Aug. 25, 2024

10am - 4pm



Jeannie Lant - Fiction

Kathy Bailey - Fiction: Romance, SciFi

Nonfiction: Guidebooks

Donna J. W. Munro - Fiction: Dystopia, YA

Rachel Swafford - Fiction: Literary

Jenna Malin - Fiction: Poetry

Bob Cyphers - Fiction: True Crime

Nonfiction: Christian Faith

Renee Verona - Fiction: Poetry

Charlene Waggoner - Fiction: Children's

Mantra - Fiction: Women's, Poetry, Children's

    Nonfiction: Self-Help

Julie Nicolai - Nonfiction: Local History

Uma Eachempati - Nonfiction: Memoir

Tim Scherrer - Nonfiction: Military, Disaster, Comms

Jessy Lobel - Fiction: Illustrated Children's Book

Kathy L. Brown - Fiction: Urban Fantasy

Allyson Whipple - Fiction: Poetry (Haiku)

Elaine Corum Strawn - Fiction: Historical, Romance

Rebel Housewife - Nonfiction: Humor, Mental Health, Memoir

Katie Otey - Author/Publisher - Fiction: Children's

     Nonfiction: Memoir

Joshua Ray Stephens - Fiction: SciFi, Fantasy, Horror, Cartoon Future

Fantasy

Robert Lay - Fiction: Cozy Mysteries

Stephanie Malench - Nonfiction: Health, Wellness

Michelle Collins Anderson - Fiction: Historical

Billups Allan - Fiction: Film Writing

Dr. V - Author/Publisher - Fiction: Children's

         Nonfiction: Memoir

Joseph Fulkerson - Fiction: Horror

Aaron Fox - Fiction: Children's Picture Books

Nathan Karl - Fiction: SciFi, horror, fantasy

Aisling Storm - Fiction: Romance

Morgan Straughan Comnick  - Fiction: YA, NA, Poetry, Paranormal,

Mystery, Romance, Poetry

Metro Trans Umbrella Group - Author/Publisher

Fiction and Nonfiction, LGBTQ+

Lucy Carrillo-Jedlicka - Fiction: SciFi-Fantasy

Gareth Ian Davies - Fiction: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Thriller

Rosalyn Briar - Fiction: Dark Fantasy

David Burleyson - Fiction: MG-Fantasy, Early Reader Chapter Book

Publisher: Ringtale Publishing

Edward Holmes - Fiction: Poetry

Geri Dreiling - Fiction: Mystery

Jillian Thomadsen - Fiction: Suspense

JD Vail - Fiction: Poetry

MacKenzie Lester - Nonfiction: Mental Health

Joshua Storment - Nonfiction: Mental Health

Liz Zerkel - Fiction: Romance

Stephanie Kazowz - Fiction: Romance

A.C. Mueller-Rowry - Nonfiction: Memoir

Peter Downs - Nonfiction: History

Janet Muhm - Nonfiction: Art Book

Eric Woods - Fiction: Horror/Thriller

Sharon Blue - Nonfiction: Self-Help

Mike Williams - Fiction: Sci-fi and YA

Clarence Wolfshohl - Fiction: Poetry

Chris Bauer - Fiction: Urban Fantasy

Katie Kibort-Gibbons - Fiction: Children’s picture books

Karryn Nagel- Fiction: Cozy Fantasy

Venassa Howard

Jessica Holtgrewe

Rose Beavers

Dino Kanlic - Nonfiction: Interactive Travel books

John McFarland - Fiction: Horror

SLPA - St. Louis Publishers Association

Spine Indie Book Fair, 2024



Spine Indie Book Fair

Bringing readers and writers together

(Formerly known as the St. Louis Indie Book Fair)

Spine Indie Book Fair will feature over 50 authors and several publishers showcasing their works at booths along Illinois Ave., between Benton Park and Spine Indie Bookstore & Cafe. Attendees can expect a diverse range of titles spanning genres such as YA, Horror, Travel, Faith-based, Children’s, Thriller, LGBTQ+, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Historical, Literary, and many more.

In addition to the vendor booths, writers are invited to the "Pitching Hour" from 1pm – 2pm inside the bookstore. This unique opportunity allows aspiring authors to pitch their story ideas to small press publishers for potential contracts.

Talks/Workshops         10:00 – 2:40

10:00 – 10:15                The Dangers of AI for Professional Writers

        Stephanie Malench - Freelance writer and editor for over 20 years and a journalist for five

10:20 – 10:35                Writing Reviews

        Billups Allen – Allen contributes music and film reviews regularly to Razorcake, Ugly Things, Record Time, and Lunchmeat magazines

10:40 – 10:55                Research

         Julie Nicolai – Author of Enslavement & the Underground Railroad in MO & IL; historian of regional Black history for 25 years

11:00 – 11:15                Breaking Stereotypes

        Gareth Ian Davies – Author of two novels in a paranormal thriller/urban fantasy series, in which several of the main characters are people of color, untypical of the genre

11:15 - 11:30                  Gender Diversity in Writing

        Abby Mueller w/ the Metro Trans Umbrella Group - Author/Publisher

11:35 – 12:10                Writing Genres

11:35 - 11:50 - Fantasy - Rosalyn Briar - Bestselling Author of Dark Fantasy novels and Indie Ink Award Winner

11:55 - 12:10 - Indie Comics - Joshua Ray Stephens - Ignatz Award nominee for his series VENOMYTHS. He’s taught Sequential Art and Illustration at Pratt Institute and the University of Georgia, and has lectured and given workshops at international institutions such as Fabrica in Italy, and Centro in Mexico City

12:15 – 12:50                Engaging Readers

     Angelika Mueller-Rowry - Author, retired social worker (MSW/QMHP)

and educator, focused on enhancing critical thinking. Master's thesis was about Paolo Freire's liberatory "Pedagogy of the Oppressed"

     Chris Bauer - 36 paid published short stories

12:55 - 1:30         Community Building

     Janet Muhm – Graduated Washington University and is a long-time

resident of St. Louis. She worked as an art director in ad agencies and as a marketing director/writer for not for-profits before creating her first A YEAR IN THE CITY calendar in 2018

Edward Holmes w/ Acclivity Publishing - Edward is a 4-time

published author, speaker, and podcaster. His poetry has been featured in literary journals and podcasts with his Spotify debut amassing over 1,000 streams within the first three weeks. Edward will discuss the necessity of community as a writer and breaking out of the solitary mindset for growth.

1:40 – 2:40          Writing Advice (Workshop)

        Bob Cyphers - Former KMOV producer/editor. Edward R. Murrow Award winner

        Geri Dreiling - Former journalist, professor, and lawyer

        Michelle Anderson - Graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Journalism; and MFA in Fiction from Warren Wilson College. Best-selling novelist

The Pitching Hour         2:45 - 3:45

We'll have at least three publishers present to listen to your pitch for your story as you sell them on the idea of signing you!

1) Indies United Publishing House is open to hearing pitches in all

genres

2) Ringtale Publishing is open to hearing pitches in Children's,

Middle Grade, and YA

3) TBA