Press Kit

SHORT BIO:

C.W. Allen is a Midwestern transplant to rural Utah where she serves as the President-Elect of the League of Utah Writers. She writes long stories for children and short stories for former children. Keep up with her latest projects at cwallenbooks.com.

LONG BIO:

C.W. Allen is a Nebraskan by birth, a Texan by experience, a Hoosier by marriage, and a Utahn by geography. She knew she wanted to be a writer the moment she read The Westing Game at age twelve, but took a few detours along the way as a veterinary nurse, an appliance repair secretary, and a homeschool parent. She writes long stories for children and short stories for former children. When she's not writing, she helps other writers hone their craft as the President-Elect of the League of Utah Writers.

Her debut novel Relatively Normal Secrets is the winner of the Gold Quill award, being named the best children's book of the year by a Utah author, and was NetGalley's #1 children's audiobook of 2022. The Falinnheim Chronicles series continues with The Secret Benefits of Invisibility (Cinnabar Moth, 2022) and Tales of the Forgotten Founders (Cinnabar Moth, 2023). She also has shorter work published in numerous anthologies. Keep up with her latest projects at cwallenbooks.com.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Member

The League of Utah Writers
Authors Against Book Bans
Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters (2024 honorary member award, Let Utah Read)

Leadership

The League of Utah Writers
- Board member 2019–present
- Executive committee 2023–present
- Current President-Elect
Let Utah Read
- Board member 2024–present
Inkpot literary journal
- Masthead 2024–present

APPEARANCES AND INTERVIEWS

To invite C.W. Allen to speak at schools, writing conferences, and conventions, or arrange an interview for podcasts, blogs, or media articles, please contact her at cwallenbooks@gmail.com.

Schedule a Presentation

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cwallenbooks.bsky.social

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cwallenbooks

Twitter: https://twitter.com/cwallenbooks

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CWAllenBooks

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2983485.C_W_Allen

Website: https://www.cwallenbooks.com

Newsletter sign up: https://www.cwallenbooks.com/contact

MEDIA LINKS

Relatively Normal Secrets book talk video for students

Relatively Normal Secrets read with the author video for students
The Secret Benefits of Invisibility book talk video for students

The Secret Benefits of Invisibility read with the author video for students

Tales of the Forgotten Founders read with the author video for students

Relatively Normal Secrets Gold Quill Award press release

Relatively Normal Secrets NetGalley category win press release

The Secret Benefits of Invisibility Gold Quill Award press release

Let Utah Read Salt Lake Tribune article

Reading Freedom discussion panel video

INTERVIEWS

Audio Interview on The Writers Triangle (September 3, 2021)

Print Interview by The Avid Reader (September 15, 2021)

Audio Interview on The Writers Triangle (June 5, 2022)

Print Interview with author Deborah-Zenha Adams (June 8, 2022)

Print Interview by Books in the Hall (June 15, 2022)

Video Interview on E Train Talks (June 15, 2022)

Print Interview by Bonnie Reads and Writes (September 16, 2022)

Audio Interview on The Writers Triangle (June 3, 2023)

Print Interview by Books in the Hall (June 5, 2023)

Print Interview by Voyage Utah magazine (March 20, 2024)

Print Interview by Canvas Rebel magazine (July 23, 2024)

ARTICLES

Guest article "The Perks of Writing Holidays" (November 7, 2021)

Guest article "Writing Middle Grade: The Power of In-Between" (June 14, 2022)

Guest article "Create Your Own Masterclass: Reading with a Student's Eye" (June 17, 2022)

Salt Lake Tribune: "Legislative overreach in Utah bans books that help protect kids from abuse" (September 19, 2024)

PUBLISHED WORKS

Novels

Relatively Normal Secrets (Cinnabar Moth Publishing, 2021) buy link blurb and cover art

Awards: Gold Quill Award winner, Eric Hoffer Award middle reader runner up, NYC Big Book Award distinguished
favorite, First Horizons award finalist, Whitney Award nominee, Cybils Award nominee, Readers' Favorite starred review,

Net Galley's #1 children's audiobook of 2022

The Secret Benefits of Invisibility (Cinnabar Moth Publishing, 2022) buy link blurb and cover art
Awards: Gold Quill Award winner, Whitney Award nominee, Cybils Award nominee
Tales of the Forgotten Founders (Cinnabar Moth Publishing, 2023) buy link blurb and cover art

Awards: Silver Quill Award winner, Whitney Award nominee

Contributor

Body Be Gone anthology: "Mum's the Word" (Tesseray Publishing, 2020) read free online
Awards: Body Be Gone grand prize winner
Inkpot literary journal: "The Raven's Way" (2021) read free online
Anthology of Hope: "Lullaby for the Weary Grown" (Glass Spider Publishing, 2021) buy link
Awards: Bronze Quill Award winner
Strong at Broken Places anthology: "Saturday Magic" (LUW Press, 2021) buy link
Red Rocks in My Socks anthology: "Rules for Hunting Jackalopes" (OdieGroup Press, 2021) buy link
Art and Sedition anthology: "All in a Day's Work" (LUW Press, 2022) buy link
Awards: Silver Typewriter Award winner
Ancestry Data Conglomerate anthology: "The Platinum Option" (FIGID Press, 2022) buy link
Awards: Typewriter Award Recommended Read
We Are Dangerous anthology: "Levronia City Jail, 12:36am" (LUW Press, 2023) buy link
Utah's Best Poetry and Prose anthology: "The Platinum Option" (LUW Press, 2024) buy link
Write Where You Belong anthology: "Blue Pine Summer" (LUW Press, 2024) buy link