Robert W. Fieseler (New Orleans, La.) is a journalist and nonfiction author specializing in marginalized groups and forgotten histories. His second book American Scare published by Dutton in June has received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly.
Karol Lagodzki (Bloomington, Ind.) was named a finalist for the prestigious Pen/Hemingway Award for Debut Novel for Controlled Conversations, published by Milford House Press in 2024. A native of Poland, he received an MFA in creative writing from Mississippi University for Women.
T. K. Lee (Starkville, Miss.) is an award-winning actor, poet, playwright, and is a core faculty member in the MFA programs in Creative Writing and Theatre Education at Mississippi University for Women. His most recent poetry collection Scapegoat was published by Unsolicited Press.
Marshall Ramsey (Oxford, Miss.) is a nationally recognized editorial cartoonist and the author of several books for children and adults, including the picture book Saving Sam! released by Nautilus Publishing in 2024. He recently joined the University of Mississippi School of Journalism and New Media as the inaugural director of the Mississippi Media Lab.
Jay Wesley (Choctaw, Miss.) is a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and serves as the director for the Department of Chahta Immi, which promotes the cultural heritage of the Choctaw people. He is a co-author of the book Choctaw Traditions published by the University Press of Mississippi in May.
Alexandra Vasti (New Orleans, La.) is a British literature professor by day and USA Today bestselling romance writer by night. Ladies in Hating, the third book in her Belvoir’s Library trilogy of historical romance novels set during the Regency era, will be published by St. Martin's Griffin in September.
Julie Liddell Whitehead (Brandon, Miss.) is the author of Hurricane Baby, a short story collection set in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It was published last year by Madville Publishing. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Mississippi University for Women.
Meryl Wilsner (Grand Rapids, MI.) is the USA Today bestselling author of four romance novels, most recently My Best Friend's Honeymoon, published by St. Martin’s Griffin in April. Born in Michigan, Meryl has also lived in Jackson, MS, and Portland, OR.
Nadia Alexis (McComb, Miss.) is a poet, writer, and photographer born to Haitian immigrants in Harlem. She teaches literary arts at the Mississippi School of the Arts and she is the author of Beyond the Watershed, published by CavanKerry Press in March.
Ellen Ann Fentress (Jackson, Miss.) teaches creative nonfiction at Mississippi University for Women. A longtime journalist and the founder of the online publication Admissions Project, her memoir The Steps We Take was published by the University Press of Mississippi in 2023.
William Boyle (Oxford, Miss.) is the author of eight books set in and around the southern Brooklyn neighborhood of Gravesend, where he was born and raised. His most recent novel is Saint of the Narrows Street, published by Soho Crime in February.
Adam Gussow (Oxford, Miss.) is a professor of English and Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi and a professional blues harmonica player and teacher. The author of many books on the blues, his new memoir My Family and I was published by Post Hill Press in February.
Becky Hagenston (Starkville, Miss.) is the director of the Creative Writing program at Mississippi State University. An award-winning author of four short story collections, her most recent book The Age of Discovery was published by Mad Creek Books.
Jen Julian (Hiawassee, Ga.) teaches creative writing at Young Harris College and serves as the fiction editor of storySouth. Her debut novel Red Rabbit Ghost, which will be published this month, is one of the lead titles for the new horror imprint Run for It.
Karmen Lee (Atlanta, Ga.) is an author of diverse contemporary romance, including the Peach Blossom series of Black sapphic romantic comedies with a Southern small town setting. Next month, Afterglow by Harlequin will publish The Secret Crush Book Club, the third Peach Blossom novel.
Jason McCall (Florence, Ala.) teaches creative writing at the University of North Alabama. An award-winning author of multiple poetry collections, his newest work is the essay collection Razed by TV Sets, published by Autofocus Books in 2024.
Lauren Rhoades (Jackson, Miss.) is the director of grants at the Mississippi Arts Commission, a host of MPB’s The Mississippi Arts Hour, and the founder of the online publication Rooted Magazine. She is the author of Split the Baby, a memoir published by Belle Point Press in June, and holds an MFA in creative writing from Mississippi University for Women.
Farrah Rochon (New Orleans, La.) is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 40 adult romance and young adult novels, novellas, and short stories, including the popular Boyfriend Project series. Her newest novel Pugs and Kisses, a standalone follow-up to Pardon My Frenchie, was published this month by Forever Romance.
Snowden Wright (Yazoo County, Miss.) is the author of three books and has written for publications including The Atlantic, Esquire, and Salon. His latest novel The Queen City Detective Agency, set in Meridian in the 1980s, was published by William Morrow last year.
