CCAA Writing Mentors

Participation in the Author Academy includes 75 hours of direct mentoring with a published author. Below you will find a list of some of the authors available for mentoring as part of the Carnegie Center Author Academy.

If you are a published author and are interested in becoming a CCAA Writing Mentor, please contact Tracee de Hahn at AuthorAcademy@CarnegieCenterLex.org.

Please note: If you are interested in the hourly Writing Mentor Service–not associated with CCAA–find available mentors here.)

Sylvia Ahrens

Poetry, Women's Writing, Editing, Revising, & Proofreading

Bio

Sylvia Ahrens has published several collections of poetry under the name Allison Thorpe, including Thoughts While Swinging a Wild Child in a Green Mesh Hammock (Janze Publications), Swooning and Other Art Forms (a National Federation of State Poetry Societies chapbook winner), What She Sees (White Knuckle Press), Dorothy’s Glasses (Finishing Line Press), and The Shepherds of Tenth Avenue (Finishing Line Press). She mentors poetry and women’s writing.

Writing Mentor Service Topics: poetry, women’s writing, editing, revising, and proofreading.

Barbara Alfaro

memoir, poetry, and playwriting

Bio

Barbara Alfaro is the author of the play Dos Madres and the author of Theatre Mad, a collection of short comedies, Catbird, a book of poems, and Mirror Talk, a memoir about working in theatre which won the IndieReader Discovery Award for Best Memoir.

Ashley Blooms

Fiction & Nonfiction

Bio

Ashley Blooms is the author of Every Bone a Prayer, which NPR says “bears within its pages striking beauty and strangeness in equal measure.” She’s a graduate of the Clarion Writer’s Workshop and received her MFA as a John and Renee Grisham Fellow from the University of Mississippi. Her fiction has appeared in The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Strange Horizons, among others. Her nonfiction has appeared in the Oxford American.

Gwenda Bond

Fiction (All Genres - Except Historical Fiction)

Bio

Gwenda Bond is the author of eleven novels, two serials, and a graphic novel, among them the Lois Lane and Cirque American young adult series and, with Christopher Rowe, the Supernormal Sleuthing Service series for middle-grade readers. Netflix and Penguin Books recently selected her to pen the first Stranger Things novel for adults. For the Carnegie Center, Gwenda mentors fiction across all genres (except historical), with specialties in young adult, mystery, and fantasy.

Susan Christerson Brown

Memoir, Essay, & Other Nonfiction Forms

Bio

Susan Christerson Brown has published essays and memoiristic nonfiction in various journals and anthologies, and earned her MFA in Writing from Spalding University. She mentors writers of memoir, essay, and other nonfiction forms, and enjoys encouraging new writers in finding the heart of their work.

Laurie Calkhoven

Children’s Writing, Revising, & Ghostwriting

Bio

Laurie Calkhoven is the author of more than 50 books for young readers ranging from beginning readers to YA. In addition to her own novels in the Boys of Wartime and Roosevelt Banks series, she has authored six novels for American Girl, worked as a ghostwriter for people more famous than herself, and penned many books of nonfiction. Laurie often leads meditations for writers and illustrators to help them uncover aspects of their characters and their stories. She is a frequent workshop leader at the Highlights Foundation and at regional SCBWI conferences. Laurie is available for mentoring in all aspects of children’s writing and revising.

Laurie is based in New York and unavailable for in-person meetings.

Teri Carter

Personal Essays, Newspaper Opinion, & Developing Essay Collections

Bio

Teri Carter writes about politics and women’s rights for the Lexington Herald-Leader and The Washington Post, and she is working on a memoir about step-parenting. She mentors Author Academy writers on the art of personal essays, newspaper opinion, and developing essay collections.

Erin Chandler

Memoir, Screenwriting, & Playwriting

Bio

Erin Chandler holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University and Masters in Theatre from University of Kentucky. Her memoir, June Bug Versus Hurricane was published in 2017. Her original play of the same name was produced at the Lost Studio in Los Angeles, prompting Nick Cassavetes to write a screenplay based on her book on which Erin worked as script doctor. Her collection of essays, Cinderella Sweeping Up came out in 2019. Erin is founder and editor of Rabbit House Press, where she published the critically acclaimed Bad Sex in Kentucky and others. Erin lives in Versailles and teaches creative writing, memoir, playwriting, and screenwriting.

Whitney Collins

Short Stories

Bio

Whitney Collins is the author of BIG BAD (Sarabande Books, 2021), which won the 2019 Mary McCarthy Prize, a 2022 IPPY Gold Medal, and a 2021 INDIES Bronze Medal. She is the recipient of a 2020 Pushcart Prize, a 2020 Pushcart Special Mention, and won the 2020 American Short(er) FictionPrize and Grist’s 2021 ProForma Contest. Her second collection, RICKY & OTHER LOVE STORIES, is forthcoming with Sarabande in January 2024. Whitney’s fiction has appeared in AGNI, Gulf Coast, American Short Fiction, and Best Small Fiction 2022, among others. She specializes in short stories that have a literary and magic realism bent.

Sarah Combs

Contemporary, Realistic, Literary Fiction (Adults & Teens)

Bio

Sarah Combs is the author of the young adult novels Breakfast Served Anytime and The Light Fantastic, both published by Candlewick Press. She mentors Author Academy writers of contemporary/realistic/literary fiction for teens and adults.

Michael L. Cooper

Fiction & Nonfiction

Bio

Michael L. Cooper has published 16 middle-grade and young adult books, both biography and social history, with major publishers such as Viking and National Geographic. He has taught nonfiction and fiction at the Institute for Writers in Madison, Connecticut for 20 years. For the Carnegie Center, Michael mentors fiction and nonfiction writers.

Tony Crunk

Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, Hybrid/Multi-Genre Works, & Picture Books

Bio

Tony Crunk‘s first poetry collection, Living in the Resurrection, was the 1994 selection in the Yale Series of Younger Poets. He has published numerous subsequent collections, as well as additional work in fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books. He has held fellowships from the National Writer’s Voice and the Centrum Center for Education and the Arts, and he has taught creative writing and literature at the Universities of Virginia, Montana, and Alabama, as well as in a number of community education programs, including Hellgate Writers, Inc. (Missoula, MT) and Magic City Community Writers (Birmingham, AL). He also served for nine years as Teaching Writer-in-Residence in the Writing Our Stories program in the Alabama state juvenile detention system. He welcomes opportunities to work with, and learn from, writers of any level of experience (or inexperience).
For more information about Tony and his work, visit Cr-Cz – Browse A-Z Authors – Research Guides at University of Kentucky (uky.edu)

Tony is available for mentoring in poetry, creative nonfiction (memoir, essay), hybrid/multi-genre works, and children’s picture books.

If you are interested in meeting with Tony, send him an e-mail at tcrunk56@gmail.com.

Amanda Davis

Picture Books, Picture Book Dummies, Pitches, Queries, & Children’s Nonfiction

Bio

Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. Amanda is the author of the award-winning picture book, 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag, Moonlight Memories (summer, 2023) and a yet to be announced forthcoming title. She also has poetry and illustrations featured in The Writers’ Loft Anthology: Friends & Anemones: Ocean Poems for Children.

Tracee de Hahn

Author Academy Coordinator

Bio

Tracee de Hahn is a published author of both fiction and non-fiction. A frequent instructor in topics related to writing, editing, and “getting published,” she enjoys helping writers identify their path and set a course for success. She has experience across the gamut of publishing, from Big 5 and Indy houses to self-publishing. She has also created, authored, and edited a range of magazines for major universities. Her latest book is A Well-Timed Murder, the second in the series from St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books. Currently, she is working on a mystery set in Kentucky.

Writing Mentor Service Topics: YA and adult fiction, writing for magazines, and topics in non-fiction (arts and humanities).

Mentorship Service Contact Email: contact@traceedehahn.com

Kristy Everington

Picture Books

Bio

Kristy Everington is the author of the picture book Isobel Adds It Up (Random House), which received a starred review from School Library Journal. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

James B. Goode

Fiction

Bio

James B. Goode is the author of eight books including poetry, fiction, essays, photography, trade books, and anthologies and has published in a variety of national and international literary magazines that have featured his fiction, poetry, and essays. Goode holds a MFA in Creative Writing: Fiction and has three years of experience in the Authors Academy where he has mentored three Academy students through development of their novels. For more information on James, visit his Author Spotlight.

Marcia Thornton Jones

Picture Books, Early Chapter Books, Chapter Books, Midgrade Novels, & YA Novels

Bio

Marcia Thornton Jones is the author/co-author of 137 traditionally published books for children with sales totaling more than 45 million copies worldwide. Her books include the mid-grade novels WOODFORD BRAVE and CHAMP, picture books THE TALE OF JACK FROST and LEPRECHAUN ON THE LOOSE, and seven chapter book series including the bestselling The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids. Marcia is the co-author of WRITING FOR KIDS: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE and a former columnist for Writer’s Digest Magazine. Marcia’s latest books are the Graphix Chapter Books GHOSTS DON’T EAT POTATO CHIPS, VAMPIRES DON’T WEAR POLKA DOTS, FRANKENSTIEN DOESN’T PLANT PETUNIAS, and DRAGONS DON’T COOK PIZZA.

Marcia is available for writer mentoring, manuscript reviews, and as an Author Academy mentor for writers of picture books, early chapter books, chapter books, midgrade novels, and young adult novels.

Leatha Kendrick

Fiction, Memoir, & Poetry

Bio

Leatha Kendrick’s fifth collection of poetry, And Luckier, was published by Accents Publishing in 2020. Over the past 30 years her poems, essays, articles, fiction, and memoir in journals (including Tar River Poetry, New Madrid Review, Appalachian Review, and the Southern Poetry Review)and anthologies (such as The Southern Poetry Anthology, Volume 3; I to I—Life Writing by Kentucky Feminists; and What Comes Down to Us – Twenty-Five Contemporary Kentucky Poets). In her private practice and with the Author Academy, she’s mentored poets, memoirists, and fiction writers.

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Lisa Kerr

Picture Books, Middle Grade Fiction / Nonfiction, Memoir, Book Proposal Development, & More

Bio

Lisa Kerr is a children’s book author, playwright, educator, and essayist whose work has been featured in magazines and publications including Huffington Post, New York Magazine, Bustle, and more. She is the author of the nonfiction picture book, Wake, Sleepy One: California Poppies and the Super Bloom (West Margin Press). She lives in Central California. Lisa mentors writers on picture books, nonfiction and fiction middle grade, romance, memoir, using the specificity of language as a tool, book proposal development, and finding a place in the market for niche works.

Elizabeth Kilcoyne

Young Adult Fiction (Fantasy & Horror)

Bio

Elizabeth Kilcoyne is the author of the forthcoming young adult horror novel Wake the Bones, which will be published by Wednesday Books in summer of 2022. An alumna of the Author Academy in 2017, Elizabeth mentors young adult fiction writers at the CCAA with a focus in fantasy and horror.

Mary Knight

Fiction / YA Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, Memoir, & Personal Essay

Bio

Mary Knight is the author of Saving Wonder, a middle grade novel published by Scholastic and winner of the 2017 Green Earth Book Award. With an MFA in Creative Writing from Spalding University, Mary has mentored writers in both young adult and adult fiction, and is also willing to work with writers of creative nonfiction, memoir, or personal essay. You can contact her directly through the website’s comment section (link below).

Karen Little

Registrar & Database Administrator

Bio

Karen Little has been a professional student, teacher, or bookseller for most of her adult life. She holds a B.A. in English with a French minor (2007), an M.A. in Secondary Education (2009), and an M.A. in English (2014) from University of Kentucky. She also is ABD (all but dissertation) in Duke University’s English PhD program with a certificate in African and African American Studies. The portion of her dissertation that she wrote examined representations of Black American property ownership in twentieth century US fiction and film, especially by authors such as Richard Wright, Ann Petry, Octavia Butler, and Gloria Naylor. In service of this project, she researched the history of discriminatory and exclusionary property law in the US, the rights associated with home-ownership, and theorists who imagine a more ethical system of property. Her project was premised on the belief that everybody deserves the protections and comforts of home, which would require radical global systemic change. She trusts that writers of fiction have some of the best insights into building more equitable, humane futures. While at Duke she taught for both the Thompson Writing Program and the English Department, worked for the Representing Migration Humanities Lab, and co-managed the Americanist Speaker Series. She also worked as a research assistant copy-editing and indexing essay collections and monographs. Awards included the Stephen Horne Award for Excellence in Teaching; a fellowship with the Kenan Institute of Ethics; and a Bass Instructor of Record Fellowship. After returning to Lexington in 2021 she had a brief stint at the startup Wild Labs doing administrative and human resources work in support of COVID-19 testing and vaccination.

Claudia Love Mair

KBWC Coordinator

Bio

Claudia Love Mair is the author of 13 books, including Mourning Pages: Working Through Grief the Write Way, due to release in October of 2023. She holds an MFA in Writing from Spalding University, and is the coordinator for the Carnegie Center’s Kentucky Black Writers Collaborative. Claudia Love lives with her daughter, and two cats, Batman and Gizmo, in Lexington, KY.

Writing Mentor Service Topics: Fiction, Memoir, and Inspirational Writing

Jeremy Paden

Poetry, Creative Nonfiction, & Illustrated Children's Books.

Bio

Jeremy Paden has published two full-length books of poems, three chapbooks, an illustrated children’s book, and two full-length collections of translations. He mentors students in the Author Academy in poetry, creative nonfiction, and illustrated children’s books.

Tina Parker

Poetry

Bio

Tina Parker is the author of three books of poetry, most recently Lock Her Up published by Accents Publishing in 2021. Tina grew up in Bristol, VA. She is a long-time Kentucky resident and advocates for poetry across the state: she is the former President of the Kentucky State Poetry Society and a juried member of the Women of Appalachia Project. She mentors writers of poetry.

https://www.instagram.com/tetched_poet

Lynn Pruett

FIction, Novels, & Essays

Bio

Lynn Pruett has published the novel Ruby River (Grove/Atlantic Press) and numerous essays and short stories. She mentors novelists, fiction writers, and essayists in the Author Academy and teaches in the MFA program at Murray State University.

https://www.facebook.com/Lynn-Pruett-Author-1499213380357754

Sharon Mauldin Reynolds

Short Stories, Creative Nonfiction, & Novels

Bio

Sharon Mauldin Reynolds is the author of a short fiction collection, Walking Air (Pen-L Publishing) and numerous short stories appearing in literary journals. She mentors Author Academy writers in the craft of short stories, novels, and creative non-fiction.

Christopher Rowe

Fiction & Short Fiction (Especially Science Fiction & Fantasy)

Bio

Christopher Rowe is the author of two short fiction collections—Bittersweet Creek andTelling the Map—and three novels—Sandstorm, The Lost Legacy, and The Sphinx’s Secret, the last two co-written with Gwenda Bond. He has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Theodore Sturgeon awards, and his fiction has been reprinted and translated around the world. For the Carnegie Center, Christopher mentors short and long fiction, with special expertise in science fiction and fantasy.

Doris Settles

the expert book, nonfiction, magazine writing, corporate writing, and public speaking

Bio

Doris Settles writes for newspapers and magazines, managed her own desktop-publishing business and wrote an “expert book” first self-published then picked up by a traditional publisher, wrote a second at their request, co-authored a history of Prohibition in Kentucky, has a 2022 picture book on gardening and has a children’s gardening journal due out late 2022. She is currently working on a middle-grade historical novel, a historical fiction picture book, and an adult literary novel as well as other picture books. Doris reviews expert books and children’s books, as well as works with authors on marketing and public speaking.

Ana Siqueira

Picture Books

Bio

Ana Siqueira is a Spanish-language elementary teacher, an award-winning Brazilian children’s author, and a published author in the Foreign Language educational market. Her picture books include BELLA’S RECIPE FOR DISASTER/SUCCESS (Beaming Books, 2021), IF YOUR BABYSITTER IS A BRUJA/ CUANDO TU NIÑERA ES UNA BRUJA (SimonKids,2022), ABUELA’S SUPER CAPA/LA SUPER CAPA DE ABUELA (HarperCollins 2023), and ROOM IN MAMI’S CORAZON (HarperCollins 2024). Ana is a member of SCBWI, Las Musas Books, and co-founder of LatinxPitch. She mentors picture book writing.

Jason Sizemore

Fiction & Short Fiction (Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror)

Bio

Jason Size is a three-time Hugo Award-nominated editor, writer, and publisher who operates the science fiction, fantasy, and horror press Apex Book Company. He is the author of the collection of dark science fiction and horror shorts Irredeemable and the tell-all creative non-fiction For Exposure: The Life and Times of a Small Press Publisher.

Katerina Stoykova

Poetry

Bio

Katerina Stoykova is the author of award-winning poetry books in Bulgarian and English. Senior Editor of Accents Publishing, she is the editor and publisher of over 50 poetry books and several anthologies. Katerina mentors writing and editing poems, as well as collecting them into poetry books.

Richard Taylor

Poetry, Fiction, & Nonfiction

Bio

Richard Taylor, a former Kentucky poet laureate, has published numerous collections of poetry, two novels, as well as several non-fiction books relating to Kentucky history, including Thomas Clark Medallion winner, Elkhorn: Evolution of a Kentucky Landmark (2019). He mentors writers of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction books.

Patsi B. Trollinger

Picture Books, Middle Grade Fiction, & Nonfiction for Young Readers

Bio

Patsi B. Trollinger has published a nonfiction picture book, Perfect Timing (a Junior Library Guild selection), a mid-grade novel, Thrill in the ‘Ville, and numerous magazine articles. She mentors Author Academy writers of picture books, mid-grade fiction, and nonfiction for young readers of all ages.

Jeff Worley

Bio

Jeff Worley is a former Kentucky Poet Laureate. Worley has published six books of poetry, four chapbooks, and was editor of the anthology What Comes Down to Us: 25 Contemporary Kentucky Poets (University Press of Kentucky). His latest book of poetry, The Poet Laureate of Aurora Avenue: Selected Poems, was released in October 2022. He teaches classes in poetry writing at the Carnegie Center and mentors Author Academy writers of poetry.

Christine Van Zandt

Adult and Children’s Fiction & Nonfiction, Short Stories, Articles, Book Synopses, and Query Letters.

Bio

Christine Van Zandt is a professional freelance editor with 12+ years experience helping writers achieve their publication goals. Her skills include all levels of editing and author coaching. She’s there for you from creation to publication. Working from Hollywood, California, she knows what it takes to succeed in today’s marketplace. Her education includes a master’s degree in English literature with a specialization in children’s literature. Christine is also an award-winning author; her traditionally published work for adults and children includes a nonfiction picture book, fiction short stories, and both fiction and nonfiction articles. Find out more at WriteforSuccessEditing.com and ChristineVanZandt.com.

Sylvia Ahrens

Barbara Alfaro

Ashley Blooms

Gwenda Bond

Susan Christerson Brown

Laurie Calkhoven

Teri Carter

Erin Chandler

Whitney Collins

Sarah Combs

Michael L. Cooper

Tony Crunk

Amanda Davis

Tracee de Hahn

Kristy Everington

James B. Goode

Marcia Thornton Jones

Leatha Kendrick

Lisa Kerr

Elizabeth Kilcoyne

Mary Knight

Karen Little

Claudia Love Mair

Jeremy Paden

Tina Parker

Lynn Pruett

Sharon Mauldin Reynolds

Christopher Rowe

Doris Settles

Ana Siqueira

Jason Sizemore

Katerina Stoykova

Richard Taylor

Patsi B. Trollinger

Jeff Worley

Christine Van Zandt

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The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning's mission is to empower people to explore and express their voices through imaginative learning and the literary arts.