Want a story that’s rooted in a fundamental aspect of being human? I believe reading dark fiction can be healing. My overriding mission is to connect with you through my art, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. I’m a word architect and driven visionary. I’m obsessed with heavy metal, horror films and technology. And I admire strong people who are not afraid to speak their mind. I grew up in an Irish Catholic, working class family and was the first to go to college. I didn’t have expensive toys, so I used my own imagination for entertainment. And then I abused alcohol for entertainment. I spent the first thirty years of my life convincing myself I wasn’t an addict and the last ten worrying about all the potential threats the substances hid from me. Anxiety and depression are always hiding in the corner, waiting to jump me when I start to feel happiness. I had to break through family programming and accept the role of the black sheep. In my 30s I started writing horror and formed a heavy metal band while my family rolled their eyes, sighed and waited for the “phase” to end. I spent years paralyzing myself with self-loathing and criticism, keeping my creativity smothered and hidden from the rest of the world. I worked a job I hated because that’s what Irish Catholic fathers do. They don’t express themselves, they pay the damn mortgage. I may have left my guilt and faith behind long ago, but the scars remain. My creativity is my release, my therapy and my place to work through it all. I haven’t had a drink in a long time, but the anxiety and depression are always lurking. Writing novels and songs keeps it at bay. I scream over anxiety with my microphone and I turn my guitar up loud enough to drown out the whispers of self-doubt. I hope to leave a legacy of art that will continue to entertain and enrich lives long after I’m gone. I want others to see that you don’t have to conform to the mainstream to be fulfilled. Don’t be afraid of the dark. Embrace it. Experience: By the end of 2014, J. Thorn will have published over one million words and sold over 100,000 ebooks, worldwide. J. Thorn is a Top 100 Most Popular Author in Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy (Amazon Author Rank). In March of 2014 Thorn held the #5 position in Horror with his childhood idols Dean Koontz and Stephen King at #4 and #2 respectively. He is an official, active member of the Horror Writers Association and a member of the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers. J. is a contributor to disinformation.com and a staff writer for HeavyPlanet.net as well as a founding board member of the Author Marketing Institute. Thorn earned a B.A. in American History from the University of Pittsburgh and a M.A. from Duquesne University. He has spent the last twenty years researching mysticism and the occult in colonial American history.

Tikiri Herath is the multiple award-winning author of international mystery and thriller novels. Tikiri has a bachelor's degree from the University of Victoria, Canada, and a master's degree from the Solvay Business School in Brussels, Belgium. For almost two decades, she worked in the intelligence and defense sectors, including in the Canadian Federal Government and at NATO in Europe and North America. Tikiri’s an adrenaline junkie who has rock climbed, bungee jumped, rode on the back of a motorcycle across Quebec, flown in an acrobatic airplane upside down, and parachuted solo. When she's not plotting another thriller scene or planning an adrenaline-filled trip, you’ll find her baking in her kitchen with a glass of red Shiraz and vintage jazz playing in the background. Born in Sri Lanka, Tikiri grew up in East Africa and has studied, worked, and lived in Southeast Asia, continental Europe, and North America through her adult life. An international nomad and fifth-culture kid, she now calls Canada home.

Cameron Coral is an award-nominated science fiction author. Her book Steel Guardian about a post-apocalyptic CleanerBot was awarded second place in the Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC). Growing up with a NASA engineer in the family instilled a deep respect for science and for asking lots of questions. Watching tons of Star Trek episodes helped, too. Her imagination is fueled by breakthroughs in robotics, space travel, and psychology. After moving around a lot (Canada, Arizona, Maryland, Australia), she now lives in Northern Illinois with her husband and a “shorty” Jack Russell terrier who runs the house. Want a free novel, advance copies of books, and occasional rants about why robots are awesome? Visit her website: CameronCoral.com