HUGE thanks to our #CMCon26 Featured Authors.
The gifts of your time and enthusiasm are truly appreciated, and I know our attendees will love getting to know you and your amazing stories.

Gregory Ashe is a longtime Midwesterner. He has lived in Chicago, Bloomington (IN), and Saint Louis, his current home. When not reading and writing, he is an educator.

Darby Baham is a storyteller on a mission to make women like herself feel seen and believe that love is possible for them, yes them. The former Washington Post contributor often uses her doubts, hopes, and fears to inform the themes in her Harlequin romance series, The Friendship Chronicles.

A former educator who now spends her days living in her imagination with swoon worthy heroes and kickass heroines, Celeste Barclay writes Historical Romances along with Mafia Romances as Sabine Barclay. She spins steamy tales of love, loyalty, honor, duty, and family that’ll make your toes curl and your granny blush.

Casey Blair is a bestselling author of hopeful fantasy novels about ambitious women who dare. Her own adventures have included teaching English in rural Japan, taking a train to Tibet, rappelling down waterfalls in Costa Rica, and practicing capoeira. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest and can be found dancing spontaneously, exploring forests around the world, or trapped under a cat.
caseyblair.com / IG @CaseyLBlair

The bestselling author of Smoky Mountain Dreams and fan-favorite romances like Training Season, Will & Patrick Wake Up Married, and Slow Heat, she has been captivating M/M romance readers for over a decade. Leta Blake blends emotional depth, sizzling chemistry, and nuanced psychology to create characters who feel achingly real.

Gail Z. Martin writes urban fantasy, epic fantasy, and steampunk for Orbit Books, Falstaff Books, SOL Publishing, and Darkwind Press. As Morgan Brice, she writes MM paranormal romance, and co-authored with Larry N. Martin, she writes steampunk, monster hunters, and post-apocalyptic adventure. Join her Shadow Alliance and Worlds of Morgan Brice Facebook groups.

KC Burn is a Canadian transplanted to Florida who writes happy-ever-afters about men loving men, whether they’re psychics, aliens, professors, construction workers, cops, sleuths… you name it, she’ll probably write it. She’s got a pair of black cats, aka muses/nuisances, and an understanding hubby.
Visit KC at kcburn.com, or Facebook.

Chelsea Conradt writes twisty speculative thrillers including The Farmhouse. Her books are packed with both murder and kindness because we can be more than one thing.
When not writing stories that make you question what’s real, she is likely watching a baking show or a true-crime documentary. She is nothing if not on brand. Chelsea lives in Texas with her husband, son, and two big dogs. Find her online at chelseaconradt.com.

Carolyn Cross prides herself on writing stories that are unique and original. Centering her books around fantasy, intrigue, and high stakes, she loves keeping her readers entertained. Through creative worldbuilding, exciting plot twists, and strong characters, Carolyn weaves unforgettable stories that leave her readers only wanting more.

Tina DeSalvo believes in Second Chances, Happy Endings, and the Magic of Laughter—both in life (she’s a breast cancer survivor) and in books! Growing up in New Orleans and now calling Cajun Country home, her Second Chance Novel series is completely authentic with its Southern charm, quirky characters, fast-paced adventure, mystery intrigues and smile-worthy romance!
When not writing, Tina is happily chatting with readers, hosting Breast Cancer fundraisers or hunting for the perfect bowl of gluten-free gumbo.

Beth Dolgner is the author of the popular Nightmare, Arizona paranormal cozy mysteries. Her paranormal cozies and romantic urban fantasy are spooky but fun, which she attributes to a childhood love of Scooby-Doo and Bunnicula. Beth’s books feature found family, starting over at midlife, and solving mysteries with supernatural help.

Hank Edwards (he/him) has crafted gay fiction for over twenty years, publishing 40+ novels across romance genres from paranormal to contemporary to rom-com. Known for series like “Critter Catchers” and “Venom Valley,” he also writes YA fantasy as R.G. Thomas. He infuses all of his stories with heart and heat.

Vinni George has been a lover of romance novels since she first got her hands on one of her grandmother’s Harlequins and has never looked back. When she’s not writing, Vinni can be found working for her family’s business, which provides plenty of plot bunnies. Vinni’s debut novel, Hold the Door, was a finalist and runner-up in Contemporary Gay Romance in the 2020-2021 Rainbow Awards.

Chencia C. Higgins is just a girl from Texas who has made it her mission to create stories in which sassy, southern Black women are loved out loud. Her Carina Adores debut, D’Vaughn and Kris Plan a Wedding, was a New York Times best romance of 2022.

Stuart Jaffe is the madman behind The Max Porter Paranormal Mysteries, the Nathan K thrillers, The Ridnight Mysteries, the Parallel Society novels, The Pathway Ring series, and much more. Currently, he plays lead guitar in a local blues band, The Bootleggers, and enjoys life in rural North Carolina.

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.

Kiernan Kelly is an award-winning author of gay and sapphic romance, with over one hundred titles to her credit. She also writes YA under the pen name Dakota Chase.

Lisa Kessler is a Best Selling author of passionate, page-turning paranormal fiction. She’s a two-time San Diego Book Award winner for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror and Best Published Romance. Her vampire short story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.
When she’s not writing, Lisa is a professional tarot reader and vocalist. Her Practical Tarot deck and The Practical Tarot Method: Learning to Read Tarot Cards Intuitively book are now available everywhere.

Amy Lane. Writer, knitter, mother, spouse, fur-baby wrangler, weirdo, teacher of yarncraft, friend.

Karmen Lee is a lifelong Southerner living it up in Atlanta, Georgia, with her kid, her cats and humidity. When not packing lunches or working her nine-to-five, she can be found drinking coffee too late at night, watching House Hunters International and dreaming up ways to show her readers a good time. Find her on Instagram (@authorkarmenlee).

Justin S. Leslie is a bestselling author and retired Army Major. He writes the Max Abaddon urban fantasy series, the zombie thriller The Sinking Man, and the sci-fi epic The Descending Worlds. When not writing, he enjoys music, cocktails, and life with his family in Doctors Inlet.

Bestselling author Shawntelle Madison has written over 15 science fiction, fantasy, and romance titles, most notably the urban fantasy series Coveted. Her most recent release was The Fallen Fruit, a historical fantasy about a Black family of time travelers.

Mari Mancusi is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of Disney books and dragon books.

Stories that bring the Magic of Scotland to life…
USA Today bestselling author Hildie McQueen brings action, romance, and unique settings to life in her captivating stories. From sweeping Scottish historicals to thrilling contemporary and fantasy romances, her books offer something for every reader to devour!

Tere Michaels unofficially began her writing career at the age of four, when she learned that people got paid to write stories. It seemed the most perfect and logical job in the world, and after that, her path was never in question.
She writes happily ever afters in the big city—with heaps of snark, angst, and humor. Her focus is on characters and all the ridiculous ways they trip through life and love.

USA Today and ECPA bestselling author Nancy Naigle writes small-town love stories and women’s fiction. Some of her novels have made their way to the television screen. This Virginia girl devotes her time to writing, antiquing, and spa days with friends.

Abigail Owen is the #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and International bestselling author of 30+ books that range from upper YA (18+) epic romantasy to new adult modern mythic romantasy to super spicy adult paranormal romance. She loves magical worlds with plots that move hot and fast, feisty heroines with sass, heroes with heart, a dash of snark, and oodles of HEAs!

L.E. Perez/ML Davila writes stories ranging from thrillers to reapers, to time travel and the paranormal, to romance for all ages. They write the stories that need to be written which unfortunately makes them a bit of a genre slut. Steamy, yes. Boring, NEVER.

C.S. Poe is an award-winning author of gay mystery, romance, and speculative fiction.
She resides in New York City, is a Gilded Age New York historian, and alumna of the School of Visual Arts. Her debut novel, The Mystery of Nevermore, was published 2016.

Dahlia Rose is a multi genre USA Today Bestselling Author of both traditional and Indie published books. From Contemporary to urban fantasy, she adds a hint of Caribbean Spice into her work. Her life revolves around her large family and an assortment of pets that includes four dogs. Dahlia has a love of the dark things that go bump in the night, dragons, and Lord of The Rings. Her unique personality will be the first to make you smile and she always sees new people in her world as friends.

Heather Silvio writes fun, fast-paced, paranormal mysteries and flirty romances with guaranteed happily ever afters. She sometimes strays from that to write non-supernatural fiction, and even the occasional nonfiction. She’s also an actress and psychologist who channels her inner flapper as a 1920s jazz and blues singer when not working.

HD Smith is a software developer and author. She writes Urban Fantasy under the name HD Smith, Romantic Suspense as Sloane Savage, and Middle Grade as Morgan Quick.
She grew up in South Carolina, but has called the Sunshine State home since 1997. She has a master’s degree in Computer Science, but her love of writing has really unleashed the creative siren in her soul.

When not tending to her plant horde or indulging in emotional support cheese, Cynthia St. Aubin loves crafting wickedly whimsical paranormal mysteries and spicy small-town smut for readers who love to laugh.
She lives just outside of NYC where she tends to her bougie bird bath, is the dutiful companion to a pair of purring rabble-rousers, and engages in #defiantactsofwhimsy.

Victoria Sue writes MM romance about protective heroes, soft hearts, and chosen families.
Shifters, dragons, and ice-hockey players collide in her worlds, where emotions run high and loyalty is everything.
When she isn’t writing, Victoria answers to her pup, Bailey, who supervises edits, approves the Saturday newsletter, and firmly believes all deadlines are flexible—especially when walks, dinner, and cuddles are involved. 

Libby Tanner writes the kind of books you read in the bathtub while eating cookies right out of the box. When she’s not writing she’s chasing her four kiddos or smooching her husband. Her dream date would be eating crab legs in a hot air balloon over a vineyard.