KRISTAN HIGGINS - Keynote Speaker

KRISTAN HIGGINS is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA TODAY and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of more than a dozen novels and a two-time winner of the Romance Writers of America RITA Award. Her books have been translated into more than twenty languages and received numerous starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, Library Journal, Kirkus and Romantic Times. She is a four-time nominee for The Kirkus Prize for best work of fiction.

Before she was a writer, Kristan worked in advertising and public relations. She waited tables and nannied while in high school and college, cleaned houses as a young mother, and is the proud descendant of a laundress and a butcher. She loves animals, children (even teenagers), the New York Yankees and dessert. Along with her heroic and tolerant firefighter husband and two snarky and entertaining children, Kristan lives in her hometown in Connecticut

DEAN WESLEY SMITH - Keynote Speaker

USA Today bestselling author DEAN WESLEY SMITH published more than a hundred novels in thirty years and hundreds of short stories across many genres. He wrote a couple dozen Star Trek novels, the only two original Men in Black novels, Spider-Man and X-Men novels, plus novels set in gaming and television worlds. Writing with his wife Kristine Kathryn Rusch under the name Kathryn Wesley, they wrote the novel for the NBC miniseries The Tenth Kingdom and other books for Hallmark Hall of Fame movies.

He wrote novels under dozens of pen names in the worlds of comic books and movies, including novelizations of a dozen films, from The Final Fantasy to Steel to Rundown. He now writes his own original fiction under just the one name, Dean Wesley Smith. In addition to his upcoming novel releases, his monthly magazine called Smith's Monthly premiered October 1, 2013, filled entirely with his original novels and stories.

Dean also worked as an editor and publisher, first at Pulphouse Publishing, then for VB Tech Journal, then for Pocket Books. He now plays a role as an executive editor for the original anthology series Fiction River.

BRENDA NOVAK

It was a shocking experience that jump-started BRENDA NOVAK'S career as a bestselling author--she caught her day-care provider drugging her children with cough syrup to get them to sleep all day. That was when Brenda decided she needed to quit her job as a loan officer and help make a living from home.

"When I first got the idea to become a novelist, it took me five years to teach myself the craft and finish my first book," Brenda says. But she sold that book, and the rest is history. Her novels have made the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists and won many awards, including four Rita nominations, the Book Buyer's Best, the Book Seller's Best and the National Reader's Choice Award.

Brenda and her husband, Ted, live in Sacramento and are proud parents of five children--three girls and two boys. When she's not spending time with her family or writing, Brenda is usually raising funds for diabetes research (her youngest son has this disease). So far, Brenda has raised $2.4 million. Please visit www.brendanovakforthecure.org to see how you can help.

RAEANNE THAYNE

RaeAnne Thayne is a New York Times, Publishers Weekly and USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty books. Her books have won many honors, including six RITA® nominations from Romance Writers of America®, a RT Book Reviews career achievement award and the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence. She has also been named a Romance Pioneer of 2016 from RT Book Reviews. Her stories have been described as “poignant and sweet,” with “beautiful, honest storytelling (that) goes straight to the heart.” She finds inspiration from the beautiful northern Utah mountains, where she lives with her family.

LYNN KURLAND

LYNN KURLAND is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of forty novels and novellas. A three-time winner of RWA’s prestigious RITA award, she feels very fortunate to have seen her books earn starred reviews, garner awards from Romantic Times, and be translated into languages she most definitely cannot read. Having several of her titles be turned into manga comics has been one of the highlights of her adventures in publishing. She is profoundly grateful for the wonderful readers she’s been able to meet so far on her writing journey and looks forward to many more years of sharing stories about the characters she loves like family.

She divides her writing time between romance and traditional fantasy and is fanatical about fiber, yarn, chocolate, and the chance to watch her amazing children morphing into awesomely creative adults.

NICOLE RESCINITI

Nicole has been listed by Publisher's Marketplace as a top dealmaker in the country, and named ACFW's 2012 Agent of the Year. She loves discovering new talent and helping established authors to take their career to the next level. Do you have the next project to feed her book addiction? A smart, tight read she won’t be able to put down? A signature voice she’ll fight to represent?
HEA’s are a must for romance. Mainstream suspense, thrillers, mysteries, YA and inspirational novels are welcome. A consummate science geek and card-carrying Mensa member, Nicole would love to find the next great science fiction/fantasy novel or action/adventure masterpiece.  
Currently on her wish list: high concept middle grade, any kind of romance, and really fresh voices in YA.
Nicole is a member of AAR, ACFW, RWA, and Mensa. She holds degrees in biology, psychology, and behavioral neuroscience. Like Mary Sue, Nicole taught in the public school system and has worn many hats before heeding her calling to become a literary agent--for which she will forever be indebted to Mary Sue Seymour.
 "I have the best job in the world. I read for a living and make author's dreams come true."

JOHN D. BROWN

JOHN D. BROWN is an award-winning novelist and short story writer. He currently lives with his wife and four daughters in the hinterlands of Utah where one encounters much fresh air, many good-hearted ranchers, and the occasional wolf. He is the author of AWFUL INTENT, the newest release in his thriller series, and also has multiple epic fantasy novels and several shorter works available. He loves to share his knowledge and is an entertaining and lively workshop presenter and speaker.

CLINT JOHNSON

CLINT JOHNSON is author of the middle grade fantasy Green Dragon Codex (Wizards of the Coast) and works at the Salt Lake Community College Writing Center. To round out his writing obsession, he contributes to Salt City Hoops, the ESPN TrueHoop affiliate website of the Utah Jazz.

ADRIENNE MONSON

Adrienne Monson is an award winning hybrid author who has been quoted by MSN as a vampire expert. She's always had a voracious appetite for reading, which she inherited from her dad. She enjoys all kinds of fiction and will sometimes stay up all night to finish a well written book.

Her debut novel was Dissension, book one of the Blood Inheritance Trilogy. Her writing has continued to flourish with the other installments, Defiance and Deliverance. Eyes of Persuasion (a genre mashup of paranormal and historical romance) was a great diversion for her. Be sure to look for more of her books as they come out.

Monson has a husband and two kids. Aside from writing, reading, and family, she loves Zumba, kickboxing, and eating.

JEN GREYSON

Badass women and the men who need them.

Jennifer was first published by the international publishing house that launched the blockbuster, Fifty Shades of Grey. She has over 45 published books and her works have appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists. She currently writes and publishes under the pen name Jen Greyson in the genres of new adult, romance, and fantasy.

Her non-fiction credits include ghostwritten books for CEOs and entrepreneurs, an international speaker, and the heir to an automotive fortune.

She lives in Utah with her husband and two young sons and enjoys camping, boating, and anything with a beach.

JULIANNE DONALDSON

Julianne Donaldson grew up as the daughter of a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot. She learned how to ski in the Italian Alps, visited East Berlin before the wall came down, and spent three years living next to a 500-year-old castle. After earning a degree in English, she turned her attention to writing about distant times and places. She lives in Utah with her husband and five children.