Well, here we go, folks!

I know that November 1^st isn’t quite here yet, but today I introduce you all to my team of brave 2014 NaNo-ers, so we can get a sneak peek into who’s who and what’s in store for them during that crazy writing month of November. I will be plowing forth toward my own 50K NaNo goal alongside my fellow writers.

On Twitter, I will be using the hashtag #NaNoMiniSeries for information.

Enjoy!

 

I’m Diana (@Pinguicha), and I live in sunny Lisbon, Portugal! (seriously, not kidding, it’s 29ºC atm right now)!

I’m a Computer Engineering student, and I’m currently working on my Master’s Degree in Multimedia Systems, with a specialization in video games. I also work as a consultant and illustrator. I have the two best cats in the world – Sushi and Jubas – and a bearded dragon named Norbert. I love writing (duh) and video games, and I love to marry the two in my projects.

I’m Ali Carey Billedeaux (@acbilledeaux) and I’m from a very obscure town in an equally obscure state (Michigan)

Although I grew up in middle-of-nowhere Michigan (which I LOVED, don’t get me wrong), I’ve also spent a lot of my childhood traveling. Some combination of the craziness inside my head and the utter extraordinariness of the world around me has also been the inspiration and drive for my writing. Well that, and how much I read. There’s a quote somewhere about people who read living a thousand lives. That’s me. I love it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Oh, and I guess I should mention the normal bio things: I went to Western Michigan University. I graduated with a major in History and do hope, one day, to actually use it to write historical fiction. We’ll see. These days, I work at a bookstore and will soon be flying the friendly skies as a flight attendant!

Hi! I’m Alessa Hinlo (@alessahinlo), and I hail from the Washington D.C. area.

I graduated with a degree in biology and work in applied biomedical research for my day job. Although I’ve dabbled in many genres over the years, these days I write thrillers and speculative fiction about dangerous women, found families, and the spaces between. Diversity in fiction is a big interest of mine — not just within the stories told, but also in the voices who tell them. Other than writing, I also practice yoga, garden during the warmer seasons, and like to experiment with new recipes.

Margarita Montimore (@damiella) – born in the former USSR, grew up in Brooklyn, NY; currently living outside Philadelphia.

I received a Creative Writing degree from Emerson College and have worked in both the agent and publishing side of the industry. I also have an in-depth professional background in social media marketing. I’ve published pieces for XOJane.com, Marvel.com, Google’s blog, and maintain a personal blog, The Diary Project. Most recently, I was a 2014 Pitch Wars finalist.

My name is Mary Ann Nicholson (@maryannicholson).

I’m from central Virginia, near Charlottesville.I grew up in many states, regions, countries, attended three colleges, and have an almost PhD in the lucrative field of French literature. I gave all that up for the adventurous life of computer programming, and as such I’ve spent the past ten years like a forest elf, attaining near perfectly translucent skin. I gave novel writing a try years and years ago, attempting some high fantasy. Somewhere around day 1 of Nano, when I thought I was about to dive into a Sci-Fi Dystopian, I discovered a shocking revelation: I’m a writer of romance-driven Women’s Fiction. Please don’t tell my co-workers.

I’m Alexis Larkin. I live in the Great Garden State and on twitter @AlexisTLarkin 🙂

I live with my husband and daughter in northern New Jersey where the sauce is red, the lawns are green, and the spray tans are orange. My first novel—a cozy murder mystery—is set in upstate New York, much like the small town I grew up in. In between, I’ve lived in California, the UK, Missouri (what?!) and spent a few months driving around southern Africa to see as many baby elephants as possible. I’ve had a great time reading and writing short fiction along the way, and I feel like writing short stories, even flash fiction, has really helped focus and streamline my prose. In addition to NaNoWriMo, I love the NYC Midnight contests and the 3 Day Novel Contest.

Hello, my name is Shawn Thomas Anderson (@shawntwrites).  I live in northern Vermont (think, a couple wrong turns and missed exits away from Canada).

I’m a young-adult and middle-grade writer. When I’m not crafting fiction, I work as a copywriter and branding specialist. I have a master’s degree in Communications from Emerson College in Boston, and I am a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and the League of Vermont Writers. I live in a far-flung corner of Vermont known as the Northeast Kingdom, a magical place where moose, bear, and deer wander through your backyard and everyone rocks flannel.

 

Hi! *waves * I’m Danielle Doolittle (@elledoo). I’m from a tiny college town in Northwest Ohio.

I’m a mother of three, wife of one, and writer of love stories ranging from otherworldly YA to steamy contemporary romances. I like to knit and dabble in cover design and I drink far too much coffee (or so they tell me).

And, there we have it.  My 2014 NaNo Mini-Series participants!  Please follow us on Twitter for our progress, and check out the hashtag from time to time.  I hope you enjoy this mini-series, and consider participating in NaNoWriMo this year!

Happy Writing, everyone!