FoCo Book Fest 2026 Marketplace

Tabling Authors

Meet these authors at their signing tables during the Book Fair. Tabling takes place Saturdays only (April 11 & April 18) from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM at Foothills Mall (authors may not be present for the whole time!)

Children’s

Curious Boy Books (Louise Cutler) — Booth 06 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Fort Collins artist and storyteller Louise Cutler is the author and illustrator of The Ant and the Curious Little Boy (2024), a children’s book that brings the magical idea of talking to an ant to life. Her work encourages curiosity, creativity, and a deeper appreciation for nature — one backyard adventure at a time. curiousboybook.com

Ferret Publications (Julie Perry Nelson) — Booth 28 Appearing: Saturday April 11 Julie Perry Nelson is the author of Penny for President and is debuting her first children’s picture book, Don’t Pet the Bison! Wildlife Safety in Yellowstone National Park — the first in a planned series that includes a forthcoming title on Rocky Mountain National Park. A former columnist for RV Magazine, she is an avid hiker, rock climber, and photographer. ferretpublications.com

Melissa Rolli LLC — Booth 13 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Melissa Rolli is an award-winning children’s book author, U.S. Army veteran, and co-creator of the Cruise of a Lifetime chapter book series, published under the pen name Lisa M. Rolli. A former journalist turned storyteller, she loves creating fun, heartfelt adventures for young readers. MelissaRolli.com

My Planet Palz (Jessica Joelson) — Booth 15 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Jessica believes that the best time to learn about sustainability is in childhood — so we don’t have to relearn it as adults. Inspired by a book about habits, she set out to create fun, animal-filled stories that help kids develop eco-friendly habits early on. Her Planet Palz series includes Ocean Friends: The Dark Shadow and Forest Friends: The Last Tree, both self-published in 2025. myplanetpalz.com

Comics / Graphic Novels

Kidd Commander (Aria Bell) — Booth 09 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 After a rigid evangelical upbringing backfired catastrophically, Aria Bell grew up to spend all their time making adamantly humanist stories. She’s been creating comics and novels in the Kidd Commander series since 2013. She and her partner escaped Tennessee in 2023 and now live in Fort Collins, CO. shinesurge.net

Thane Benson — Booth 16 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Thane Benson is an award-winning comic book writer, artist, and occasional game designer. He has worked for McFarlane Toys, DC Comics, and Image Comics, and is the writer and co-creator of the ongoing superhero satire series The Mistakes for Maze Comics. His recent titles include Moonshine Bigfoot (Image Comics, 2025) and Quick The Clockwork Knight (2024), an interactive middle-grade graphic novel. thanebenson.com

the boy and the thing (Mariano Velasco) — Booth 25 Appearing: Saturday April 18 (April 11 TBD) Mariano A. Velasco is a Colorado-based author, illustrator, and cartoonist best known for his The Boy and the Thing series. A devoted husband and father of two, Velasco discovered his love for storytelling while studying at CU Denver, where long breaks between classes sparked his early character sketches. His daily comic strip — drawn from the humor and chaos of parenting — has grown a loyal following on Instagram, while his books, including The Incredible Adventures of the Boy and the Thing, introduce young readers to imaginative, heartfelt adventures. (website pending — application listed email address only)

Fantasy

Elena Sobol — Booth 08 Appearing: Saturday April 18 Elena Sobol is an award-winning fantasy author who lives inside her head more than out. Coming up with new magic systems is her kink. Annoying her chubby cat is her passion. When not playing with her imaginary friends, she likes to paint and drink matcha tea. She lives in Utah with her husband, but stays put as little as possible — she’s traveled to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America in her constant pursuit of stories and sunrays. elenasobolauthor.com

Inara Gage — Booth 35 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Inara Gage is an indie author nestled in the foothills of Colorado. Her dark romantasy series The Beautifully Broken Saga has captivated readers across six titles, including A Bond with the Dark, A Bond with the Blood of Angels, and Beauty Within the Beast. inaragage.com

J.L. Buescher — Booth 13 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 J.L. Buescher, a resident of Black Forest Colorado, writes epic fantasy with all the depth of The Lord of the Rings but a much faster pace. The Spires of Ashar – Forked Path Saga Book 1 debuted in July of 2025. Infernal Rising – Forked Path Saga Book 2 released mid-March 2026. There are also several short stories from this intriguing world. J. L.’s goal is to weave tales dark with purpose-those that both entertain and train the mind and heart.

Primordial Pals (Ian Haramaki) — Booth 12 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Ian Haramaki is a trans author and Colorado local focusing on queer fiction with a dark, romantic, and fantastical twist. His self-published debut novel MERCY landed to great success — including a wildly popular special edition with Rainbow Crate and a Queer Indie Award win. His forthcoming sequel MAGUS is set to release in 2026. primordialpals.com

Qwordy (Stephanie Gillis) — Booth 29 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Stephanie Gillis is the author of The Humane Society for Creatures & Cryptids (SPFBOX Finalist, 2023) and the Ashport Archives series, as well as dozens of short stories. She is the brain behind The Hardest Reading Challenge You’ll Ever Do on her YouTube channel, Qwordy. ko-fi.com/stephaniegillis

Writers Wingman LLC (Brittany Lawrence) — Booth 24 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Obsessed with urban fantasy since picking up her first Laurell K. Hamilton novel way too young, Brittany Lawrence has always known she would publish her own someday. She likes the burn slow, the spice hot, and everything with a side of mystery and violence. She lives in Colorado. brittanylawrence.com

Horror

Riley Odell — Booth 30 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Riley Odell is an autistic neurodiversity advocate and writer of horror, comedy, bizarro, and stories about autism. His second horror collection Vile Visions Volume 2 was nominated for a 2025 Wonderland Award, celebrating superior achievement in bizarro fiction. He edited and published Divergent Realms: Science Fiction and Fantasy Stories About Neurodivergence (2024). rileyodellwriter.com

Literary Fiction

Brian Kaufman — Booth 02 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Brian Kaufman is the author of ten novels, five textbooks, and a collection of novellas. He lives with his wife and dog in the Colorado mountains, dividing his time between blues guitar, weightlifting, book hoarding, and — most of all — writing. authorbriankaufman.com

Meg Wingerter — Booth 19 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Meg Wingerter is the author of The Silence that Remains (Mission Point Press, March 2026), a historical fiction novel with the sweep of A Gentleman in Moscow — set against the full weight of Stalin’s reign of terror. megwingerter.com

Rotten Apple Writer (Paul Lonnegren) — Booth 18 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Paul Lonnegren grew up in several places, but his favorite was Colorado, where he still resides. His books focus on healing through self-discovery and determination — stories about lessons learned as one grows up. His debut novel The Conditioning Tree (2025) is a literary/historical fiction novel set partly in Fort Collins in the late 1970s and 1980s. rottenapplewriter.com

Mystery / Thriller

By Hannah Patterson — Booth 23 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Hannah Patterson has been passionate about writing since childhood, penning her first short story at age seven. Life called her into medicine, but the stories kept coming. Her debut thriller The Interloper (Koehler Books, October 2025) is her first published work. byhannahpatterson.com

Diane Dickinson — Booth 07 Appearing: Saturday April 18 Diane Dickinson is a mystery writer and author of Final Transaction (Black Rose Writing, 2024), a murder mystery set in present-day Houston’s real estate underworld — a fast-paced story of closeted behavior, spiraling secrets, and lethal consequences. (website pending)

T.J. Champitto — Booth 14 Appearing: Saturday April 18 T.J. Champitto is a bestselling and award-winning author of The Medina Device and The Shadowmaker. Born in upstate New York and now based in South Carolina, he’s a former travel journalist, fluent in Italian, and a lover of art, history, and black coffee. He spent several years volunteering as an instructor for the Greenville Literacy Association. tjcauthor.com

Non-Fiction

D. Marie Cards LLC (Demetria Bolden) — Booth 22 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Demetria M. Bolden, PhD, is a communication scientist and author who studies the hidden forces shaping our conversations and relationships. Blending research with real-life insight, her book You Don’t Say (Munn Avenue Press, 2022) helps readers recognize what lies beneath the words we use every day. demetriamcnealauthor.com

Deva Arani — Booth 26 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Deva Arani is an author and healing practitioner based in Boulder, Colorado, whose work centers on emotional healing, embodied self-trust, and integration. Her books Integration Alchemy: The Real Ceremony Is Your Life and The Mother Ache (both Sentient Publications, 2026) explore how early relational wounds shape who we become. devaarani.com

K.M. Leffler — Booth 21 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 K.M. Leffler is a Christian author and storyteller whose writing reflects a deep passion for faith, hope, and God’s unwavering presence in everyday life. Her award-winning memoir Never Alone: A Story of God’s Faithfulness and Love (2024) shares a powerful personal journey of trust and transformation. kmleffler.com

Phibs Books (Perry Hibner) — Booth 33 Appearing: Saturday April 18 Perry Hibner is the author of Centennial Revisited: An Oral History of the Epic TV Miniseries (Dorrance Publishing, March 2026), a deep dive into the 1978–79 NBC adaptation of James Michener’s bestselling novel — the highest-rated miniseries of its era. perryhibner.com

Rocky Mountain Paranormal (Bryan Bonner) — Booth 27 Appearing: Saturday April 18 With over 25 years of experience in paranormal investigations, Rocky Mountain Paranormal is a trusted source for captivating stories, rich history, and insightful information about real-life investigations. The Case Files of the Rocky Mountain Paranormal Research Society series now spans three volumes (2023–2025). rockymountainparanormal.com

Poetry

Kevin Foote — Booth 34 Appearing: Saturday April 18 Kevin Foote is the author of Cabin Pressure (South Broadway Press, August 2025), a debut poetry collection that weaves snapshots of what it’s like to be an educator who understands the rawness and hope of American classrooms. southbroadwaypress.org

Romance

Anna Eileen (Anna Carter) — Booth 03 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 A debut author at 21, Anna Eileen is just getting her book out into the world and is excited to talk to readers about next steps for her series. Her debut novel Unspoken (2025) is a self-published romance/thriller. Wattpad profile

Gemma Snow — Booth 36 Appearing: Saturday April 18 Gemma Snow loves high heat, high adventures, and high expectations for her heroes. Her stories span historical and contemporary romance, from the glittering streets of Paris to cowboy-rich ranches in Montana. She is the author of the Triple Diamond Series, the Masters of Mayfair Series, and more than a dozen additional titles. GemmaSnow.com

Science Fiction / Fantasy

A.J. Calvin — Booth 05 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 A.J. Calvin is a science fiction/fantasy novelist from Loveland, Colorado, known best for The Caein Legacy series and The Relics of War series. By day she works as a microbiologist; in her free time, she writes. She lives with her husband, a turtle, and a saltwater aquarium. When not working or writing, she enjoys scuba diving, hiking, and playing video games. ajcalvin.net

Ad Astra Science Fiction and Fantasy (Adam Gaffen) — Booth 01 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Ad Astra Science Fiction & Fantasy brings stories and collectibles for every kind of fan. Explore the Cassidyverse — an award-winning, interconnected universe of science fiction, fantasy, thrillers, and romance. Hopepunk, inclusive, and rich with found family, rebellion, and characters who refuse to give up on the future. adamgaffenauthor.com

Atlas Literature (Anthony Mick) — Booth 04 Appearing: Saturday April 11 Anthony Mick published his debut novel The Heir of Atlas in 2024. A Colorado Authors League Award Finalist, he serves on the CAL board as membership director and has given talks on writing at the Denver Women’s Press Club and the Castle Rock TriArts Festival. He is also an independent developmental editor for aspiring science fiction and fantasy writers. scifiliterature.com

Author Drew Bankston — Booth 17 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 A Northern Colorado creator of science fiction worlds, fantasy novels, and true crime stories, Drew Bankston writes across genres with one goal: worlds heretofore not seen before. His Tokorel Series (Books 1–3, 2023–2026) spans epic sci-fi, and his standalone titles range from contemporary fantasy to true crime. drewbankston.com

Blue Fyre Press (Kendra Merritt) — Booth 20 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Books have been Kendra’s escape for as long as she can remember — she wrote most of her first novel during a semester of college algebra. Older and wiser (but just as nerdy), she writes fantasy and science fiction with disabled heroes and unconventional magic systems. Her catalog includes the Mark of the Least series, Mishap’s Heroes, the Daybreak Duology, and more. kendramerritt.com

Local Hero Press (Ian Thomas Healy) — Booth 11 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 Local Hero Press is a Denver-based micropublisher of quality superhero, fantasy, and science fiction — and the home of Ian Thomas Healy’s popular, long-running superhero series, the Just Cause Universe. localheropress.com

S.C. Culligan — Booth 32 Appearing: Saturday April 11 & 18 S.C. Culligan is a former molecular biologist turned high school science teacher who spends his days explaining the universe — and his nights trying to rewrite it. His debut novel NPC for Hire (Royal Guard Publishing, January 2026) blends LitRPG, cyberpunk, and character-driven sci-fi. scculligan.com

YA / Romance

Kylee the Writer — Booth 10 Appearing: Saturday April 11 Kylee loves “that’s what she said” jokes and exploring the messy sides of being a woman in this world. She writes both young adult mysteries and adult romance. No matter the genre, her books are filled with diverse characters, humor, and mental health representation. Kyleethewriter.com

Schedule subject to change. Check back for updates or sign up for our newsletter for the latest.