CAW Executive Board

Mandy L. Cantrell is the author of "The Trace Books Series" (Trace’n the Devil, Trace’s Notebook 87-88, The Tracks of Trace Erring), A Fair in August, and Spiderflies. She is a member of the Atlanta Writers Club and Cartersville Area Writers, serving as President 2022-2024 and previously as vice president of Calhoun Area Writers. She is the creator/owner of The Collector (The Collector’s Walking Tours & The Collector’s Curiosity Shop) and cohost of the podcast Curious Conversations. She resides in Adairsville, GA, with her husband Heath, their son Johnny, and their dogs, Eevee and Onyx. Her favorite author is Peter Straub.

Tammy Barron, President of Cartersville Area Writers, is a passionate storyteller with a BFA in Theatre from the University of Utah and a BS in Education from Shorter University. Her background in performance and education deeply informs her writing, bringing a rich, narrative-driven approach to her work. Tammy was a contributing writer for Northwest Georgia Living in her three-year column, Blackberry Hills. In 2018, she joined V3 Publications contributing the monthly column, Opened Doors, in addition to features highlighting local businesses and community leaders. Tammy lives on a farm in Rome, Georgia, with her husband and two children, where she continues to weave stories about life, place, and community. 

Kris Owens, who writes under the pen name K Owens, is a sci-fi and fantasy author interested in branching out into drama. He is the Treasurer for Cartersville Area Writers. When he's not working in law enforcement, he spends his time writing and sharing his work on his Substack, https://authorkowens.substack.com/. Kris Owens lives with his wife and child who support and motivate him to work harder.

Madison Spencer is an avid book reader and beginner book writer. When she's not working at her "real job" in a dental practice, she is reading and writing all of the fantasy and romance she can manage and has a book in her hand every chance she can get! She is a proud member of the Cartersville Area Writers Group and enjoys being a part of the hospitality team where she serves as Communications Director. She is passionate about learning, teaching, and sharing stories with others as she co-owns a book club business with her high school best friend. Madison resides in Georgia with her husband and three dog babies.

KD Smith is an alumna of Berry College, poet, and short story writer who grew up in the southern foothills of the Appalachians. She is a founding member and serves on the Executive Board of Cartersville Area Writers (CAW), where she holds the position of Social Media/Promotions Director. She is a member of Broadleaf Writers Association and The Atlanta Writers Club. Her work has been published or is forthcoming in various literary magazines, including Academy of the Heart and Mind, The Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, Poetic Sun, The Literary Yard, The Old Red Kimono, and CAW The Crow Speaks Volumes I and II, among others. You can find KD on her website, kdsmiththewriter.com, as well as on most other social media platforms. She lives in the hills of North Georgia with her husband, Greg, and Wiley the Literary Cat.