Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

I’m Nicolette Pierce. I also write as Sophia Paisley, Nicky Graves, and Melissa Nicole. When I’m not writing, I enjoy annoying my husband, playing with my special needs son, finding treasures for my Little Free Library, and my secret obsession is watching Thai BL (boy love) series.

How did you hear about this event?

This will be my third year attending and I’m super excited to come back for year 10!!! I can’t wait to see everyone and check out the fun changes and the new venue. Stop by and say hello. I’m nice and silly even if my resting face says otherwise.

How many years have you attended?

Three and counting!

What genres do you write?

Contemporary romance under Sophia Paisley, Cozy mystery with a generous sprinkle of romance under Nicolette Pierce, Paranormal romance with mystery under Melissa Nicole, and Paranormal YA under Nicky Graves. I’ll announce another pen name that is full of spicy romance before the event, so stay tuned!

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Definitely Blood and Bonbons. It’s a fun book with sass, slow burn romance that gets spicy, an escalating love triangle, mystery, and a ton of shenanigans. I had so much fun cowriting this book/series with my bestie Melissa Haag. We blended our humor, love of alpha wolves and vampires, and created an entire paranormal world set in DC. Not only does the MC love to bake delicious treats but her love interests are quite delicious too! And if you continue the series, the bromance between the wolf and vampire gets entertaining. The book is available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited!

What is one fun fact about you?

I’ve been a vegetarian for nearly 30 years. I don’t miss meat, but I do like the scent of bacon.

What are your social links?

Readers’ Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PiercePatrol/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicolettePierceAuthor
Instagram (Brand new account. Please keep me company.) https://www.instagram.com/nicolettepierceauthor/
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/m7d0z5
Website: https://www.nicolettepierce.com/

What are you buy links?

You can explore all my books, download free books, and even print a reading list at https://www.nicolettepierce.com/

Writersonriver.com

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Amy-Aidy Award – I write Curvy Girl Romance, because I’m a curvy girl myself, and seeing ourselves positively represented in the media can quite literally change the world!

How did you hear about this event?

My good friend Dylann Crush loves WOTR and said that she thought I would love it too

How many years have you attended?

This will be my first one

What genres do you write?

As Amy Award I write Contemporary Rom Coms with thick thighs and yummy guys, as Aidy Award I write Paranormal Romance with curves and claws!

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

My personal favorite Aidy book is Defy Me. It’s about a dragon who is sure he doesn’t have a soul, and no soul means no mate. But the fates have other plans in mind for him and his very… unique heroine. I love this book because it’s grumpy-sunshine, fated mates, filled with international locations, and a heroine who can’t swear, but tries very hard to.

But if you’re into contemporary romance, I wish all the Swifties out there would read The Wiener Across the Way. It’s loosely inspired by Taylor and Travis’s love story (but if I’m honest, I have a bit more of a crush on Jason Kelce than his brother). But what I really did was take the idea of a plus size pop star dating a football player… possibly in a showmance, and then made up my own story from there. But I’m a Swiftie at heart, so there’s lots of inspo from Tay-Tay’s songs in this story too.

What is one fun fact about you?

One time when I was scuba diving in Nha Trang, Vietnam, I cut my hand open on a piece of coral. When I got back on the boat, even though I normally have no problems, I almost passed out, and had to be medically evacuated to the shore. They took me to the military hospital where I ended up with 5 stitches in the meaty part of the thumb area of my palm, which was all done in an open air operating room. The whole thing cost me about $180 dollars, and I have the scar to this day.

What are your social links?

TikTok – @AmyAwardBooks + @AidyAwardBooks
Instagram – @AmyAwardBooks + @AidyAward
Facebook group – www.facebook.com/groups/AidysAmazeballs

What are you buy links?

Amy Award – https://www.amazon.com/stores/Amy-Award/author/B0B8W5W4RQ
Aidy Award – https://www.amazon.com/stores/Aidy-Award/author/B00KP8DNVU

Writersonriver.com

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

I’m C.J. Baty and a person who loves reading a good mystery and writing them too. I live in Southwest Ohio with a heart that lives in the mountains of Tennessee. I have 2 wonderful adult children who encourage me in my writing. In September of 2025, I will be married to my high school sweetheart for 50 years.

How did you hear about this event?

Gosh, it’s been so long I forget how I first heard about it. I just know that I was so excited to be accepted that first year I attended.

How many years have you attended?

2025 will be my 9th year of attending. It’s wonderful to be a part of this event.

What genres do you write?

C.J. writes Gay Romance/Mysteries some historic and some contemporary. Under a second pen name, Catherine Marcum, I write Seasoned Romance with Mature Herions. 2025 will see my first books from this pen name.

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Coal Dust is one of the Legend of the Ghost Train Trilogy. It’s a story about the coal mines of Harlan County Kentucky in the 1930’s. My father’s family were coal miners. It’s a story close to my heart.

What is one fun fact about you?

I was 55 when I published my first book. Talk about new life goals!

What are your social links?

www.cjbaty.com
https://www.facebook.com/cj.baty.3/

What are you buy links?

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/c-j-batyhttps://books2read.com/ap/nkNz6R/CJ-Baty

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B00K2ISIQI?ingress=0&visitId=07ff7ecd-c30c-4b36-82ea-a53e1c64d6ec&ref_=ap_rdr

Writersonriver.com

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Jessica Grayson

How did you hear about this event?

Through my author friend, Jade Waltz 🙂

How many years have you attended?

I’ve never attended

What genres do you write?

Fantasy Romance, Monster Romance, Scifi Romance

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Claimed by Hades

What is one fun fact about you?

I bake things when I’m stressed. Cookies, cakes, pies, etc. My husband can always tell when I’m stressed about a book deadline because of this lol

What are your social links?

FB: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaGraysonBooks

IG: https://www.instagram.com/author.jessica.grayson/

TT: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessicagrayson07

What are you buy links?

Writersonriver.com

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Dorothy Ewels is my name and writing romance is my game. I still live in the city of my birth, Cape Town, South Africa, with my husband, two crazy rescue dogs and a cat with plenty of cattitude. A lifelong love affair with reading got me writing at a young age, but it wasn’t until I was retrenched from a soul-destroying job that I finally found the courage to write my first book, leading to its publication in 2018. I’m addicted to coffee, books and finding humor in life, not to mention happy endings against all odds. As well as being a proud and active member of the Romance Writer’s Organization of South Africa (ROSA), I’m also thrilled to be a contributing author in Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward’s Cocky Hero Club and Susan Stoker’s Special Forces.

How did you hear about this event?

From the friend, and fellow South African author, I’ll be attending WOTR with.

How many years have you attended?

This is my first ever signing, as well as my first trip to the USA.

What genres do you write?

I write Military Romance, Romantic Suspense, and Contemporary Romance.

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

If I had to narrow it down to one book, I’d have to say Gator’s Gambit.

What is one fun fact about you?

My very first job was drawing maps. (Bonus fact: I suffer from Ophidiophobia – a fear of snakes. More like paralyzing terror. )

What are your social links?

Website : www.dorothyewels.co.za
Newsletter sign up : https://bit.ly/DEwelsNewsletter
Facebook : www.facebook.com/dorothyewelsauthor
Facebook Readers Group : www.facebook.com/groups/dsjewels
Instagram : www.instagram.com/dorothyewelswrites
TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@dorothyewelswrites
Bookbub : www.bookbub.com/authors/dorothy-ewels
Goodreads : www.goodreads.com/author/show/18573939.Dorothy_Ewels

What are you buy links?

Writersonriver.com

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

My name is Julie Navickas, and I write contemporary romance. I started my author journey writing the Trading Heartbeats trilogy and am just about ready to wrap up the Clumsy Little Hearts trilogy (the final book, Chasing Love, releases this November!). I am a mom of three, work at COUNTRY Financial in corporate communications, and teach writing coursework in the School of Communication at Illinois State University and at Heartland Community College.

How did you hear about this event?

I was an attending author for the first time this past year!

How many years have you attended?

1 year

What genres do you write?

Contemporary Romance

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

I Loved You Yesterday, book one in the Trading Heartbeats trilogy

What is one fun fact about you?

I’m ambidextrous and can do most things either righty or lefty without difficulty

What are your social links?

Instagram, X & TikTok: @julienavickas

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJulieNavickas

What are you buy links?

Writersonriver.com

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Jackie Lawson. I was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa. I moved to Peoria, Illinois, in 2008, live in Bartonville, Illinois, with my husband, son, and two dogs, Bailey and Ember. I graduated from Western Illinois University with a Master’s in English Literature. Originally, I wanted to teach postsecondary English, but fell into a workforce development position for a local youth-based non-profit organization and absolutely love it. Book one in The Amulets Trilogy was my debut novel. I enjoys reading almost every kind of fiction out there, but fantasy is my favorite. I also have a craft business where my partner and I take donations of damaged books and turn their pages into flowers in arrangements, wreathes, bouquets, etc.

How did you hear about this event?

This will be my third year participating! I heard about it long ago through other book enthusiasts and never felt confident I could cut it in such a large, established event. I’m so glad I eventually took the chance to apply as I absolutely love everyone I’ve met through the process from organizers, to other authors, and especially the readers!

How many years have you attended?

This will be my third year!

What genres do you write?

Modern and paranormal fantasy, LGBTQ+, and humor memoir

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

Peculiar Lessons: Semester One

What is one fun fact about you?

I can say the alphabet backwards just as fast as I can forward

What are your social links?

Website: www.authorjlawson.com

Facebook:AuthorJ.Lawson

Instagram: authorjlawson

What are you buy links?

https://www.amazon.com/author/j.lawson

Writersonriver.com

Tell us your name and then a bit about yourself.

Deanna L. Rowley I started writing in 2014 but didn’t know what to do, so I would copy the book, put it in an envelope, then put it on a shelf. By the time I started publishing in 2020, I had 68 books written. In the last 4 years, I’ve published roughly 40 of those 68 books. I am a widow, and have 1 adult child, and 2 grandchildren.

How did you hear about this event?

I was at an event and Rochelle Bradley told me about this event and how to apply.

How many years have you attended?

2025 will be by 4th year in attendance.

What genres do you write?

Contemporary, Military, MC, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense

What is a book of yours you wish more people read?

The Love Found Trilogy. Book 1 is Love Doesn’t Exist. It’s the first book I ever wrote, and I broke it into a trilogy.

What is one fun fact about you?

I rode my own motorcycle for a few years.

What are your social links?

E-mail: deannalrowley@yahoo.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author-Deanna-L-Rowley-106623544172360
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Deanna+L.+Rowley&qid=1KYE0zxcp5
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/deanna-l-rowley

What are you buy links?

amazon.com/author/deannal.rowley

Writersonriver.com