2026 Featured Authors & Illustrators

Journey Celese

Featured Author

Journey Celese is a writer, college student, and advocate whose life has been shaped by resilience, faith, and an unwavering commitment to truth. After surviving childhood trauma, she chose not to let pain have the final word.

Journey: Sworn to Tell the Truth is her debut memoir. Through powerful storytelling and remarkable vulnerability, Journey invites readers into her journey of loss, healing, forgiveness, and hope. Her greatest desire is that anyone carrying hidden wounds will discover they are not defined by their past and that healing is possible. She is pursuing her college education and looks forward to continuing her work as a writer, advocate, and speaker.

"I can't change what happened to me, but I can choose what my story does for someone else."

Dr. Nancy D. Young

Featured Author — Unapologetic Leadership: Unleashing Your Inner Warrior

Dr. Nancy Diane Young's leadership in the Tracy community is defined by a passionate belief in the power of connection. After a distinguished 12-year tenure on the Tracy City Council, she served as Tracy's first African American and first elected female mayor.

In 2021 she created Tracy Connects, a free, family-focused festival that has raised over $50,000 for local nonprofits, and in 2025 she founded The Young Connects nonprofit to carry that work forward. A longtime Kiwanis leader, youth mentor, and co-pastor with her husband of nearly 34 years, Nancy holds a BA from UC Berkeley, an MBA, and a Doctorate in Theology. Her new book is a resource to inspire leaders at every level.

"Together we rise!"

Kaylee Molien

Featured Author — AJ & Rudy: The Soccer Field Surprise

Kaylee Molien holds a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Legal Studies and plans to pursue law school in the future. Married to her high school sweetheart, Kaylee has had a front-row seat to life with chronic illness and spent years learning to navigate it alongside him.

Becoming a new mother inspired Kaylee to write a children's book on her husband's experience managing type one diabetes with the support of his service dog — not only for her daughter, but for other families facing similar challenges. Kaylee hopes this heartfelt story will inspire families navigating chronic illness and help children who feel different find comfort, understanding, and a sense of belonging.

Elodia Puga

Featured Author — Sus heridas, mi legado: Sanando a mi madre en mí

Elodia Puga is the author of the memoir Sus heridas, mi legado: Sanando a mi madre en mí (Her Pain, My Legacy: Healing My Mother Within Me), a deeply personal story about the wounds passed from one generation to the next and the possibility of choosing a different path.

Born in Chihuahua, Mexico, Elodia writes from lived experience, exploring the mother-daughter bond, inherited pain, forgiveness, and the journey of healing what came before us. For nearly three decades, Elodia has worked as a bilingual interpreter and translator in special education, helping families navigate communication between home and school. She is now embracing a new chapter as an author, sharing a story she once never imagined she would tell.

Healing begins with you.

Dr. Charlene AkuaRose Feathers

Featured Author — Strong Black Women who desire SOFFNESS & Still His

Dr. Charlene AkuaRose Feathers is an Oakland-born author, empowerment speaker, coach, and life strategist whose work explores wellness, liberation, healing, and the courage to define ourselves for ourselves. She holds a Ph.D. in Human Development with a concentration in Traumatology Counseling.

She is the author of Strong Black Women who desire SOFFNESS when perfection ain't enough and Still His: Hope and Healing for Those Who Were Hurt in the Church, and the creator of original research on External Invalidation Syndrome (EIS), examining how messages communicated by people, institutions, and culture can become internal identity. Through her writing, research, and work with women, Dr. Feathers invites people to challenge socially accepted norms, reclaim their internal authority, and create lives rooted in wholeness, authenticity, and freedom.

Bonnie Phelps

Featured Author — Contemporary Romance

Rumor has it Bonnie began telling stories at a very early age. Photos exist of the author toddling around the corner of the house covered in mud babbling about magic rabbits leading her through the garden. Her parents were amused — until they discovered she'd walked across the newly poured cement patio.

Bonnie is a self-published author of contemporary romance novels and one cookbook. During her professional life she used her writing skills as a fundraising and communication executive for several nonprofits. Because Bonnie has romance in her soul, she also worked as a Wedding Planner for several years. Her passion is digging into what makes her characters behave the way they do. She craves anything sweet, revels in any chance to travel, and is addicted to tracing her family's roots. A native Californian, the author lives in Northern California with her husband.

Alexis Monique

Featured Poet — SOAP: A Cleansing of the Soul and a Bath of Self-Realization

Alexis Monique is a visionary entrepreneur, author, and poet whose work speaks to healing, self-discovery, and the strength of women. Her debut book, SOAP: A Cleansing of the Soul and a Bath of Self-Realization, is an interactive poetry journal that invites readers to pause, reflect, and write their way toward wholeness.

Through her poetry, Alexis encourages readers to release what weighs them down and step fully into who they are becoming.

Dr. Quincy K. Ruffin

Featured Author — Author of four books

Dr. Quincy K. Ruffin is the author of The Bridge-Shield Paradox: How Institutions Survive by Sacrificing the People Who Hold Them Together, which asks, "Who protects the people holding everything together?"; Hot Potato: A Law Enforcement Guide to Understanding and Managing Encounters with Youth; Cultural Current for Law Enforcement Leaders: Applying Cultural Current Theory to Strengthen Police Organizations; and The AI Paradox: How Culture, Code, and Control Collide.

Robin Reed-Poindexter

Featured Author — Now I See Clearly • Middle Maddy • Middle Maddy's Mad Summer

Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Robin Reed-Poindexter relocated to Northern California, where she spent 31 years with the City of Richmond Fire Department, becoming the first African American Deputy on the West Coast and the first woman Chief Officer in the department. Now a retired Deputy Fire Marshal, she is the author behind Runaway Reader and the books Now I See Clearly, Middle Maddy, and Middle Maddy's Mad Summer. Her three children and three grandchildren inspire her stories, which she loves sharing at elementary schools, community events, and children's bookstores.

Shavocki Fulcher

Featured Author — Somewhere Along the Way I Lost My Worth

Shavocki Fulcher is the author of Somewhere Along the Way I Lost My Worth, a very transparent urban memoir about how sometimes loyalty can cost you yourself. Piece by piece, through love, life, relationships, choices, and simply trying to hold everything together, you can lose sight of your own worth without even realizing it. The book is raw, honest, and personal, and it includes what she calls Raw Reflections, spoken word pieces throughout that capture some of the emotions and lessons behind the story. Shavocki lives in Manteca, right here in the Central Valley.

Janeen Andrus

Featured Author — Hazy Obsession • The Fog Series

Janeen Andrus is a contemporary romance author from California's Central Valley and the author of The Fog Series. Her stories explore complicated relationships, imperfect choices, and love in all its messy forms. Her debut novel, Hazy Obsession, was followed by Clouded Intentions, with more stories currently in the works. When she isn't writing, Janeen is an avid reader, former professional baker, and mom of six — meaning quiet writing time is both precious and occasionally mythical.

Jadell Lee

Featured Author — Your First Position: The Honest Work of Becoming You

Jadell Lee is an author, TEDx speaker, entrepreneur, and leadership educator whose work centers on personal responsibility, emotional maturity, faith, and intentional leadership. He is the author of Your First Position: The Honest Work of Becoming You, a book that challenges readers to move beyond performance and take ownership of who they are becoming. Jadell is also the CEO of Elevate Convention, a dance education and competition platform, and has spent years as an international dance educator, choreographer, and adjunct professor, including teaching at Seton Hill University and guest lecturing at Southern Utah University. Today, he also serves as a College Advising Mentor Specialist with Improve Your Tomorrow, supporting young men in their academic, personal, and leadership development.

Jason Samuel

Featured Author — Author, Mentor & Motivational Speaker

Jason Samuel is the author of Don't Do It, a powerful book centered on choices, consequences, redemption, healing, and second chances. Drawing from his own journey — from incarceration and adversity to education, entrepreneurship, mentoring, and community service — Jason uses his story to show others that their past does not have to determine their future. His message, "You Always Have the Choice to Walk Away," encourages young people and adults to walk away from violence, negative influences, destructive habits, and decisions that can change their lives forever. Today, Jason works as a mentor, motivational speaker, restorative-justice advocate, entrepreneur, and founder of the Don't Do It movement. Featured in 'Officer Down' on CNN with Van Jones.

A. L. Simien

Featured Author — The Hidden Gem: A Coming of Teenage Story

An avid reader since age 11, A. L. Simien knew by high school that she had a story to tell. As a young adult, she advocated for trauma victims, volunteered as a telephone crisis counselor, and advocated for youth in foster care. After nearly three decades in public-sector administration and management, she retired and spent two years writing her first novel, the young adult book The Hidden Gem. She continues to mentor teenage girls and women, and is now writing her second novel, with a focus on books that open the door to conversations about abuse, neglect, and isolation.

Angie Liddell

Featured Author — Tears of the Game, Game Changers & more

Angie Liddell is the author of a growing catalog of fiction, including the Tears of the Game series, Love No Limit, Game Changers, White Collar Hustle, He Said, She Said, Maine Attraction, and Remember Who You Are, plus the Shades of Us coloring book. She is also the CEO of Black Essenza Publishing, where she helps writers turn their stories into published books. Stop by her table to browse her titles and get your copies signed.

Ronique Marshall

Featured Author — Here I Am, Volume 1

Ronique Marshall is a celebrity author and television producer. She is the author of Here I Am, Volume 1, written as told to Coco Wade.

Charlotte Walker, MBA

Featured Author — Say It Loud! I'm Bald and I'm Proud

Charlotte Walker is a published author of Say It Loud! I'm Bald and I'm Proud — an empowering adult coloring book celebrating confidence, beauty, and bold self-expression.

Her work reflects her belief that strength comes from authenticity, and that every woman deserves to feel seen, celebrated, and powerful.

Charlotte was born and raised in Oakland, California, where her deep Bay Area roots continue to shape her life today.

Valerie B. Lynn

Featured Author — Children's Book Author · Hidden pictures in every book

Valerie B. Lynn has fond memories of being read to by her mom, grandma, and others. She writes the type of books she loves — Children's Books! Books that draw readers in with bright colors and characters. A big fan of hidden pictures, all of her books feature hidden pictures for you to find as you read the story.

As a kid who didn't sit still long, she loved searching while reading. She likes to make the hidden pictures tricky to find, so don't give up! If you can't find them the first time, try again — they ARE in there!

Her mother was a librarian. As a child she spent countless hours in the children's section of the library lost in books and music. She wrote her first book in kindergarten for the Young Authors contest in Illinois. In 1982, when she was 8 years old, she wrote Candy Castle — and it won 1st place at her school. Her family got to go to Springfield, IL with the other winners, where she met authors and illustrators. She never forgot the experience. She is so blessed to share that book and her other stories with all children young and young at heart, and she also wants to inspire other Young Authors. Hang in there. Just keep writing.

Karen Cherry-Brown

Featured Author — From Chicken Poop to Soup · Founder, SIPS Healthcare Solutions

Karen Cherry-Brown is an inspiring author, public servant, and healthcare entrepreneur dedicated to empowering the next generation. Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she overcame extreme poverty, childhood adversity, and systematic professional barriers to build a multi-million-dollar empire as the founder of SIPS Healthcare Solutions. With over 40 years of operational expertise, her corporate journey reflects deep resilience, evolving from a frontline technician into a national industry leader.

As a writer, Karen uses her platform to share transformational life lessons. Her published books include From Chicken Poop to Soup, a deeply moving and inspirational memoir detailing her personal triumph over low self-esteem and life's rejections, alongside corporate leadership guides like CSPS Management: What Should I Do? and WILD: What I Learned During the Pandemic. Beyond her literary and business contributions, she is a philanthropist who established the Cherry Foundation and a dedicated civic advocate who served four years on the Duncanville, Texas City Council. Her powerful message of overcoming adversity is also captured in her documentary and podcast series, "Prevailing Through Pain," currently streaming on platforms like Tubi.

Chell~Linn Araya

Featured Author — Thriller Author · Don't Talk to Strangers · Don't Play with Matches · Don't Turn Your Back

Chell~Linn Araya loves writing fast-paced thrillers that keep her readers up way past their bedtime. She creates stories filled with characters that readers care about, creepy villains that simply must be stopped, and plot twists that almost make the pages turn themselves.

Brette Julian

Featured Author — Begin With Awareness · Mind.Body.Edit™

Brette Julian is the author of Begin With Awareness: Learning to Notice Yourself Again in a Distracted World and founder of Mind.Body.Edit™.

Her work is centered around a simple idea: meaningful change doesn't always begin with doing more. Sometimes it begins by slowing down long enough to notice what's already there. That idea became Awareness → Choice → Edit, the framework at the heart of her writing and Mind.Body.Edit™.

Brette's background includes more than 20 years working closely with people in a medical practice, along with training in health and wellness coaching. She is also a certified yoga instructor and Usui Reiki Master. A wife, mom of two grown daughters, dog mom, and always the student, Brette continues to explore what it means to live with a little more awareness and intention.

Christina Angle

Featured Author — Author · Veteran · Military Spouse · The Open Heart of a Military Spouse and Veteran

Christina Angle is a Veteran, Military Spouse, Army Mom, and Mother. She holds a master's degree in organizational psychology and has worked as a human resource professional for over 12 years within the United States military and three government agencies.

Christina is passionate about the Military Community and dedicated to serving Veterans and their families through life coaching, benefit resources, and specialized training. She shares a vulnerable look inside the life of a military family in her book The Open Heart of a Military Spouse and Veteran.

Christina is from Napa, California and after 20 years of traveling, she is now settled with her family in Central Valley, California.

Ellie Lopez

Featured Poet — While in Mourning · Chillona · borracha

Ellie Lopez (she/her) is a storyteller from Tracy, CA. Her poetry has been featured in numerous publications, most recently Mobile Data Mag and KALW Bay Poets. She has been featured at Medicine for Nightmares Poets in the Window Series, Tracy's Word Bubbles, LitHop and SF Night of Ideas, just to name a few.

Ellie released the chapbook While in Mourning via Sampaguita Press. Her full-length collection Chillona was released October 2025 by Sampaguita Press, and an Anniversary Edition will be self-published in 2027. borracha, her most recent publication, was released September 2026 via Bookleaf Publishing.

Ellie is working on her third poetry collection and is part owner of Broke Poets Collective.

Kaylen Lafferty

Featured Author — RVT · Author of Canis, Book One: Alone

Kaylen Lafferty is a Registered Veterinary Technician and author who has been an animal lover her entire life — so much so that she dedicated her career to animals and is currently pursuing certification as a dog trainer.

Her debut book, Canis, Book One: Alone, is the start of a series that is both an entertaining read and a look into the way dogs think, how they got to where they are today, and the profound impact they have on families and mental as well as physical health. Kaylen believes that while we may not deserve the love that dogs give us, that love changes us for the better.

Emani' Lewis

Featured Author — Author · Mother · Community Advocate

Emani' Lewis is an author, mother, and community advocate who believes that stories have the power to challenge perspectives, spark meaningful conversations, and inspire change. Born and raised in the Bay Area and now rooted in Stockton, Emani' has built a career centered on people, connection, and strengthening communities through her work in education, human resources, and public service.

Her writing is deeply personal, shaped by motherhood, loss, and the lessons learned through life's unexpected challenges. Through her writing, Emani' brings attention to experiences that are often misunderstood, overlooked, or difficult to put words to. She writes not only to share what she's learned, but to encourage others to question what they know, recognize what they may have overlooked, and approach life with greater awareness and compassion.

For Emani', storytelling is more than sharing an experience. It's an invitation to see the world through another person's eyes and perhaps discover something new within ourselves along the way. Her books include Leilani and the Pink Lunchbox and Here: Finding Faith Through Grief.

Monica Faith Walker

Featured Author — "Lady Soul" · Singer · Songwriter · Author of Gimme My Joy Back

Monica Faith Walker is an Oakland-born native who comes from a family of 9. As a child, Monica always loved to sing, often echoing the songs of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey because she loved the high notes they reached. She also wrote poetry, and the combination of singing and writing became a unique blend in her music career.

With the encouragement of her brother, who pushed her until she felt comfortable and confident, she began doing shows at various venues. People came to know Monica as Lady Soul, her stage name. She later began writing Praise and Worship songs and recording in the studio, singing both lead and background vocals. She has since released two worship CDs, "Craving More Of You" and "REALationship."

But Monica did not stop there. She has recently written and released her first book, Gimme My Joy Back, a collection of faithful victories.

Succoryne Nex

Featured Author — Queer Romance Novelist · Author of Sincerely, Sarabeth

Succoryne Nex is a queer romance novelist living in Sacramento with their spouse and tiny dog. They draw inspiration from VC Andrews, Chuck Tingle, and Stephen King, weaving together romance, eroticism and humor, and tying it all up in a big, queer bow.

Succoryne is rarely seen during the day, and does NOT chase people down alleys and drink their blood. That would be weird!

Writing across genres, the core question Succoryne always wants to answer is this: can the monstrous be loved? And if so, can we, who are sometimes monstrous, be loved as well? Their debut novel is Sincerely, Sarabeth.

Adaurie Stemshorn

Featured Author — Children's Author · Peawee the Peacock Series

Adaurie Stemshorn is a children's book author who lives on a farm, where the true story behind her book began: a tiny chicken named Susan who raised a baby peacock named Peawee.

Her book, I Will Always Be Your Mommy: Based on the True Story of Peawee the Peacock, is also available in a Spanish edition.

Adaurie visits schools to read to children, including bilingual readings, and is hard at work on book two in the Peawee the Peacock series, a story about siblings.

Matt Abraham

Featured Author & Workshop Presenter — The Black Cape Case Files & Northland Mysteries

Awarded Pulp Detective's Best Newcomer of 2015, Matt Abraham currently lives in Stockton, California where he splits his time between being a father, husband, and author. He is finishing his series The Black Cape Case Files, which follows Dane Curse, a former villain turned PI, as he navigates the powered underbelly of Gold Coast City, and Northland Mysteries which stars Detective Jake Carter and his partner Dr. Nafissa Rayan. His books include Petty, Greedy & Evil, The Coconut Swindle, Old Debts, and Dane Curse.

Matt will also be presenting a workshop at the festival: How to Write a Novel in an Hour — a single, high-impact session that condenses an entire master's course into a sixty-minute tour of everything you need to know about crafting compelling fiction.

Rayna Sun

Featured Author — Author · Traveler · Storyteller · Affairs to Remember · A SouthWest Connection

Born and raised in California, Rayna Sun pours her colorful imagination into her stories to the delight of her readers. When she is not reading, this free spirit can be found skipping across the globe, trying to discover as many places and people as her passport will allow.

She loves vacations with beaches, water, and sun. But most of all she loves being a mother to her comical teenager. She is currently working on her next project.

Rayna is the author of Affairs to Remember and A SouthWest Connection.