Sera Taíno writes romances exploring the joy of love in the context of community and family in all its rich diversity with an emphasis on inclusiveness. She was selected for the Harlequin Romance Includes You Mentorship, an initiative launched in 2019 to reach out to diverse communities of writers and bring more of their own voices to romance readers. Her debut novel, A Delicious Dilemma, published with Harlequin Special Edition, is now available. When she is not writing, she can be found teaching her high school English class, reading, or wrangling her husband and two children.
*Sera’s 3-book series, The Navarros available now from Harlequin Books, and her upcoming Soledad Bay series, (Harlequin, Fall 2025.)
Igor was born in Moscow and arrived in California as a chubby-cheeked 5-year-old just a few weeks before the Berlin Wall crumbled. He enjoys snowboarding, chess, and long wanders in the woods that end with pie. He writes kid lit, plays too much pickleball, and lives with his wife in San Francisco.
*Igor’s picture book, The Frosty Welcome, debuts Fall 2025 from Apples and Honey Press.
Stella B James is a New Orleans girl who writes swoony romances with witty banter and a twist on a beloved trope. She easily fangirls over the things she loves: currently that includes contemporary romances she can’t put down, Mr. Darcy circa 2005, and scavenging antique shops for the perfect vintage find. She’s had several short stories published with various publications. Visit her at www.stellabjames.com or on Instagram @stellabjamesauthor.
Melinda Gong is a Chinese-American writer of girls with swords taking over the world – with a sprinkle of romance and just a dash of magic. Born in New Orleans and raised in New Jersey, she is now currently based in NYC where she studies full-time at NYU. When she’s not busy with school, she can be found with her head in the clouds, taking excessively long walks, or drinking far too much coffee.
*Melinda’s YA romantasy debut, This Wretched Dawn, debuts July 2025 from Keylight.
Hannah Reese is a YA author who writes stories filled with magic, mayhem, and a healthy dose of angst. Diversifying Black representation in the media will always hold an important place in her heart. A firm believer in the empathetic nature of storytelling, Hannah writes stories that leave readers more tender to the world around them, and though she won’t promise a happy ending in all her stories, readers will laugh, cry, and rage alongside her lovable–yet, complex—characters. Hannah holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Central Florida, and now lives and teaches in sunny Tampa with her family. When she’s not reading, writing, or working, you can usually find her thrifting with her mom and sister.
Jen Fier Jasinski spent much of her childhood reading books and imagining new worlds. Unwilling to let go of Story Time, she grew up to become a teacher, mother, and author. Now she writes stories with elements of humor, heart, and above all, play. When she’s not writing, Jen can be found with her spouse and kids, running, or playing outside. Her favorite days are when she gets to do all three. Her extra favorite days include cake.
*Jen is the author of of Because of You, I’m a Sister (Doubleday, Spring 2026) My Piano (Gnome Road, Fall 2023) Sidewalk Chalk (Gnome Road, Fall 2025)and My Violin (Gnome Road, Fall 2026).
Jen Michalski is the author of three novels, three short story collections, and a couplet of novellas. Her latest collection of fiction, The Company of Strangers, was an Electric Literature’s “Small Press Books You Should Be Reading This Summer” and a 2023 Baltimore Magazine‘s Best of Baltimore winner. Her last novel, You’ll Be Fine, was a 2021 Buzzfeed “Best Small Press Book,” a 2022 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist, and was selected as one of the “Best Books We Read This Year” by the Independent Press Review. She’s the editor of the weekly online literary weekly jmww and currently lives in Southern California, although she will always be a Baltimore girl by heart. Visit her at jenmichalski.com
*Jen’s next title, All This Can Be True, coming June 2025 from Keylight.
Melanie Pierce holds an MFA in fiction from Stony Brook University, where she was a 2020-2021 BookEnds fellow. Her stories and interviews have appeared in CRAFT, Electric Literature, Pleiades, and elsewhere, and she has completed residencies at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts and the Charlotte Street Foundation. Currently based in Kansas City, Missouri, Melanie teaches at the Kansas City Art Institute and lives with her spouse and with a terrier named Grendel. Melanie is on IG and Twitter/X @melanie__pierce (note the double underscores), and at https://melanie-pierce.com/.
*Melanie’s debut, The Undertow Girl, coming 2027 from Red Hen Press.
Kate Isabel Foley is a novelist and playwright who writes about women and bisexuals (especially bisexual women) in all their various, wondrous, magical forms. She’s also an actress, daydreamer, proud neurodivergent, and overuser of tape. Kate holds a BA from Ursinus College in English and Theater and is currently pursuing an MFA in Playwriting. In all her creative work, Kate strives to give voice to the voiceless, to bring magic to the everyday, and to craft the queer narratives she wished she had as a teen. Aside from books, Kate is also a big fan of dogs, the color yellow, and coffee in every variety. You can follow her on Instagram and X at @kateifoley and visit her website at https://kateisabelfoley.wixsite.com/kate-isabel-foley.
Mowa Badmos is a Lagos-born Nigerian writer of stories about Black women and all the
people—platonic and romantic—who love them. As an avid traveler, she moved to the U.S. five
years ago after spending two years in Johannesburg, South Africa. Currently based in Boston, Mowa is passionate about incorporating her travels and showcasing Black love across the diaspora. When she’s not writing, she can be found talking about TV online (mainly Doctor Who
and Interview with the Vampire but who’s keeping track), cooking, or updating her Letterboxd.
*Mowa’s romance debut, Love From the Cosmos, coming 2026 from Keylight.
Esty Loveing-Downes 