Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers

Paul Martz is an award-winning science fiction author, technology blogger, and former punk rock drummer. At age six, he saw 2001: A Space Odyssey on the big screen, which lead him to a collection of Arthur C. Clarke’s short stories and a lifelong insatiable appetite for mind-bending science fiction. His short stories can be found at Amazing Stories, Uncharted Magazine, Creepy Podcast, and many others.  Paul is totally blind, but losing his eyesight hasn’t slowed him down. He co-edited last year’s RMFW anthology, Without Brakes, Fingers Crossed. And he competes in Rubik’s Cube speedsolving competitions. His new non-fiction book, Solve It! The Only Speedsolving Guide for Blind Cubers, has just been released.  Paul lives in Erie, Colorado, where he sips lattes while the snow sublimates. Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlis

Andrea Catalano is a historical novelist who holds a master of philosophy in historical studies degree from University of Cambridge, UK. Originally from the Boston area, she currently lives in Texas with her husband, children, two fluffy cats, and many, many books. Andrea's debut novel, The First Witch of Boston, comes out in September after years and years of honing her craft. Find her online at www.andreacatalanoauthor.com.   Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Gabriella Batel is a vibrant young Catholic woman with an adrenaline craving and a passion for God, family, acting, movies, fanart, YA, and good food. Of course, she's also a writer and archivist of dark fantasy and thrills, including the highly praised Don’t YA thriller series, the upcoming dark fantasy mystery Ending, and the prize-winning post-apocalyptic fantasy story “Antivenom.”    Batel is the founder of Bonepiercer Media, where she was the fiery audio narrator of Mary Rose Kreger’s award-winning story “Fiona’s Choice”; and she is a mentor at LegendFiction, where she uses her degree in English Writing, Rhetoric, and Technology and experience in the trenches of indie publishing to help new indie authors make their stories shine and sing.   https://www.gabriellabatel.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=

Mariko Tatsumoto is an award-winning author of Adult, Middle Grade, Young Adult novels that explore Japanese history, culture, and adventure. Her books have earned eight literary honors, including the Freeman Book Awards, the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, and Colorado Gold Award. Born in Japan and raised in the U.S. from the age of eight, she became the first Asian woman attorney admitted to the Colorado Bar. In addition to fiction, she coaches aspiring writers the craft of writing through her writing handbook. On the podcast, we talk about the narrative impact of a character’s death in fiction. More at: marikotatsumoto.com Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/ Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Melissa George is a proud member of the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and resides in the peaceful mountain town of Estes Park. She has an MPH and enjoys exploring aspects of disaster management, which she incorporates into her dystopian writing. When Melissa isn't writing, she loves to spend her time running, biking, and kickboxing. She's a proud graduate of the University of Missouri Track and Field program, where she currently holds the school record for the 3,000m steeplechase. Following collegiate athletics, she pursued running on the professional level with the Roots Running Project for two years. Outside of sports, she loves to spend her time with her husband and their three tortoiseshell cats: Katniss, Primrose, and Navi. More: Melissageorgebooks.com Instagram: @melissageorgebooks TikTok is @melissageorgebooks Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/share/18geycAbGs/?mibextid=wwXIfr Substack: https://substack.com/@melissageorgebooks?r=2zlguc&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile Intro Music by Moby G

Leah Naess is a retired technical writer and instructional designer who published Redemption: A Jo Walker Mystery for her friend and writing critique group member, the deceased Karen Starkins. Leah has written and produced two short films, written two novels, drafted two feature-length films, and, with friends, researched and drafted a non-fiction historical account of the Denver Artists Guild. More https://karenstarkins.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/ Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216  

Jenny Dandy is a graduate of Smith College and of Lighthouse Writers Workshop Book Project. Though she has lived and worked from Beijing to Baltimore, from Northampton to Atlanta, it was New York that held onto a piece of her heart. She now lives and writes in the Rocky Mountains where she would never lift a wallet or scam her dinner guests. On the podcats, Jenny talks about her debut novel, The Brownstone on E. 83rd. More: www.jennydandy.com Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/ Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216  

Bryan Canter is an author, independent publishing consultant, and retired Army officer with overseas tours in Iraq, Korea, and Okinawa. Bryan helps authors navigate the complex world of independent publishing as a book and audiobook publishing consultant for My Word Publishing out of Denver. Additionally, he is an Amazon Ads specialist with the Successful Writer Marketplace. As an international speaker and educator, Bryan has addressed large groups and conducted training seminars in venues across the USA, Nicaragua, India, Scotland, the Middle East, and Japan. Bryan lives full-time in a motorhome with his wife, Dawn, visiting historic sites and enjoying the amazing natural beauty of the United States. This time on the podcast, Bryan takes offers a reality check for first-time authors.  https://www.mywordpublishing.com Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/ Host Mark Stevens: www.writermarkstevens.com Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscri

Kate Jonuska is an author, freelance writer and yoga teacher based in Boulder, CO. Her short fiction was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and her first novel, Transference, was a finalist for the BookLife Prize. She's also the author of The Dictionary of Fiction Critique, now in its second edition. Kate is a longtime organizer of yoga sessions at RMFW’s Colorado Gold conference and this time on the podcast we talk about a yoga and writing retreat opportunity she is heading up that will take place later this summer. In France.  NOTE: Early bird prices available ONLY through March 1 for Kate’s July retreat. https://curatedyogaretreats.wetravel.com/trips/where-body-meets-creative-soul-with-kate-jonuska-curated-yoga-retreats-84333548 More about Kate: http://katejonuska.com.    Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP

Lisa C. Taylor is the author of the novel, The Shape of What Remains, three poetry collections, most recently Interrogation of Morning (2022) and two short story collections, most recently Impossibly Small Spaces (2018). Her honors include the Hugo House New Fiction Award and Pushcart nominations in fiction and poetry and Best-of-the Net nominations in both categories. Her poetry collaboration with Irish writer Geraldine Mills, The Other Side of Longing received the Elizabeth Shanley Gerson Honor at University of Connecticut. Lisa holds an MFA in Creative Writing and she is the co-director of the Mesa Verde Writers Conference and Literary Festival. She is also a board member for Four Corners Writers and the Mancos Creative District. Lisa has received writing residencies from Vermont Studio Center, Willowtail Springs, and Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Ireland. She teaches writing online and offers workshops around the country.   More: https://www.lisactaylor.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/

Bill Liggett writes fiction that blends behavioral and earth sciences in the recent cli-fi (climate fiction) literary genre. His goal is to paint a hopeful future based on solutions to global warming. He holds a BS in geology and an MA in education, both from Stanford University, and a PhD in applied social psychology from New York University. Among the many positions he has held over the years, he taught in high school and college, conducted behavioral science studies for IBM, and consulted with health care and educational organizations. Wherever he lives, he loves being outdoors. Home for him has included the West Coast, East Coast, Alaska, and now Colorado, the state of his childhood. He and his wife, Cathy, live in Niwot, Colorado.   For more information, visit his website: www.williamliggett.com Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://yo

Josh Clark is a writer, graphic designer, and bookseller. He is a writer of genre fiction for adults and young adults. His short fiction has been published Pikes Peak Writers, Black Hare Press, The Lunatics Project Podcast, and many others. Since 2018, Josh has worked at two of Colorado’s premier bookstores as a bookseller, backlist buyer, and head of the shipping and receiving department. Josh has served in key roles for various writing organizations over the years, such as Speaker’s Coordinator for Pueblo West Writers, Query Coordinator for Pikes Peak Writers, and as a judge for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Gold Rush Contest. He has presented workshops for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers and Pueblo West Writers. Prior to working in the indie bookstore world, Josh worked full time as a graphic designer at the Professional Bull Riders, a local newspaper, an automotive advertising agency, and as a freelancer. His life is filled with words professionally and recreationally, so if he’s not writing or reading yo

Scott Graham is the National Outdoor Book Award-winning author of the National Park Mystery Series, published by Torrey House Press. A special 10th Anniversary Edition of book one in the series, Grand Canyon Sacrifice, featuring a foreword by Anne Hillerman, will be released March 25, 2025. Death Valley Duel, book nine in the series, was released in June 2024. Scott’s critically acclaimed mysteries feature archaeologist Chuck Bender and his family as they encounter villainous intrigue in America’s iconic western national parks, illuminating environmental and social justice issues specific to the parks along the way. Upon its debut, William Kent Krueger praised Grand Canyon Sacrifice as “engrossing…a topnotch read,” and Nina de Gramont called Death Valley Duel “a taut, smart, and propulsive thriller.” Scott is an avid outdoors person and advocate for public lands who lives with his wife, an emergency physician, in Durango, Colorado. In addition to his mysteries, Scott is the author of five nonfiction books. He

Celina Thompson is basically a vampire. She is a disabled author with multiple invisible illnesses which cause sunlight to be painful, require blood transfusions, and even make garlic off limits. This serves as her inspiration. Before discovering her conditions, she worked in technical theatre and continues to have a deep appreciation for the arts. She loves immersing herself in telling a powerful  story and transporting people to another world. Celina is a member of the Horror Writers Association & Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (RMFW). Currently she is the chair for the RMFW Colorado Gold Writers Conference and on the podcast we get a sneak peek at some of the improvements and key announcements about what’s being planned for the conference this coming September. More about Celina: bit.ly/m/AuthorCT Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/ Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://yo

Kathryn Eastburn the editor and publisher of five-month-old Rocky Mountain Reader. She is an award-winning Colorado journalist. She co-founded the Colorado Springs Independent in the early 1990s and is the published author of two books of nonfiction. She has taught journalism at The Colorado College and creative nonfiction writing at Lighthouse Writers Workshop. Eastburn holds a BA in English from the University of Hawaii and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. When she’s not writing or editing, she can be found in the garden getting dirt between her toes. More: rockymountainreader.org Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

Nancy Houser-Bluhm now hails from Michigan after living in the Colorado foothills for 26 years with her husband, various pets, and many, many trees. When she retired from a full-time career as a Speech Pathologist, report writing was replaced with creative projects-novels, short stories, and inspired poems. Nancy shifted reader’s thinking about the earth’s soil with her debut novel, Whispers for Terra. Her second novel, The Nickel Loop released in July 2024. Nancy enjoys being carried away by a good story while given cause to ponder some aspect of our existence. More: www.nancyhouserbluhm.com   Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216

This time on a quick bonus episode of the Rocky Mountain Writer podcast, a chat with Sue Hinkin of Rocky Mountain Mystery Writers of America about the 2nd Annual Rocky Mountain Virtual Con, a FREE conference for all writers being held on Saturday, Feb. 8 via Zoom. Sue Hinkin is the author of the award-winning thriller series, The Vega & Middleton Novels, featuring the investigative team of Los Angeles TV news journalist Bea Jackson and best friend, photographer Lucy Vega. BestThrillers.com called Lucy and Bea one of the top female detectives of 2023. A former Cinematography Fellow at the American Film Institute, Hinkin was a TV news photographer like her character, Lucy. Now living in Colorado, she was voted Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Writer of the Year. Complete details about 2nd Annual Rocky Mountain Virtual Con - and to register, for free - are at rmmwa.org Schedule for Virtual Con: SCHEDULE: 10-10:55 AM CRAFT: The Power of Now The former President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Mystery Writers o

Rachel Delaney Craft is a travel writer by day and storyteller by night. Her work has appeared in publications such as Cricket, Uncharted, and Cast of Wonders, and she co-edited the anthology Wild: Uncivilized Tales from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Her most recent novel won the Colorado Gold Rush Literary Award and was shortlisted for the Searchlight Writing for Children Award and Voyage YA First Chapter Contest. She lives and writes in Colorado with her husband, two dogs, and a succulent collection that is slowly taking over her house. Learn more about her at racheldelaneycraft.com, or connect with her on X and Bluesky @RDCwrites.   Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_seG5S4soyk216  

Bryan Canter is an author, independent publishing consultant, and retired Army officer with overseas tours in Iraq, Korea, and Okinawa. Bryan helps authors navigate the complex world of independent publishing as a book and audiobook publishing consultant for My Word Publishing out of Denver. Additionally, he is an Amazon Ads specialist with the Successful Writer Marketplace.  As an international speaker and educator, Bryan has addressed large groups and conducted training seminars in venues across the USA, Nicaragua, India, Scotland, the Middle East, and Japan. Bryan lives full-time in a motorhome with his wife, Dawn, visiting historic sites and enjoying the amazing natural beauty of the United States. This time on the podcast, Bryan takes on a deep dive for authors on the best way to run advertising campaigns on Amazon   https://www.mywordpublishing.com/   Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/   Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com   W

This time on the podcast, I’m joined by my two co-editors on a brand new anthology called Four Corners Voices - Stories, Poetry, Essays. The collection is a production of the new nonprofit Four Corners Writers, an organization based in Cortez. The volume includes 24 poems, 13 essays, and 12 short stories that were selected following a submission process in the Summer of 2024.  Chuck Greaves edited the short stories, Lisa C. Taylor edited the poetry, and I had the chance to edit the essays. Chuck and Lisa each introduce themselves on the podcast, but please visit chuckgreaves.com and lisactaylor.com.  The anthology is available wherever books are sold, but also feel free to visit fourcornerswriters.com and click on the anthology tab. Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/ Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8&si=yl_s