Hey there, I'm Boe, the founder of SFF Insiders. When I'm not exploring the uncharted realms of imagination, you'll find me chatting on Discord, hanging out with loved ones, or playing fetch in the backyard with my little buddy, Diesel.

Diesel brings a unique brand of playful charm to my free time, a constant reminder that the greatest adventures are often the simplest ones shared with a loyal companion. I’ve been told that my infectious optimism and joyful spirit extend throughout all my endeavors; hopefully, that will come across in my reviews. I’m best known for my unwavering support of indie authors, which has earned me a well-deserved reputation as a champion of the underdog.

Kristen, AKA ‘The Book Hermit’, is a Pacific Northwest native with a habit of acquiring more books than her shelves can physically hold. She enjoys Science Fiction and Fantasy and has a special place in her heart for the dark fantasy genre. She also has a passion for supporting our Indie authors, both local and international alike, and is always excited to see the next Indie SFF debut!

When not off reading in a corner somewhere, she can be found competitively exhibiting her postage stamp collections or fly fishing in the local mountain rivers and petting the wild trout.

Jordan, AKA Jord, tries to stay positive in everything that he does. Always having a love for reading, his biggest fear is to not be reading a book. A fan of many genres, he has always found a love for fantasy and Sci Fi from a young age. Loves to support authors and readers alike, he finds joy in sharing his love of books with others. He can be found in the Middle of Nowhere, Idaho with his wife and kids. They are often chasing the dogs around the yard. He is also a fan of basketball, especially the Celtics, video games and movies.

Ariana is an LA native that left for the cloudy, rainy skies of England. She picked up fantasy in 2019 and in her words, ‘Fell into a fantasy fiction hole that I am happily not going to emerge from.’ She loves historical fiction/fantasy, and will pick up the occasional sci-fi novel after being taken in by a beautiful cover or succumbing to peer pressure. She loves supporting female/NB writers, LGBTQIA+ fiction and new authors.

When not reading, you can find Ariana with both feet firmly off the ground and dangling in the air at aerial silks or working on her primate conservation PhD that she'll one day absolutely finish.

Troy Knowlton always had a burning desire to tell stories. He started at a young age by drawing maps of made-up continents and fantasy kingdoms. The empty kingdoms beckoned to be given life, and his work eventually blossomed, leading him to create full narratives and characters for his worlds. He currently lives in California where he works as an X-Ray technologist and teacher when he isn't writing. He's also a great lover of history, currently working to earn his bachelor's degree in History and Political Science.

Elli, AKA 'Nimph_Reads', is from the UK. She's always been a huge fantasy lover, started from her dad reading her Dragonlance Chronicles when she was 5. She loves reading Science Fiction, Fantasy, Historical Fantasy/Fiction and occasionally dipping her toes into other genres too. She loves supporting indie authors and is always on the lookout for a new Indie Author to read.

When she is not reading she can be found painting miniatures, playing games specifically ARPG's, watching a movie, talking to her cats or playing Dungeons and Dragons.

Think. Tinker. Dominate. Game developer and author. Must learn something new every day. I have a passion for the storytelling, the roots of depth it has in our past, the trunk of stability it offers us in our present and the branches of possibility it has for our future. I enjoy working out and eating delicious food to counteract my progress.

Lyons was indoctrinated into adult SFF from the womb. LotR, Dune, I Robot, and Shannara were her bedtime stories. She loves new takes on fantasy creatures; complex worldbuilding; gritty characters, humor; post-apocalyptic, medieval, or space settings; character-driven plots; and chaos. She’s a ruthless DNFer; there’s not enough time to read such things that don’t bring her joy. Dragons, elves, and zombies are not her jam. Neither is spice or heavy romance. When she’s not reading, she’s writing or watching the ongoing Varmint Soap Opera in her backyard.

Chris has loved all aspects of the Fantasy and Science Fiction genres most of his life.  His love of reading extended to Historical Fiction while studying Archaeology in his college years, then into other genres such as History, Horror, and even Manga!Now living in the Seattle WA area, Chris enjoys hiking the beautiful PNW. Otherwise, when he is not reading, he is usually engaged in other SFF-related activities such as table-top gaming, video gaming, Lego building, and his Booktube channel: Christopher Navo @CNavo.TheNextChapter

Like most inspiring authors, reading has contributed much to fuel Chris’ current project which is writing his own epic dark fantasy series currently underway.

Amber Toro is the director of data science at a machine learning startup working to make the world a better place with AI. She is a big believer in using tech for good.

Always dreaming Amber writes epic sci-fi and fantasy.

Amber grew up in Seattle with a great love of the outdoors. She now calls Utah her home and when she is not writing or coding you can find her biking, hiking, and camping in the mountains with her amazing partner and two tiny humans, or curled up with a good sci-fi/fantasy book.

Jonathan, otherwise known as asp1r3, is a European native who enjoys reading (or consuming) as many books as humanly possible within the timeframe of a day. He likes reading Science Fiction and Fantasy novels, but will also just as happily read Historical Fiction or non-fictional books if the opportunity presents itself. He also has a great time supporting indie authors in terms of memes and is always exited for the newest releases of Indie authors and traditional authors alike.

When not off reading for several hours a day, he can be found working on school projects, bowling for the fun of it or playing dungeons and dragons.

Jess, AKA “Gaigemaid”, is a Pennsylvania native. She has been exploring the catacombs cough libraries since she was a child. Some of her childhood favorites were Brian Jacques’s Redwall, Tamora Pierce’s Song of the Lioness, and Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Her favorite genres are Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. She is a big fan of genre blending, character-driven plots, complex world building and books that explore human nature.

She is passionate about discovering new authors in the indie and self-pub community. As a result, her TBR is ever growing and she loves to share her discoveries with others.

When she is not reading or thinking about her next read, you can find her out hiking with her dog, Miles, or playing some kind of first person RPG or shooter. Despite her tendency to enjoy darker things, she does have a soft spot for Stardew Valley.

Joe is a fantasy author and was a semifinalist in Mark Lawrence's Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off for his debut novel The Bleeding Stone, but when he needs to procrastinate from all that, he reads a lot. He currently lives in Boston with his wife, Annie, and when not furiously scribbling words or questioning what words he's reading, he can often be found playing video games, going to concerts, going to breweries, and getting clinically depressed by the Boston Red Sox.

Lynn, AKA “Lynn_of_Velaris”, is a native of Ohio. Her earliest memories include books with trips to the library & being read to cozied together in a chair. Her favorite genre is fantasy with the occasional sci-fi or historical fiction to break things up. She plans to try out other genres if she can ever pull herself away from her favorite long enough to do so.

In her spare time she enjoys hiking, kayaking, photography, gaming, and just generally being outdoors soaking up the sun & fresh air.

Some of her favorite books include the Greenbone Saga, Royal Assassin, Empire of the Vampire, and We are the Dead.

Karl Forshaw was born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. After a successful career as a contract software developer and all the travel that came with it, he settled down on the edge of the countryside with his wife, children, and dog, where he now resides. He writes from his basement to a soundtrack of obscure music, drinking too much coffee and watching his fish grow.

Konstance is an immigrant to Canada and though she spent a few years living in the UK to do her Masters degree, she ended up returning just in time to get locked down with her family. Luckily, her family are a bunch of book nerds like her and she rarely gets interrupted when reading. She spends most of her evenings curled up on the sofa with a family member, cats, and her phone to read from.

Konstance is a lover of science fiction and fantasy, with a focus on queer characters and romantic subplots, and has been reading indie, light novels, and webtoons primarily over the past few years. When not reading, you can find her writing and designing books instead, drawing, or the occasional 6hr gaming session where nothing else exists.

Indyman is a full-on desi nerd from Mumbai, India. While constantly on the prowl for any and every book fair in town, he is always eager to add to his consistently out of control TBR. He loves diving into the realms of fantasy and science fiction, getting spooked by horror, and deducing what's going to happen next in mystery-thrillers. As a newbie himself, he is more than looking forward to help, contribute to, and grow the community in any way he can, while also trying his best at supporting indie authors and their works.

When not having an almost infinite amount of adrenaline rush from buying and reading books, he spends his time as a massive cinephile, a freak foodie, and a passionate fan of Liverpool FC.

Manda AKA "FullTimeBookish" is a New Englander that has spent the better part of her life in the pages of Sci-Fi and Fantasy. With a love for classics by the likes of Tolkien, Verne, Lewis, Orwell and Wells, along with the modern genius of authors like Gaiman, Sanderson, Rowling, Islington and Rothfuss, she has set out to find geniuses in their own right in the Self Pub/Small Pub world that break the mold of the formulaic trends that traditional publishing seems to lean into.

She loves long walks on very detailed beaches that turn out to be quite different than they appear, and staring into the night sky to catch a dragon or spacecraft zooming by. With an equal love for high tech space operas and medieval high fantasies, if it's set in a different realm it's probably for her. Just watch your fingers, she's not afraid to DNF if it's not shining. When she's not reading she's probably hanging out with her 3 kids and husband, watching Star Wars or LOTR for the millionth time. If you catch her doom scrolling then snap her out of it, there are books to read!

Z.B. Steele was brought into the fantasy fold at a young age with books like The Hobbit, Dragonlance, and stories of Drizzt, as well as games like FFX. His tastes have since changed, and now he loves the darker side of fantasy, particularly character based ones that feature bountiful banter, purple prose, and a morally grey cast. When not reading, he's either writing, hanging out with his family, or arguing online about things that don't matter.

I’m an avid reader and aspiring author. I started reading when I was very young and just never stopped. I talk everything books and reviews on Instagram. 

Abel Montero is an Italian Advertising Art Director who's equally passionate about crafting captivating ad campaigns and devouring sci-fi and fantasy books. With nine best-selling novels in Italy, Abel's no stranger to weaving compelling tales.

Now, he's the face behind "bookswithabel," a BookTube channel where he serves up honest reviews and witty commentary. From epic fantasy sagas to mind-bending sci-fi thrillers, Abel's enthusiasm will keep you hooked.

Join him on a literary journey unlike any other, where you'll find insightful analysis, hilarious anecdotes, and maybe even your next favorite read.

Julianna is a queer Canadian BookTuber, Bookstagrammer, and SFF Writer. She reads most genres but Hard Sci-Fi, Folk, Gothic, and Weird Fiction/Fantasy have her heart. She also adores a clever retelling and eldritch nightmares. Julianna works for Canada's major bookstore chain and works specifically with local/indie authors to get their books into stores. When not reading and writing, she can be found out in the wilderness with her AAA-game-dev partner and their German Shepherd.

Joshua Walker is a fantasy author from Melbourne, Australia. He currently works as a primary school English teacher, and likes to read, brew beer, and hang out with his wife and BFD (Big Fluffy Dog) in his free time. He will not apologise for writing in British English.

Emory Glass is an avid artist, worldbuilder, and author. She wrote her first novella aged 12. A year later, she discovered fantasy of the gloomier variety and resolved to create a lush world of magic and excitement brimming with vivid characters, byzantine plots, inexhaustible lore, and shocking story twists. This she dubbed “The Chroma Books." She penned the first novel set in its universe at 16 and earned her first publication shortly after turning 18.

She prioritizes stories with female characters in most leading roles, standalones that fit into the greater backdrop of the same setting, and meticulous lore. When not writing or reading Dark Fantasy, you can find her sipping a cup of matcha and hanging out with her husband, the two cats who tolerate them, and their beloved Belgian malinois.

Luke is a fantasy addict born in Melbourne, Australia. He discovered a passion for fantasy at a young age which developed into a love for the imaginary and a desire to write. Despite an early passion for storytelling, Luke obtained a teaching degree before beginning a career as a primary school teacher.

When he is not reading and writing, Luke enjoys spending time with his Golden Retriever named Gem, gaming, surfing, and of course connecting with fellow authors and readers.

A King’s Radiance is Luke’s debut novel, though he is always coming up with ideas for his next project.

I've long enjoyed reading and aspired to be an author myself. In 2020, I rediscovered my love for reading as well as Brandon Sanderson. I hope I will self-publish several short stories and, later, a collection of them in print format soon. I hope to finish my first full-length novel that will at least be self-published if a traditional publisher doesn't pick it up. This will be the decade where I fulfill my dreams, one way or another.

Hailing from the hidden heartlands of the Emerald Isle (translation: the absolute middle of nowhere in Ireland), Gary spends his days wandering among ancient woods and travelling the roads his ancestors once journeyed. And that is just when walking his dog. At night, he likes nothing better than questing through fantasy worlds or venturing into the deep and terrifying unknowns of space, especially with a cup of tea in his hand. If he could have one wish granted it would be to live the life of a recluse in a remote castle with a library.

Phil hasn’t stopped writing since his parents bought him a typewriter as a teenager. That is a long time ago. (Think fossils). He's written books for Drama teachers (he used to be one) and journalistic articles on education. He self-published his first fantasy novel in 2018 and hasn't stopped since, apart from recent forays into contemporary fiction under the name PS Parker, a challenge from his wife. He reads all kinds of speculative fiction, from Joe Abercrombie to Jasper Fforde. Phil's favorite food is pizza and he plans on being reborn as an Italian in the next life.

I’m Ronit J, a fantasy nerd with big dreams and bigger anxieties, all struggling to make themselves be heard within the existential maelstrom that is my mind. Fantasy – and by extension – the whole speculative fiction genre is how I choose to escape reality.

Hailing from Michiana but having parents that raised him like he was from Jersey, Dwayne Ridgway Jr is a man who stretches himself as thin as he can. Whether he's writing metal riffs for his rave fusion band, getting an audio engineering degree, or sitting on his laptop with a near-empty Google Doc attempting to write his own fantasy novels, Dwayne is never satisfied with the bare minimum.

Having had a rough falling out with reading in middle school, Dwayne was brought back into the space thanks to discovering action-packed fantasy by the likes of Brandon Sanderson and R.F. Kuang. He's not picky, though; he'll read just about anything, whether it's a "spicy" romance novel or a novel with horror-filled suspense. Dwayne does have a tendency towards action, epic character moments, and nail-biting tension.

My name is Joey, reading and reviewing as The Dragon Reread. I grew up dreaming that I was Harry Potter, weaving through the turrets of Hogwarts on my Nimbus 2000. I almost completely stopped reading fiction during medical school and the early years of surgical residency. However, in the last couple years, I’ve re-discovered my love for reading fantasy, science-fiction, and horror (with a few classics thrown in for pretentious points).

This list is constantly expanding, but some of my favorite authors are Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, John Connolly, JRR Tolkien, and Stephen King. I love reading and supporting indie authors and can’t wait to amplify some great indie authors on SFF Insiders. I sincerely believe reading and writing is one of the purest forms of human connectivity and imagination.

Hi, I’m Bob. I am a multi-genre reader with a special love of science fiction and fantasy. I always have a book to hand. Barbara Hambley and Robert Heinlein provided the initial gateway to a lifelong reading addiction (40ish years of reading now). The likes of Tolkien and Asimov would quickly seal my fate.

I am an adamant supporter of our indie writing community. I would highly encourage you to make your next read an independently published work. You will discover story telling of the highest caliber.

Happy reading!

Jake is an author, screenwriter, and Regional Emmy Award-winning filmmaker living in the Chicagoland area. A lifetime lover of sci-fi thanks to the influence of his grandfather (an aviation engineer at North American during the construction of the Saturn V), Jake will never pass up an opportunity to send his mind to the stars, be it at the hands of a book, a videogame, a movie, or even a song.

When not reading Jake enjoys writing (surprise), paint pouring, gaming, photographing the bugs and birds around his yard, and fiddling with the myriad LEGO sets scattered around his home.

Dave Lawson is an Oklahoma-based fantasy novelist. He lives with his wife and their very good pup, Rowena, and has a penchant for dorky photos. He received an MFA in Fiction Writing from The New School in 2009. His first fantasy novel, The Envoys of War will be published in the Summer of 2024.

My name is Tanvir, also known as Khanbookreviews. While I was a casual reader in school, the demands of examinations and life commitments caused me to fall out of the habit for a long time. It wasn't until university, living away from home, that I picked up reading again. The series that reignited my love for reading was Harry Potter; I devoured all seven books in just over a week. Additionally, a close friend gifted me a Kindle for my birthday, which further fueled my reading journey.

Wanting to share my thoughts on books and connect with like-minded individuals, I joined Bookstagram, where I met wonderful people and became part of an amazing community. Through these steps, I've had the pleasure of joining the SFF insiders team and meeting more people who share my passion for books.