2026 Writing Award Longlist

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

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

An IT professional by day and a worldbuilder by night, I wrote my first YA sci-fi novel in the chaotic gaps of raising a young family. I've

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

When not writing, Clara works as a dermatologist and lives with her husband and three children amongst the beautiful mountains and lakes of North

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Judy Taylor is an artist, author, playwright and screenwriter. Her rug hooking books and magazines have won awards from Foreword INDIES, Chanticleer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ray Goodrich is an eighteen-time Emmy Award–winning writer and producer whose work has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox Sports, ESPN, TNT Sports, and

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

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

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

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

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

First time author living in the Austin, Texas area.

I’m a Scottish writer living in Angus with my partner and our three young daughters. I came to writing by a fairly roundabout route, having studied

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

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

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

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