Kathryn Schleich is a multi-award-winning author, feminist and activist in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area of Minnesota. Her novel "Darkness and Grace," a domestic thriller based on true events, received a 2022 Independent Press Award. Her crime novel, "Salvation Station," was honored with a 2021 American Fiction Award and was a finalist for a 2021 National Indie Excellence Award. Kathryn's writing has also been featured in two anthologies and various online publications. Her essay "Finding Hope in No Man's Land" received an honorable mention in Writer's Digest's Short Story Contest in 2020. Text from her academic book, "Hollywood and Catholic Women: Virgins, Whores, Mothers and Other Images," which evolved from her master's thesis, has been featured in college religious studies programs. When she's not writing, Kathryn champions youth literacy and press rights, and volunteers in the education and arts communities. Friends, family, traveling, good food and wine are important aspects of her life.