A full list of local authors coming to the Laramie County Library

Oct. 14—It's been a popular event for some years now, but there isn't a greater opportunity for local authors and readers to connect than the Laramie County Library's Local Author Showcase on Oct. 22.

While the event is open to any authors throughout Wyoming, the majority of participants are located within Laramie County. The point being, there's much more literary culture in southeast Wyoming than many longtime residents might think.

Local authors take what they can get when it comes to gaining exposure, and this event is a mutually beneficial way for readers to identify new authors in the area, as well as an opportunity for authors to expand their reader base.

For that reason, Kasey Mossey, community and media relations manager for the Laramie County Library System, said that this event rapidly reached capacity not long after it was announced.

"I think (nobody) assumes that Cheyenne has a thriving local author scene, but it really does," Mossey said. "We like getting them all together to represent how cool our community is and how many creative people live in it."

Authors will set up booths throughout the entrance gallery and Cottonwood Room, where they will display their work and be available to meet with fans or people just passing through. There will be assortment of literary styles featured in the event, from poetry to history, as well as fiction and children's books.

Mossey said that the library stocks the majority of these authors' work, so if there's anything that spikes a visitor's interest, they can check out the book in the library, if purchasing the work isn't possible. Books published by Wyoming authors are specially marked with stickers to make them easier to identify.

Before heading to the event, here's a compilation of the authors that will have booths in the library from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. next Saturday, as well as a brief description of their work.

Mary BilliterAuthor of "A Divided Mind" and "The Divided Twin."

An award-winning romance novelist, this Cheyenne-based author has published two psychological thrillers in the "Divided" series, the latter of which was written with her son, Kyle Thomas. "A Divided Mind" follows the story of Branson Kovac, who begins to hear voices in his head.

Bob Budd Author of "Otter's Dance: A Ranchers Journey to Enlightenment and Stewardship."

"Otter's Dance," published on Oct. 4, is an autobiographical tale recently lauded by nationally acclaimed Wyoming author C.J. Box as "An absolute must-read for anyone who wants to understand the landscape, history,

Dave Bush Author of "Beyond Chiliastic."

Bush, a Wheatland author, tells a biblically inspired story about a little girl who teams up with a resurrected warrior.

Candice Carroll Author of "Ring of Teeth."

No further information was available for Carroll.

Karen Cotton Author of "Carol and Santa," "Vedauwoo: Hidden Faces in Mysterious Places" and "K-9 & Deputy Heroes of the Laramie County Sheriff's Department."

Cotton is a former Wyoming Tribune Eagle staffer and an award-winning Cheyenne-based children's author with three books under her belt, many of which can be found at local booksellers.

Jessica "J.K." Creswell Author of the "Niaku" series.

Adopting the pen name "J.K.," Creswell was first published at the age of 18. Currently a student at Laramie County Community College, she's published "Niaku: Heirs of Fate" and "Niaku: Swords of Fate," a pair of fantasy novels suitable for all ages. The first installment follows Rorke, a young knight who must defend his homeland.

Marjorie Daley Author of "Naughty Dogs: Identifying Diagnosing, Understanding and Correcting your Dog's Unwanted Behaviors" and "The Ultimate Guide to Wild Canines, Primitive Dogs, and Pariah Dogs."

Daley focuses on nonfiction works centered around animal care and personal improvement. However, she recently published "An Unorthodox War," which compiles true stories of female spies in World War II.

Mary Gillgannon Author of the "Lords of the Border" series.

A former employee of the Laramie County Library, Gillgannon recently retired to dedicate more time to writing. The majority of her work focuses on historical romance and fantasy, particularly with a Celtic influence.

Barb Gorges Author of "Cheyenne Birds by the Month" and "Cheyenne Garden Gossip."

Many have seen her Bird Banter and Garden Gossip columns in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, but those who simply aren't getting enough can check out some of her published work. Aside from being an author and columnist, Gorges is heavily involved in the Cheyenne Audubon Society.

Mark Guadagnoli Author of "Final Chaos."

With the pen name Mark Goode, this Fort Collins, Colorado author has so far attempted to tackle science fiction themes surrounding the COVID pandemic, extraterrestrial contact, suicide and climate change.

Mandie HinesAuthor of "Origami Stars and Hot Air Moon."

Based in Cheyenne, Hines is the creator of the Cheyenne Writers Community Facebook group. She is also the former president of WyoPoets and the Wyoming State Poetry Society. On Oct. 31, she will publish her first full-length novel, a horror/thriller titled "The Lost Always Take Off Their Shoes," about vengeful spirits that are "luring victims to their deaths in a small town in Washington."

Phoebe HinkleAuthor of "The Treasure Beyond."

Before hitting the age of 21, Hinkle has self-published two historically based books. "King of Hearts" is set in the Wyoming Territory, circa 1871, while "The Treasure Beyond" deals with piracy in the Caribbean.

Andi Jaspersen Author of "100 Things to Do in Cheyenne Before You Die."

As a former employee of Visit Cheyenne, Jaspersen knows what's going on around the city. Her recently published debut book compiles plenty of activities and places to visit throughout Wyoming's capital in an effort to counteract the worn-out complaint that there's "nothing to do."

Jennifer "Jennie" Lawrence Author of "Buckaroo in Bloomers: The Myth and Mystery of Prairie Rose Henderson."

Born in Boulder, Colorado, and a longtime resident of Wyoming, Lawrence has published two books detailing the history of Wyoming's women. The first, "Soap Suds Row," covers the lives of U.S. Army Laundresses in 1802-1876, the first women to be paid by the U.S. Army. "Buckaroo in Bloomers," published this year, examines the "Prairie Rose" persona.

Karen Madigan Author of "Cloud Clippers: The High Flying Life of Marie Rae Miller Hubert."

A traveler and longtime resident of Wyoming, Madigan researched the background of lesser known Wyoming figure Marie Rae Miller Hubert, who was a pilot, artist and writer, among many other professions.

Ann Muirhead Author of "South Pass: The Gateway to the West."

Muirhead, a high school teacher in Cheyenne, co-published "South Pass" with Atlantic City resident Sali Freese Allard and Lander resident Murphy Booth. The children's book focuses on Booth's experiences in the small frontier town of Atlantic City.

Melanie Peffer Author of "Biology Everywhere."

Peffer, an assistant professor at the University of Northern Colorado, attempted to bridge the gap between the biology of academia and that which applies to everyday life in "Biology Everywhere." The book also draws connections between biology and other subjects, like art.

Dean PetersenAuthor of "The Burqa Cave."

"The Burqa Cave" pulls from Petersen's own experiences on deployment, but spins the tale into one of overcoming PTSD and the supernatural. The Cheyenne author has hosted several meet and greet events since the book's release last November.

Liz RoadiferAuthor of the "Peace & Prosperity" series.

Roadifer is a young adult novelist living in Wyoming who often incorporates dystopian/sci-fi themes into her stories, many of which were inspired by her time living on the Wind River Reservation.

Cindy Keen Reynders Author of the "Witch" series.

A resident of Cheyenne and former teacher in Laramie County School District 1, Reynders has published a string of books following the Hysteria Hedge Haven Clan, a group of witches that find themselves in various scenarios.

Paulla SchreinerAuthor of "Rough Ride."

Schreiner, who uses the pen name Paulla Hunter, recently published her first book, "Rough Ride," kicking off the Darcy Moreland Mystery series. This one tells the story of Moreland, a reporter for the local TV station in Cheyenne, who must investigate a mysterious death.

Rebekah SweetAuthor of "A Heart's Inscriptions."

This young Cheyenne author first released a series of personal essays in "A Heart's Inscriptions," followed up by the 2021 continuation "An Author's Plots."

Robert W. SchraderAuthor of "Sheriff Jerry Buckley" series.

In the vein of the "Longmire" series by Craig Johnson, Schrader has created a string of novels following the adventures of fictional Sheriff Jerry Buckley in rural Wyoming.

Michael T. ShayAuthor of "The Weight of a Body."

Shay's "The Weight of a Body" was published in 2006, and compiles a series of diverse short stories set mostly on The Front Range. He was also a co-editor of "Deep West: A Literary Tour of Wyoming."

Tricia SibbittAuthor of the "Lakebay" series.

Sibbitt, a Cheyenne author, is two books into her "Lakebay" series — a loosely connected storyline of young adult romances.

Kathy SinghAuthor of "Spiritual Lessons from a Dopey Dog."

Her debut book, "Spiritual Lessons," was a special project created by Singh and her daughter, Rebekah, who took over illustration duties. This humorous devotional compiles spiritual lessons Singh learned while raising her family dogs, Roscoe, Cosmo and Trixie.

Scott Sink Author of "Out in the Woods: An Introductory Guide to America's 155 National Forests."

Sink and his wife, Tiff, are avid outdoors people, and both of their published works cover a substantial amount of ground detailing America's national forests and parks. The most recent publication is unique in being one of few works to cover every forest in the country.

Josh WalkerAuthor of "They Think I Invented Pizza."

There are only so many graphic novelists in Cheyenne, and Walker is one of the few. The "Luke Coles" series is his longest running to date, but he has received some recognition for "Delivered: True Stories in Pizza Delivery" and "They Think I Invented Pizza."

Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle's Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_.