2026 Writing Award Finalists

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

Samuel Risley is a writer, artist, and editor from Rhode Island. He began writing horror stories at the age of ten before turning to literary fiction

Gayle Hellinger, writing as G. Louise, is a member of the Horror Writers Association and the proud mother of two adult kiddos. After thirty years as

Sophia Krich-Brinton (she/they) lives in Colorado with her partner, kids, and cats. They write weird stories at dawn when the world sleeps and the

I grew up in the far north of England, where my early love of storytelling found an outlet in designing and coding video games, before moving on to

Hi everyone, I'm Steph and I'm a thirty-something Australian who is usually obsessed with one book or another. I am also a fisheries scientist, an

I write character-first screenplays and genre stories where survival, pressure, dark humor, and emotional consequence collide. My work blends high

Gayle Hellinger, writing as G. Louise, is a member of the Horror Writers Association and the proud mother of two adult kiddos. After thirty years as

Mia Roses writes fast-paced thrillers about complex characters pushed to the edge. Born in Southern California, she holds a B.S. in Biology from

I write emotionally charged, psychologically rich stories about flawed people and their complicated relationships. My characters are painfully human

Kennan Laudel earned his M.S.E.E. from Stanford University and spent his first career in Silicon Valley, realizing 17 patents. He is now a writer, and

Chelsea Myers is a (nearly) life-long Floridian who loves her home state—warts, quirks, and all. By day, she teaches data science at a local

Deborah Donohue is an award-winning writer of the Santa Barbara Writers’ Conference, and was honored to be one of only twenty nonfiction writers

William Ludwig was born in Wuppertal, Germany, and trained as an actor and singer in Germany and London. Stage work includes Jack the Ripper at the

Mary Murphy is an Irish-born author whose work explores psychological suspense, identity, and inherited memory across genres and tonal range. Her

I've lived the better part of my life in Northern California, I'm working on my third career, mourning my second dog, and loving my first husband. We

Rebecca Camillo-Amisano is an emerging fantasy author of mixed Chinese and European descent. Her manuscript weaves political conspiracies, action, and

My background is in Investment banking and Finance, and I have been a public company finance director and chairman for twenty years, in the biotech

Kevin Joseph is a retired attorney with a passion for writing thought-provoking thrillers. His first novel, The Champion Maker, explores legal and

Michael S. Clarke lives in Burnaby, British Columbia. After a career in information management, courseware design, and business writing, he turned to

I have been a freelance magazine journalist for over 25 years, and for over 10 years I’ve been the fitness editor of Women’s Running UK magazine. I

I was born in Blackburn to Mauritian parents in the spring of 1977 the year of punk, a season of life in a time of destruction. My writing was once

Avid reader, procrastinating writer. Disappointed by AI and all the slop it churns out. I hope I can make a difference with human talent.

Jo Fenton grew up in Hertfordshire, UK. She devoured books from an early age, particularly enjoying adventure books, school stories and fantasy. She

Anna Jaworski is an author, publisher, podcaster, and nonprofit leader. As the founder of Baby Hearts Press and Executive Director of Hearts Unite the

Karin is an autistic mathematician, and writer of science fiction, fantasy and thrillers. After twelve moves within the Netherlands, Luxembourg

Nathan is a Faber Academy graduate as well as a DHH New Voices and United Agents 100x100 shortlisted writer. He works in advertising by day

From corporate to creative... Having swapped the FTSE for freedom, I'm now pursuing my passions as an aspiring writer, eager traveller, and self

Evangelina is the winner of a young writers’ literary contest and was awarded a diploma by author Sofia Remez (2023). Previous Publications: 1. All

Based in northern New South Wales, Australia, Brianna Rankin is a full-time primary school teacher with a passion for history. After living in the

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

Carolin M. Paradis is a business professional turned author and blogger. Years of supporting a church community led to associations that revealed

I am a freelance copywriter, editor and fiction writer. I manage the novel competition for the Scottish Arts Trust and read for their short story and

Ilana Santizo grew up in Florida, but now resides in Northern California with her boyfriend and two cats, Tangerine and Foggy, who supervise her

Paula Seager was born in Ireland and is a PR consultant working between Brighton and Lisbon. Her writing prizes include 2nd place in the Literary &

I never dreamed of becoming a writer. Do Ants Dream of Wings? began not as a literary project, but as a form of self-therapy — a way to make sense of

I am Mathias Coe, a half-Australian, half-Danish writer currently studying Media Studies at the University of Southern Denmark, where I’m minoring in

Lee Turner is the author of His Name Is Jacob , a work of Christian fiction exploring family, faith, loss, and the enduring power of love. Originally

Jo is a writer with a passion for commercial fiction, and anything that makes her laugh. She lives in Cornwall with a bitey cat and her (thankfully

Ukrainian programmer and writer, currently serving in Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Boris Khan writes epic fantasy from Bulgaria, where many of his evenings disappear into the vast, dying world of Anarand’aris. The Heart of Anarand

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

Nurse by day. Dark fantasy writer by night.

Karin is an autistic mathematician, and writer of science fiction, fantasy and thrillers. After twelve moves within the Netherlands, Luxembourg

My background is in Investment banking and Finance, and I have been a public company finance director and chairman for twenty years, in the biotech

Karin is an autistic mathematician, and writer of science fiction, fantasy and thrillers. After twelve moves within the Netherlands, Luxembourg

Jessica Harlow-Lane is a historical fiction writer whose work is for readers who enjoy character-driven stories with emotional depth. She is committed

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

I had an idea for a novel a few years ago and it wouldn’t go away... As a widowed, working parent, finding time to write was difficult, so I enrolled

Author. Silicon Valley Executive-at-Large. Constant Learner. I’ve always had a passion for taking a blank page and creating something interesting. But

I studied law at LSE and worked in Hong Kong, Brussels and Los Angeles before returning to London during lockdown. Since then I have run as a LibDem

My background is in Investment banking and Finance, and I have been a public company finance director and chairman for twenty years, in the biotech

I was born in Newark and received a streetwise education growing up in the Jersey suburbs. At an early age, I began my study of music theory and the

New Zealand born, I hold a PhD in History, studied English postgraduate and taught it in three countries, became recognised in New Zealand as a

I presently split my time between London and Los Angeles and, when I’m not reading, writing, or overcoming jet lag, I play tennis and mentor women in

Lisa has several first drafts tucked away in various corners of her laptop, but Don't F**k With Cold Water Swimmers is the first one she’s been brave

Philip Green is an actor, writer, and storyteller with over 20 years of experience in the performing arts. A graduate in Theatre, he has spent his

I am Divya Behl, a student, aspiring author, and young leader from Lucknow. I am passionate about reading, writing, public speaking, and exploring

My former career was a professional actor, working in film, TV, stage and radio. I'm now a semi-retired, award-winning writer in live events and film

Molly Zenk is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Non-Verbal, the Hunted series, the Captivity series, and the Celestial Academy

Laura Paulsen is a film and TV professional who writes fantasy novels in her spare time. When she's not building imaginary worlds, she can be found in

Ruth Amanda is Canadian born and bred, with a passion for writing and illustrating creative stories for young people. Specializing in children's

Deborah Donohue is an award-winning writer of the Santa Barbara Writers’ Conference, and was honored to be one of only twenty nonfiction writers

Eric Neumayer is Professor of Environment and Development at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and a recipient of the Philip

Danny Shilling is a writer from Essex currently working on his novel 'All of us Are Killers'. He has been featured in Christopher Fielden's To Hull

I recently completed my debut novel, Drastic Measures, and my non-fiction work has been published in two anthologies about disability. I'm a retired

Laura Jo Brunson, whose career spans journalism, strategic communications, and publishing, has written and edited everything from breaking news and

Charles Harris is a best-selling author, award-winning writer-director, journalist, martial arts black belt and currently a director of the Society of

Charles Harris is a best-selling author, award-winning writer-director, journalist, martial arts black belt and currently a director of the Society of

Ayesha lives in Norway with her husband and two daughters. Originally from Pakistan, she spent several years working in Islamabad as a young mother

After working in the television industry, Lisa used her copywriting skills to publish two children's books. Turning to women's literary fiction, she

Nurse by day. Dark fantasy writer by night.

Laura is a debut novelist who has been writing books since she was four years old. Long-time lover of the written word (and often called a "grammar

Dianne was born in the Midlands, grew up in New Zealand, spent her career living in various parts of the UK and now lives in Dartmoor National Park in

RJ Verity grew up in Yorkshire and studied at King’s College London before spending more than twenty years working in financial services across Asia

Ray Goodrich won a story-writing contest in 4th grade. He’s been writing ever since. After a post-college detour into marine mammal training, he

Molly Zenk is the USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of Non-Verbal, the Hunted series, the Captivity series, and the Celestial Academy

I’m a queer writer and psychotherapist exploring the quiet places where fear and humanity meet. My writing lives at the intersection of horror and

I had an idea for a novel a few years ago and it wouldn’t go away... As a widowed, working parent, finding time to write was difficult, so I enrolled

Magdi M. Amin is a Sudanese American economist, technology investor, professor and development expert whose family's story spans three generations of

Hubert-Richard Clarke, is a filmmaker, actor, musician, martial artist, yogi and writer. When not teaching yoga or practising Kung-Fu. He will most

Cindy (writing as C.J. Larsen) lives in the Pacific Northwest. She makes her living as a criminal appellate attorney, but loves to write fairytales

I have been writing for over a decade as a creative outlet, with a particular passion for crafting original unusual stories and immersive worlds. My

Judith Pasztor Duffy, originally from Hungary, is a journalism graduate. After a decade in Ireland, where she built a career in marketing, her work

Margó Tóth is an emerging writer from Hungary who writes in English. Her writing blends contemporary Hungarian settings with gothic atmosphere

Carolina Autumn is a romantic fantasy writer whose work blends character-driven storytelling with lush world-building and intense, emotional

About the Author Simon Bullock is a British-born writer living in the Netherlands. His work spans speculative fiction, psychological thrillers, comic

Having taught in the LA public schools for thirty years, Morgan now writes about the people and places he has come to know in the course of his career

Nina Amée Fox is a writer, poet, screenwriter, voiceover artist, actor and visual storyteller. Her work explores the darker corners of human

When not dreaming about the written word, I work in the medical field as a dermatologist. I am a mom to three delightful young children, one of whom

I’m a science writer with a passion for solutions stories about climate and the environment, and I have published personal essays and feature stories

Jean Grandbois is the author of three novels. His earlier independently published work reached over 5,000 readers and maintains a 4.3-star average on

Rodolfo Fernandez has been a professional writer for more than 35 years, creating everything from commercials and videos to podcasts, websites, and

Karen discovered a love of writing after spending many years travelling throughout Europe and North America as a tour guide. Tired of living out of a

Chelsea Christman became an author at age twelve when her middle-grade novel, White Lightning , hit bookshelves. Since then, her published work

Mother to 2 wonderful children and nannar to 5 amazing grandchildren, I began writing in my late 20s whilst the children were in bed. My first book

Steve Rush is an award-winning author whose experience includes tenure as homicide detective and chief forensic investigator for a national consulting

When not dreaming about the written word, I work in the medical field as a dermatologist. I am a mom to three delightful young children, one of whom

Karin is an autistic mathematician, and writer of science fiction, fantasy and thrillers. After twelve moves within the Netherlands, Luxembourg

Mother of three, living in the Cotswolds, I previously wrote features for magazines and newspapers. I completed the Bath Spa Creative Writing MA with

Hello~ My name is Meggie. I was born in the northeastern United States, but have largely lived abroad in my adult life. I've traveled the world as a

Born in 1992 in northern France, Emilie Mayeur developed a love of reading at a very young age, especially in thriller and fantasy. Coming from a

Emerging Melbourne-based writer currently completing a Bachelor of Business and Media Communication at Swinburne University, majoring in Creating

Born in 1992 in northern France, Emilie Mayeur developed a love of reading at a very young age, especially in thriller and fantasy. Coming from a

Luke F. Walton is a San Diego-based writer, philosopher, and musician whose work explores bureaucracy, technology, and the absurdity of post-post

Clayton Tripp is a writer from North Carolina. A longtime reader of science fiction and fantasy, he is an aspiring fantasy writer still learning the

Kerry Riley Lynd lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and two daughters. She is an active member in two skilled critique groups, and her

Frances Gaudiano is a veterinary nurse and writer. She hails from Southern California but currently resides in Cornwall, England. Her education

Amanda is a high school English teacher and the Outdoors Writer for Cooperative Living Magazine. She holds an undergraduate degree in German, English

Originally from Hungary, I graduated from the University of Leeds with a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Human Resource Management, and I still live in

I'm a new Australian science fiction author with a lifelong love of story, imagination and world building. Inspired by the films and books that shaped

First time author living in the Austin, Texas area.

Sacha is a 20‑year‑old fantasy writer from Denmark who completed her debut novel, "Curse of fire & blood", in her native language before translating

Valentina Sarett is a science journalist and author of three books, including Scientific Fairytales, co‑written with Evangelina Sarett. Previous

Brian Feutz is the celebrated author of Pity the Peasants , a First Place winner in the CIBA Fiction Awards. A popular writer, podcast guest, and

Based in northern New South Wales, Australia, Brianna Rankin is a full-time primary school teacher with a passion for history. After living in the

JJD Thomas is an award-winning indie author based in Durham, North Carolina. His debut novel, "Against a Sea of Troubles," was released in February of

Diana Plater is an Australian novelist, non-fiction writer, playwright, journalist and travel writer. Her latest book, Whale Rock, won the Gold award

Victorine Lamothe is a Louisiana-born, Paris-based copywriter and poet. She spent 12 years working as a senior acquiring editor in the illustrated

Carolin M. Paradis is a business professional turned author and blogger. Years of supporting a church community led to associations that revealed

Having taught in the LA public schools for thirty years, Morgan now writes about the people and places he has come to know in the course of his career