2025 Book Award Longlist

Black writes in a variety of genres. Mystery, romance, or fantasy, her character-driven stories combine imagination and experience to weave dramatic plots with believable characters in descriptive contemporary settings, sometimes with fantasy worlds within them. In most of her publications, a four

Born in Manhattan and raised in Connecticut, Denise Alicea started writing when drawing and painting simply weren’t enough. A writer of poetry, fantasy, time travel, romance and more, Denise has won several awards and has had several finalist nominations. She loves technology, reading, watching

I try to make sense of this beautiful, crazy world we inhabit through my stories—thrillers that are super well researched inside complex plots full of twists and turns, that pose ethical and moral dilemmas. When I sit down to write a book, I have three non-negotiables: 1. It needs to concern a

Dr. James Manning is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Manning specializes in CBT and has worked extensively with individuals suffering from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. He holds post-graduate qualifications in both Clinical

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

Although Caleb Banks was diagnosed with special needs, at a young age, his mother, Amy recognized in him a wonderful imagination, a love of history and historic artifacts, a passion for books and reading, and an enthusiastic faith in Jesus Christ. She also recognized his ability to create stories

John David is a long-time public relations and crisis communications consultant, author of a non-fiction business book, and a corporate ghostwriter. His debut novel, The Bystander (The Lemaster Files Book 1), was longlisted for the BPA First Novel Award. It will be released by Tule Publishing in

M.K. Jackson has authored countless resumes, several essays, and numerous unfinished books including Baby’s First Exorcism, Testicular Manslaughter, and 100 Years of Mold and Mildew. Jackson has more degrees than a thermometer, all of them overstated, underearned, and equally useless; a Bachelor of

Donna Galanti is the children’s book author of the middle-grade Unicorn Island series, Joshua and the Lightning Road series, and Loon Cove Summer. She’s also the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy for adults. She has lived in fun locations including England, her family-owned

Steve is an active U.S. Diplomat serving in West Africa and term member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He has lived longer in West Africa than in the U.S. and enjoys storytelling that juxtaposes worldviews from those two regions. A former strategy consultant, Steve holds a Master of Business

With the publication of Unstoppable, the highly anticipated sequel to his award-winning debut novel Relentless, Michael Maloof cements his place as a compelling new voice in the world of globe-trotting thrillers. ​Born with an insatiable curiosity and a genetic case of wanderlust, Michael brings a

Author of 40 books in 10 languages, living in Canberra, Australia.

Black writes in a variety of genres. Mystery, romance, or fantasy, her character-driven stories combine imagination and experience to weave dramatic plots with believable characters in descriptive contemporary settings, sometimes with fantasy worlds within them. In most of her publications, a four

Jackson Eaton (Maine, USA) is an American author. His debut novel, Hereafter, establishes him as a voice of insightful observation during a time of social and economic turmoil. Known for his ability to draw readers forward from page to page, Eaton's writings capture the imagination and invite self

Hi, I'm Morag Higgins. I am passionate about writing and have in the past written articles for equestrian magazines (I am a horse trainer to trade). I have published several equestrian training books but my real passion is for fiction. My first published book was Bruja. The true story of my first

Genevieve Morrissey is a passionate student of British and American social history, but through one of those strange little quirks of fate she spends most of her days talking with scientists. THEA, her most recent novel, is a coming-of-age story set in 1920s Oklahoma City. MARRIAGE AND HANGING is

Kate Grant is the founding CEO of Fistula Foundation, a US nonprofit organization. The Foundation has mobilized nearly 70,000 donors in more than 60 countries, raising over $150 million to fund more than 100,000 life transforming surgeries for women injured in childbirth and who are too often

Renee Bolla, a children's picture book author, seamlessly transitioned from the corporate world of fashion retail to crafting enchanting literary worlds that captivate young minds. Her self-published books, Finding Bunny and Imagine That (2022) and her latest release, The Truth About Stepmoms (2024)

Peter Cotton is a retired medical professor living on Dewees Island in South Carolina, writing books for young children about Fred the snake and his friends. He grew up in England where the first tale was conceived long ago as a bedtime story for his then young children about how (not) to cross the

Alia Luria's debut novel, Compendium, was published in 2015 and garnered several accolades, including the National Indie Excellence Award in Fantasy, the eLit Gold Medal in Science Fiction / Fantasy, an IPBA Benjamin Franklin silver award, and the Reader's Favorite Silver Medal in Fantasy. It was

I try to make sense of this beautiful, crazy world we inhabit through my stories—thrillers that are super well researched inside complex plots full of twists and turns, that pose ethical and moral dilemmas. When I sit down to write a book, I have three non-negotiables: 1. It needs to concern a

With the publication of Unstoppable, the highly anticipated sequel to his award-winning debut novel Relentless, Michael Maloof cements his place as a compelling new voice in the world of globe-trotting thrillers. ​Born with an insatiable curiosity and a genetic case of wanderlust, Michael brings a

True North is the author of the Anasazi Vision series. She is a lover of nature, connection, and growth. She believes in traveling life with curiosity, saying “yes,” then leaning in and allowing soul to lead the way. She lives in Oregon.

Born in England to older Italian immigrant parents, Anna Lucia spent long, hot summers in the Apennine mountain village they had left behind to escape poverty and lack of opportunity. In the local dialect, she listened to the stories of elderly relatives about a time, place and way of life that was

L K Pang's debut novel, Moat Hill Hall, a romantic thriller, was published in 2023 with Chronos Publishing. Her second novel, The Night Counsellor, a historical thriller was published in 2024. Previously qualified as an architect, she now focuses her time on writing, painting and looking after her

I worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they are going through tough times. Now, I do the same through my stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. I believe in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes each of us unique and

I worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they are going through tough times. Now, I do the same through my stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. I believe in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes each of us unique and

Kelly Elizabeth Huston writes women-centric, genre-straddling fiction that always includes laughs and a love story. Often there's heartbreak, a smidge of mystery, moments of suspense, and maybe a dead body... or two. Not always. But sometimes. Above all, she hopes her protagonists are better for it

Kay Castaneda is retired from a career as a college writing instructor and special education tutor. She earned a B.A. and M.A. in English at Indiana University. Her publications include poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction in literary journals plus articles about education for reference books

I am a Canadian author living on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. I published my first book, The Sentinels, in 2021. Since then, I have published a Science Fiction trilogy, and the first book in an Amateur Sleuth Series.

Jane Cafarella is an Australian author, playwright, and former journalist, columnist and cartoonist, whose work has been widely published in Australia and overseas and whose plays have been performed nationally and internationally During her 10 years at Melbourne’s Age Newspaper, she wrote and

I worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they are going through tough times. Now, I do the same through my stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. I believe in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes each of us unique and

Aisha Hussain Rasheed is bint al-juzur, a daughter of the Maldive Islands, currently acclimating to the tropical rainforests of Malaysia with her husband and son. She holds a BA in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence and a Shahadah Alimiyya. She likes to split her spare time between contemplating life and

Miranda Boyer is an award-winning author, publisher, and lifelong storyteller whose work explores themes of identity, resilience, and magic in the face of adversity. She is best known for her Fountain of Youth series, a genre-bending YA fantasy saga that weaves together reincarnation, found family

I worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they are going through tough times. Now, I do the same through my stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. I believe in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes each of us unique and

Greg is the author of several novels, published by Reed New Zealand or Time For a Story. Greg was the inaugural winner of the Katherine Mansfield Essay Prize in 2000, was Editor’s Pick in the Fabula Press 2024 Short Story Competition, and was long-listed in the Commonwealth Short Story Competition

Mikael Carlson is the multiple award-winning author of the Michael Bennit Series of political dramas, the Tierra Campos and Watchtower Thrillers, The America, Inc. futuristic dystopian saga, and his holiday novels, The Santa Trilogy. A retired veteran of the Rhode Island Army National Guard and

I worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they are going through tough times. Now, I do the same through my stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. I believe in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes each of us unique and

Mo Fanning writes emotionally rich, darkly comic fiction about flawed people trying to get it right. His novels explore love, loss, identity, and the complexities of chosen family—often through LGBTQ+ and romantic comedy lenses. With a background in journalism and a passion for storytelling that

J.S. Morton is an award-winning fiction writer with a deep love for dark comedy. Most of his stories revolve around real-life issues, psychology (depression/anxiety), and comedy (that comes with coping with it). He is best known for his book 'You're Gone', which was a Red Ribbon winner in the

My name is Jim Perry and I have written under the name of Wilson Whitlow since 2020, when I published my middle grade fantasy Mystery of the Khar Chuluu. I studied literature at Carnegie Mellon University and law at Georgetown University and served in the U.S. Navy. I currently work as an attorney

M.A.Batten is a neuro-diverse writer of fantasy, science fiction, and dark fiction. After winning over 150 creative awards during a hugely successful 25-year career in advertising, M.A.Batten returned to his childhood dream of telling stories but without brands or their ridiculous reasons to buy

Born and raised in China, Tong Ge moved to Canada in the late 1980s as an international student. Since 2012, her poetry, prose, and short stories have appeared in both English and Chinese publications across North America, England, Mainland China, and Taiwan. Her debut novel, “The House Filler,” was

Strelich was born into a family of professional wrestlers and raised in Bakersfield, California, and his writing career began on a dare from a theatre director. His plays include BAFO (Best and Final Offer) which was commissioned by and had its world premiere at South Coast Repertory and its New

Caroline Lavoie is a French-Canadian writer of YA speculative fiction. She grew up in Quebec and flew west at the age of twenty with one lucky feather and three words of English in her backpack. She now spends her days on the homestead, growing food and improbable tales from seed. In recent years

Charles Harris is a best-selling and award-nominated author, award-winning film-maker, martial arts black belt and freelance journalist. He is also qualified in Ericksonian Hypnosis and is fascinated by the twists and turns of the psychology of amnesia. Semi-finalist: Author Nation Story Wars 2024

I worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they are going through tough times. Now, I do the same through my stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. I believe in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes each of us unique and

A.P. Harper writes to make sense of the beautiful mess that is being human. Her work leans into themes of memory, identity, and the quiet spaces we don’t always talk about—but often feel. Whether in novels or short stories, she gravitates toward characters who are lost, searching, or on the edge of

Erin Nieto lives in Champaign, Illinois, with her husband, two sons, and a small menagerie of cats. Like Erwin and Eleanor, she prefers a hike through nature over a tea party any old day. Follow @erinnieto on Instagram or visit www.esnieto.com.

Author of A Big Blue Boat and A Day on the Brine, Susea loves playing with words, sharing her stories and sailing. Susea’s achievements include being Picture Book Genre Award winner, Page Turner Awards (2022): A Day on the Brine; Purple Dragonfly Award winner (2023): A Big Blue Boat, Longlisted

I worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they are going through tough times. Now, I do the same through my stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. I believe in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes each of us unique and

I worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they are going through tough times. Now, I do the same through my stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. I believe in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes each of us unique and

Author of "The Private Misadventures of Nell Nobody," and "On Wounds of Woe," Jennifer Newbold came to fiction writing from a historical perspective, with a belief that history can be immediate and relevant, and that fiction can be a means to making history accessible. But fiction can do so much