MEET OUR AUTHORS

Jean knew when her eyes locked with those of a smooshy-faced little dog, who sat inside a kennel at her local Humane Society, that it was love at first sight. He captured her heart and she captured some of their many adventures in sweet short story poems starring her often mischievous and always adorable rescue pug named Zuggy. Jean enjoys visiting school and community events, sharing these light-hearted and beautifully illustrated books. See their fun photo gallery at:  ZuggyThePug.com.

Click here to read Jean’s Author Spotlight Interview.

That idea blossomed into her first inspirational historical novel, called Unfit to Serve, which debuted from Elk Lake Publishing (ELPI) in August 2024. The novel concerns the truth about the IQ test and how it really came to America.

Sandra began her career writing feature stories for The Los Angeles Times and the Houston Chronicle. She divides her time between Colorado Springs and Houston, accompanied by a screwball rescue dog and a husband who’s—fortunately—completely sane. She’s grateful to God for every writing opportunity He’s ever given her.

Carol loves to bring vibrant stories to the world around her, whether it be through her writing or her career as a graphic designer. With a Bachelor of Science in Visual Communication, she has learned to pluck all the strings of a reader’s senses in order to make her stories sing. When not writing or designing, Carol can be found hiking the dramatic slopes of the Rocky Mountains with her husband, volunteering with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, or snuggled up with her cats and a volcanology textbook. Carol is a member of Pikes Peak Writers, ACFW, and Romance Writers of America, and actively posts on her blog Volcano Hopper.

Lynn Donovan is an author, playwright, and director. She spends her days chasing after the muses and writing down their stories. She never knows what sort of mischief they will get into, be it historical western romance, or contemporary romance. There might even be something speculative or fantasy mixed in, who knows. But she enjoys ensuing their lead into a publishable adventure in whatever genre they may frolic. Keep your eyes open, because these muses are not sitting still for long!
Oops, there they go again…

Felicia achieved master’s degrees in Healthcare Administration and Speech-Language Pathology, but has written since childhood and dreamed of authoring books that teach and inspire others. An award-winning fiction and non-fiction freelance writer, Felicia has written online devotions as well as features articles in a national magazine. Her radio devotional, Build Faith for the Journey, airs Saturdays on Christian Mix 106. However, her first and main love is writing contemporary women’s fiction. She loves helping her characters use biblical principles and counseling techniques to heal from their past traumas and woundings. 

As a child, Felicia lived in Kansas, Texas, and Louisiana before her family settled on a horse and cattle farm in Kentucky. For the past ten years, though, she soaked up the Florida sun. But then God moved her once again. This time out of the South and into the mountains of Colorado. When she’s not glued to her laptop, Felicia enjoys hiking, meandering with her thirteen-year-old Frenchie, and looking forward to the next story.

Eileen R. Hickman has always believed there is more to life than meets the eyes. This belief was confirmed by the stories of C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Patricia A. McKillip, and reinforced when she found her way into the final frontier with Star Trek.

Now she writes fantasy with a science fiction slant. Her stories take place in her Seven World Dominion, and she delights in discovering new things about this many-faceted cosmos. When she isn’t writing and world-building, she’s reading, making music, or traveling, camera in hand. She lives with her husband on the Colorado Front Range.

Erin Kohler is an award-winning writer who aspires to draw readers closer to God and ignite a belief in the power of second chances through her works of both fiction and non-fiction. Erin grew up in tiny towns, on backroads, and on mountain trails. She was an elementary school teacher until she did something she said she’d never do: marry an Army guy.

Erin is active in her community and church, is a former contributing writer for Colorado Springs Mom Collective, and formerly served as Vice President and President of the Colorado Springs chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She now lives at the base of Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, CO with her incredible husband, two amazing teen daughters, and loyal canine writing companions. Erin enjoys reading, hiking, gardening, sports, and any time spent with family.

Loosening the reins and leaning into a creative life—that’s Jayme’s sweet spot as an author and artist. She’s passionate about speaking with readers and writers—teaching the writing craft and guiding others in their artistic pursuits. The transformative power of art and faith are common threads in her award-winning historical and contemporary novels, Chasing the Butterfly, RUSH, and Seasoned ~ A Vintage Love with Modern-Day Flavor. Her latest literary suspense, Portrait of Deceit, delivers the same. Jayme and her husband live on a ranch in southern Wyoming where she hosts horse and art/writing retreats.

Susan G Mathis is an international award-winning, multi-published author of stories set in the beautiful Thousand Islands, her childhood stomping ground in upstate NY. Susan has been published more than thirty times in full-length novels, novellas, and non-fiction books. She has eleven in her fiction line including, The Fabric of Hope: An Irish Family Legacy, Christmas Charity, Katelyn’s Choice, Devyn’s Dilemma, Sara’s Surprise, Reagan’s Reward, Colleen’s Confession, Peyton’s Promise, Rachel’s Reunion, Mary’s Moment, and A Summer at Thousand Island House. Her three-book lighthouse series comes out in 2024. Her book awards include three Illumination Book Awards, four American Fiction Awards, three Indie Excellence Book Awards, five Literary Titan Book Awards, a Golden Scroll Award, and a Selah Award.

Susan is also a published author of two premarital books, two children’s picture books, stories in a dozen compilations, and hundreds of published articles. Susan makes her home in Colorado Springs and enjoys traveling around the world but returns each summer to enjoy the Thousand Islands. Visit www.SusanGMathis.com/fiction for more.

Click here to read Susan’s Author Spotlight Interview.

Cathy McCrumb graduated from Biola University with a degree in English Literature and a love for stories. She and her husband, whom she met while writing letters to soldiers, have five children. They currently live in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. While writing science fiction is one of her favorite things, she enjoys long hikes (followed by long naps), gluten-free brownies, raspberries, and crocheting while watching science fiction, mystery, or fantasy movies with friends and family.

Most of her imaginary friends are nice people.

Alyssa Schwarz is a Colorado native who got her masters in Geological Engineering and promptly became a watercolor artist and author (as one does). She loves writing heartfelt romances with happy endings, a bit of mystery, faith, humor, and second chances, all of which can be found in her Prescott Family Romance series set within the Colorado Rockies, as well as in her short stories that have appeared in Spark Flash Fiction magazine. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading, baking up new recipes, or trying her hand at anything crafty or artistic.

Patti Shene Gonzales enjoyed a thirty-year career as a psychiatric nurse and has always harbored a desire to write. She has three novels in progress spanning the contemporary and historical western genre. She hosts Step Into the Light, a bi-monthly interview style podcast, where guests share their journey out of darkness or ways they lead others out of darkness. She hosts published and unpublished writers on her two blogs, Patti’s Porch and The Over 50 Writer. Patti enjoys reading, writing, critiquing, watching old TV westerns, and spending time with family and friends.

She is the author of Cathy’s Christmas Confession: A Christmas Ridge Romance Book 3, the third book in a contemporary Christmas novella multi-author series. (Each story can stand alone). The book is available on Amazon in Kindle and print format and on Kindle Unlimited.

Patti was born in New York but has made her home in Southeastern Colorado for the past fifty years. She is one of the original founders of the Colorado Springs chapter of ACFW.

Wife and mother of professional rodeo bullfighters, Davalynn Spencer writes cowboy romance. She teaches Creative Writing at Pueblo Community College, served as a columnist for two daily newspapers, and has sold countless nonfiction pieces to American Cowboy, Western Horseman, Power for Living, The Quiet Hour, Standard, and other periodicals. She is an ECPA and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling novelist, and winner of the Will Rogers Gold Medallion for Inspirational Western Fiction. And she’s fairly certain her previous career as a rodeo journalist and award-winning crime-beat reporter prepared her for life in Colorado wrangling Blue the Cowdog and mouse detectors Annie and Oakley.

Award winning aspiring novelist, Jeanne Takenaka, writes contemporary inspirational fiction that tackles real life issues with a heart to draw women closer to God and those around them. She hosts an inspirational blog where she shares about life and relationships and walking well with God. She lives near the mountains in Colorado with her amazing husband and two exuberant boy-men. She loves being God’s girl—always learning about His grace, hanging out with friends and enjoying a great cup of coffee. When she’s not writing you can find her with a camera in her hand, looking for #alittlebitofpretty in her days.

Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and award-winning multi-genre author. She has been published in Guideposts, The Country Register, Christian Devotions Ministry, Lighthouse Academy, and more. Her children’s picture books are the recipients of the 2020 Excellence in Editing award as well as the Purple Dragonfly award in 2020 and 2021. Becky is the author of Unintended Hero, a true story about her father’s battles, experiences, and adventures in WWII aboard the USS Denver. She is passionate about sharing the values from the Greatest Generation and is frequently booked as a guest speaker for high school classes about patriotism. Her debut devotional, What’s in Your Purse? is now available. A member of ACFW, Allauthor, and Shepherd for Authors, Becky has devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs.