Fiction writer and editor Diane Ayres is the author of the novel Other Girls (Kensington Hardcover), the Bella Vista story “Seeing Nothing” in Philadelphia Noir (Akashic), and the poetry chapbook Rotation Stabilizes. A graduate of Chatham College, she has taught writer’s workshops at Penn, the GLVWG, and many other conferences.
Randall Brown has been published and anthologized widely, both online and in print. He received his MFA from Vermont College and teaches in Rosemont College’s MFA in Creative Writing Program.
Mary Anna Evans is the author of the Faye Longchamp archaeological mysteries, which have won awards including the Mississippi Author Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award, and three Florida Book Awards bronze medals. She holds an MFA from Rutgers-Camden, and she is an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma.
Gregory Frost is the author of novels—Shadowbridge, Lord Tophet, Fitcher’s Bride—and short stories of the fantastic, including “Lock Up Your Chickens and Daughters—H’ard and Andy Are Come to Town,” a collaboration with Philly author Michael Swanwick (Asimov’s). He is the Fiction Workshop Director at Swarthmore College.
Shaun Haurin is a founding member of the artistic co-op Helveticats as well as the author of a story collection, Public Displays of Affectation. His short fiction has appeared in a variety of literary magazines.
Of Victoria Janssen’s three novels for Harlequin, The Moonlight Mistress (set during World War One) was nominated for an RT Book Reviews Reviewers’ Choice Award; her work has been translated into French, German, Italian, and Russian. Find out more at victoriajanssen.com or follow her on twitter @victoriajanssen.
Merry Jones is the author of nineteen suspense, humor, and non-fiction books. Her latest works include the Elle Harrison suspense novels (The Trouble With Charlie, Elective Procedures and, next year, Child’s Play) and the Harper Jennings thrillers (Summer Session, Behind The Walls, Winter Break, Outside Eden, In The Woods). Visit her at MerryJones.com.
Tony Knighton published the novella and story collection Happy Hour and Other Philadelphia Cruelties with Crime Wave Press. His story “The Scavengers” is included in the anthology Shocklines: Fresh Voices in Terror, published by Cemetery Dance, and his story “Sunrise” is included in the anthology Equilibrium Overturned, published by Grey Matter Press. He is a lieutenant in the Philadelphia Fire Department.
Don Lafferty is a writer, lecturer and marketing consultant. He’s written corporate communication, marketing and advertising copy, and feature articles for several national magazines. He’s the social media director of the literary magazine, Wild River Review, and serves on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference.
Warren Longmire is a poet, web programmer, Philly native, and expert level whistler. He is the former poetry editor for Apiary Magazine and has been published in Painted Bride Quarterly, Eleven Eleven, and two chapbooks: Ripped Winters, and Do.Until.True. You can find his work at dountiltrue.tumblr.com.
Kelly McQuain is a poet, fiction writer, and artist. Recent projects include work in the anthologies The Queer South, Drawn to Marvel: Poems from the Comic Books, and Rabbit Ears: TV Poems. His chapbook, Velvet Rodeo, won Bloom magazine’s poetry prize. He teaches writing in Philadelphia. Learn more at KellyMcQuain.wordpress.com.
Nathaniel Popkin is the author of three books, including the 2013 novel Lion and Leopard. He is editorial director of Hidden City Philadelphia and senior writer of “Philadelphia: The Great Experiment,” an Emmy award-winning documentary series. He is fiction review editor of Cleaver Magazine. His literary essays and book reviews appear in the Wall Street Journal, Public Books, The Kenyon Review, The Millions, and Fanzine.
Kelly Simmons’ novels have been hailed as electrifying, complex and poignant, and aren’t those nice words? Her third novel, One More Day, debuts February 2016. She’s a member of The Liars Club, a group of published novelists dedicated to helping fledgling writers. Read more at kellysimmonsbooks.com