Andrew Smith

Andrew was born in Oxford, and now resides in Bournemouth writing fiction under the name James A Lyons. In Summer 2024, he was a winner of the LGBTQ+ Free Reads with The Literary Consultancy.

His YA title OUT IN GREENWOOD (SRL Publishing) was released in March 2025. A further title, a semi-epistolary YA novel set during Section 28 named HALF THE WORLD AWAY (SRL Publishing), will be released in Winter 2025. Prior to this, he self-published YA novel THE PAPER BOY.  

Previously Andrew worked with actor Bradley Riches (Heartstopper, Celebrity Big Brother) to adapt Riches’ stage script “A” DIFFERENT KIND OF SUPERPOWER into a novella. The novella centred the topic of autism and was featured in publications such as British Vogue, Gay Times and Attitude, as well as being discussed during Celebrity Big Brother and on Sunday Brunch.  

Andrew was schooled in a non-diverse market town during the Section 28 era, and this has driven his passion for writing novels which centre LGBTQIA+ characters, history, and themes. Outside of writing, he is a keen runner and sports fan, supporting Witney Town FC and Oxford United FC, a club where he has previously acted as a representative for LGBTQIA+ fans seeking acceptance in the sport. He has appeared on podcasts, local radio, and featured on panels at events hosted by independent bookstores.

Twitter: @JALwrites
Instagram: @jalwrites 

Cynthia enjoys writing intergenerational stories that shed light on lesser-known historical events.

Born in Palo Alto, California, she spent her early years in a military family on the move internationally. After earning a BA from the University of Colorado and Masters degrees from the University of London (LSE and SOAS), she held various corporate roles in Asia, the US and the UK.

Over a decade ago, she settled with her French husband in a village near Geneva, Switzerland, where she worked for the United Nations before turning to writing fiction.

Her debut novel, The Pilot's Wife, is set in Switzerland during WW2.

https://www.cynthiaanderson.co.uk/

Lesley is a writer of novels, short stories, flash fiction, and the occasional Haiku.

She grew up in the Northeast, a Geordie at heart, and now lives in Hampshire with her husband, a little further from the sea than she’d like. She is the mother of two adults and still wonders how they got to be so grown up so quickly.

Her journey began with a Creative Writing module with the Open University, part of a BA (Hons) in English Language and Literature. “I had no expectations of the course, other than to pass, but quickly found words and stories were part of me, I just didn’t realise I could write them down.”

In 2019 she started to take her writing seriously and took the plunge to submit her words. Having three short stories published was the boost she needed to finally get on with her first novel, ‘A Year Without a Summer’.

Lesley works part-time as an Advisory Teacher for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and understands the importance of communication – in all its forms – for expressing our wants, needs, desires, thought, feelings, emotions, and ideas.

You’ll find more of her words here:
X/Instagram/Threads: @Lesleyjayneb
Substack: https://lesleyjayneb.substack.com  

Ben Baldwin is a Yorkshire man lost in Milton Keynes. Born in Huddersfield, Ben spent his early years in the old textile villages in the foothills of the pennines. A below average student, at 9 years old Ben's life was to change, thanks to the forgetfulness of his parents in leaving out Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe's Honour.

From there on he was rarely to be found without his nose in a book. Thanks to this new found hobby Ben fell in love with all sorts of story telling. From fiction, to crime and especially history, the pages kept turning. Growing up, he studied history at the University of Sheffield, where he met his wife Kim who forced him to leave the home county. He can now be found living in Milton Keynes with their two little girls Ella and Megan.

In the professional world, Ben spent ten years working in Tesco. Joining as a graduate before leaving as a project manager in their head office. He is currently working in the world of Deloitte as a senior consultant.

But he only works to fund his holidays and when they are not at home the family can be found exploring the world in their family motorhome 'Henry.'

'Code Red' is his first novel and the first adventure of Sam Taylor. A fellow Yorkshire man lost in the south.

Website: https://ben-baldwin.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benbaldwinwriting/

Kristina knew from a very early age that she wanted to be an author and has been writing her whole life. She wrote a book at the age 11 that was subsequently published as a short story in a pony book club.

She moved to Ireland in 2006 to try out the little green isle for 6 months and little did she know that 18 years later she would still be calling it her home. She lives with her husband, two kids and a cockapoo in a little village on the east coast of Ireland where she works full time as a writer, audiobook narrator and social media coach.

She writes the YA urban fantasy series about Eira Martell. The books are a great mix of folklore, mysticism, witches, stone circles, history, grimoires, young love and old haunted houses. The first book in the series, The Girl of Darkness, came out in Sweden 2022 and was nominated for Best Young Adult Novel at Storytel Awards 2023.

When she doesn’t write you are likely to find her hiking in the wilderness with the family and the dog, watching horror movies, reading or exploring derelict houses, stone circles or old castles in rural Ireland.

Instagram: @kristinadowling_author

TikTok: @kristinadowlingauthor

Website: www.kristinadowling.com

Ben Barnes (nom de plume) has spent much of his career managing and reporting on crises at the intersection between politics, communications and media. He is a former Irish government spokesperson, advisor and speechwriter. Prior to government, he was the political editor of a national newspaper, appearing frequently on TV and radio. 

He sees government and journalism as two sides of the same coin: working for the public good. He has a law diploma from King’s Inns, Ireland’s oldest school of law; a master’s degree in journalism from Dublin City University; and an English degree from University College Cork. He has stood in the Oval Office, China’s Great Hall, and other centres of power, but his heart is in scenic Co Kerry, on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way, where he lives with his wife and three children. ‘The Murder Loop’ is his debut novel.

Lisa Fransson grew up in a forest in southern Sweden. At the age of 19 she yearned for adventure and set sail for England where she still lives, although now she’s traded in her adventuring backpack for a husband and three teenage children.

Lisa is a writer of children’s fiction in her native Swedish. Her debut book, published in 2019, is a magical realist picture book on the theme of divorce and separation. She has since written books for children on the themes of fear of dark, ostracism, synaethesia, grief and adoption.

When Lisa isn’t writing creatively, she’s still in the business of words as a professional translator. On the occasions she does manage to leave her desk, you’ll find her wandering the hills, swimming in the sea, or on the sofa, reading.

Twitter: @Liselifransson

Instagram: @liselifransson

Website: https://lisafransson.com/

Sarah is a Londoner living in Tasmania. At the age of thirty-one, she achieved a First-Class degree in English with Creative Writing.  

Sarah is a fan of the theatre and has acted in several plays over the years. She has a husband, two teenagers, a cat and two dogs. Her house is a mess.   

She loves reading, music and is rather partial to a gin and tonic. Sarah is published by Whisper and her debut novel, ‘Finding Billy’, is available from Amazon in paperback or ebook.

She is thrilled to be part of the InterSaga team and is currently writing a new YA fantasy series.

Twitter: @sarah_j_maxwell

Instagram: sarah_j_maxwell 

Website: https://www.sarahjmaxwell.com/

Scarlett de Courcier was brought up in a Christian fundamentalist cult in Scotland. She lived with her mother in caravans and council flats until she was seventeen, when she fled the cult and moved to London, a city she had never been to before. She promptly fell in love with West London and set up a new life for herself in a falling-down basement flat. 

She worked for several years as a child protection investigator, before retraining as an existential psychotherapist. Scarlett now works part-time in the NHS as well as having a private psychotherapy practice in West London. She has upgraded to a slightly less falling-down flat on the first floor, where she lives with her cat, Pangur Bán. 

Interview with Scarlett:

https://scarlettdecourcier.com/category/view-all/

Angela has spent 23 years teaching primary-aged children, and also works as a Pilates instructor in Jersey. With a background in acting, Kate has taught in post 16 education for the past 22 years in Devon, where she lives. Sharing concerns about the lack of empowering female characters in early years fiction has inspired them to begin writing. 

Kaydia’s working life has been spent in art and design, covering interiors, illustration and fashion. She is an avid fan of anything artisan, craft orientated, handmade and beautiful! She lives in Jersey with her husband and daughter.

Co-authors, Angela and Kate, and illustrator, Kaydia, are currently collaborating on a series of adventure stories for young children based in Jersey, in the Channel Islands. 

Sienna and her Surfing adventures is the first in the series. The aim is to engage very young readers in accessible, humorous, exciting stories in which the female protagonists, and their friends, are active, problem solving, dynamic individuals with wide ranging interests.   
 

Sienna and her Surfing Adventures is in production. More details to follow later this year.