Meet the Authors at the Pop-Up Book Shop

David Lyons is a former homicide detective and retired police commander, living in central Kentucky. In retirement, he focuses on two passions. One, his role as a faculty member with FBI-LEEDA (the Law Enforcement Executive Development Association), the other, producing The Murder Police Podcast and The Murder Police Podcast YouTube channel.

Scott Harvey is a highly sought after speaker, coach, and business communications consultant who helps individuals and organizations communicate through any situation. Since launching Speaking of Harvey Inc. in 2010, Scott has had the opportunity to speak and train for organizations from Kentucky to Indonesia. As a former FBI-trained hostage negotiator and public information officer, Scott knows what it means to speak up when lives are on the line. He is passionate about helping others build the skills and confidence to move off the sidelines and lead the conversation. Scott can still be found giving his heart and wisdom to help teens navigate communicating in an online world and to prevent tragedy before it happens, something he became passionate about in his years as a D.A.R.E. officer.

Sherry Robinson Author, an award-winning American fiction writer, is the author of three novels, Blessed (2019) and Shadows Hold Their Breath (2022), and Echo Her Lovely Bones (2nd edition, 2022, with Foreword by New York Times best-selling author Silas House).
Robinson is a native of Lexington, Kentucky, where her desire to be an author was also born. Sherry has an MA from Eastern Kentucky University and a PhD from the University of Kentucky, both in English. Robinson spent two summers at the Hindman Settlement School’s Appalachian Writers Workshop under the mentorship of Silas House. She completed an MFA in creative writing from Eastern Kentucky University, Bluegrass Writers Studio, in 2021. Sherry is a faculty member for the Appalachian Writers Conference.

Trace Conger is an award-winning author in the crime, thriller, and suspense genres. He writes the Connor Harding (Thriller) series and the Mr. Finn (PI) series. His Connor Harding series follows freelance “Mirage Man” Connor Harding as he solves problems for the world’s most dangerous criminals. The Mr. Finn series follows private investigator Finn Harding as he straddles the fine line between right and wrong. Conger won a Shamus Award for his debut novel, THE SHADOW BROKER. His novel, FIVE WILL DIE, has been optioned for a six-episode series and will begin production in 2026. Trace is also a faculty member for the Appalachian Writers Conference.

Susan Furlong is a Publishers Weekly bestselling author of over a dozen published novels, including Murder in the Appalachians. Her work has earned a spot in the New York Times list of top crime fiction books of the year. She resides in Illinois with her husband and children. Susan is also a faculty member for the Appalachian Writers Conference.

Summer Hanford is an author of Epic Fantasy, adventure-filled Historical Romance, and Pride and Prejudice retellings. She lives in the Finger Lakes Region of New York with her husband and compulsory, deliberately spoiled, cat. The newest addition to their household, an energetic setter-shepherd mix, is (still) not appreciated by the cat but is well loved by the humans. For more about Summer, visit www.summerhanford.com. Summer is also a faculty member for the Appalachian Writers Conference.

Russell Lunsford enjoys reading and is passionate about American history. He is a retired counselor with the Kentucky Office For The Blind and a retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 with the U.S. Army and Army Reserves. He and his wife, Janice, live on their farm in Adair County, Kentucky. They have three children, five wonderful grandchildren and one beautiful great granddaughter.

Joseph Little, Author is an author, speaker, and youth mentor whose debut memoir, Me and Poverty: A Journey of Inspiration and Escape shares his powerful story of overcoming generational poverty and childhood homelessness. Raised in the heart of Appalachia, Joe now works to equip youth, families, and communities with tools to break cycles of hardship and discover lasting hope. Through his writing and speaking, he uplifts others with honesty, grit, and faith.

Beth Aubrey was born in a small coal camp town in Southeastern Kentucky. As a divorced single parent, she obtained a degree in coal mining technology and became credentialed as a safety inspector and mine safety and first aid trainer. Eventually, she passed certification exams to become one of a handful of women in Kentucky who obtained First Class Underground Mine Foreman Certification in the 1980s. Jim was born in a large fishing port in the Northwest of England, instilling a lifelong love for the sea. After completing Navigation and Radio Officer courses at Nautical College, his career dream of being Captain of his own ship was shattered by a correctable vision problem. He is a commissioned and juried artist.

Like her characters, Raven Everly is a queer person living in a small Kentucky town. She loves to write about coming-of-age romances that deal with disabilities and trauma. She pulls aspects from her life to help portray her characters' struggles. She's married with two chihuahuas and a cat.

As a pilot and Hall of Fame air show announcer, Rob Reider has recently retired from that endeavor and now brings his skills to the world of audiobooks. His extensive knowledge of aviation and the military has attracted the attention of authors who need that experience to bring their works to life. Rob’s acting career began in high school, continued in musical theater roles at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music and won him 5 Regional Emmys for on-air performance and musical compositions during a 13-year Midwest television career. He’s also an accomplished guitarist and lover of acoustic music. Rob has worked with several audiobook coaches, including Hillary Huber, P.J. Ochlan, and Jennifer Jill Araya to hone his craft and focus on thrillers, non-fiction, and faith-based titles. He recently was the “voice” of James Patterson in his book, “The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading."

Jennifer Walden, a seasoned audiobook narrator based near Cincinnati, Ohio, brings over 18 years of voice work expertise to each project, ensuring an authentic connection with the author's words. Jenn also narrates under the pseudonym Ruby Stillwaters. Under the combined names, Jenn specialized in the following genres: Romance, Rom-Com, Mystery/Suspense, Literature/Fiction, Non-Fiction, Young Adult, and Children’s Literature. Alongside her narration career, Jennifer is a Reading Specialist dedicated to promoting literacy for the past 15 years, impacting numerous lives through education. Beyond her professional pursuits, she finds happiness in tending to her dairy goat farm, pulling weeds in her garden, and expressing her creativity through watercolor painting and mixed media art. Jennifer also indulges her passion for travel, immersing herself in diverse cultures and, of course, her favorite pastime—reading.

Born into a family of storytellers, Lisa M. Alsup - Author & Creator grew up listening to the tales, songs, and legends of her Southern roots. She earned degrees in English and Education, and shared the magic of speaking and writing with her high school students. She now shares her love of reading and writing with her four grandchildren, who offer inspiration for many of her stories. Lisa loves to travel, kayak, read, bike, and drink creamer with a little bit of coffee. She and her husband live near Nashville, Tennessee.

Jennifer Francis-Gehring was born and raised in Owensboro, KY. She went on a long adventure at the young age of eighteen to the big city of Louisville, KY, where she fell in love with culture, social justice, empowerment, and learning about life. Along the way, she became a social worker, a nurse, a therapist, and Yoga teacher. Jennifer continues to learn how to adjust her sails amidst life’s ups and downs daily while following her intuition of knowing and trusting exactly what her body and soul need in the moment, allowing her breath to guide movement of her body.
Jennifer became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in 2019.
Jennifer created Bixlbee and their world from a simple invitation from her mother. "Please, write a children's book about the work you do. Please write it for me and for the world. You have so much to offer, you are a talented writer and help so many." Bixlbee was created out of love, hope and the power of saying yes to those things that are magical and provide moments of connection.

Melissa Newman is the President & CEO of Martin Sisters Publishing and the 2025 Appalachian Writers Conference Host. She is also the author of three novels, Sister Blackberry, House of Cleaving, and Growing Up Wilder, all family saga mysteries with poignant life-changing pivots for her protagonists. Melissa earned her doctorate degree in Education from Eastern Kentucky University, where she taught journalism and later took the responsibility of oversight for the University’s several regional campuses. She is a former award-winning journalist and is currently a fundraiser, having earned the credential of Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). Melissa is also a faculty member for the Appalachian Writers Conference.