Lisa Angle helps writers expand their online presence with websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and video. She also offers developmental editing for novels and memoirs. Her self-published historical novel, Whiskey and Old Stogies, landed on the long list for the 2021 MARK TWAIN Book Awards for Humor and Satire. She has always possessed a vivid imagination, probably spawned from watching too much television while growing up in Santa Barbara. She earned a master's degree in computer-based education from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Technology didn't fulfill her creative spirit, so she began writing fiction. She likes to combine her tech knowledge with helping writers build their author platforms.

Rachel Sarah Thurston is the founder of State of Sparkle, Author Branding, Platform Building, and Book Marketing Coaching for Authors. She has 24 years of experience in event promotion, website design, marketing, accountability coaching, writing, photography, video editing, social media, music/entertainment, and communications. She's been involved with the SBWC for 22 years and holds a master's in professional writing from the University of Southern California.

Melinda Palacio is an award-winning poet, author, and speaker. She's the current Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara. Born and raised in South-Central Los Angeles, she holds 2 degrees in Comparative Literature, a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and an MA from UC Santa Cruz. She's a 2007 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow and a 2009 poetry alum of the Squaw Valley Community of Writers. Her latest poetry collection is Bird Forgiveness, 2018.

Stephanie Barbé Hammer is an award-winning novelist, short fiction writer, and poet. Her newest book is The Warbler School Chronicles, a mini collection of eleven magical realist stories about a strange, perpetually freezing, private girls’ school in NYC. She’s the author of three novels, one novelette, three poetry collections, and a how to write magical realism craft manual. Originally from Manhattan, Stephanie, moved to Southern California in 1986 to teach at the University of California, Riverside and she's lived on the West Coast ever since. Three years ago, she and her husband, political organizer Larry Behrendt, moved to Santa Barbara and are still discovering new places to get coffee in town.

Rick Shaw is a recently retired technologist, data scientist, and is now a full-time writer and author of two novels he self-published . In addition to writing, editing, designing and mastering the art of the various publication platform, he is marketing, and making public appearances promoting his novels. In other words, he exemplifies the successful do-it-all-yourself published author. He consults during the week of the conference, helping writers to decide if self-publishing is their best option, and if so, what is needed to accomplish this. His presentation will clarify whether self-publishing is a viable route to publication for you.