Author Ray Bradbury’s friendship and encouragement inspired Dale E. Manolakas to pursue writing as a career. The bestselling legal thriller author earned her B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles, and M.A., M.S., Ph.D. and J.D. degrees from the University of Southern California. She is a member of the California Bar, had the privilege of clerking for The Honorable Arthur L. Alarcón at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, was a litigator in two major Los Angeles law firms, a senior appellate attorney at the California Court of Appeals, and an Administrative Law Judge. She is also a member SAG-AFTRA and Actors’ Equity Association.

Nida Spalding hails from the mystical island of Siquijor, Philippines. She graduated from Silliman University with a degree in Mass Communication. As a reporter for the Weekly Sillimanian, she covered the office of the University President. She worked as an intern for DYLA radio in Cebu City. After college, she worked as a writer for Tourist Research and Planning in Metro Manila, Philippines.

In 1980, Nida migrated to Northern California and spent 34 years in the workforce. When she became a mother, writing about her family became a priority. Nida is a contributor to California Update, an online magazine (caupdate.com).

Kristine Mietzner is a contributor to Your Life is a Trip. Her comedic short play, “Reservations” premiered at the Winters Community Theater’s 10-Minute Play Festival in 2020.  Kristine’s prose has appeared in 166 Palms; Something That Matters, Life, Love, and Adventures in the Middle of the Journey; Litro NY; and elsewhere. She completed the Stanford University Continuing Studies Novel Writing Certificate Program. Kristine’s forthcoming novel Sisters, Secrets, Lies was a finalist in the San Francisco Writers Conference Writing Contest.

Larry Kavanaugh had a long career as a faculty member and administrator and research leader at California Community Colleges and was a founding dean of a CC Center on the Mendocino Coast.  He has published several articles nationally about travel in various parts of the world.  He is also a practicing—practicing is the right word—poet, but none of his poetry has been published. He spends much time ruminating about why? 

Dakota Coe grew up in England, where he learned to love Industrial-Revolution era engineering, sculpture, hiking, and quirky historical culture. As a teen, he adventured around the world on a shoestring, then studied science and engineering in England before moving to California, making microchips, hiking as many U.S. National Parks as he could get to, getting a law degree, and writing a little fiction on the side. Dakota believes in fearlessly meeting the world where it’s at and using a little imagination to explore the beautiful possibilities beyond. Steampunk is his chosen genre; and disability, possibility, art and technology his themes