Our Authors

“Kit” Adams

Poet

Co-editor, Poetry Committee

Christopher Robin “Kit” Adams has been writing stories, essays, and poems since 1958. His writings have been published in journals from England to Hawaii, California to Florida.

Kit is a former Vice President and current Director-at-Large of the Space Coast Writers Guild. He has been awarded a Distinguished Service Award for the Guild, as well as a first place for poetry. His writings appear in the Guild’s numerous literary anthologies:
Kit is the President of Scribblers of Brevard, where he has published in many Scribblers Driftwood anthologies and won an award for his poetry.

His first collection of poetry, Spanish Cedar, Preserving the ART of the Cigar Experience, is available at Facebook Spanish Cedar, or the Montecristo Cigar Club in Cocoa Village, FL. Two collections in the works are Courage and Finding the Romantic Ideal in Victorian Poetry.

Randal J. Agostini

Novelist

Randal Agostini is a former airline pilot and general aviation executive who flew in the Caribbean and South Florida. He is the author of four books, including the original Caribbean Flite Guide, first published in 1973, and two others relating to twenty-five years of his flying exploits in the Caribbean.

Following a further career in Real Estate, Randal retired to Florida where he lives with his wife Elizabeth, close to his children and grandchildren. He has published essays in Catholic Lane. When he is not writing is a volunteer for his local parish.

Visit Randal at the FLORIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY or on his AMAZON page.

Thomas Belisle

Novelist

Thomas Belisle leverages his extensive career in the military and aircraft industry to build stories of suspense, action, and intrigue. He has hands-on experience with a wide range of aircraft, weapons and explosives, and feet-on-the-ground time in the Middle East, Europe, the Far East, and Asia. His first novel, Raptor Bloom, was published in April 2020. His second novel, Taking the Dream Spinner, will be ready for release in early summer 2021. He lives with his wife Cathy in Florida. Visit Thomas’ WEBSITE or AMAZON PAGE.

Sylvia Bigit

Novelist

Sylvia Bigit’s latest book, The Friar Cave Mysteries, is an action-adventure murder mystery that takes place on a paradise island off the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. Her first book, Escape From Tyranny: Through a Child’s Eyes, is a memoir of her early childhood living in communist Yugoslavia. She has also written numerous business articles, press releases, Wikipedia pages, technical software manuals, and other business-related documents.

Sylvia has a passion for world culture and has traveled extensively to many parts of the world for both business and pleasure. She now lives in the Sunshine State, Florida. Please visit Sylvia’s AMAZON PAGE.

Jessica Broyles

Novelist

Jessica completed and published her first novel, The Nested Charmer, A Matryoshka’s Hidden Legacy on Amazon in November 2020. A sequel is in the works and will come out in 2023. Her latest short stories are included in the SCWG Mischief and Hope anthologies. She recently published her nonfiction book, The Canine Cure: A Guide to Breaking Your Dog’s Bad Habits on Amazon.

Jeanne Burth

Author

Jeanne Hager Burth, EdD, is a retired professor of Teacher Education at the University of Pittsburgh, a former teacher of Special Education, Elementary, and Gifted Support, and an elementary principal. Burth has published several articles about students with disabilities and quality professional development and a book to assist persons with disabilities become more independent: Transitioning from School to Adulthood: Practical Activities for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Other Disabilities.

Featured in her website are Burth’s children’s books: It Makes Me Feel Good; I Go High; I Married a Donkey; The Awakening.

Steven Charles

Novelist

Steven Charles has had many titles including father, husband, triathlete, musician, and now, writer. He is the author of Children of Veteris, a YA Fantasy Novel.

David Crowell

Novelist

David Crowell is a semi-retired computer programmer. He also is an Air Force veteran who has been stationed around the globe. When he is not tinkering with the latest computer technologies in the real world without alien influences, David enjoys watching rocket launches from his hot tub. His debut novel, Download, is one of the Human Factors trilogy. David lives in Eau Gallie with his husband and two cats.

Marjorie Cuffy

Poet, Novelist

Co-editor, Poetry Committee

Marjorie A. Cuffy is the author of The Bond of Love: A Global Affair published by Balboa Press in 2017.

She is an active member of the SCWG, and the recipient of an Honorable Mention in the Horizons Poetry Anthology, Edmund Skellings Award in 2023. Her professional experiences have spanned diverse cultures, and these, and her spiritual moorings have inspired her writings and cultural engagements.

Marjorie was born on the Caribbean Island of St. Vincent & The Grenadines but now resides in Melbourne, Florida.

To learn more about her non-fiction book, please visit http://www.marjorieacuffy.com

Anne-Marie Derouault

Poet

Anne-Marie Derouault was born in Paris, France and has lived in Florida for many years. She writes free verse poetry in French and in English, haikus and short stories, inspired by her love of travel, nature, and human beings. She is the author of the bilingual poetry collection While the Poem Lasts / Le temps d’un poème. Her writings have appeared in several Brevard Scribblers anthologies Written in the Sun, the Space Coast Writers Guild anthology Survival, and Scott Tilley’s Pandemic. She teaches communication and stress reduction. You can contact her at [email protected]. Visit her website at www.emergenceresources.com.

D. Scott Dickinson

Novelist

Scott Dickinson is a retired NASA Public Affairs manager at Kennedy Space Center. Starting as a copy boy in the newsroom of U.S. News and World Report, he went on to become a reporter and editor, Peace Corps personnel director and university research fellow.  Visit Scott’s AMAZON PAGE

Gina Didesidero

Former Peace Corps volunteer turned world traveler, Gina has a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies from Simpson University and a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences from Washington State University. Her debut novel is a YA fantasy, set to launch through Leaning Pole Press, an imprint of Chickasaw Press. Click to see Undrowned.

Gina also is querying a new dystopian sci-fi set in Boston. Click to see The Empty Third She writes AP Biology content for MasteryPrep and provides beta reading services through Fiverr. She also manages an active critique group. In her free time, she reads and impersonates runners on the beach.

Carol Ann Didier

SCWG Fellow

Novelist

Carol Ann Didier’s passion is the American West and its first Americans. In high school, all her book reports and term papers were about our westward expansion. As an adult she was fortunate enough to visit some of the places she had researched which only fueled her love for Native American lore and caused her to write the book of her heart, APACHE WARRIOR. She has been writing historical romances for 10 years. Her stories are about the taboo love between a Native American male and a white woman in Southwest America in the 1800’s. Visit Carol’s WEBSITE.

Ernie Dorling

Novelist

Ernie Dorling spent six years on active duty in the Marine Corps and 27-years in law enforcement, both at the local and federal level.  He also taught criminology for 16 years at the University of New Haven, in Connecticut.

Ernie is also the author of Murder: A Family Affair, and has appeared on numerous local television and radio shows, along with making two appearances on national television’s Discovery ID.  He is also the author of Criminal Investigation, a Practitioner’s Approach, published by Kendall Hunt Publishing.  Ernie lives in Melbourne, FL with his wife, Linda.

Gordon England

Novelist

Gordon principally writes short story memoirs about outdoor adventures: fishing, hunting, and exploring the tropics. His adventures often take place on Boat Tales, his 21-foot Aquasport walkabout.

In August 2021, Gordon published Death on the Stairs – True Stories of Florida Adventures and Big Fish, followed in September 2021 by Too High on a Motorcycle – Memories of Growing Up in Texas. This collection of 20 short stories relives his early years in Texas from youth through his teen years as a wrestler, acrobat, and motorcycle racer. Bumbling his way through narrow escapes, he survived to tell entertaining stories. Please visit Gordon on his FACEBOOK page or on AMAZON.

Tim Erickson

Poet, Novelist

Tim Erickson is a poet, writer and photographer with degrees from the University of Kansas (Journalism) and Kansas State University (Aviation Maintenance).

From an earlier career in daily newspapers he transitioned into the high-flying world of business aviation. As a pilot and aircraft mechanic, he has a keen interest in all things technical. His writing style typically reflects both a technical attention to detail and to the nuances of human interaction.

Tim is the author of four books, ranging from poetry (Chasing Magenta at Solstice) to travel (The Journey of 1,000 Miles & Camino 2018 Field Notes) to covert government activities (The Deep Sleep). He lives in Central Florida, loves the smell of jet fuel in the morning, and just completed his fifth book – Bill Mahoney, A Pilot’s Tale.

Violet Favero

Novelist

Violet Favero is known as the Greek grandmother character, Silly Yaya, in many of her children’s picture books about family, fun and traditions. When she’s not visiting school or libraries getting kids excited about reading, you can probably find her in the kitchen. She is a frequent guest on podcasts, radio shows, and panels promoting reading. She travels with her husband and two dogs in their RV doing book signings and appearances. Find out more about Violet on her WEBSITE.

Joanne Fisher

SCWG Fellow

Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet

Joanne is a Canadian-Italian-American author who has penned 20 books–and counting! Additionally, she has written numerous short stories for Space Coast Writers Guild anthologies. In April, 2019 Joanne was elected President of Space Coast Writers Guild and propelled it to greater heights. In April, 2023 she assumed the role of Immediate Past president. Her latest tome is Vendetta in Viera, a political thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and wanting a “killer” risotto! Joanne lives on the Space Coast of Florida with her adoring husband Dan, and her Dachshund, Wally.

Kathryn Flanagan

Poet

Co-editor, Poetry Committee

Kathryn has been writing since she was a child. Her first book was Mr. Polka Dot, created, with pictures, for her siblings who had chicken pox. Her first published book is Beyond the Fine Line, an Anthology of Short Stories and Poems. Three of the plays she has written have been performed by Playwrights Workshop at the Surfside Playhouse. She has acted in two plays at Surfside and has film credits for being an extra in The Model, a short than was featured in the Brevard International Film Festival. Also, she is Co-President of the Cape Canaveral Branch of the National League of American Pen Women and Communication Vice President for The Brevard Author’s Society.

Cindy Foley

SCWG Fellow

Novelist, Poet

Chief Editor, Poetry Committee

Cindy Foley, editor, and author of ten published books, writes fiction, poetry, and non-fiction. She has served the Space Coast Writers Guild for many years, as Director-at-Large, Treasurer, President, and was co-editor of many of its anthologies. Cindy is the 2016 winner of the Guild’s prestigious Don Argo Award and 2024 winner of the Short Story Contest. She also won Scribblers of Brevard Short Story Contest.

In addition to the SCWG, Cindy is a member of Scribblers of Brevard, Florida Writers’ Association, Florida Star Fiction Writers, and currently is President of the Brevard Authors Society.

Terri Friedlander

Novelist

Terri Friedlander, a native New Yorker, has held several notable job titles including writer, college professor, teacher, freelance journalist, and MIS Director of a global law firm. She created an original column that appears in print in Florida Today and online about education in today’s world entitled In Front of the Classroom.

Bonnie Galloway

Novelist

Julie Marie Campbell, originally from Canada, is a playwright and poet who lives in Melbourne, Florida with her much-loved rescue dog, Ms. B. Julie earned her BA in creative writing from the University of Central Florida in 2021. Bravo, Charlie! is the culmination of Julie’s passion for writing and her passion for aviation. When her brother entered flight school, Julie learned the International Phonetic Alphabet for fun and thought young kids would like to learn it too. Further inspired by the many pilots and flight attendants in her family, Bravo, Charlie! is a labor of love for Julie, which she hopes will inspire a new generation of young aviators.

Cynthia Hall

Journalist, Novelist, Poet, Nonfiction

Cynthia M. Hall is a passionate writer and author who fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a published writer after accumulating 60+ bylines in just two years. Those first few articles fueled her confidence to pursue book publishing, leading to the release of her debut book, The Happy Muse: How to Combat Creative Blocks and Tap Into a Limitless Supply of Artistic Inspiration. The book offers practical and inspiring techniques for overcoming creative blocks, designed to help writers, artists, and creatives find their flow and tap into their fullest potential. 

Cynthia is the President of the Space Coast Writers Guild and is an active member of the NLAPW, Cape Canaveral Branch. She lives in Florida with her husband, daughter, and mother, and their two dogs, Finn & Frank (a book about their adventures is soon to come). Although busy planning her son’s wedding, Cynthia has five more books in the pipeline and is excited to continue sharing her passion for writing with the world. You can find The Happy Muse on Amazon.

Jay Heavner

Novelist

Jay Heavner is an award-winning author of nine books, four in the Braddock’s Gold Mystery series, and five in the Florida Murder Mystery Novel series. Mr. Heavner has always been a storyteller. It used to get him in trouble when he was young, but now people keep asking him for another. Recently retired, he spends his time between homes in the beautiful West Virginia hills and the flatlands of Florida. You can sign up for Jay’s newsletter or leave comments at [email protected].  Visit Jay on AMAZON.

Peggy Insula

Poet

Co-editor, Poetry Committee

Peggy always wanted to write but didn’t want to starve, so somehow, she earned a Master of Arts degree from Marshall University. She practiced psychotherapy and taught every grade from preschool through college for many years without an arrest record.

Now blissfully retired, Peggy has written thirteen mostly humorous works to date. These include a dunwhodit (backwards murder mystery), three family-centered novels, an exaggerated travelogue, an illustrated memoire about her life with dogs, three anthologies, two murder mystery novellas, and two other humorous novellas.

Peggy contributed “Choosing Life” to the 2021 SCWG Poetry Anthology, Reflections. She is the 2021 winner of the coveted Don Argo Award.

Eugenio Insula, the author’s Cuban husband, unwittingly provides funny material for Peggy’s pen. Thankfully, he doesn’t read her books!

Betty Whitaker Jackson

Novelist, Poet

Betty Whitaker Jackson writes fiction, memoir, poetry, nonfiction, devotional guides, and anthology pieces. Although she has written for years, retirement from a forty-year career as a secondary language arts teacher has given her the required time to devote to her craft. She has won First Place in the Reader’s Digest Life Rich Memoir Writing Contest, and has published with WestBow Press, Life Rich Publishing, and CreateSpace. She resides in Palm Bay, Florida after living in New York, New Jersey, and Iowa. Visit Betty’s WEBSITE.

M. A. (Merryn) Jolkovsky

Novelist; Nonfiction

After a rewarding career as a physician specializing in Nephrology and Palliative Care, Merryn now focuses on creative writing. Her essay, Breathing Lessons, published in Just Breathe: COVID Stories From The Heart of Minnesota in The Words of Caregivers (Available on Amazon Here ) captures the disconnect and isolation of the pandemic years. Her debut novel, Seeking Sarah, published under the name of M. A. Robinson (available on Amazon Here) centers on forgiveness, healing, and understanding the complexities of addiction and trauma. The novel was awarded Silver for Mainstream Fiction in the 2024 Royal Palm Literary Awards.

Originally from a small town in Indiana, Merryn now splits her time between north central Minnesota and northern Florida. When she is not glued to her keyboard, She enjoys hiking with her dogs, kayaking, gardening,  practicing yoga, and sharing good dinners with great friends.

Linda Jump

Nonfiction Author

Linda Jump, retired television and Gannett newspaper journalist, has published six nonfiction books and edited more than three dozen others. These include The Lighting of the Acolyte, a book of church bloopers, and a children’s photo book Ethan Egret’s Family Album. Linda facilitates classes to assist senior adults in writing their memoirs, using the textbook she authored, retitled Five Steps to Your Memoir. Linda’s photographs and bylines, including cover stories, have appeared in dozens of magazines and newspapers including USA TODAY and FLORIDA TODAY.  The theme park junkie currently writes for Senior Life and Viera Voice. Linda, an upstate New York transplant, lives in Palm Bay with naughty cats Hop and Skip Jump. Now she’s trying to “walk the walk” by completing her own memoir.

Nick Kaplan

Novelist

Retiree Nicholas Kaplan is an author of short stories. He had written essays for The Scribblers of Brevard Anthology Driftwood, Written in the Sun, Christmas 2021/2022, and VFW Magazine.  He is a Space Coast Writers Guild member and contributed to the Poetry Anthology Horizons. Nick also contributed to The Anthology Alliance publication Pandemic, PETS, and Aftermath. His self-published novel (under the nom de plume of Nicholas Taylor) titled The Long Game is a 21st-century story of espionage and government corruption. On May 7, 2024, Nick’s essay “Dinner with Dad” was published on Legiontown.org.

T.W. “Thom” Lofgren

Novelist

T.W. Lofgren’s career began as a photographer, passing through a period in construction trades and as a claims adjuster for a major company. His creative writing developed from a challenge set down by his daughter—to explore a talent first discovered in a college creative writing course. His writing style blends satire, reality, and fantasy to make a poignant commentary on today’s critical issues. Visit T.W.’s AMAZON PAGE.

Mark Lyons

Novelist

Mark Lyons is the 2019 winner of the prestigious Don Argo Award. Mark did not begin writing novels very early in his life, but since he began a few years ago he has completed three, with a fourth well underway. So far all of his stories involve big crimes perpetrated in Florida. These stories of fiction contain much more than purely crime elements. All are seen through the eyes of Mike Lyman, a nurse, and so have medical factors that are key in the stories. Visit Mark’s AMAZON PAGE.

Richard Marschall

Novelist, Poet

Co-editor, Poetry Committee

To date, Richard A. Marschall has written and published a total of eleven books and perhaps thousands of works of poetry. He writes in numerous literary anthologies, including the prestigious SCWG, the Scribblers of Brevard, Precious Publications, Poetry Nation, Poetry Soup, and the poetry wing of the SCWG. He has published his works traditionally with Taylor and Seale Publishing, as well as self-published on KDP.

Richard A. Marschall is a graduate of Towson University in Maryland and did his graduate work at Western Illinois University.

He is active in a number of literary associations including the Precious Publishing forums, the Space Coast Writers Guild, the poetry wing of the SCWG, the Scribblers of Brevard, Poetry Nation, Poetry Soup, and the Florida Writers Association. He has won the Edmund Skelling Poetry Award, placed in Poetry Nation’s Poets of the Year three times, and, as of this date, has advanced to a semi-finalist in Poetry Nation’s National Poetry Competition. He has placed in 1st position on numerous occasions on Poetry Soup. Served at Literary Editor of the Scribblers 2018-19, and as their president first part of 2020.

To date, he has published four of his own poetry anthologies. Richard’s website is https://www.floridapen.com/

Malcom Massey

Novelist

Malcom Massey primarily writes The Martin Culver Series, a collection of action thrillers based on Mr. Massey’s experiences living in Central and South America, as well as his interests in history, archaeology and travel.

Malcom grew up devouring stories of ancient cultures and lost treasures from around the world. Raised in Virginia, Malcom has lived in Costa Rica and Bolivia, and has traveled throughout South America and the Caribbean, including Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and the main Islands. After living and writing for 16 months in the Yucatan Peninsula, Malcom returned to the United States, where he still lives and writes near the Florida coast.

Visit Malcom on Amazon, or his website.

Richard Maule

Novelist

Rick writes historical fiction. His first novel, Moonlight Helmsman, highlights the true story of Robert Smalls, a slave who masterminded a conspiracy to steal the Confederate flagship in 1862. The book earned critical praise and 12 national awards. It was honored in the Smithsonian and is presently being made into an Amazon Prime film, Steal Away. Rick’s second novel, The Witch’s Advocate, received 5 awards for literary nonfiction, including the Beverly Hills Book Award. Before moving south last year, Rick was a top-selling author in New England. Over $120,000 of the profits from his novels have been given to charity. Visit Rick’s Amazon page.

Ashley McGrath

Novelist, Poet

SCWG Fellow

Ashley McGrath is a quality analyst for a call monitoring company. A University of Central Florida alumna, Ashley published her autobiography UnabASHed by Disability (available on Amazon) in 2014. Her writing has appeared in online columns, a disability blog, local publications, and several anthologies. Ashley is a Lifetime Member of the Space Coast Writers Guild and the coordinator of its Don Argo Award. She lives in Palm Bay, where she is active at her church. Find Ashley on AMAZON.

James McGurk

Novelist

James McGurk Jr., now in his 90th year, was born in Philadelphia in 1935. He has called Florida his home since 1970. Twenty years ago, Dianne Barile, a professor friend, recognized his talent and encouraged him to write a book, even though he had only a high school education. Professor Barile’s home was the first historical residence in Melbourne, although it tragically burned down a few years ago.

James’s family landed in Virginia in 1603. Later, in 1875, his grandparents immigrated from Ireland, having faced discrimination for being Catholic, meaning they were “not of the crown.”

Zeenat Mian

Novelist

In August 2011, Zeenat Mian went to a beach on the east side of Oahu to see a Hawaiian monk seal pup. She had never seen one, and was very curious. When she saw that incredibly active, little black seal and her very doting mum, Zeenat fell in love! This was Ka’iwi. After that, she decided to follow the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal population in Hawaii, more specifically on the island of Oahu. Zeenat has logged more than 16,000 hours observing and taking footage of the behavior of the Hawaiian monk seal and her pup. Find Zeenat on AMAZON.

K. Turk Osman

Novelist

K. Turk Osman currently lives in the mystical land of Florida, where tourists flock to get sunburned and part with their cash. Turk did his undergraduate studies at Wabash College, obtained a Master’s Degree at Drake University, and finished his coursework towards a Ph.D. at Florida Atlantic University. Turk is married to the lovely Robin and has one daughter, Maddy, who is the oldest soul he knows. His writing influences include Tom Robbins, Michael Crichton, and Richard Bach. Find Turk on Facebook.

J.P. Osterman

Novelist, Poet

“Everything we do ripples through time”,  J.P. believes. We leave ourselves and what we do behind as footsteps in life. As a Science Fiction author and Researcher, J.P. Osterman focuses on space travel, the precarious laws that govern space-time, and issues relating to space travel, exploration, and colonization of Mars and exoplanets. J.P. most recently was a top finalist for the Patrick D. Smith award through the Brevard Library Foundation.  She has written ten novels, mostly science fiction.  Find J.P. on Amazon.

Rose Padrick

Novelist, Poet

Rose draws upon her experiences as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother as inspiration for her writing, but especially for her column Rose’s Room, which ran weekly in the Florida Today newspaper for three years. Also, having previously appeared monthly in the Hometown News-Forever Young magazine, Rose’s Room and On the Road with Rose now appear monthly in the Port Saint John Happenings newspaper. Find Rose’s Book on AMAZON or visit her WEBSITE.

W.E. (Ed) Patterson

Novelist, Poet

W. E. Patterson is a native mid-westerner who has called Florida home for decades. He is a professional technical writer with over 45 years of experience writing commercial software user guides and designing online help systems. He has also written poetry and fiction for many years. His poetry has appeared in Pasque Petals, the South Dakota State Poetry Journal, as well as on outlawpoetry.com. He is the author of the novella “The DUI Guy” and two volumes of poetry. He is currently working on a thriller set in the Florida Keys. He blogs about poetry, writing, and anything else that interests him at edsendoftheplanetbooks.com His books are available on Amazon.

Colleen Pierce

Novelist

Born and raised outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Colleen discovered her love of storytelling during her first creative writing class at Whitefish Bay High School. In her breakout novel, Tag the Present: A Chariot Year, Colleen uses the folly that colors her days as a mother, daughter, divorcee, and friend to create whimsical gift tags for her loved ones. Colleen resides in Melbourne, Florida, spending all her free moments writing and chasing after her beloved grandchildren. Please visit Colleen’s website.

K.J. Pierce

Novelist

Thanks to her Army Brat upbringing, author K. J. Pierce has an insatiable curiosity for both the world at large and the people who inhabit it. She loves to travel but rarely does, so she combats her “itchy-feet” syndrome by rearranging the furniture. She loves heroines who are misfits and outcasts, and who are stronger than they think. Like many of her favorites, she’s prone to the occasional bout of melodrama and suffers from the not-so-occasional foot-in-mouth disease. She currently lives on Florida’s Space Coast with her cat Dorian Gray, who lives up to his name by striving to be the state’s most prolific lizard serial killer. Yours Truly is her first novel. Find K.J. on Amazon.

Joe Ptak

Novelist

Joe Ptak is a first generation American who grew up in New England. He was raised to appreciate the small things in life and to never take anything for granted. With this appreciation, he began his journey writing children’s books, starting with Where’s Jesus? as his first book. He loves life, his family, and helping others move to forward in overcoming their own obstacles. More books are forthcoming, along with the power of inspiration that they bring. Thank you and Godspeed.

TJ Puritz

Novelist

T.J. was born and raised in the northeast United States. As the daughter of first generation Americans, she realized the power words held. Though she trained in photographic arts and education, the written word has consistently been one of her passions.

Her first published work was a poem for New Teacher Advocate. Since then, she’s journaled with her students in the classroom and with her children in their homeschool. Based on that experience, she published a manual on homeschooling titled The Empowered Homeschool.  

In 2023, she was a contributing author in This is My Story, published by CenterPointe Church. She recently dipped into the world of short stories as a contributing author in the SCWG Anthology, Adversity.

Her fictional debut, Redemption Beach, the first novel in the Redemption Chronicles series, was released in October 2022. Redemption Sky, released in July 2024, is the second novel in this series, with more to come.

T.J. lives and works in Central Florida, but the world is her playground.

Elizabeth and William Randall

Novelists; Nonfiction

As widely published freelance writers, we have interviewed prisoners on death row, traipsed through haunted houses, and camped in humid tents. Elizabeth has presented guest lectures at book conferences. Their books won first- and second-place writing awards from the Florida Authors and Publishers Association and the Royal Palm Literary Society. Their books have been on the Amazon best seller list a few times.

Previous books include: The Floating Teacher: A Guide to Surviving and Thriving (Maupin House), Haunted St. Augustine and St. Johns County (The History Press), Women in White: The Haunting of Northeast Florida (Schiffer Publishing), and Murder in St. Augustine: The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley (The History Press)  An Ocklawaha River Odyssey (The History Press), Past and Present, Historic Orlando (Arcadia Publishing), Fire is the Test of Gold (Brother Mockingbird Publishing), Secret St. Augustine (Reedy Press), and Hating Harlon (Rogue Phoenix Press).

Regina Kear Reid

Novelist

Regina Kear Reid has traveled the world pursuing a career as a professional equestrian, freelance journalist, poet, and artist. During her equestrian career, Regina directed the Pace University (NY) Equine Studies program for fifteen years and coached the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association team. Regina has trained young horses, competed in one-day events, ladies hunter-sidesaddle, played arena polo, and worked with Pony Clubs.

Her novel, Heels Down Hall, is a tribute to her intensive training at British Horse Society Riding Schools in the UK. Visit Regina’s Website.

Flora Reigada

Novelist

As a writer/photographer team for Senior Life newspaper in Brevard County Florida, Flora Reigada and husband Dan are privileged to write about interesting people and places in their community.

Flora’s Castle in the Sun romantic-suspense book series (Miller Words) follows burgeoning romance, complicated by a threatening ex-husband. The story takes the reader from New York State’s pine-scented forests to the sun-kissed shores of Florida.

Her devotional book, Where Your Heart Meets God’s (Miller Words) discusses the many expressions of God’s voice and loving care, and how we may recognize them in our lives.

Visit Flora’s Amazon page or her website.

Ken Rhoden

Poet; Novelist

Ken Rhoden has deep roots in Florida and a love for all the quirky kookiness that rests so easily on this sandy dune. He is a natural-born daydreamer and poet. He was distracted for many years by the idea that he should be a grown-up and earn a living. At age 14, Ken’s first formal job was working in a fiberglass shop. After years in the trades, Ken became a lawyer in 1986. Alongside his wife, Bonnie Rhoden Esq., he handles complex litigation.

Ken has several completed poems, a full-length novel in the editing stage, and a true crime book he is working on. Ken is delighted to learn a new craft and grateful for SCWG and the members’ expertise. For more, please go to Ken’s website.

Chris Robinson

Writer/Producer, Audio Dramas

Chris Robinson is drawn to giving voice to ordinary people who lived through extraordinary times in the Twentieth Century. Her current audio drama is based on a published WWII diary written by a woman interned in a Japanese prison camp in the Philippines.

She began writing in college for the Mayor of San Jose, California, and soon switched to freelance work, publishing articles in the San Jose Mercury, San Franciso Chronicle, MS Magazine, and in-flight magazines. Next came editor positions at travel and business magazines before a 20-year career writing for the semiconductor and IT industries.

Chris’s audio dramas can be heard at www.storiestovoice.com. Forbidden Diary: True WWII Prison Survival Story is on all major podcast platforms, such as iTunes, Audible, Spotify, and YouTube.

Bruce Ryba

Novelist

Bruce Ryba is a fiber optic specialist at Kennedy Space Center and, before KSC, a diver for the Air Force Eastern Test Range. At home in Cocoa, he tends to organic gardens, a flock of pet turkeys, and a pack of Irish Wolfhounds. Bruce has been a flintknapper for 40 years and has written two historical fiction stories set in Spanish Florida: “End of Empire” and “Freedom’s Quest,” available on Amazon. He maintains two websites, Kayakingksc.com and Petturkeys.com.

However, Bruce considers that his most significant accomplishment is convincing his 86-year-old mother, Kim Ryba, to jump into the game of writing, and she released her first book in 2023, describing her soul-warming adventures of rescuing horses from slaughterhouses. Kim Ryba’s book, It’s a matter of luck. is available on Amazon.

Jim Swanson

Novelist

Jim Swanson is a retired Air Force brigadier general and author of Shattered Destiny, a novel which contemplates a world in which John Hinckley had been successful in his 1981 attempt to assassinate new President Ronald Reagan.

A native of Illinois, he entered the Air Force in 1971 following his graduation from Purdue University with a BA in journalism. He was later selected by the Air Force to attend law school, subsequently earning a Juris Doctorate from the University of Illinois. He spent the rest of his career as a judge advocate (military lawyer), serving in a variety of legal and military management positions around the world, including several operational deployments to the Middle East. He retired after 32 years on active duty.

Following his retirement from the Air Force, Jim served in several civilian positions, including as a member of Senior Executive Service with the Department of Homeland Security, as general counsel to the Military Officers Association of America, as head of the American Bar.

Dr. Andy Stanfield

Poet

Poetry Committee Chair

Born in Gadsden, Alabama in 1969, A. K. Stanfield earned his Ph.D. in Instructional Design and Development at the University of South Alabama. Dr. Stanfield has taught at the university level since 1999, leading up to a variety of roles at Florida Tech.

Andy has self-published 6 novels, including Global Tribal, which earned the silver 2019 Royal Palm Award for Best Published Book-length Science Fiction, and from 2004-7 ran Kyteflyte, an independent publishing company. Dr. Stanfield is a musician, composing and performing original music with the groups The Slackadaisicals and Ojo de Rojo and a solo electronic music project called QuarterHawk. He is currently working on a science fantasy web series The Eruption Sagas and a book-length poem titled Sleeping with the Dead.

Andy and his wife Sharon currently reside on the Space Coast.

Scott Tilley

Novelist

SCWG Fellow

Scott Tilley is the president and founder of the Center for Technology and Society, a professor at Florida Institute of Technology, where he is the Director of the Systems Evolution Lab, president of the Big Data Florida user group, and a Space Coast Writers Guild Fellow.  Find Scott on Amazon.

Scott Vander Ploeg

Novelist

Scott D. Vander Ploeg, an early-retired professor of English/Humanities, was named Kentucky college Teacher-Of-The-Year in 2009. His 1993 doctorate is in British Renaissance Lyric Poetry, though his range of study is more eclectic. He recorded essays for a regional NPR affiliate for a decade, and later wrote a column about the arts and letters for a small-town newspaper. Scott is the former Executive Director of the Kentucky Philological Association, and a regular member of the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts. In his spare time Scott is an amateur thespian, a jazz drummer, and a Sifu in Tai Chi. Find Scott on his website.

Gene Luke Vlahovic

Novelist

Gene Luke Vlahovic is of Serbian origin. Born and raised in the former Yugoslavia, he acquired his love of literature from reading European Classics at an early age. At fourteen, his first short story was published by his hometown magazine, and at nineteen, several of his poems were published by University Press and the Literary Magazine for Young Poets. Gene Luke lives in Florida and continues to write and publish stories in his second language. He is a member of the Space Coast Prolific Authors, the Space Coast Writers Guild, and the the Florida Writers Association. You may contact him at [email protected].  Visit Gene’s Amazon page.

Susan Walberg

Novelist, Nonfiction

Susan Walberg is an attorney and healthcare consultant who writes both non-fiction and fiction. Her books all draw on her 30+ years in healthcare where she has worked as a fraud investigator, attorney, and compliance officer (she’s seen a lot of interesting stuff!). Her non-fiction books are various guides to healthcare compliance. Her most recent novel, The Hippocratic Deception, is a Medical-Legal thriller and the first in a series.

When Susan isn’t working or writing, she takes care of her orchids, cats, and chickens. Susan lives in Palm Bay, Florida, with her mother and the assorted plants and animals. She has also lived in Maryland, New York, Alaska, and is originally from Seattle. Susan can be found at her website, as well as LinkedIn, Amazon, and Facebook.

Jennifer Ivy Walker

Novelist

Enamored with the French language and enthralled with legends of medieval knights and ladies, dark fairy tales, and fantasies about Druids, wizards, and magic, Jennifer Ivy Walker always dreamed of becoming a writer. Her debut novel, The Wild Rose and the Sea Raven—the first of a trilogy—is a blend of her love for medieval legends, the romantic French language, and paranormal fantasy.

Jennifer has won multiple awards including: First Place in the Paranormal Romance Guild 2022 Reviewers’ Choice Awards, a Gold Medal for the Readers’ Favorite International Book Awards in the Fantasy/Mythology category, the American Fiction Award for Romance Paranormal/Supernatural, several 5-star reviews from Readers’ Choice Book Reviews and the Bronze Medal Award for her novel, The Emerald Fairy and the Dragon Knight. Jennifer has a book trailer on her YouTube channel.

Anne Marie Wolfe

Novelist

Anne Marie Wolfe, a native of Trinidad, is a retired elementary educator who holds  a BS in Elementary Educationfrom UCF and a Masters from Nova Southeastern University. Anne Marie’s love of teaching children and reading to them inspired her to write children’s books. She and her husband Jerry, a retired space network engineer, have been married for 52 years. They have enjoyed living on the Space Coast for thirty six of those.  Anne Marie Has written two books, Santa Has Retired and  P… Jamming, and is currently working on several other books… soon to be released. Her motivation is to continue teaching children to be creative and to be successful citizens.

Visit Anne Marie’s website.

Linda C. Wright

Novelist

Linda C. Wright grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio and now resides in Melbourne, Florida, but she will always be a Buckeye at heart. Linda always had a story in her head and as a child loved to write plays for the neighborhood kids to perform for anyone who would watch. Her favorite photo is of her fourth-grade class dressed in paper grocery bags performing the end of year play she created. To this day, no one is quite sure whether they were playing the parts of peanuts or potatoes.

Before becoming a full-time writer, Linda worked hard at being a normal adult by working in finance at a Fortune 500 company. She is an optimist at heart and likes to find fun in everything she does. Linda loves her cockapoo, Pepper, along with traveling and yoga, which helps keep her busy schedule running smoothly.

Linda’s latest novel is Hello Jaynie! She has also written a memoir, A Bittersweet Goodnight, and her stories have appeared in seven Chicken Soup for the Soul titles.

Her two books can be found on her Amazon page.

Don Wynn

Nonfiction, Short Stories

Don Wynn was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama. His stories center around recollections from the Huntsville of his youth and from his later travels. The first in his family to graduate college, Don traveled extensively during his career as a software consultant. He and his wife, Dixie, have continued their travels in retirement.

Don’s early stories were published in two magazines, Old Huntsville and Old Sand Mountain. His first book is an illustrated book titled Develop Your Soft Skills for Success as a Consultant, in which he shares insights and advice about improving the reader’s interpersonal ‘people’ skills. Recently, Don has set forth a collection of short stories, entitled Tales from Down Home and Beyond, which relate tales of life in the South, and from his later travels.

Linda Zern

Novelist

Linda Zern is the only person to have won the coveted Space Coast Writers Guild Don Argo Award twice! Her first award (2018) was for The Gryphon’s Glade. In October 2020 she won her second Argo Award for book 3 in the Strandline Series, Keeping the Strandline.  “Born in Florida, raised on sunshine and bug spray, I read every cereal box I could find and every book I could get my hands on, and when other people’s books ran out, I started writing my own. I write because there can never be too many good books or the people who love them.”

Visit Linda’s website.