Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers

Travis Tougaw 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.  He lives in Denver with his wife and children. Foxholes, coming out January 11 (2024), is his first novel.  More: https://travistougaw.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

Mike Torreano  Mike is a multi-award-winning author of traditional Western mysteries and historical fiction. In the fifth grade, he read his first Zane Grey novel and has been hooked on the Old West ever since.  Mike’s debut western mystery, The Reckoning, was released in 2016 by The Wild Rose Press and the sequel, The Renewal, was released in 2018. Both are set in South Park Colorado, circa 1870. He’s now finishing up the third in the South Park series, The Return. The Goodnight-Loving cattle trail inspired his first stand-alone western, A Score To Settle, (2020) set on that New Mexico Territory trail in 1870.  Mike’s latest western mystery, White Sands Gold, (2022) is set in New Mexico Territory in 1890. It has received four literary awards. A lifelong interest in American history led to his first historical novel, Fireflies at Dusk, released November, 2023. Fireflies is a coming-of age tale about a young man torn between his pacifist family and his urge to fight the injustice of slavery as the Civil War br

Jon Christian Rutigliano's credo is that individuals naturally gravitate toward the positive energy in life, and are at their best when left to their own devices. For good or bad, his work will always explore this proposition. When not writing, you can find Jon and his wife Krissy at their Colorado based ranch introducing his two rambunctious boys to mother nature. Jon’s first novel RECLAMATION debuted in 2020. On the podcast, we talk about Jon’s role coordinating agent pitch sessions at Colorado Gold and publishing on the platform Substack.   More about Jon: www.jonchristianauthor.com Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

Maria Kelson writes crime fiction, speculative stories, and poetry. She won the Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Crime Fiction Writers of Color from Sisters in Crime for her first mystery novel, coming out from Crooked Lane Books in Fall 2024, and her short stories appear in Lightspeed, About Place Journal, and strandmag.com. Her two poetry collections with University of Arizona Press (as Maria Melendez) have been finalists for the International Latino Book Award, PEN America, and Colorado Book Award. More: https://mariakelson.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/   Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

Kris Abel-Helwig is a graphic designer, photographer, and author illustrator of multiple picture books and young adult novels. Fictional characters inhabit her dreams and haunt her nightmares. Their stories emerge while swimming laps, walking pups, and drinking espresso. Substitute teaching inspired her Hero series, recently re-edited and released through Culicidae Press, including the award-winning I Wish My Words Tasted Better. She is currently working on a whodunit modern crime fiction. Originally from Illinois, she and husband Mike have moved coast to coast and many states in between with a herd of animals and for visits from their three sons, two daughters-in-law, two grandkids, and friends near and far. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 and a benign brain tumor in 2022, she advocates early detection, aggressive treatments, and thriving happily ever after. Kris’s young adult Hero Series novels are available through Culicidae Press: https://culicidaepress.com/books-by-kris-abel-helwig/ Amazon and Ingra

Shannon Baker is author of the Kate Fox Mystery series. Set in rural Nebraska cattle country, according to a starred review in Library Journal, "Baker’s writing evokes the beauty of the Nebraska Sandhills, and her colorful cast of secondary characters adds a depth of charm." Now a resident of Tucson, Baker spent 20 years in the Nebraska Sandhills, where cattle outnumber people by more than 50:1. Shannon is proud to have been chosen Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ 2014 and 2017 Writer of the Year. Her stand-alone psychological thriller, The Desert Behind Me, was the winner of the 2019 New Mexico/Arizona Book Award. Baker also writes the Nora Abbott mystery series, a fast-paced mix of Hopi Indian mysticism, environmental issues, and murder. The first in the series, Height of Deception, is set in Flagstaff, AZ, and a finalist for the New Mexico/Arizona Book Award.  A lover of the great outdoors, she can be found backpacking in the Rockies, traipsing to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, skiing mountains and plains,

Kevin Wolf’s debut novel, The Homeplace was the winner of the 2015 Tony Hillerman Award. The novel was a nominee for the 2016 Strand Critics Award for Debut Mystery. His Paranormal Western series Brokeheart (2017)and A Town Called Vengeance (2018) are published by North Star Editions. The great-grandson of Colorado homesteaders, he enjoys fly fishing, old Winchesters, and 1950's Western movies. He lives in Estes Park, Colorado with his wife. Rocky Mountain National Park is his backyard. Kevin's latest novel, The Bootheel, just launched in September after sitting in a drawer for eight years.  On the podcast, we also talk about the Colarado Gold Conference this year and about a Dec. 2 holiday season event to help RMFW sell their books at Bookies bookstore in Denver. Kevin's website: https://www.kevinwolfstoryteller.com/ Scroll down here for details on Dec. 2 event: https://rmfw.org/learn/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

Angela Sylvaine is a self-proclaimed cheerful goth who still believes in monsters. She adores reading and is always looking for a great book recommendation. Angela writes horror, science fiction, and dark fantasy. She has published one novella, CHOPPING SPREE, and her short stories have appeared in over two dozen publications. Her debut novel, FROST BITE, releases on Tuesday, Oct. 10 from Dark Matter INK. Her debut short story collection, THE DEAD SPOT: Stories of Lost Girls, will be available from Dark Matter INK next May. Angela grew up in North Dakota and holds degrees in psychology and philosophy from the University of North Dakota. After marrying her high school sweetheart, they moved to Colorado, and now live on the front range of the Rockies with their three creepy cats. Angela is a member of the Horror Writers Association, Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and Pikes Peak Writers. https://angelasylvaine.com Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.

Kerry Hammond decided to give up the practice of law to commit crimes—on the page. Her work has appeared in the Malice Domestic Anthologies: Mystery Most Geographical, Mystery Most Diabolical, Mystery Most Traditional, and the upcoming Mystery Patrons Present: Mystery Most International. Her love of travel means that her stories often take place in foreign locales she has (or wants to) visit, or while her characters are enroute to their next adventure. She’s a huge fan of the subtle surprise ending and is happiest when her readers didn’t see the ending coming. More: https://www.kerryhammond.com/  Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

In fourth grade Callie read The Indian in the Cupboard. The idea of a boy’s toy coming alive in a magic cupboard grabbed a hold of her imagination and never let go. The addiction only increased as she read Roald Dahl, Lloyd Alexander, Madeleine L’Engle, and the Redwall series. In sixth grade her teacher took away Jane Eyre because it was distracting Callie from her work. In all her reading, one question has always fascinated her. Why do some stories with great ideas fall flat? For the past decade, Callie has honed her skills by studying the craft of writing and defining the elements that make a story work. She can read any story, any rocky first draft, and provide the first aid it needs to make your manuscript resonate in the minds of your readers. Callie is also a mother of four. She is a singer and theater buff, she has spent a lot of time on the stage and behind the curtain as a music director and costumer. She loves good stories told on television and is a big fan of many. She’s also the founder of The Ma

Chase Neely is the Co-Founder and President of Leverage Brands. By trade and training, Chase is an intellectual property attorney who helps grammy award winning songwriters, producers, New York Times bestselling authors, and other creative professionals at the intersection between their business and their art. Leverage is the third company Chase founded. He started his own law firm in 2012. Then, in 2016, Chase founded Kirkwood Business Management, Inc., a tax strategy and preparation firm for creative professionals, which he sold in 2019. More: https://leveragebrands.co/  Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

  Aimie K. Runyan writes to celebrate history’s unsung heroines. Author of seven historical novels, Aimie has been honored as a Historical Novel Society Editors’ Choice selection, as a four-time finalist for the Colorado Book Awards, and as a nominee for the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writer of the Year. Aimie is active as an educator and speaker in the writing community and beyond. Her next books, The Castle Keepers (in collaboration with J'nell Ciesielski and Rachel McMillan) and A Bakery in Paris released in 2023 from Harper Collins. Also from Harper Collins, Aimie's contemporary Women's Fiction debut, The Memory of Lavender and Sage, will release February 13, 2024. Aimie lives in Estes Park, Colorado with her amazing husband, two (usually) adorable children, two (always) adorable kitties, and a dragon. To learn more about Aimie, please visit www.aimiekrunyan.com. Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

Award-winning author Kathleen Donnelly has been a handler for Sherlock Hounds Detection Canines—a Colorado-based narcotics K-9 company—since 2005. Enjoying the work and partnership with the dogs, in 2010, Kathleen became part owner of the company. She loves crafting realism into her fictional stories from her dog-handling experience. Along with working dogs, Kathleen trained horses and enjoys spending time with her own mare. Her love of the mountains came from growing up in Colorado. Her debut novel, Chasing Justice, won a Best Book Award from the American Book Fest and was a 2023 Silver Falchion finalist in the Suspense category and Readers’ Choice Award. She lives near the Colorado foothills with her husband and four-legged coworkers. Visit Kathleen and sign up for her newsletter at www.kathleendonnelly.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/authorkathleendonnelly, follow her on Twitter @katk9writer or find her on Instagram @authorkathleendonnelly. Mark Stevens' website: https://www.writermarkstevens.com/ Intro M

Mandy Miller is a novelist and attorney. She is the author of the Grace Locke Mystery series. She holds a J.D. from Northwestern University, as well as a PhD in Psychology. Her legal specialty is criminal defense, in particular the representation of the mentally ill and criminally insane. The first decade of her legal career, however, was spent on Wall Street as a mergers and acquisitions attorney where her clientele was better dressed, but often equally devious. In her spare time she indulges her reading vice and participates in ultramarathons, a sport much like novel writing in that it requires dedication and perseverance, not to mention a dash of madness. More: https://mandymillerbooks.com/ Mark Stevens' website: https://www.writermarkstevens.com/   Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/   Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

Nikki Terpilowski established Holloway Literary in 2011. She represents award-nominated and best-selling authors in romance, southern fiction, mystery and suspense. Nikki is based in North Carolina. Currently seeking: Romance (small town, historical), suspense and military/political thrillers, lifestyle non-fiction (culinary, hobbies, etc.) YA fantasy and sci-fi, southern fiction, epic historical fiction in the vein of Poldark, magical realism, western fiction. Catch Nikki during her The Mindful Writer: Techniques for Tapping Into Your Inner Creativity workshop at Colorado Gold (September 2023) in Denver. More: https://hollowayliterary.com/  Mark Stevens' website: https://www.writermarkstevens.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/   Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

  Alec Shane majored in English at Brown University, a degree he put to immediate use by moving to Los Angeles after graduation to become a professional stunt man. Realizing that he prefers books to breakaway glass, he moved to New York City in 2008 to pursue a career in publishing. Alec quickly found a home at Writers House Literary Agency, where he has been building his list since 2012.  Alec is one of the many visiting agents and editors who will attend Colorado Gold in September.  More: www.writershouse.com Mark Stevens' website: https://www.writermarkstevens.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/ Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/

RJ CLARK began his career as a child actor. His was the face of the national US Army “Stay in School” ad campaign. RJ also appeared regularly on daytime television and worked on numerous film and commercial projects before inevitably returning to his first true love, writing. As a screenwriter, RJ's screenplays won first prize or placed in the top 5 of nearly every major national—and international—competition worth mentioning. His novella, Two for One launched the indie literary magazine “The Instagatorzine,” broken into two parts across the magazine’s first two issues. A native New Yorker, RJ attended NYU, holds a BFA and an MFA. He has lived in all five boroughs, but now calls historic Asbury Park, NJ home with his wife and dog, an Aussillon named Venus. While RJ no longer works in the theatre as an actor, he provides accessibility services for deaf patrons at live performances throughout the country. He is passionate about theatre being for all, and enjoys being able to introduce new shows to deaf or hard

Caitlin Berve is a multi-award-winning fantasy author, editor, and speaker. Through Ignited Ink Writing, she edits novels, creates video tutorials, and writes. She has an MFA in Creative Writing and Poetics and teaches writing at colleges and writing organizations/conferences. If you're looking to improve your writing or for tips on marketing and publishing your book, check out her blog Ignite Your Ink or YouTube channel Ignited Ink Writing. Caitlin's collection of modern fairy tales When Magic Calls won the CIPA EVVY Herb Tabak (best fiction) book award in 2021 and is available in paperback, audiobook, and ebook formats. When not writing or reading, Caitlin runs the Colorado trails or teaches Pop Pilates and makes color changing potions. She seeks to fill the world with the kind of writing that lingers with readers and find magic in modern times. More: www.caitlinberve.com Also: https://www.ignitedinkwriting.com/   For video versions of this podcast, subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nf

Molly McGhee is from a cluster of small towns just north of Nashville, Tennessee. She writes fiction, essays, and teaches in the undergraduate creative writing department at Columbia University. Her debut novel, Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind, is forthcoming from Astra House in late 2023. Her work has appeared in publications like The Paris Review.  In addition to writing, Molly has worked in the editorial and digital departments of McSweeney’s and The Believer as well as MCD and FSG Originals and as an assistant editor at Diane Williams’ NOON. Most recently, Molly worked in the editorial department of Tor bringing luminaries such as John M. Ford back to print through The Tor Essentials Series, launching the instant New York Times Bestselling Atlas Six series, as well as assisting in the launch of Tor’s horror imprint, Nightfire. Molly graduated from Columbia University with an MFA in fiction. While there she taught undergraduate creative writing as a Teaching Fellow.  More about Molly: https://www.mollymcgh

Susan Mackay Smith a.k.a. Mackay Wood, a.k.a. Conan the Grammarian — she has been RMFW’s contest chair, critique chair, anthology editor for Broken Links, Mended Lives (with Jeanne C. Stein and Janet Lane), and president. For a decade, she wrote Conan the Grammarian for the Rocky Mountain Writer, the-then monthly newsletter. She won the Jasmine Award in 2009 and was honored as a Guiding Member in 2019.  On the podcast, one of a series of interviews marking the 40th anniversary of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, we talk about Susan’s reflections on the long history of the Colorado Gold contest and much, much more. For video versions of this podcast, subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBP81nfbKnDRjs-Nar9LNe20138AiPyP8 Mark Stevens' website: https://www.writermarkstevens.com/ Intro Music by Moby Gratis: https://mobygratis.com/   Outro Music by Dan-o-Songs: https://danosongs.com/