Tara Alemany

Tara Alemany is a multiaward-winning author of seven books. She is also a speaker, publisher, consultant to publishers and a self-proclaimed recovering serial entrepreneur, as well as the host of Publish with Purpose and the Art of Self-Editing Challenge. Although she’s started many businesses during her career, her favorite by far is Emerald Lake Books. This small hybrid publishing company provides a unique blend of business coaching with publishing to help its authors succeed, whether it’s their first book or their 50th. Emerald Lake Books specializes in working with positive people to create high-quality books designed to achieve the author’s goals, whether that’s to build their business or brand, create a community, encourage the next generation of readers, or set the record straight. Using a unique goal-oriented approach to publishing, Alemany combines her business and publishing knowledge to help her authors set and attain goals for their readers, their brands and their books. Alemany's award-winning book Publish with Purpose,reveals the unique process developed by Emerald Lake Books to help their authors set and attain their goals. As a speaker, she can often be found sharing the benefits of using a book to build a brand or business and how to effectively market books and use AI to increase productivity. She also speaks at publishing conferences about how to manage a publishing business and implement eBook accessibility. In addition to publishing, consulting, writing and speaking, in her spare time, she is a choir director, a winemaker, an amateur woodcarver, a military mom to two young adults (one of each) and is owned by a black cat.

Alexa Bigwarfe

Alexa Bigwarfe is a USA Today best-selling author, publishing coach and passionate advocate for amplifying women’s voices through the power of books. As the founder and CEO of Write|Publish|Sell, she supports women and underrepresented voices in navigating the complex world of book publishing, marketing and platform-building. Bigwarfe believes books are more than just stories or business cards—they are vehicles for change, empowerment, and lasting impact. After the devastating loss of her infant daughter, she turned to writing as a form of healing. That journey sparked a mission to help others share their stories and expertise with the world. Since then, she has become a trusted guide for nonfiction and fiction authors alike, helping them publish professional-quality books, launch them successfully and build sustainable businesses around their work. Bigwarfe is also the founder of the Women in Publishing Summit, the largest virtual conference for women authors, publishers and publishing professionals. Through this event and her wider community efforts, she brings together thousands of women each year to share tools, find support, and foster meaningful connections. Her work has led to the creation of a vibrant, values-driven space that champions education, diversity and empowerment in the publishing industry. In addition to her work in nonfiction and author coaching, Bigwarfe writes contemporary romantic comedies set in Paris under the pen name Lexi Haddock, blending her love for storytelling, travel, and female-centered narratives. With a focus on helping authors use their voices to educate, inspire, and entertain, her expertise spans writing to heal, building author platforms, launching impactful books and scaling creative businesses through speaking, podcasting and thought leadership. Her ultimate mission is to help women turn their words into works of influence—and to make publishing more inclusive, accessible, and impactful for everyone.

Jennifer Bartell Boykin

Shalinda Grorich

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Brad Jayne

Brad Jayne is a writer, independent filmmaker and commercial producer based in Charleston, South Carolina. His hallmark is highly-imaginative projects created with practicality and fiscally-sound approaches. His long-standing relationships with major corporations, agencies and non-profit organizations is a testament to this professionalism; the celebration of his work by major film festivals and media organizations, such as Sundance, Tribeca, Palm Springs, Austin, FantasticFest, Raindance, the American Jazz Museum and hundreds more, demonstrates the quality and creativity of his product. Jayne's work as a writer and filmmaker focuses on unconventional, multi-layered storytelling, often focusing on themes related to mental health and based on personal experiences. His first feature, Warrior Road, was digitally distributed and available on all major platforms. He’s currently developing his second film, The Purpose of Winter, inspired by his experience with child sexual abuse and supported by a network of issue NPOs and experts. He has also built programs that support the media arts in the Southeast and the world. This includes the South Carolina Film Commission's INDIE GRANTS, which funds and produces high-quality short film projects by South Carolina filmmakers. Collaborators include Russell Carpenter, Effie Brown, Anna Camp, Maddie McGraw and Jackie Hoffman.  Another is the WIDE ANGLE PROJECT, a film and television production lab for independent content creators. The program works with creative entrepreneurs as they develop film, television, and streaming products, with a broader goal of developing an in-state industry of entrepreneurship within the $300 billion  global film and video market. Though traveling far and wide, Jayne is proudly a Southern storyteller and filmmaker; as a son of the South, he recognizes the immense resources and rich culture in his home region, and has dedicated himself to the advancement of its communities and production industry.

Michael J. McGandy is director of University of South Carolina Press. Prior to arriving in Columbia in 2022, he was editorial director of the Three Hills, the regional trade imprint of Cornell University Press, and before that he worked in commercial publishing in New York City at Macmillan Library Reference, W. W. Norton, and Rowman & Littlefield.

Bill Patterson

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Chad Rhoad is an editor at the Charleston-based Arcadia Press. He earned an MFA in fiction from the University of South Carolina. The former journalist and newspaper editor has been a project editor for more than 350 titles in history, true crime, fiction and culture. He has appeared at the Atlanta Writer’s Conference, the Florida Writer’s Association and SCWA's 2023 Storyfest. He teaches writing and literature at the university level. Says James C. Clark, the author of A History Lover’s Guide to Florida: "Chad Rhoad has made scores of books better and their authors more successful with his deft editing touch."

Jocelyn Rish

Jocelyn Rish is an award-winning author and filmmaker who loves researching weird and wonderful animals and sharing what she learns. Her first book was the nonfiction picture book Battle of the Butts (Running Press Kids, 2021), about ten animals that do weird things with their butts. Her next NF PB book moved to the other end with Battle of the Brains (Running Press Kids, 2022), about ten animals with mind-blowing brain abilities. She also writes middle grade and young adult novels, as well as screenplays for all ages. In addition, she has produced and co-directed several films: Saying Goodbye, High Heels & Hoodoo, and Grave Intentions. Jocelyn lives in South Carolina with her ridiculously adorable dog Kenzi. Learn more at jocelynrish.com.

(BIO TO COME)

Jodie Cain Smith

Jodie Cain Smith is the founder of the Mobile Literary Festival, event coordinator at The Haunted Book Shop and a Page Turner Award Winner. Her published novels include The Woods at Barlow Bend, Bayou Cresting: The Wanting Women of Huet Pointe and Splintered Reeds, her debut thriller, released April 29, 2025. When not creating fictional worlds on her laptop or planning events at her favorite indie bookstore, Smith hangs out with her long-suffering husband and the most precious little boy ever created. Seriously, the kid is amazing, and the husband puts up with a lot.

Raegan Teller

Wanda Craig, writing as Raegan Teller, is the award-winning author of the Enid Blackwell Mystery Series. Two of her novels received Honorable Mention in the Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards, with judges’ comments including “one of the best I’ve read this year,” “great job combining plot and character,” and “great storyteller.” She also has published short fiction. Before becoming a full-time writer, Craig was president of W.B. Craig & Associates Inc., a management consulting company specializing in organizational and management development, communication skills, performance management, facilitation and project management. She was also an executive coach. In addition to serving on the SCWA Board, Wanda leads the SCWA Short Fiction Virtual Group and is also a member of Sisters in Crime, Southeastern Writers Association, Charlotte Writers Club, and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi). She is a summa cum laude graduate of Queens University, Charlotte.