Strong Women Strange Worlds

HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA
December 2, 2023
Index of Authors by Activity
(because there was that really cool-sounding book, but you can't remember the author...)

10:00 Mad Libs I – Patricia Correll, Gabby Gilliam, Melody Johnson, Jody Lynn Nye, A.M. Scott,
(host Kate Pope)
11:00 Improv Storytelling – K. Aten, Elisa Bonin, Barbara Krasnoff, Patricia Miller, Sylvia Woodham,
(host Kate Pope)
12:00 Bluff the Audience – Terri Bruce, Karen Hough, Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, Anne E.G. Nydam,
Loren Rhoads, (host Lauren Teffeau)
1:00 QuickReads I – C.S.E. Cooney, Penelope Flynn, Elle Ire, Tiffany Morris, Cristel Orrand,
Meg Smith, (host K. Aten)
2:00 Speed-Date a Book – Angela Acosta, Claudia Blood, JS Fields, Carol Gyzander,
Adeena Mignogna, Anita Stewart, (host Penelope Flynn)
3:00 Mad Libs II – Claudia Blood, Terri Bruce, JF Garrard, Lydia M. Hawke, Sam Ledel,
(host Kate Pope)
4:00 Whose Scene is it Anyway – Alma Alexander, Sarah Jean Horwitz, Shameez Patel Papathanasiou,
Sarena Ulibarri (host JF Garrard)
5:00 QuickReads II – Holley Cornetto, Amy Grech, N.D. Jones, Gillian Polack, Angela Yuriko Smith,
Nicole Wolverton, (host Vanessa MacLaren-Wray)
Ghost Guest Authors – Ann Warren Griffith, Jane Loudon, Mary Shelley, Dora Sigurson Shorter
Round Robin Stories – K. Aten, Claudia Blood, Elisa Bonnin, Terri Bruce, Patricia Correll,
Elizabeth Davis, Karen Eisenbrey, Penelope Flynn, JF Garrard, Gabby Gilliam,
Barbara Krasnoff, Sam Ledel, Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, Adeena Mignogna, Patricia Miller,
Anne E.G. Nydam, AM Scott, Angela Yuriko Smith, Caren Gussoff Sumption,
Nicole Wolverton, Sylvia Woodham
Small Bites: Flash Fiction, Poetry, and Recipes – Patricia Correll, Karen Eisenbrey, JF Garrard,
Gabby Gilliam, Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, Adeena Mignogna, Patricia Miller,
Anne E.G. Nydam, Sarena Ulibarri
Sampler Book of Fantasy and Horror – K. Aten, Claudia Blood, Terri Bruce, Karen Eisenbrey,
JF Garrard, Carol Gyzander, Lydia M. Hawke, Barbara Krasnoff, Anne E.G. Nydam,
Loren Rhoads, Nicole M. Wolverton
Sampler Book of Sci Fi – K. Aten, Claudia Blood, Karen Eisenbrey, JS Fields, Melody Johnson,
Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, Adeena Mignogna, AM Scott, Lauren Teffeau, Sarena Ulibarri
 Featured Authors, Alphabetically
Angela Acosta is a bilingual Mexican American poet and Visiting Assistant Professor of
Hispanic Studies at Davidson College published in Shoreline of Infinity, Apparition Lit,
Radon Journal, and Space & Time. She is author of A Belief in Cosmic Dailiness: Poems of
a Fabled Universe (Red Ogre Review, 2023).
Speed-Date: A Belief in Cosmic Dailiness: Poems of a Fabled Universe

Alma Alexander is an internationally published novelist, short story writer and anthologist
who lives in the Pacific Northwest of the USA with the obligatory writer's cats and assorted
visiting wildlife. www.AlmaAlexander.org
Whose Scene: Val Hall: Century

K. Aten - Award winning author and Michigan native, Kelly Aten-Keilen brings heroines to
life in a variety of blended LGBTQ fiction genres. She specializes in romantic speculative
fiction, focusing on extra-ordinary women who are as flawed as they are compelling. Kelly
will publish her 15th novel later this year with Flashpoint Publications. www.katenauthor.com
Improv Storytelling
Sci Fi Sampler: Remember Me, Synthetica
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: Elemental Attraction
Round Robin Storybook

Claudia Blood’s early introduction to Dungeons and Dragons, combined with her training
as a scientist and a side trip into the world of IT set her up to become an award-winning
author of Science Fiction and Fantasy. www.ClaudiaBlood.com
Speed-Date: Renegades Rising series
MadLibs: Company Assassin
Sci Fi Sampler: The Duchess
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: Book of Secrets
Round Robin Storybook

Elisa A. Bonnin was born and raised in the Philippines, after which she moved to the United
States to study chemistry and oceanography. Publishing a book has been her childhood
dream, and she is thrilled to share her stories. She is the author of Dauntless and Stolen City.
eabonnin.com
Improv Storytelling
Round Robin Storybook

Terri Bruce writes hard-to-classify fantasy and science fiction stories that explore the
supernatural side of everyday things. She is the author of the paranormal/contemporary
fantasy Afterlife series, the speculative fiction short story collection SOULS, and numerous
short stories in various anthologies and magazines. www.terribruce.net
Bluff the Audience: Souls
MadLibs: Whereafter (Afterlife #3)
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: Hereafter (Afterlife #1)
Round Robin Storybook
C.S.E. Cooney is the two-time World Fantasy Award-winning author of Saint Death's
Daughter and Bone Swans. Other work includes The Twice-Drowned Saint, Dark Breakers,
and Desdemona and the Deep. She has narrated over 120 audiobooks, and will sing for
anyone who stands still long enough.
QuickRead: Saint Death’s Daughter

Holley Cornetto is a writer, librarian, professor, book reviewer, and transplanted southerner.
Her novella, We Haunt These Woods, was published by Bleeding Edge Books. In addition to
writing The Horror Tree’s newsletter, she reviews for Publisher's Weekly and The Horror Tree.
She teaches creative writing at Southern New Hampshire University. Twitter @HLCornetto
QuickRead: "A Few Small Repairs" from It Calls from the Veil anthology
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: They Are Cursed Like You

Patricia Correll is a writer of ghost stories, fantasy, and daily to-do lists. She/her. Thief,
archer, food for fire ants. https://twitter.com/Author_PCorrell
MadLibs: Monstrous Creatures
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes
Round Robin Storybook

Elizabeth Davis is a second generation writer living in Dayton, Ohio. They live there with
their spouse and two cats - neither of which have been lost to ravenous corn mazes or
sleeping serpent gods. When they aren't busy creating beautiful nightmares and bizarre
adventures, they can be found at Deadfishbooks.com
Round Robin Storybook

Karen Eisenbrey lives in Seattle, WA, where she leads a quiet, orderly life and invents
stories to make up for it. Karen writes fantasy and science fiction novels, as well as short
fiction and the occasional poem or song if it insists. https://kareneisenbreywriter.com/
Sci Fi Sampler: Ego & Endurance
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: Daughter of Magic
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes
Round Robin Storybook

JS Fields is a scientist who has spent too much time around organic solvents. They enjoy
roller derby, woodturning, making chainmail by hand, and cultivating fungi in the backs of
minivans. http://www.jsfieldsbooks.com
Speed-Date: Ardulum series
Sci Fi Sampler: Queen

Penelope Flynn writes and illustrates adult-targeted horror, suspense, science fiction and
fantasy. Her works have been in several anthologies and the third book of her Chronicles of
Renfields series launched in September 2021. She moderates the podcast Discussions From
the Otherhood and heads Ambitious Hybrid Multimedia and Prolific Hybrid Multimedia.
PenelopeFlynn.com
QuickRead:
Round Robin Storybook
JF Garrard is an award-winning speculative fiction writer, editor and publisher. She is the
President of Dark Helix Press, Host of the literary podcast The Artsy Raven, President for
the Canadian Authors Association’s Toronto Branch and Deputy Editor for Ricepaper
Magazine. Her portfolio of books and short fiction is listed on https://jfgarrard.com
MadLibs: The Undead Sorceress
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: The Undead Sorceress
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes
Round Robin Storybook

Gabby Gilliam lives in the DC metro area with her husband and son. Her poetry has most
recently appeared in One Art, Plant-Human Quarterly, The Ekphrastic Review, Pure Slush,
Deep Overstock, Vermillion, MacQueen’s Quinterly, and Anti-Heroin Chic. You can find her
online at gabbygilliam.squarespace.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GabbyGilliamAuthor.
MadLibs: “Naming the Whelp” from Alder & Ebony anthology
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes
Round Robin Storybook

Amy Grech has sold over 100 short stories to various anthologies and magazines, including
Even in the Grave. Amy is an Active Member of the Horror Writers Association who lives
in Forest Hills, Queens. You can connect with her on X: https://twitter.com/amy_grech or
visit her website: https://www.crimsonscreams.com
QuickRead: Even in the Grave

Ann Warren Griffith (1911 or 1918-1983) was an American writer of humorous essays
and science fiction. During WWII she flew planes in the U.S. Airforce as a member of the
Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program. Her work, including two satirical sci fi
pieces, was published in major magazines. (The piece presented today appears in the
anthology Rediscovery 2, and was read with kind permission of the editor Gideon Marcus.)
https://journeypress.com/titles/rediscovery-science-fiction-by-women/
Ghost Guest: presented by Terri Bruce

Carol Gyzander writes and edits horror, dark fiction, and sci-fi in the northern New Jersey
suburbs of New York City. She is Co-Coordinator of the HWA NY Chapter and co-hosts
their online Galactic Terrors readings every second Thursday (see HWANY.org). HWA,
MWA, HNS, BU. CarolGyzander.com
Speed-Date: Forget Me Not (Systema Paradoxa Book 10)
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: Forget Me Not (Systema Paradoxa Book 10)

Lydia M. Hawke is a Canadian writer of paranormal women's fiction who is on a mission to

reclaim the term crone and make it positive again. A wife, mother, and grandmother herself,
Lydia’s newest series features a woman who discovers her magic—and her power—at the
age of 60. LydiaHawkeBooks.com
MadLibs: Becoming Crone
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: Sins of the Angels
Sarah Jean Horwitz grew up next door to a cemetery and down the street from an
abandoned fairy-tale theme park, which probably explains a lot. She is the author of several
middle grade fantasy novels. Her newest book is The Demon Sword Asperides. Sarah Jean
currently lives near Boston. www.sarahjeanhorwitz.com
Whose Scene: The Demon Sword Asperides

K.A. Hough is a Canadian writer who balances her passion for exercise and science with her
love of cookies and nonsense. She lives with her husband, three energetic kids, and a
codependent dog. In her spare time, she writes essays, teaches boot camps in the parks, and
drinks tea. karenhoughwrites.com
Bluff the Audience: Ground Control

Elle E. Ire When she isn't taking shooting lessons or cave swimming with bats, Elle Ire
writes science fiction and paranormal romance featuring kickass women who fall in love
with each other. Elle has nine published novels with DSP Publications. She is represented by
Naomi Davis at Bookends Literary Agency. elleire.com
QuickRead: Dead Woman’s Pond

N.D. Jones, Ed.D. is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Maryland with her
family. In her desire to see more novels with positive, sexy, and three-dimensional Black
characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, she took on that challenge herself.
ndjonesparanormalpleasure.com
QuickRead: Of Deception and Divinity

Melody Johnson is the award-winning author of the Love Beyond and Night Blood series.
Earning the 2021 Maggie Award of Excellence, Beyond the Next Star is an exciting branch
from Melody's paranormal romance roots, keeping the dark grit from her Night Blood Series
and taking it to new worlds. authormelodyjohnson.com
MadLibs: Beyond the Next Star
Sci Fi Sampler: Beyond the Next Star

Barbara Krasnoff’s stories have appeared in a variety of publications; “Sabbath Wine,”

which was published in Clockwork Phoenix 5, was a finalist for the 2016 Nebula Award.
Her novel The History of Soul 2065, from Mythic Delirium Books, appeared in June 2019.
Currently, she’s Reviews Editor at The Verge. https://historyofsoul2065.com/
Improv Storytelling
Round Robin Storybook

Sam Ledel writes sapphic fiction in the fantasy and historical romance genres. She's the
proud author of seven novels with Bold Strokes Books. When not writing, she may be found
daydreaming with a cup of coffee in hand and her Jack Russell terrier snuggled close by.
www.samledel.com
MadLibs: Heart of Stone
Round Robin Storybook
Jane Wells Webb Loudon (1807-1858) was an English author and early writer of science
fiction, as well as writing and illustrating books about gardening and horticulture. Her most
famous fiction work is The Mummy! A Tale of the Twenty-Second Century. Her work is
now in the public domain, and The Mummy! can be found on Project Gutenberg.
Ghost Guest: presented by Vanessa MacLaren-Wray

Vanessa MacLaren-Wray writes speculative fiction about humans and other people
making connections in a complex universe. She’s the author of the Patchwork Universe
series, including All That Was Asked, Shadows of Insurrection, and Flames of Attrition. She
often guest-hosts for the podcast Small Publishing in a Big Universe.
https://cometarytales.com/
Bluff the Audience: Flames of Attrition
Sci Fi Sampler: The Smugglers
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes
Round Robin Storybook

Adeena Mignogna, author of The Robot Galaxy series, is an engineer working in aerospace,
and a long-time science fiction geek with a strong desire to inspire others through speaking
and writing about robots, AI, aliens, virtual reality, and more! http://linktr.ee/adeenam
Speed-Date: Lunar Logic
Sci Fi Sampler: Lunar Logic
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes
Round Robin Storybook

Patricia Miller is a member of SFWA and writes science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
Publications include short fiction in numerous anthologies, MetaStellar, Zooscape, and
Cinnabar Moth Literary Collections, Dastardly Damsels, and 99 Fleeting Fantasies. A
complete listing of stories, her occasional blog, and more info can be found at:
https://trishmillerwrites.com
Improv Storytelling
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes
Round Robin Storybook

Tiffany Morris is an L'nu'skw (Mi'kmaw) writer from Nova Scotia. She is the author of the
swampcore horror novella Green Fuse Burning (Stelliform Books, 2023) and the Elgin-
nominated horror poetry collection Elegies of Rotting Stars (Nictitating Books, 2022). Her
work has appeared in Nightmare, Uncanny, and Apex Magazine, among others.
tiffmorris.com
QuickRead: "Night in the Chrysalis" from the anthology Never Whistle At Night

Anne E.G. Nydam has written and illustrated books for all ages. She also makes relief
block prints and writes short stories and poems celebrating the wonders of worlds both real
and imaginary. She lives near Boston with the usual sorts of family and pets, including a
pampered Venus fly trap. nydamprints.com
Bluff the Audience: The Extraordinary Book of Doors
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: The Extraordinary Book of Doors
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes
Round Robin Storybook
Jody Lynn Nye lists her main career activity as ‘spoiling cats.’ When not engaged upon this
worthy occupation, she writes fantasy and science fiction, most of it humorous. Since 1987
she has published over 50 books and more than 175 short stories. Jody teaches the two-day
writers' workshop at Dragon Con, and is Coordinating Judge of the Writers of the Future
Contest.
MadLibs: “My Little Old One” from the anthology The Cackle of Cthulhu

Cristel Orrand is the author of two cross-genre novels, The Amalgamist and Khayal, the
poetry and prose collection Heartwood, and most recently, the novelette “M.O.U.T.H.
Piece” in the Objectified anthology published by Crone Girls Press. She is currently working
on a southern gothic historical fiction novel series, and her poetry.
https://cristelorrand.wixsite.com/writer
QuickRead: The Gatekeepers

Shameez Patel Papathanasiou is a South African author working as a civil engineer by day
and writing fantasy by night. Her literary adventures take her to worlds filled with magic,
monsters and someone to fall in love with. Her debut novel, The Last Feather, is a threat-
and-danger, hidden-world fantasy. www.shameezwrites.com
Whose Scene: The Last Feather

Dr Gillian Polack is an award-winning Australian speculative fiction writer. She was

awarded the 2020 A. Bertram Chandler Award for lifetime achievement in science fiction.
Her most recent novel is The Green Children Help Out. Her novels are science fiction and
fantasy, which is odd, for she is an ethnohistorian. https://gillianpolack.com/
QuickRead: The Time of the Ghosts

Loren Rhoads is the co-author (with Brian Thomas) of the As Above, So Below books, a
dark urban fantasy duet about a succubus and her angel. Her short stories have appeared in
Best New Horror, Tales of Evil, Sins of the Sirens: 14 Tales of Dark Desire, and many more.
lorenrhoads.com
Bluff the Audience: Lost Angels
Fantasy & Horror Sampler: The Angel’s Lair

AM Scott spent twenty years as a US Air Force space operations officer, and now operates a
laptop, trading in real satellites for fictional spaceships. AM’s writing cave is deep in the
mountains of western Montana. AM is also a volunteer leader with Team Rubicon Disaster
Response. amscottwrites.com
MadLibs: Lightwave: Clocker
Sci Fi Sampler: Lightwave: Clocker
Round Robin Storybook

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) was an English novelist, radical thinker, and
influential friend of other famous authors. Her most famous work is Frankenstein, or The
Modern Prometheus, which was an immediate popular success, and is now considered a
pioneering work of science fiction.
Ghost Guest: presented by Tiffany Morris
Dora Sigurson Shorter (1866-1918) was an Irish poet and sculptor. She was a major figure
of the Irish Literary Revival, and made much use of Irish mythology and folklore in her
poetry. Her work is now in the public domain, and some of her books can be found on
Project Gutenberg.
Ghost Guest: presented by JF Garrard

Angela Yuriko Smith is a third-generation Shimanchu-American, award-winning poet,

author, and publisher with 20+ years of newspaper experience. Publisher of Space & Time
magazine (est. 1966), two-time Bram Stoker Awards® Winner, and an HWA Mentor of the
Year, she shares Authortunities, a free weekly calendar of author opportunities at
angelayurikosmith.com
QuickRead: Unquiet Spirits: Essays by Asian Women in Horror
Round Robin Storybook

Meg Smith’s poetry and fiction have appeared in Dark Moon Digest, The Cafe Review,
Muddy River Poetry Review, Star*Line, The Horror Zine, and many more. She is author of
five poetry books and a short fiction collection, The Plague Confessor. She welcomes visits
to megsmithwriter.com.
QuickRead: The Plague Confessor

Sarah Smith’s internationally bestselling books are published in 15 languages. She’s won
the Agatha for best teenage mystery, the Massachusetts Book Award for best teenage novel,
and numerous other honors, including NY Times Notables and various Best Book of the
Year lists. She’s working on a fantasy with pirates and talking eagles, and is delighted by the
number of characters she can kill. www.sarahsmith.com

A. F. Stewart is a steadfast sci-fi and fantasy geek, born and raised in Nova Scotia, Canada,
which she still calls home. She favours the dark and deadly when writing, and as an indie
author she’s published novels, novellas and story collections, with a few side trips into
poetry. https://afstewart.ca/
Speed-Date: Fairy Tales and Nightmares

Caren Gussoff Sumption is a science fiction writer of mixed Romany ancestry, living near
Seattle. She is the author of 6 books, the setting chapter in the Gotham Writers' Workshop
Practical Guide, and more than 100 short stories. Her latest novella will be out in September,
from Vernacular Books. https://spitkitten.com/
MadLibs: Three Songs For Roxy
Round Robin Storybook

Lauren Teffeau is the author of Implanted (Angry Robot), a cyberpunk/solarpunk

adventure shortlisted for the 2019 Compton Crook award for best first SF/F/H novel. Her
climate fantasy novella A Hunger with No Name from University of Tampa Press releases
Fall of 2024. www.laurencteffeau.com
Sci Fi Sampler: Implanted
Sarena Ulibarri is the author of two science fiction novellas (Another Life from Stelliform
Press and Steel Tree from Android Press) as well as nearly 50 short stories, which have
appeared in magazines such as Lightspeed, DreamForge, and Solarpunk Magazine. She
lives, writes, and plants trees in the American Southwest. www.sarenaulibarri.com
Whose Scene: Steel Tree
Sci Fi Sampler: Steel Tree
Small Bites book of flash fiction, poetry, and recipes

Nicole M. Wolverton is a Pushcart-nominated writer of horror and speculative fiction and

creative nonfiction. Her short works appear in dozens of publications—and her debut young
adult novel, A Misfortune of Lake Monsters —will be out in summer 2024 from CamCat
Books. She lives in the Philadelphia area. www.nicolewolverton.com
QuickRead: “Harvest” from The Wordsmiths anthology
Fantasy & Horror Sampler book: A Misfortune of Lake Monsters
Round Robin Storybook

Sylvia Woodham lives in Germany with her dog, and works in international business when
not writing. She has short stories published so far.
https://sylviawoodham.wixsite.com/home
Improv Storytelling
Round Robin Storybook

Plus host Kate Pope, the "token non-author" on the organizing committee. She is a reader
extraordinaire and a tie-dye artist, and will do anything for MadLibs.

Special thanks to all those who contributed “backstage” to make this Extravaganza possible, including
Kelly Aten, Claudia Blood, Terri Bruce, Patricia Correll, Ef Deal, Karen Eisenbrey,
JF Garrard, Gabby Gilliam, Amanda Huskisson, Lindsay Macannon, Clare Macannon,
Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, Anne E.G. Nydam, Kate Pope, and Sarah Smith.

We also depend on the generosity of our audience. Although we are an all-volunteer

organization and are committed to keeping our events free, the tech we use does have costs.
If you’d like to leave us a tip through Ko-fi, we do appreciate it very much!

Find out more about us, and our past authors and upcoming events at
strongwomenstrangeworlds.weebly.com