Silver Spring resident and novelist Dan Desai Martin officially joined the Board of the Maryland Writers’ Association (MWA). The voluntary, nonprofit association supports the art, business, and craft of writing.

“I’m thrilled to be elected to the MWA Board,” Desai Martin said. “This is a fantastic organization full of talented writers, and I can’t wait to get more involved with the important mission of supporting all the incredible writers across our state.”

MWA has programming and support for a wide range of writers, from published authors to professional freelancers to those just starting their journey into writing. The group publishes various literary journals, and there are multiple chapters across the state that meet on a monthly basis, with guests offering tips and advice on the craft of writing. There are also teen writing groups to support the next generation of writers, as well as special events throughout the year. In addition, the statewide organization holds an annual “Brain to Bookshelf” conference each October, full of conversations and workshops for members and attendees.

“I’m excited to welcome Dan to the Board,” Stephen Huff, President of MWA, said. “I know his energy and enthusiasm will be a benefit to the organization, and I look forward to working closely with him.”

At the organization’s June meeting, Desai Martin was elected to serve a two-year term as a Member-at-Large on the Board. The Association also elected the following members to two-year terms, beginning on July 1, 2026:

• Stephen Huff, President
• Michael Watyoka, Vice President
• Melinda Huff, Treasurer
• Donna L. Quesinberry, Secretary
• F. J. Talley, Member-at-Large
• Dan Desai Martin, Member-at-Large

MWA members publish across the spectrum, including fiction, nonfiction, short stories, poetry, plays, scripts, speeches, feature articles, and essays. Many have published books in specific genres such as romance, science fiction, thriller, fantasy, children’s literature, travel writing, or biography.

Desai Martin’s fantasy novel, In The Shadow Of The Sanctum, was released earlier this year through Gold Dust Publishing. Packed with religious oppression, revolution, and self-discovery, this fast-paced, thought-provoking fantasy novel has been compared to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Sabaa Tahir’s Ember in the Ashes series, and Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series.

In addition to writing novels, Desai Martin has served as an editor for the MWA’s annual Emerging Voices: Poetry and Prose by Maryland Teens for the past three years. The publication contains short stories and poems from MWA’s teen chapters from across the state.

About Dan
Dan Desai Martin is a fantasy author and communications consultant. After receiving a degree in Religious Studies from Berry College, Dan spent most of his career at nonprofit organizations trying to make the world a little better. When not reading, writing, or working, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his amazing wife. They live in Silver Spring, Maryland.
For more information, visit www.DanDesaiMartin.com.

About Maryland Writers’ Association
The Maryland Writers’ Association (MWA) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the art, business, and craft of writing in all its forms. MWA strives to: Bring together aspiring, emerging, and established writers of all genres and disciplines; serve as an information and networking resource; help members make contacts that lead to publication; encourage writers to reach their full potential, and promote writing within Maryland communities. For more information, visit www.marylandwriters.org/.