Should you spend big money to attend the big national conferences?  Travis Tougaw recently attended his first, ThrillerFest in New York City, and he votes yes. Earlier this year, Travis published his debut novel Foxholes followed by Captives — and his third novel, Last Call, comes out later this fall. Travis is a writer and editor. He has degrees in English from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. An Air Force Veteran, Travis has worked in a variety of roles, including English teacher, employee educator, and health care administrator.&nbs ..read more

Jill Lynn is a two-time ACFW - that’s American Christian Fiction Writers - Carol Award winning author of inspirational romance for Harlequin Love Inspired and a co-author of the Selah Award winning nonfiction book of the year Just Show Up. She lives near the Colorado Rocky Mountains with her husband and two teenage children. Jill’s latest book, just out, is The Summer of Keeping Secrets. More at https://www.jill-lynn.com/    Host Mark Stevens www.writermarkstevens.com  Watch these interviews on YouTube (and subscribe)! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs ..read more

This time on the podcast we talk with writer Kirk Rafferty about his experiences in the querying trenches as he looks to find an agent for his novel, The Cosmonaut and The Fisherman. Kirk Rafferty is a native Coloradan who has lived in many places worldwide but has always managed to return home. Kirk writes historical fiction and fantasy and is still looking for his first breakout novel. A former US Navy Cryptologist, Kirk loves reading and writing about Cold War-era intrigue, technology, and a wide variety of nerdy topics from dragons to starships. Kirk is a husband to a wonderful wife a ..read more

This time on the podcast, a chat with Kate Jonuska and Connie Conolly-Bauldree, the co-chairs of the Colorado Gold conference coming right up at the end of September.  To be precise, Sept. 27 through Sept. 28.  As this year proves yet again, this a conference for writers that is always finding new approaches, new means of accessing the material.  From the “one-day” pass to hybrid access to mentoring sessions and agent pitch appointments, this year’s Colorado Gold is guaranteed to be a winner.    Full of dark humor and deep characters, Kate Jonuska’s short fic ..read more

This time on the podcast, a check-in with the two writers who will be offering social media check-ups at the Colorado Gold conference (Sept. 27 - 29) in Denver. Bestselling author Mariah Ankenman lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains with her two rambunctious children and loving spouse who is her own personal spell checker when her dyslexia gets the best of her. Mariah loves to lose herself in a world of words. Her favorite thing about writing is when she can make someone’s day a little brighter with one of her books. To learn more about Mariah and her books, visit her website http://mariahan ..read more

Bethany Turner is a seasoned author who works with a major publishing house, but she’s made the decision to look for an agent now — and not finding the process all that easy. On this episode of the Rocky Mountain Writer podcast, she explains her decision and also talks about her brand new book, just out this week, Cole and Laila Are Just Friends - A Love Story. Bethany has been writing since the second grade, when she won her first writing award for explaining why, if she could have lunch with any person throughout history, she would choose John Stamos. She stands by this decision. Bethany wri ..read more

Angie Hodapp is the Director of Literary Development at Nelson Literary Agency. She holds a BA in English and secondary education from the University of Northern Colorado and an MA in English and communication development from Colorado State University. A graduate of the Publishing Institute at the University of Denver, she has worked in professional writing, editing, and education for more than twenty years. A frequent presenter at writing conferences and events, and the author of Query Craft and Do You Need a Literary Agent, she loves helping writers improve their craft and learn about the e ..read more

Angela Sylvaine is a self-proclaimed cheerful goth who writes speculative fiction and poetry. Her debut novel, Frost Bite, a ‘90s sci-fi horror comedy, is available now, and her debut short story collection, The Dead Spot: Stories of Lost Girls is forthcoming. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in or on over fifty anthologies, magazines, and podcasts, including Southwest Review, Apex, and The NoSleep Podcast. She lives in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains with her sweetheart and three creepy cats. You can find her online angelasylvaine.com. Thank ..read more

Tom Farrell has worked as a golf course starter, a chemist and clerked at City Hall in Chicago while attending law school. He is the author of The Wager Series, a mystery-thriller series set in the world of sports betting, horse racing and poker. The series includes Wager Tough, WagerEasy, and Wager Smart. Wager Tough was selected by Kirkus Reviews as one of the Best Indie Books of 2021 and one of the Best Indie Mystery Thrillers of 2021. Wager Smart was an Editor’s Pick by Kirkus Reviews and was chosen as a Finalist by Indies Today for their book award. Each book in the series received a star ..read more

Z.S. Diamanti is the award-winning author of the Stone & Sky series, an epic fantasy adventure and the result of his love for fun and fantastical stories. His short works have been published in magazines, literary journals, newspapers, and books. He went to college for a very long time and has far too many pieces of paper on his wall. He is a USAF veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and worked in ministry for over 10 years before pursuing creative endeavors full-time. He and his wife reside in Colorado with their four children where they enjoy hikes, camping, and tabletop ..read more