Of Plagues and Blasphemy

Julia Jackson (she/her) survived a near‑fatal car accident and turned to writing as part of her recovery. She now crafts chilling stories that strip away the masks women wear. She has undergone more surgeries than Frankenstein, prowls the night like Batman, and conjures unforgettable heroes and monsters of her own. Julia independently published Powder & Poison in October 2025, selling 200 copies in its first three weeks. Her work appears in multiple international horror anthologies, and the Horror Writers Association selected her poetry for inclusion in their 2025 annual juried collection. Julia teaches mindful writing at Kristin Dwyer’s Breaking the Story Retreat and when she isn’t writing, works in corporate communications and watches an arguably unhealthy amount of ghost‑hunting shows and horror movies.

Amanda Havill Adgate (she/her) is a writer and therapist whose work explores the dark intersections of trauma, memory, and the supernatural. With a background in mental health and a passion for gothic storytelling, Amanda weaves narratives that are both emotionally resonant and hauntingly atmospheric. Her fiction often centers on women navigating grief, isolation, and inherited horror, drawing inspiration from folklore, cult psychology, and feminist theory. She has published short horror stories in multiple anthologies and works with Kristin Dwyer on Breaking The Story retreats. She’s also a member of the Horror Writers Association. Amanda lives near the Appalachian Mountains with her feral children and the love of her life, where she balances writing with wild, wonder-filled chaos. Find her on instagram @a.simple.verse.

Teagan Olivia King (she/her) grew up in Michigan’s wild Upper Peninsula but traded in the stormy shores of Lake Superior for the wind-beaten sandbars of Lake Huron. She holds a degree in Creative Writing from Northern Michigan University and is the author of several works of short horror fiction, as well as the horror novel, Spit Back the Bones. She lives in an old farmhouse with her partner, two rescue pups named Remus and Rune, a black cat named Chester, who may or may not harbor the soul of some long-dead deity, and probably some ghosts. Don't worry—as far as she can tell, they're nice. 

Ashley Graves (she/her) is a lover of all things horror.  Better known as @ash.reads.horror on Instagram, she loves connecting readers with the right horror book. When she's not reading/writing horror, you can find her watching a scary movie, playing a horror game, or running her Bindery Blog. She lives in Tennessee with her three dogs and two cats. 

C.J. Subko (she/her) is a dreamer and a dabbler. She has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, which makes her highly qualified to think too much. Her short fiction publications include Inner Worlds (May 2025), Small Wonders (November 2024), Penumbric Speculative (December 2025), and The Deadlands (April 2025). She is a member of the HWA, SFWA, and Codex. She can be found at www.cjsubko.com.

Briana Morgan (she/her) is a horror writer, editor, and author of The Tricker-Treater and Other Stories, which won a Godless 666 Award for Best Audiobook. With more than a decade of experience scaring herself and others, Briana has a fresh voice that shines through in her latest book, The Reyes Incident, which has sold more than 16,000 copies to date. Her other books include Mouth Full of Ashes, Unboxed: A Play, and more. When not writing, Briana loves reading disturbing fiction, playing video games, and spending time with her husband and cat. Find her online at @brianamorganbooks.

M. Stevenson (she/her) is the author of Behooved, This Treacherous Night, and other novels for adults and teens. She graduated from Brown University (BA, Geology-Biology) and the University of Idaho (MEd, Environmental Education) and has worked as an outdoor educator, wilderness skills instructor, and science teacher. Her poetry and prose have appeared in publications including Small Wonders, PodCastle, Barely South, Artifice & Access, and Poets Reading the News. An avid swing dancer and amateur naturalist, she’s often found dancing Lindy Hop or wandering the woods talking to birds and plants. She is based in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Find her online at mstevensonbooks.com

Saratoga Schaefer (they/them) is the USA Today Bestselling and Indie Press Bestselling thriller and horror author of books such as Serial Killer Support Group and Trad Wife. Their novels have been featured in Variety, People Magazine, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour, and their writing has appeared in Writer’s Digest, CrimeReads, and more. Originally from Brooklyn, Saratoga now lives upstate with several needy animals and a haunted clown table. You can find Saratoga on social media @saratogaishere and online at www.saratogaschaefer.com.