Anthologies

Short Stories

Topics

Craft

Public Speaking Details

Carla has moderated and appeared on author panels, including true crime and memoir panels at Killer Nashville. In May 2026 she will give a workshop "TRUE CRIME UNCOVERED" at the annual Penn Writers' Conference in Lancaster, PA.

Biography

Carla Conti is a journalist-turned-true crime author, whose award-winning debut, CHAINED BIRDS: A Crimemoir, features a decade-long investigation into federal prison gangs, abuse, and corruption. CHAINED BIRDS has received multiple indie book honors, including best true crime and a Nellie Bly journalism award. Her next book, THE JACKLIGHTER: Murder, Betrayal, and Justice in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains, returns to a 1976 “hunting accident” she first covered as a young reporter. Drawing on boxes of original notes, case records, and interviews she’s preserved for nearly thirty years, Carla is crafting a deeply reported narrative that centers on the families and community still living with the case’s fallout. For updates on THE JACKLIGHTER's Q4 2026 release, visit the author's website at: CarlaJeanConti.com.