Meet your Judges!
November J. Brown
November J. Brown (@writesofnovember) is a writer, social media strategist, and content creator with over 300,000 followers across platforms. She enjoys reading and writing literary short stories and fantasy novels. As the host of several writing contests since 2024, November considers it her full-time job to motivate procrastinating writers to finish their novels (yes, that’s how much she believes in your story).
She lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her puppy, Panda Bear.
Danielle Robertson
Danielle Robertson (@danjvrobertson) is an editor with over a decade of experience in educational publishing. She is also a writer of novels and short stories for teens and adults, and has been published by Terrorcore Publishing, Read Furiously, and Haunted Words Press.
She most recently won second place in the 2026 Short Story Showdown, and lives in New Jersey with her husband, their two children, and their overstuffed bookshelves. You can learn more about Danielle’s work on her website.
Meghann Harris
Meghann Harris (@meg.hawthorn) is a dark fantasy author, developmental editor/writing coach, cryptid enthusiast, and folklore lover who writes stories that explore the ugly and beautiful parts of life.
She spends her time balancing a life taking care of two kids, two cats, and two dogs, playing video games, watching scary movies, reading everything she can get her hands on, and pretending like she's going to redecorate her house again.
Kelsey Evans
Kelsey Evans (@kelseyevanswrites) is an associate agent at Rosecliff Literary. After a decade helming marketing strategy and content development for agencies with major clients like AAA, Dannon, and Target, she transitioned into publishing — first as an editor, then as an agent. Passionate about championing authors, Kelsey now combines editorial insight with marketing expertise to help writers navigate both craft and career.