Thomas Nealeigh grew up performing from the age of 5 with his parents’ traveling theatrical troupe. He received an undergraduate degree in English from California State University, and his Master’s degree in Theatre from Louisiana Tech University. Nealeigh’s articles have appeared in various publications, and his plays have been produced all over the United States. His search for adventure has led him to a variety of jobs, including: Accountant, Museum Curator, Marketing Director, Singer, Law Clerk, Exotic Dancer, Theatre Producer, Security Agent, Archivist, Schoolteacher, Bodyguard, Minister, Cabaret Performer, and Writer. From living in his car, to riding with bikers, to residing in a Louisiana brothel, to wandering the plains of Africa (where he was adopted by a village in Senegal), Nealeigh has traveled extensively. Currently, he lives with his partner, Alice, and their two children in Hollywood, CA – where he runs the touring carnival-style sideshow troupe, FreakShow Deluxe, and performs as a talker and pain-proof man. Nealeigh eats glass, breathes fire, and lays on a bed of nails.

Author, Editor and Film maker Grew up in Stoke-on-Trent, England Lived in London for 12 years Lived in New Zealand for 6 years and later for 5 years Currently living and working in England. As a writer, I am the creator and author of the award winning Dark Man series of books, author of the novels Seeing Red, Gun Dog and Hanging in the Mist for the "Cutting Edge" series, published by Ransom Publishing (I was also the series editor), The Shadowmasters (Parts One and Two) and The Iron Maiden. I also wrote and directed The Xlitherman, a feature film set in England, and have worked extensively for US-based producers on script and concept development for film and television, including the writing of pilot scripts for projects starring Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy, Beauty and the Beast, Hand of God), Oscar nominee Bruce Davidson, and Golden Globe nominee Lainie Kazan. My latest work, in conjunction with co-author Teresa Schaeffer, is THE RAVENMOCKER, a disturbing novel of psychological horror, based on our feature film script of the same name. January, 2016

I live in a seaside suburb of Cape Town called Muizenberg and swim most early mornings in the sea. It’s wonderfully refreshing and helps me to get ready for the day ahead. And of course I love reading – mostly crime and thriller fiction. I’ve read all sorts of crime fiction, from Agatha Christie when I was young, to the more contemporary hard-boiled authors like Elmore Leonard and Bill James. (And of course I scoff chocolates when I’m reading, which could be considered a hobby!) When it comes to novels for young people, I’m a fan of Mallory Blackman and Stephenie Meyer – both spin a fantastic yarn! I had always wanted to write, and was lucky enough to get onto a creative writing Masters programme at the University of Cape Town about eight years ago. I don’t believe one needs a degree to write, but committing to the course really threw me into the deep end, as I had no choice but to deliver a novel by the end of my two years part time study. That novel is now in my bottom drawer – I suspect a good number of first novels are lurking in various writer’s drawers! – but I’d love to get it out and rewrite it. I’m not sure why I wanted to write. I just had this overwhelming desire to write a book, and finally tried my hand at it, only to discover writing is a bit of an addiction – I want to do more!

Teresa Schaeffer is a five-time published author, a produced screenwriter and an independent film producer currently based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she lives with her partner, three cats and two dogs, Drake and Xander. She is co-owner of the independent production company, Rhodesclosed Productions, and is producing the upcoming horror movie, "One Not Taken" alongside producers Danny Rhodes and Lisa Cisneros in addition to the horror/comedy, "Inherited" and the thriller project, "What Goes Up." Two of Schaeffer's most recent YA novellas (part of the Cutting Edge Series for Young Adults), "The Questions Within" and "A Forgotten Tomorrow" are available as a trade paperback and digital download from Ransom Publishing as well as Saddleback Educational Publishing. Teresa is currently working on a series of fiction novels as well as a variety of film and television projects. You can keep up with Teresa on her Twitter @schaefferteresa

A. C. (Alice) Flanagan is a Sydney based author and mother of two. Her desire to write came when she was in her mid twenties when she discovered a love of reading. It took many years but her dream was realised in her early forties with the publication of her two novels Raindance and Ecstasy. Raindance, her first book, was inspired by the changes drought had brought to Australia in the early 2000s. In a ‘what if’ story Raindance explores the decisions poverty imposes on a mother as she is manipulated into becoming a terrorist in a time when drought and war has brought the western world to her knees. Alice’s second book, Ecstasy is written for a teenage audience. The story relates the emotional journey of a young girl’s friends and family after a night of partying and social drug taking goes terribly wrong. Despite being a reluctant reader during her school years Alice’s love of books began in her early twenties as she explains, “I was more of a science student at school and whilst I could get immersed in text books I didn’t feel I had time to sit down and read books just for fun. It was only after I finished my studies that I suddenly realised why so many people loved reading!” Born in Newcastle, NSW Alice is the middle child of seven. She grew up in the 1960s when imagination was the basis of after school fun playing makeshift games in the streets with the neighbourhood kids. “Growing up in the sixties and seventies was a great training ground for my writing. We didn’t have computer games and the like to entertain us so it was up to us to make our own fun. Kids would spill into the streets after school to play. We would create new games which lasted the afternoon (like a short story) or continue games which were played over many weeks (like chapters in a book). Plots and format (err, I mean the rules of the games) were argued over until decisions were changed (editing, editing, final cut) and the story flowed. We took things to heart, talked our way out of trouble, laughed and cried, (the foundation for creating great characters). And regardless of how friendships were left when it was time to go home time we all turned up the next day to play again (that’s got to be a kin to putting your finished book out there and regardless of what people think of it you carry on with your next writing project all the same).” Alice believes creativity is within us all and even those who don’t think they can write can find a way to ignite the spark of imagination inside. “We spend so much of our day thinking practical thoughts that often we forget we have another side to ourselves, a creative side. Being creative isn’t about thinking; it’s actually about not thinking and not doing which in effect gives our imagination space to play. If you don’t think you are creative try giving your thinking mind a break, pick up a pen or a paint brush or a needle and thread or a hammer and some wood (whatever feels like fun for you) and feel the non thinking part of your brain inspiring you as you work on your creation. It’s like listening to the spaces between the notes in a piece of music – it’s the same music you just experience it differently.” When Alice is not writing she is busy doing “mum” jobs and holding down a full time job as a Business Writer for a large company. “I’d love to be a full time writer but until that happens I have the next best thing, a job which allows me to write. My kids are a great joy to me and being a mum keeps me busy, they also remind me of the importance of laughter and fun because these things come so naturally to children. It is after the rush of the day, in the quiet hours of the night or the early morning that I find my space to write. This is my time when there are no other demands on me, just me, my computer, a cup of tea and my imagination and in this space I can go anywhere we want.”