Meet the Mentors

Hend is an Egyptian-American author, writing coach, and freelance editor. She is also the Editorial Director of Muslimah Writers, an organization dedicated to helping women writers reach their highest potential. Hend helps authors of children’s books, novels, and non-fiction tighten their stories and improve their craft. She coaches fiction writers, providing them with support and accountability so they can achieve their writing goals. Her own writing focuses on the human condition, often shedding light on the Muslim American experience. She believes in the magnitude of the ownvoices movement, and thus portrays the many nuances of Muslim America throughout her stories. By unwrapping distinct themes such as sexual abuse, victim blaming, infidelity, and even infertility, Hend explores the more expansive themes of love, forgiveness and sisterhood. Hend’s three novels, Normal Calm, Behind Picket Fences, and Even in the Breaks, unveil the many different angles of these and other themes.

Jocelyn Lindsay is a book coach and story warrior. Offering massive support and one-on-one coaching strategies, she helps serious writers ready to roll up their sleeves, and get their novels ready for publishing and into the hands of readers. From inspiration to publication, her clients have kicked their fears and doubts to the curb and gone on to sign contracts with their dream agents and successfully self-publish. Before becoming a book coach she spent 20 years building websites for everything from fortune 100 companies to author pages. She’s also worked as an event planner, and marketing assistant. One of her great passions is helping writers get their books into the world and discovered by readers. Follow her on Instagram @jocelynlindsay.

I’m a hybrid (indie- and traditionally-published) author of romance and women’s fiction. My books include the award-winning Harrow’s Finest Five Victorian romance series, the Agents of HEAT romantic suspense series under the pen name Harper Cross, and When We Were Friends, my soon-to-be-released women’s fiction novel. I worked as a business proposal manager in corporate America for nearly 20 years, receiving multiple certifications in project management. I have studied writing and book coaching and received certifications in those areas as well. In working with authors for more than a decade, I have helped dozens of published and aspiring authors finish their books, manage their businesses, and pursue their dreams. When you’re ready to take the next step on your publishing journey, let’s talk!

Feeling overwhelmed? Too many to-dos and not enough time? Whether you're just starting out or have several books under your belt, it's never too late to find a system that works for you. I can help you maximize your valuable time, determine your real priorities, and reach your goals. You don't need a new to-do list, you need someone that can help you break big, overwhelming projects into manageable action steps--that get results! My published books are Burned, Deceived, and Exposed. 

Maggie Giles is a Canadian Maggie Giles is a Canadian author who enjoys creating new connections and experiencing new opportunities. Her writing interests span across a variety of genres, but finding a focus on a women’s fiction with thriller elements. Her debut novel The Things We Lost will be released by Rising Action Publishing Collective April 2022. Her sophomore novel Twisted will be released by Rising Action Publishing Collective September 2023. Maggie has a background in web development, marketing and social media. She's here to support your journey and marketing efforts towards getting your book out there. .

I’m a book cover and interior designer with over 12 years’ experience. I look at book design through the lens of the reader, and apply brand strategy and color psychology techniques to the design process. I focus on crafting cover designs that stand out to the target audience and help market the book, yet also fulfill the author’s vision—as publishing is very personal and akin to sharing a piece of yourself with the world. Book interior formatting is of great importance. Readers pick up on it, even if only subconsciously. Typesetting has a huge impact on the physical reading experience and perception of quality. I love formatting high-quality interiors. I’m skilled at setting up print-ready files. I’m knowledgeable about margins, bleed, image resolution, and color space, as well as copyright regulations. I have ample resources for finding free or paid fonts and images for your book. You can download a free guide to preparing for book formatting on my website. Book Design Portfolio

Jennifer Crosswhite is owner and CEO of Tandem Services, an author services company that empowers authors to improve their craft, develop their writing careers, find community, and create effective commerce around their books. Her experience spans both sides of the publishing desk, from author to former managing editor. A California native who’s spent significant time in the Midwest, she has over twenty years of experience in business, marketing, and publishing. Over this time, she has held the titles of marketing director, managing editor, graphic designer, and director of communication. Her skills include complex project management, writing and editing, marketing, and graphic design. She is a bestselling author (16 books and counting!), having written nonfiction, fiction, curriculum, and award-winning articles and short stories. A reliable partner who will help you make the right decisions in the quickly changing world of publishing. Portfolio

Hi, my name is Margaret. I’m an indie author and book coach. My debut novel, The Red Fletch, came out in 2021. The book was selected as a Reedsy Discovery Must-Read and featured in their newsletter, and was selected as an Editor’s Pick by BookLife. Being that this was my first book, I decided to learn everything I could from the experience of self-publishing, even creating my own imprint, Silver Arrow Books. I’ve spoken about my publishing journey in a local class I gave, and I’ve designed a series of mini courses for indie authors. Where indie authorship is concerned, I consider it my pleasure and duty to not only help other indie authors understand the choices they have, but to also manage the emotional ups and downs that come with this journey.

Connecting to your Ideal Reader happens best when you build an authentic author platform and brand. Your brand is the way your reader connects with YOU and creates an emotional bridge that leads them to you books. In our time together, we'll talk about your platform and brand and, if you want, how you can use it to inform your blog, newsletter, social media and more!