2026 True Story Award Finalists

Michael Bowers is a multifaceted individual with a rich background that deeply influences his writing. With a career spanning 30 years in the United

Born in Denmark in 1973 and based in Copenhagen, Anne Jeppesen has spent more than two decades working in the fields of communication and marketing

Honey Kasper, the acclaimed author of Unpredictable: The Walk In and Out of Darkness, stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration for many. Her

Physician, Men's health specialist, author, lecturer, artist.

I practised as a probate and property lawyer in the north of England for the best part of forty years before deciding to up sticks and set my hand to

Alison Knight (author May Ellis) has been a lawyer, childminder, charity fundraiser, a teacher and a fiction editor. She also runs creative writing

Lucy Clifford is an award-winning UK-based author, trauma-informed therapist, and speaker whose work explores the lifelong impact of childhood trauma

Sheryl Hauk grew up in Hawai‘i, a haole shaped by a culture that taught her resilience, belonging, and the power of music and ʻohana (family). Her

I am a former educator and kid-lit student of SCBWI, 12x12, Inked Voices and several critique groups, I hold a BA in drama, and an MA in British

Alisa Hope Wagner is an international award-winning author, editor and publisher of over thirty books. She married her high school sweetheart, and

Caroline Orebi is a debut author whose writing explores memory, identity, and the resilience of ordinary people caught in extraordinary times. Born in

Rosalind Redshaw lives on the east coast of Australia. She is the author of A Long Way From Sunday , a true story about her thirteen-month adventure

Robert Dunn is an award-nominated author. Most recently, his captivating real-life account, "Love Changes a Man", was named a Finalist in the 2026

Trish Bourke recounts her journey of self-discovery after leaving the Jehovah’s Witness faith. ​ Raised in a strict religious environment in Southern

“At age thirty, I decided to pursue a career in law. I left my job in the corporate world to retrain as a solicitor. Three years later, I was

To me, the world only makes sense as a metaphor and I am grateful for every writer and book that helps my mind find peace. I graduated with a Bachelor

Dr James P. Manning, ClinPsyD, is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist based in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. He writes about cognitive behavioural therapy

I'm a native Utahan, I love American history and family history. In fact, the main characters in Grudges and Grace are my wife’s fourth great

With over twenty years as an educator, Kristen pioneered a School-to-School program connecting her middle school classes with students in rural East

ET is a Luxembourg-based writer whose work explores the limits of reason, perception, and self-deception. She is particularly interested in immersive

I write non-fiction, mostly based on my journey through advanced (Stage IV) papillary thyroid cancer. Although I am now retired as a medical secretary

Scott has always loved reading. When he was seven years old, he read Huckleberry Finn in one day. As a teenager, he began a career as a professional

Christine Elmer Collins holds a rich 30-year background in nursing and healthcare management and has served with distinction in both the United States

Ryan MacDonald is a Scottish author and freelance crime and justice journalist. A former senior police officer with three decades of experience across

Gay Lynn Williamson‑Grigas, LMHC, CAP Author | Psychotherapist | Addiction Professional | Minister | Retreat Leader Gay Lynn Williamson‑Grigas is a

The Minister and the Maiden is my debut novel. My ambition is to write more ‘True-Life’ novels in the future. In the past, I enjoyed writing for

Genét Simone has been a teacher and teacher educator for over thirty years. Her experiences in Shishmaref, Alaska, upon which "Teaching in the Dark"

Felicia Djamirze is a qualified counsellor, award-winning businesswoman, and mental health advocate. As the founder and CEO of Neuro Vitality Pty Ltd

Robbi Sommers Bryant is an award-winning author whose psychologically driven stories explore obsession, identity, and the hidden forces that shape

I am a former educator and kid-lit student of SCBWI, 12x12, Inked Voices and several critique groups, I hold a BA in drama, and an MA in British

Patricia Townsend is a writer and visual artist, working with photography, moving image, installation and poetry. She is also a psychoanalytic

I’m an English 60-year-old married Electrical engineer, musician and ex Military, all my life I’ve shown an interest in the Vietnam War which was on

Gregory Duralev is an alumnus of Washington University in St. Louis School of Law (2023), a master’s degree he holds alongside two other Master’s

My debut memoir is a true love story for these fractured times about the ties that bind, second chances, and what it means to have an American Dream

Richard K. Lowy is the award-winning author of Kalman & Leopold: Surviving Mengele's Auschwitz , recipient of the Nellie Bly Grand Prize for Longform

Marc Stevens was born in Montreal, Canada, but grew up between Ottawa and Toronto. He has spent thirty years working in the wholesale food industry

Travel editor for APA Publications (Rough Guides, Insight Guides, Berlitz Guides). Published in National Geographic Traveller, Independent, Financial

Kate, now retired, has been writing since her teens, finding her voice through humorous poems, short stories, and illustrated books for children. In