Judge Stone

James Patterson (Author)

JAMES PATTERSON is one of the best-known and biggest-selling writers of all time. Among his creations are some of the world’s most popular series including Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett and the Private novels. He has written many other number one bestsellers including collaborations with President Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton, stand-alone thrillers and non-fiction. James has donated millions in grants to independent bookshops and has been the most borrowed adult author in UK libraries for the past fourteen years in a row. He lives in Florida with his family.

Viola Davis (Author)

Viola Davis is an internationally acclaimed actress, producer, New York Times bestselling author, and EGOT winner - only the fourth person to do so exclusively via performance-based awards. She is the co-founder and CEO of JuVee Productions, an artist-driven production company that develops and produces independent film, theatre, television, and digital content. In 2025, the Golden Globes honoured her with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for “outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment.” She is known for her exceptional performances, such as her Emmy-winning role in television’s How to Get Away with Murder; her Academy Award-nominated movies like Doubt, The Help, and Fences (for which she received the Oscar); a Screen Actors Guild award for her role in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; her two Tony Awards in theatre (for Fences and King Hedley II ); and as a Grammy winner for best audiobook narration, and storytelling recording, for her bestselling memoir, Finding Me.