Vonnie Winslow Crist (Masters in Professional Writing, Towson University), is author of Shivers, Scares, and Goosebumps; The Enchanted Dagger; Dragon Rain; Beneath Raven's Wing; The Greener Forest; Owl Light;Murder on Marawa Prime; How to Write for Anthologies (co-authored with Kelly Harmon); Leprechaun Cake & Other Tales; River of Stars; Essential Fables; and other books. Awards for her books include: The 2022 International Edgar Allan Poe Festival's Saturday Visiter Award (work inspired by EA Poe), 2022 Imadjinn Finalist, Maryland Writers Association Book Award, Compton Crook Award Finalist, eFestival of Words Short Story Collection Award (2017, 2018), A Pushcart Prize nominee in both fiction and poetry, her writing has won awards from Pen Women, Writers of the Future, Maryland State Arts Council, and elsewhere. She has been published in over 200 journals and books in Australia, Canada, Finland, India, Italy, Japan, Spain, Germany, the UK, and USA.
Currently a freelance writer, Vonnie was a Maryland State Arts Council Artist-in-Education for over 10 years teaching Poetry Residencies. In addition, besides dozens of writing workshops, she has taught creative writing classes for Harford Community College. Over the years, Vonnie has been a columnist and reviewer for various newspapers and magazines, most recently, for 8 years for Harford's Heart Magazine.
A senior editor for Pole to Pole Publishing, Vonnie has co-edited the Dark Stories Series (Hides the Dark Tower, In a Cat's Eye, Dark Luminous Wings, and Not Far From Roswell) and the Re-Imagined Series (Re-Launch, Re-Enchant, Re-Terrify, Re-Quest, Re-Haunt) speculative fiction anthologies. Her professional memberships include: Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association, Horror Writers Association, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (both as author and illustrator), National League of American Pen Women (in both Letters and Art), and Science Fiction Poetry Association.
Vonnie thinks stories help us learn from the past, embrace the complexities of the present, and prepare for the future. With that in mind, she believes the world is still filled with mystery, magic, and miracles, and strives to celebrate the power of myth in her writing.
Born in Baltimore City, raised and educated in Baltimore County, currently living in Harford County, and having taught for the Maryland State Arts Council in schools throughout the state, Vonnie is a Marylander through and through.
