This event features eight terrific authors: Ali Vali, Barbara Ann Wright, Del Robertson, Erin O’Reilly, Lacey Schmidt, Laydin Michaels, MJ Williamz, and JM Dragon. With readings, panel discussion, and book signing. Free admission, refreshments, and book drawing.
Ali Vali (top left) is the author of 6 romantic thrillers in the popular Cain Casey series, and 2 books in her Balance of Forces series: Toujours Ici and Sera Toujours. Ali has also penned numerous stand alone novels. Her most recent publication is Answering the Call, which is a sequel to Calling the Dead. Her next novel (available in May, 2019) is Stormy Seas, a sequel to Blue Skies. Originally from Cuba, Ali has retained much of her family’s culture and traditions that influence her stories. She now lives outside New Orleans with her partner of over 32 years. When she isn’t writing, Ali works in the non-profit sector.
Barbara Ann Wright (top row, second from left) writes fantasy and science fiction novels and short stories when not ranting on her blog. Of her fantasy series, The Pyramid Waltz was one of Tor.com’s Reviewer’s Choice books of 2012, was a Foreword Review Book of the Year Award Finalist and a Goldie finalist, and won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best Lesbian Fantasy; and A Kingdom Lost was a Goldie finalist and won the 2014 Rainbow Award for Best Lesbian Fantasy Romance. She has also written Thrall: Beyond Gold and Glory, a Viking-themed fantasy, and Paladins of the Storm Lord, a science fantasy, all from Bold Strokes Books. Her latest novel is Inheritors of Chaos.
Del Robertson (top row, third from left) has always been an avid reader, particularly, fantasy, history, the unusual, the offbeat, and the simply odd. She enjoys mixing all these elements into the stories she writes. Thanks to the women in charge at Affinity Rainbow Publications, she’s found a place to tell her tales: From the swash-buckling pirate adventure in Taming the Wolff to the sword-wielding My Fair Maiden, to the real story of St. Nic in Thundersnow and Lightning.
Over a decade ago, Erin O’Reilly (top row, at right) moved to the Texas Hill Country where she resides on Lake LBJ. Her hobbies include rock collecting, bird watching, and gardening. Erin also enjoys reading, cooking, and crafts. She is an active member of the Austin Sapphic Readers’ Group. Erin has a dual literary role as both publisher and author. She is the CEO of Affinity Rainbow Publications, which she co-founded with JM Dragon. In addition, Erin has penned over fifteen novels and co-authored the popular When Hell Meets Heaven series with JM Dragon. Erin is best known for her gentle love stories sprinkled with intrigue and surprises. Her latest novel is Addicted To You.
By day, Dr. Lacey Schmidt (bottom row, at left) is a “corporate” suit. She runs her own company, Minerva Work Solutions, and serves as the Executive Director for Faculty Development at the University of Houston. When she sheds her daytime persona, Lacey morphs into other roles: poet, artist, adventurer, and novelist. In the latter instance, she has published three lesfic romances with Affinity Rainbow Publications: A Walk Away, Catch to Release, and Playing With Matches. Lacey has also penned several short stories. Two romances, “Love’s Luck” and “Peaches and Honey” are in anthologies published by Affinity. Lacey’s latest short story is a sci-fi adventure entitled “A Lone Star.” It’s part of The Lone Star Collection, an anthology which benefits lesfic literary events. Lacey is married and lives in Houston. She and Laura have several furry children: Oberon, the tabby terrorist, and his sidekick, Sabina, plus two couch loving canines, Misha and Nakita.
Laydin Michaels is from Houston, where she shares her home and her life with MJ Williamz. The wide blue skies and long empty roads of Texas have influenced her development as a writer. Being the thirteenth of sixteen children has influenced her desire to kill off characters. She is a mild mannered preschool teacher by day, and a writer of psychological thrillers by night. She has four published novels with Bold Strokes Books: Forsaken, Bitter Root, Buried Heart, and Captured Soul.
MJ Williamz (bottom row, third from left) is the author of seventeen novels, including three Goldie Award winners. She has also written over thirty short stories, most of them erotica with a few romance and horror thrown in for good measure. She lives in Houston with her wife and fur babies.
JM Dragon (bottom row, at right), originally from the UK, is now a New Zealand citizen living in the beautiful Canterbury countryside. She loves to garden and has over 140 chickens of various breeds to tend along with two alpacas, Cherokee and Comanche. She also has three adorable cats, her babies: Katie, Mr. Ginge, and Maxwell, aka Smarty Pants (because he is). When not taking care of the property, she has business interests in Affinity eBook Press, and of course, a love of writing. Published by Affinity Rainbow Publications, JM Dragon’s books include At Last, Breaking the Silence, the Promise, the best-selling Fix-it Girl, the Destiny series, and the 2015 GCLS winner, The One, plus many more. Her various collaborations with Erin O’Reilly include the popular When Hell Meets Heaven Series.