Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers

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

Living just west of the Continental Divide, in the traditional homeland of Shoshone and Bannock peoples, sid sibo has won the Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award, and has work selected for the Best Small Fictions 2022 anthology, along with excerpts highlighted in the craft book Reader Centered Writing. Bison Books published a debut novel, The Scent of Distant Family, in 2024. Published stories can be found in the charity anthology Maine Character Energy, honoring victims of the 2023 mass shooting in Maine, as well as Fourth River (Tributaries), The Hopper, Orca, The Literary Hatchet, Cutthroat, Cardinal Sins and Brilliant Flash Fiction, among others. Positive news about people and planet can be found on the Acoustic Burro blog at sidsibo.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-Nar9LNe20138A

Ann Lowry, Ph.D. is an author and expert in human interaction. Her debut novel, The Blue Trunk, was inspired by the discovery of a family heirloom—a travel trunk from Norway. Ann’s writing dives deep into the complexities of relationships, conflict, and the human condition. Reviewers have noted that she provides sharp social commentary in her writing. She has made significant contributions to academic journals, authored insightful opinion pieces, and crafted content for various platforms, including Writer’s Digest, Women’s Writers/Women’s Fiction, and Girl Talk HQ. She’s also appeared on several podcasts and has been interviewed on television and radio discussing genealogy research and the treatment of mentally ill patients in the early 1900’s. When not writing, Ann enjoys a range of activities, from swimming and golfing to baking cookies and bread. She treasures moments with her therapy dog, Loki, and cherishes time with her family. She is always eager to explore new adventures in life and storytelling. Ann

Elizabeth Devecchi spent her formative years in Rhode Island, setting out after high school to travel and gather degrees. She writes in a variety of genres and styles, but lately has focused on horror. Her debut horror novel, A Whisper in the Dark, was released by Wicked House Publishing in October, 2024. Other recent releases include: “Oh, Brother,” found in Volume II of Black Spot Books’s annual women in horror poetry showcase, Under Her Eye (November 2023); a recipe accompanied by a flash fiction story in Nightmare Fueled Inc’s anthology Cooks of Horror (August 2024); and horror poem “In the Belly of the Mills,” which appears in the anthology Monsters in the Mills, launched at NecromoniCon in Providence, RI (August 2024). Upcoming releases include: “A Corporate Family,” a tech-gone-wrong horror short which will appear in Rabid Otter Horror’s anthology Error Code this November; short horror story “Open House,” to appear in a Running Wild Press anthology in 2025; and debut thriller/suspense novel, A Twist of

Jason always wanted to be a writer, he just didn’t know it. He grew up in Southern California and taught high school social studies after college until he got married and moved to Denver in 2004. He continued in education and earned an MA in History, until he realized his heart was in fiction. Since 2012 Jason has had over a dozen short stories and essays published, ran an online magazine, and became a regular panelist at local conventions. He blogs regularly on his own website and newsletter. The Whimsycon Anthology was published March 2nd, 2018, giving Jason his first editorial credit. His debut novel, The Gallowglass, was published in July of 2019 Jason’s latest novel, The Righteous and The Damned, is being published this month. More: https://jasonhenryevans.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=PLBP81nfbKnDRj

Over a 30-year Air Force career, author Cam Torrens delivered combat supplies and personnel across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. He piloted the first mobility aircraft into Iraq during the Iraq War, served as the United States Air Attaché at the US Embassy in Beijing, China, and spent four years as the Professor of Aerospace Studies at Virginia Tech. Cam is proud graduate of the Class of 1984 at Montesano High School. A father of six, Cam and his spouse live in Buena Vista, Colorado where he serves as the Vice President of the Central Colorado Writers, volunteers with the Chaffee County Search & Rescue team, and chairs the board for the Buena Vista Public Library. He’s admittedly weird—he likes to count things, like consecutive days running, books read, hiking miles, tennis/pickleball/ping pong matches, jacuzzi use, and so on. Cam will release a prequel to his Tyler Zahn Series, Damaged, in February 2025.   More: https://camtorrens.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Mus

Kevin Wolf is an award-winning Mystery and Western author. His books include Trailridge (2024), The Homeplace, winner of the 2015 Tony Hillerman Prize and the 2016 Strand Critics Award finalist for Best Debut Mystery. His short story "Belthanger" received the 2021 Spur Award for Best Short Fiction and his novel, The Bootheel was a 2024 Peacemaker Award finalist. The legends and landscape of the West are evident in everything he writes. His newest novel, Trailridge, is set against the grandeur of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park and the 1982 Lawn Lake Flood. Those who have chosen the national park for their once-in-a-lifetime destination will recognize the mountains, valleys, rivers, and the twists and turns of Trailridge as this story races to its climax.    More: https://kevinwolfstoryteller.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://you

Cynthia Swanson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the psychological suspense novels The Bookseller, The Glass Forest, and Anyone But Her. Cynthia is also the editor of the Colorado Book Award winning anthology Denver Noir. She lives with her family in Denver. Find Cynthia online at www.cynthiaswansonauthor.com and follow her on Facebook (Cynthia Swanson, Author), Instagram (cynswanauthor), and Threads (cynswanauthor). Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/ Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com