Cami Ostman is the founder of The Narrative Project, a nine-month program that helps writers get their books done. She is also author of the book Second Wind: One Woman’s Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents, and the editor of several anthologies. Cami believes that words are powerful that we CREATE our identities with words—we tell our truths with words.

She holds a B.Ed. in English from Western Washington University and an M. S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Seattle Pacific University. She has been profiled in Fitness Magazine and her books have been reviewed in O Magazine, The Atlantic, and Washington Post.

Topic: The Psychology of Writing

Lisa Dailey is the publisher at Sidekick Press, website designer at Silent Sidekick, and author of Square Up: 50,000 Miles in Search of a Way Home. Her mission is to guide authors through their publishing journey. With more than twenty years of writing and publishing experience in the technology arena, Lisa brings a wealth of knowledge to help her clients promote their big idea with everything from formatting manuscripts to full book production, website maintenance to new website design and automation.

Topic: How Travel Can Ignite Your Writing Life

Lorinda Boyer is an author and poet who writes with grit, grace, and unapologetic honesty. A proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, she channels her lived experiences into raw, evocative storytelling and poetry that crackles with truth and heart. Lorinda’s work explores identity, resilience, and the messy beauty of being human, striking a chord with readers who crave connection and authenticity. Equal parts rebel and dreamer, she transforms life’s challenges into art that inspires and empowers. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her spending time with her wife, Sandy and pup, Mollie.

Kathy Wagner is a writer and the mother of three grown children, including her son Tristan who died from fentanyl poisoning in August 2017. Since then, she has advocated for improved addiction and recovery support services and was a peer support group facilitator for Healing Hearts Canada. Her book, Here With You: A Memoir of Love, Family, and Addiction was published by Douglas & McIntyre in 2023. She funds her writing habit by working as a content strategist, helping large organizations improve their customer experience by improving their words.

Colleen Haggerty is an author, coach, speaker, facilitator, and trainer. As a Story Warrior for The Narrative Project, Colleen delights in creating community for and giving support to writers who have committed to writing their books. She brings a discerning eye and a probing, curious mind to the writing process, supporting writers to express what they really want to say. Colleen’s memoir, A Leg to Stand On, An Amputee’s Walk into Motherhood, was published by She Writes Press. She has personal essays published in numerous anthologies. As a Soul Tender, Colleen supports people to access their Soul selves and Soul needs through creative practices and compassionate self-witnessing. You can watch her TEDx talk, access her writings, and check out her events here at colleenhaggety.com.

Melanie Cool is a licensed psychotherapist, integrative medicine and nutrition behavioral health provider, motivational speaker, educator, author, level one Crossfit trainer, AKA a Health and Happiness Expert. Twenty years ago, she sustained a devastating neck injury that ruined her life. Then, when age 50 was looming, she looked in the mirror and did not recognize the unhappy, unhealthy, puffy face staring back at her. She then started CrossFit and took charge of her health. After just six weeks she was feeling healthier and happier. Now she runs a coaching business and has published Get Healthy, Get Happy: A Six-Week Journal to Feeling Healthier and Happier Every Day!

Paulette Perhach’s writing has been published in periodicals such as the New York Times, Vox, Elle, The Washington Post, Slate, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and Marie Claire. She’s the author of two million-reader viral essays and the winner of several prestigious writing awards. She blogs about a writer’s craft, business, personal finance, and joy and leads meditation and writing sessions. She serves writers as a coach, helping them figure out how to make a life and career out of being a writer while making the money piece work. She’s also a speaker on the topics of creativity, writing, and business. ​

Wendy Welch is the executive director of the Southwest Virginia Graduate Medical Education Consortium and the author, coauthor, or editor of  six books, including her latest release Masks, Misinformation, & Making Do: Appalachian Healthcare Workers & the COVID-19 Pandemic. She advocates for social justice in health care and other critical areas of development across Appalachia as well as acting as a writing coach with The Narrative Project.