2025 Book Cover Shortlist

Debra Borchert has had many careers: clothing designer, actress, TV show host, spokesperson for high-tech companies, marketing and public relations professional, and technical writer for Fortune 100 companies. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Christian

Corey Manny worked in healthcare for more than a decade, helping people feel better when they were going through tough times. Now, she does the same through her stories, helping children navigate the ups and downs of life. Corey believes in embracing our imperfections – after all, that’s what makes

Heather Peck is author of the multi-award-winning Greg Geldard series of murder mysteries, set in rural North Yorkshire and Norfolk. She has also written books for children, mainly based on the adventures of her two dogs and her farming life. Writing was always her first love, but for a long time it

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

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

ELIZABETH HENDRICK’s debut, EXODAI, is more than a memoir; it’s a visceral journey into the heart of self-acceptance, set against the electrifying and secretive backdrop of Tokyo’s BDSM underground. This provocative work details her transformative relationship with a Japanese dominatrix, a crucible

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

Rushani is a passionate storyteller who blends ancient wisdom with modern adventure, bringing the timeless teachings of the Thirukkural to life for young readers. With a background in education and writing and a deep love for Tamil literature, Rushani creates stories that inspire children to think

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

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

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

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

Anthony Owens boasts a distinguished career, accumulating 20 years of active naval service, during which he garnered numerous accolades and awards. His military decorations include the Enlisted Aviation Specialist Insignia, Joint Service Commendation Medal, (2) Navy and Marine Corps Achievement

I'm a rom com author based in the West Midlands. I love creating characters you can empathise with and crafting stories that you can't put down. When I'm not writing, I'm a photographer and artist, and I live with my husband, my two children and a beautiful but demanding cat.

Karyne Norton hasn’t found the key to time travel, immortality, or infinite lives, so she’s taking a break from nursing and photography to focus on raising four human beings while writing epic fantasy and science fiction. Her debut novel, Blood of the Stars, launched on Kickstarter in September 2023

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

Jayne started writing plays when she was eight years old and wrote her first “book” at fourteen. After graduating with a degree in psychology and drama, Jayne went on to win the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Buzz Goodbody’s Director Award. She started working as a professional theatre director whilst