Louise Neville. Her work has been long and shortlisted in various novel competitions, including Retreat West, Words With Jam and Flash 500. She deals with author outreach for Strong Women – Strange Worlds, a U.S. based online group who organise

I live in the Philadelphia suburbs with my wife, two young children, and mischievous yellow lab. I am a high school social studies teacher with a background in United States government and a great affection for Revolutionary-era history. I wrote this book because in this age of international