Emily Smiley is a horror and dark fantasy author who encourages her readers to discover deeper truths within themselves through the exploration of fear, grief, and trauma, with a splash of dark humor and a soupçon of spice. She is a Viable Paradise alumna, and is a co-founder of the Story Island Writers’ Conference on Bainbridge Island. She is also a co-founder of Content Hospital—a speculative fiction writing critique and marketing collective. She’s taught and paneled at a number of conferences, and is a member of a variety of literary associations in the US and the UK. She served as the Programming Coordinator for the Writers’ Studio at the Bainbridge Artisan Resource Network (BARN) from 2024-2026. Emily is represented by John Baker at Peters Fraser + Dunlop.