RISING STAR Award2026 RISING STAR Award for Unpublished Women’s FictionFirst Round Judges
Christine Orchanian Adler is a writer and editor whose poetry has appeared in Coal: A Poetry Anthology, Inkwell, Penumbra, Tipton Poetry Journal, and online at Bird and Moon, Damselfly Press, The Furnace Review, Literary Mama and elsewhere. Her chapbook, Undressing the Heart, won an honorable mention in the Palettes & Quills 3rd Biennial Chapbook Contest. She served as a judge in the Greenburgh Arts & Culture Committee’s 35th Poetry Contest, The Harvey School’s annual Michael Lopes Poetry Recitation Contest, and as editor and managing editor of Inkwell. Her articles, essays and book reviews have appeared in various publications throughout the Northeastern United States and Canada. She blogs at https://christineoadler.com/ and is always at work on a novel. She lives in New York. Instagram: @animalfeeder
Kathleen Barber is the author of Truth Be Told, which was adapted into a series on AppleTV+, Follow Me, Both Things Are True, and the forthcoming Sisterhood Above All. A certified book coach and former attorney, she lives in Washington, DC, with her family. Instagram: @katelizabee
Author and award-winning musical composer Kathleen Basi is mother to three boys and one chromosomally-gifted daughter. Her debut, A Song for The Road, follows a musician on a cross-country road trip to honor her lost family. Bestselling author Kerry Anne King writes, “In a novel filled with music, heartbreak, and surprising laughter, Basi takes us on a journey that encompasses both unimaginable loss and the powerful resilience of the human heart.” Look for her second novel, Trust Fall, releasing November 2026. Meaty, earnest, occasionally humorous, and ultimately uplifting, Kathleen’s fiction highlights the best within ourselves and each other. This is her fifth year as a Rising Star judge. She writes reflections on life, writing and beauty on Substack. Substack: @kathleenbasi Instagram: @kathleenbasi Facebook: @kathleenmbasi
Betty Bolté is an award-winning American author and editor of fiction and nonfiction books. She has published 30+ books, most recently Katy: The Woman Who Signed the Declaration Of Independence, Snow On Magnolias, and Becoming Lady Washington: A Novel. She earned a master’s degree in English in 2008, emphasizing the study of literature, and has judged many writing contests for both fiction and nonfiction. She’s been publishing essays, newspaper articles/columns, magazine articles, and nonfiction books but now enjoys crafting stories that bring American history to life. This is her twelfth year as a Rising Star judge. She’s a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Romance Writers of America, Authors Guild, Historical Novel Society, and other professional organizations. Find out more about her and her books at www.bettybolte.com and read her blog at www.bettybolte.net. Facebook: @AuthorBettyBolte Threads: @bjbolte
Beth Dotson Brown is the author of Rooted In Sunrise, a novel about starting over after a natural disaster. She's also an award-winning feature writer, short story author and essayist. Beth is the author of Yes! I Am Catholic and a contributor to A Cup Of Comfort for Breast Cancer Survivors and Scenes from The Common Wealth. Heartland Plays published her collection of one-act plays. Her short stories have been published in literary magazines and aired on the BBC World Service Short Story Programme. Beth lives in Lancaster, Kentucky, where she enjoys gardening, cooking and spending time with family and friends. www.bethdotsonbrown.com. Facebook: @bethdotsonbrownauthor
If you’re looking for Samantha Bryant, check the woods first. She likes to get lost there in order to find herself, and she’s probably near the water. She’s best known for her Menopausal Superheroes series, a five-novel speculative women’s fiction series, but she’s a multigenre author with short horror, fantasy, romance, and science fiction in her catalogue, too. This spring she’s breaking into romance with Not Too Late: A GenX Romance. Facebook: @samanthadunawaybryant Threads: @samanthabwriter
Carol Owens Campbell is honored to be a WFWA Rising Star Award Judge for the third year. She is the author of a book of essays, Views From a Pier, encouraging timeless, original solutions to problems in America today, and the award-winning debut novel, Look Away No More, a campus novel set in 1970 in Georgia, Carol's home state. Carol earned her MFA in Creative Writing (Fiction) from the Solstice MFA Program (Lasell University). She congratulates each writer who submits to the Rising Star Award.
Monica Cox is a writer and Author Accelerator Certified book coach who firmly believes the real writing happens in revision. She loves helping writers through the thorny process of revision to find the rose of their story. Monica is a graduate of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and North Carolina Writers Network. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, two teenaged boys, and an ornery but adorable cat. Monica is represented by Hailey Stephens at Rosecliff Literary. You can connect with her on Instagram or via her weekly Substack newsletter. Substack: Beyond the First Draft, @monicacox
Shelly Davis is a copyeditor and developmental editor specializing in women’s fiction and historical fiction. With clients ranging from Big 5 publishing to independent authors, she loves to dive into the details of a novel to determine what’s working and what needs a little polishing in order to shine. In addition to WFWA, she is also a member of Editorial Freelancers Association (EFA) and American Copy Editors Society (ACES). This is her sixth year as a Rising Star judge. www.thedetaildevil.com Twitter/X: @DetailDevilSD
Amy Dressler holds a certificate in Popular Fiction from the University of Washington, as well as a BA in English from Whitman College and a Master's in Library and Information Science, also from the University of Washington. She spends her days shepherding government documents but has also worked as an academic librarian and freelance pop culture writer.
KJ Dell’Antonia is the New York Times best-selling author of the novels The Chicken Sisters (a Reese’s book club pick now available for streaming on Hallmark Plus), Playing the Witch Card, In Her Boots, and the non-fiction book How to Be a Happier Parent. She is also the former editor of the New York Times’ parenting section, then called Motherlode, the creator of the #AmWriting podcast and #AmReading on Substack and an enthusiastic bookstagrammer (@kjda). She lives in Lyme, New Hampshire, with her husband and an ever-evolving cast of children, dogs, cats, chickens, horses and houseguests. Substack: #AmReading, @kjda Instagram: @kjda Podcast: The #AmWriting Podcast, www.amwritingpodcast.com
Laura Drake is a hybrid author of 16 novels. Her debut, The Sweet Spot, won the Romance Writers of America® RITA® award. She is a founding member of Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and their current Guiding Scribe. A city girl turned Texan, she’s currently working on her accent. She's a wife, grandmother, and motorcycle chick in the remaining waking hours. Facebook: @Laura Drake’s - Peace, Love & Books
As an Author Accelerator Certified Book Coach, Ching-Lo Hsu empowers first-time multicultural writers to craft evocative upmarket fiction that doesn't just find its voice, but its readers. Beyond the page, Ching-Lo's role at an internationally renowned film studio gives her a front-row seat to global storytelling trends. By merging the strategic market positioning of the film industry with proven coaching methodologies, Ching-Lo helps writers identify the hooks that give a story market appeal. Ching-Lo holds a BA in Theater Design and an MFA in Film Production, providing a rigorous foundation in the arts. Her coaching is built on this holistic blend of literary, theatrical, and cinematic training, guiding writers from the first spark of inspiration to a finished, commercially viable manuscript. Ching-Lo offers coaching in both English and Mandarin Chinese.
Jennifer Jabaley is the author of the international bestseller and People Magazine's most anticipated summer read, What's Yours Is Mine. She won Georgia Author of the Year for her young adult novels. Jen is a practicing optometrist. She brings sharp focus to eye care by day and to storytelling by night. She lives in the north Georgia mountains with her sports-obsessed family and two rescue dogs. Instagram: @jabaleyjennifer Facebook: @jennifer.jabaley
Barb Kasten is an Author Accelerator-certified book coach, specializing in helping novice authors of women's fiction and romance realize their publishing dreams. A contemporary romance author herself (pen name: Barbara Valentin), Barb had the privilege of seeing her first book, False Start, earn a starred review from Booklist and her fifth book, Order Up, included in USA Today's Happily Ever After list of Smashword's "hot pre-orders." Barb is also a seasoned first-round judge in WFWA's Rising Star competition.
Lisa Williams Kline is the author of The Bristlecone Writers' Group (Harpeth Road Press), Ladies’ Day (CamCat Books), Between the Sky and the Sea (Dragonblade), The Ruby Mirror (The Bridge), and ten novels and a novella for young readers. Her work has appeared in Literary Mama, Skirt, Sasee, Carolina Woman, moonShine review, The Press 53 Awards Anthology, Sand Hills Literary Magazine, and Idol Talk, among others. She attended Duke University, and received her MFA from Queens. She lives with her veterinarian husband, a cat who can open doors, and a sweet chihuahua who has played Bruiser Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical. She treasures frequent visits with her daughters and their families. Visit her at www.lisawilliamskline.com. Facebook: @isa.kline.566
Rachel Mans McKenny is a humor writer and author. Her first novel, The Butterfly Effect, was the 2022 All-Iowa Read, and her shorter work has been published in The New York Times, Ploughshares, Elle Magazine, The Washington Post, and other outlets. This is her fourth year as a Rising Star judge.
Theresa Munroe writing as T.A. Munroe is an independently published author of three works of women’s fiction: Zook’s Corner, Another Place On The Planet and Places Bright and Dark. She has been a member of WFWA since 2015 and has previously participated in the Rising Star Contest as entrant, judge, and judge coordinator. Instagram: @tamunroe Facebook: @tamunroe
Mary Jane Nirdlinger writes books and works in local government in North Carolina. She lives with her husband and scaredy-cat dog named Felix. She has degrees in International Relations, Urban Planning, and an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Current non-writing obsessions include sewing, yoga, baking, and (as always) reading.
Diane Owens Prettyman is the author of three books and numerous essays. She is a frequent contributor to the Austin American-Statesman. Her fourth novel will be published in July of 2027. This is her second year as a Rising Star Judge. Instagram: @prettymanreads Facebook: @diane.owens.125 Lalitha Ram is a multi-faceted published author. Her novels, short stories, essays, poems and a lyrical drama reflect a graceful confluence of literary artistry and cultural depth. She writes in English and Telugu. After a distinguished career in public finance as an assistant treasurer in a local government, she turned to creative writing, crafting narratives of remarkable women and men. She is inspired by epics, mythology, and world philosophy. She produced a music album celebrating her grandfather, the renowned romantic and spiritual poet Devulapalli Krishna Sastri, and mentored and contributed to three recognized literary anthologies. She is a Rising Star Judge with the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Through the Devulapalli Foundation, she nurtures literary and artistic talent with awards. She leads the World Telugu Consortium and is an active member-patron of a large group of contemporary Telugu women writers.
Diana C. Reep, also writing as D. C. Reep, has been a writer since she told horror stories to classmates in elementary school. As an English professor, she taught film studies, popular culture, and the Arthurian legend while publishing textbooks and literary biographies. No longer grading papers, she’s writing historical fiction about danger and excitement around the beginning of the 20th century, e.g., Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War, ghosts, time travel, danger in World War I, and sisters fighting for success in the early movie business in Chicago. Publishers Weekly has called her historical fiction “vivid,” “fast-moving,” and with high “tension.” This is her second year serving as a judge.
Janet Roberts is a former global leader in cybersecurity education. Her books are set wholly or partially in Western PA, where her roots run deep. Her readers know to expect a female character who awakens to the discovery of her own inner strength while facing adversity. Wired For Magic (2026), her first fantasy thriller, combines a strong woman, magical realism, suspense, and elements of cybersecurity. She’s also the author of the awardwinning novel, What Lies We Keep(2024). A member of Women’s Fiction Writers Association and Sisters in Crime, she lives in Pittsburgh and loves traveling, wandering through bookstores, reading on her porch swing, and sharing a bottle of wine with friends. Substack: Let’s Start with a Coffee Instagram: @janetroberts77 Bluesky: @janetwrites TikTok: @wpawriter12
Grace Santamaria is a Colombian American author of contemporary fiction who writes stories about Latinas making bold moves and crushing life’s challenges. Her debut novel, Sea Salt and Coffee Beans, blends office drama, immigration struggles, messy family dynamics, and plenty of romance. She holds a BBA and an MBA and has spent the past fifteen years working in marketing roles across consumer products companies, often focusing on Latin American markets. Grace grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia, and now lives in Miami with her husband, children, and very enthusiastic golden retriever. This will be her third year as a Rising Star judge. Instagram: @gracesbookcollection
Suanne Schafer was born in West Texas at the height of the Cold War. Her world travels and pioneer ancestors fuel her writing. A genetic distrust of happily-ever-afters gives rise to strong female protagonists who battle tough environments and intersect with men who might—or might not—love them. Schafer has served as an editor for a mainstream/romance publishing house and fiction editor for a literary magazine as well as authored three novels. Passion & Paint depicts a late 19th century artist in West Texas while Hunting the Devil explores the plight of an American physician during the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Her current work-in-progress, Dust Bowl Odyssey, is a loose retelling of Homer’s Odyssey set during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl.
After a 20-year career in nonprofit management, Elise Schiller has been teaching at the Community College of Philadelphia in the English Department since 2019. Ms. Schiller has two published books: Even If Your Heart Would Listen, a memoir, in 2019 and Watermark, a novel, in 2020. She is currently querying a novel, The Classics, while at work on another. She has also published short stories and articles in various publications. She is a frequent participant in WFWA Writing Dates, and serves on several non-profit boards. Instagram: @Schiller.Elise Facebook: @eliseschiller1
D.K. Silver is the author of The Weight of Flowers and Forcing Shoots, the first two books in a genre-bending saga. The series explores themes of sexual exploitation and dalliance, greed in its many guises and the quest for self-worth. D.K. Silver is fearless in her determination to explore taboos, using her gifts to relentlessly dig below the surface. As a costume designer, she’s been trained to visually reveal a character’s truer nature—as a writer, she takes it to another level, passionate to unmask the deliciously decadent, the deviant, and the downright misguided aspects of our collective humanness. Her stories are paced like a slow-motion car crash that’s difficult to look away from. She is thrilled to be back as a Rising Star judge. Facebook: @danakschwartz
Rosemary Shomaker is a women’s fiction and mystery short story and novella writer. You may find her two novellas in the Mutt Mysteries collections and her short stories in several of the Virginia is for Mysteries and in the A Shaker of Margaritas series, and in other anthologies. She writes about the unexpected in everyday life--she's the woman you don’t notice in the grocery store or at the wine festival but whom you do notice at estate sales and wandering vacant lots where she is collecting story ideas. She is a member of the Women's Fiction Writers Association and national and local Sisters in Crime chapters. Instagram: @rosewritesva
The author of twenty-seven novels and a hundred short stories, D. J. Stevenson is the Executive Vice President of the International Association of Media Tie-In Writers and chairs their Scribe Awards. She administers Pennwriters’ Online Courses and Critique Partner Program. She earned her degree in Journalism and German after which she worked as a technical writer and technical translator. She has written for corporate newspapers and magazines. She enjoys traveling across the U.S. and overseas. She attended school and worked in Germany, which is also where she began studying Shotokan karate, in which she earned a black belt. She’s worked backstage at local theaters, running lights and sound, and stage managing—and, once, keeping sets from falling over during a show. Most importantly, she’s a doting mom to her beloved, rambunctious, astronomically adorable cats. Bluesky: @bluetrixbooks Twitter/X: @BluetrixBooks
Judy Taylor has published four short stories and her debut novel In the Company of Whales releases June 2, 2026. This is her second year judging the Rising Star Awards. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky or sign up for her newsletter on her website Instagram: @judymarytaylor Bluesky: @judytaylor.bsky.social
Sue Toth is a book coach and developmental editor, specializing in women's fiction, romance, and psychological thriller. She is an active member of WFWA, RWA, and Sisters in Crime. This is her first year as a Rising Star Judge. Instagram: @suetothediting Facebook: @suetothediting LinkedIn: @suetoth
Kyle Turley is a book coach on a mission to help frustrated fiction writers face their imposter syndrome and send self-doubt packing. She is also a storyteller who loves when genres meet and blend together. Kyle is a member of WFWA, Sisters in Crime, and a first-time Rising Star Judge. Follow her on Instagram,and Facebook. Instagram: @thehypegirlbookcoach Facebook: @thehypegirlbookcoach
Kate Underwood is a freelance editor and proofreader who particularly gravitates toward women’s fiction and romance projects. She formerly taught high school English and French and worked as a freelance personal finance writer. This is her second year as a Rising Star judge. Follow her on Instagram for editing tips and reading recommendations. Instagram: @authorkateunderwood
Jane Alessandrini Ward is the author of Should Have Told You Sooner, In the Aftermath, The Mosaic Artist, and Hunger. After graduating from Simmons College, Jane began working in the food and hospitality industry almost immediately, taking on a range of roles that included planning private events and working as a weekend baker in a neighborhood bakery. Later, she became a contributing writer to an online regional and seasonal food magazine, as well as a blogger and occasional host of cooking videos for an internet recipe resource affiliated with several regional newspapers. Most recently, she has contributed book reviews to Story Circle and Mom Egg Review. She loves to travel and often documents her trips through travel photography. Jane lives north of Boston. Facebook: @janealessandriniward Threads: @authorjaneward
A former toxicologist and university professor, Ann Warner is the author of a heartwarming cozy mystery series, a romantic trilogy, and six single titles that have collectively garnered thousands of five-star reviews. During her career as a clinical toxicologist, Ann encountered many medical mysteries and intriguing stories that have now found their way into her novels.
Caitlin Weaver is the bestselling author of suspenseful, emotionally layered domestic dramas that are perfect book club reads. She also covers topics including health, style, parenting, and business for outlets like Well+Good, Business Insider, Huff Post, Scary Mommy, and more. Caitlin lives in Atlanta with her family. When she’s not writing you can find her on the tennis court, struggling with the NYT crossword puzzle, or reading “just one more” story to her kids. Follow her on Substack and Instagram where she talks books and writing. www.caitlinrweaver.com Instagram: @caitlinrweaver TikTok: @caitlinrweaver
Jaclyn Westlake writes about funny, flawed women doing their best to find their footing in the world. Her debut novel, Dear Dotty was a finalist for the Star Award and her second novel, Lucky Break is out now. This is her third year as a Rising Star judge. You can find her on Instagram where she'd love to see pictures of your pets. Visit her website at www.jaclynwestlake.com. Instagram: @jaclyn_writing
Bestselling author Barbara Claypole White was born in England but lives and gardens in Central North Carolina. She writes emotionally-layered book club fiction about families in crisis, complicated relationships, and crazy critters…topped off with a dollop of hope. Her passion is for creating characters who chip away at stereotypes of mental illness. Her novels include: The Unfinished Garden (Golden Quill for Best First Book); The In-Between Hour (SIBA Okra Pick); The Perfect Son (Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee for Best Fiction); Echoes Of Family (WFWA Star Award Finalist); and The Promise Between Us (Nautilus Awards Medalist for books that foster positive change in the world).
JudgingAs an organization, WFWA supports diversity and inclusivity and seeks to elevate Women’s Fiction as a genre that reflects professional ethics and creative excellence. All stories are judged on a variety of elements, including a clear and compelling hook, strong voice and setting, established conflict and point of view, an interesting story with an emotional arc, and authentic, multi-dimensional characters.
Additional Questions? Contact the RISING STAR Award co-chairs at [email protected]. |