Courtney K. Bambrick is the poetry editor at Philadelphia Stories. Her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in such journals as Apiary, Certain Circuits, Dirty Napkin, Philadelphia Poets, and the Schuylkill Valley Journal. Courtney currently teaches writing and literature at Holy Family University, Philadelphia University, and Gwynedd-Mercy College. She recently coordinated the third annual Children’s Arts Program for kids at Old Academy Players in her neighborhood. She lives with poet Peter Baroth in East Falls.
Janet Benton is a highly experienced editor and teacher of writing who has worked closely with countless writers to improve their manuscripts and their craft. Her writing has appeared in Kiwi, Working Woman, Women’s Health for Dummies, and many other publications, and her editing clients have published hundreds of books. She serves as a mentor and teacher to writers throughout the region through The Word Studio in Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia.
Anne Bohner founded Pen & Ink, a boutique literary agency. She has ten years of experience as an editor with major trade publishers. Prior to founding Pen & Ink, Anne Bohner was a senior editor with New American Library and also worked at Bantam Dell for several years. While at NAL, Anne spearheaded the Young Adult line NAL Jam where she worked on many promising books including a current New York Times bestselling series. Anne has also worked with bestselling and award winning authors of both adult fiction and nonfiction and has an extensive background in the romance genre.
Jim Breslin’s first collection, Elephant, is a mix of short stories, flash fiction and prose poems about loneliness and hope in suburbia. His writing has appeared in Metazen, Think Journal, The Daily Local, The World According to Twitter and numerous websites. He is the Managing Editor for The Town Dish. Jim founded the West Chester Story Slam, which is in its second season. He is currently publishing an anthology called Chester County Fiction.
Elise Brown is an independent publicist for innovative companies and extraordinary individuals, including several authors. She was previously Dir. of Public Relations and Sr. Manager for Feature Content for Sirius Satellite Radio, and led the marketing efforts for Q Records, a former division of QVC, Inc. Brown also directed public relations for the New Jersey State Aquarium in Camden, NJ and Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., among others, and has also been a national and major market radio host and marketer.
Randall Brown teaches at and directs Rosemont College’s MFA in Creative Writing Program. He is the author of the award-winning collection Mad to Live (now available as a reprinted deluxe edition from PS Books), his essay on (very) short fiction appears in The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction, and he appears in the Norton Anthology of Hint Fiction. He has been published widely, both online and in print, and blogs regularly at FlashFiction.Net. He is also the founder and managing editor of Matter Press and its Journal of Compressed Creative Arts.
Sheree Bykofsky, AAR, represents over 100 book authors in all areas of adult non-fiction as well as literary and commercial fiction. Her non-fiction specialties include popular reference, business, health, psychology, poker, spirituality, self-help, humor, cookbooks, pop culture, biography, women’s issues, decorating & crafts, music, and much more. Among Sheree’s non-fiction clients are Taro Gold, Jane Eldershaw, Bill Walsh, Margo Perin, Albert Ellis, John Carpenter (first millionaire on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?"), Bill Baker (President of Channel 13, PBS in NYC), Supermodel Roshumba, and Richard Roeper (of Ebert and Roeper). In the area of fiction, Sheree’s clients include Donna Anders and Leslie Rule. Sheree is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Publishing at New York University and teaches at SEAK’s conferences for doctors and lawyers.
Rosemary Cappello’s poetry has appeared in a number of publications, including Anthology of Women Writing, Voices in Italian Americana, Poet Lore, Avanti Popolo, and Iconoclast. Her chapbooks include In the Gazebo, The Sid Poems, and San Paride. Rosemary edits and publishes Philadelphia Poets, which she founded in 1980, and in conjunction with that publication, organizes and presents poetry readings throughout each year and bestows two annual awards. She is a published prose writer as well, mainly of essays and film reviews.
Anna Evans’ poems have appeared in the Harvard Review, the Atlanta Review, American Arts Quarterly, Rattle and 32 Poems. She has been nominated seven times for a Pushcart Prize and was a finalist for both the 2005 and 2007 Howard Nemerov sonnet award, and for the 2007 Willis Barnstone Translation Award. She gained her MFA from Bennington College, and is the Editor of the Raintown Review. Her chapbooks Swimming and Selected Sonnets are available from Maverick Duck Press. Anna will be representing the Schuylkill Valley Journal.
Kathye Fetsko Petrie is a freelance writer and the author of the children’s picture book, Flying Jack. Her non-fiction publication credits include The Philadelphia Inquirer, Main Line Today, The Writer, The Sun, pif magazine and Mused: The BellaOnline Literary Review. She has published interviews with notable authors including Mary Gordon and William Styron. Locally, Petrie is perhaps best known as the editor/publisher and founder (2002) of Local LIT, the online publication of literary events and resources taking place in the Philadelphia area. She is at present working on a non-fiction book about women writers writing while being mothers. For more information about Kathye Fetsko Petrie including links to some of her published writing go to www.kathyefetskopetrie.com.
Best-selling author (Lyrec) of both novel-length and short fantasy, dark thrillers, historical and science fiction, Gregory Frost’s latest novel is the duology Shadowbridge and Lord Tophet (Del Rey/Random House), voted one of the best fantasy novels of the year by the ALA. The two-volume tale was also a finalist for the James Tiptree Jr. Award. His latest short story is "The Dingus" in Supernatural Noir, edited by Ellen Datlow (Dark Horse Books). He is the current fiction workshop director at Swarthmore College.
Lise Funderburg’s latest book, Pig Candy: Taking My Father South, Taking My Father Home, is a contemplation of life, death, and barbecue. Her articles, essays, and reviews have been published in The New York Times, TIME, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Nation, Salon, MORE, Chattahoochee Review, O the Oprah Magazine, and Prevention. She teaches creative nonfiction at The University of Pennsylvania and the Paris American Academy.
Frances Grote is the author of award-winning memoir, poetry and fiction. She is a graduate of the Master Fiction Workshop at Grub Street in Boston and the San Juan Writers Workshop. Frances supports her writing habit with a day job where she contributes to the effort to find a cure for cancer. She is a recognized expert in the field of global drug development outsourcing, and has published multiple industry presentations and articles. Fire in the Henhouse is her first novel.
Alison Hicks’s first full-length collection of poems, Kiss is just out from PS Books. Her other books include a chapbook, Falling Dreams (Finishing Line, 2006), and a novella, Love: A Story of Images (AWA Press, 2004). She has twice received fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts; her work has appeared in Eclipse, Main Street Rag, Gulf Stream, the GW Review, Pearl and Softblow, and is forthcoming in Gargoyle, Grey Sparrow and The Hollins Critic. She leads community-based writing workshops under the name Greater Philadelphia Wordshop Studio, and is editor of Prompted (PS Books, 2010), an anthology of work from the first 13 years of the Wordshop Studio.
Lisa Jahn-Clough is an author/illustrator of picture books and an author of young adult novels. Some of her fourteen titles to date include: Alicia Has a Bad Day, My Friend and I, Little Dog, A Tale of Two Bunnies. Country Girl/City Girl and Me, Penelope. She has taught creative writing and illustration for more than fifteen years. Currently she is a professor at Rowan University. She is a frequent artist/writer-in-residence at elementary schools throughout the country.
Merry Jones is the author of two suspense series. The bio-thriller SUMMER SESSION came out in August; sequel BEHIND THE WALLS is due out this winter. Her Zoe Hayes series, THE NANNY MURDERS, THE RIVER KILLINGS, THE DEADLY NEIGHBORS and THE BORROWED AND BLUE MURDERS is now available in ebook and paperback forms. She’s also written several humor books (including I LOVE HIM, BUT…) and serious non-fiction (including BIRTHMOTHERS: Women who relinquished babies for adoption tell their stories.) Jones teaches writing part-time at Temple University, is a member of Mystery Writers of America, The Authors Guild, Sisters in Crime and The Philadelphia Liars Club.
Liana Katz is the co-founder of Damask Press and a graduate of Swarthmore College where she studied Latin Literature and History. She is currently an intern at the Center for Book Arts in New York in search of gaining a holistic understanding of the book-making process. Her literary interests include exploring the relationship between physical form and content, poetry and the delicate dance of foreign language translation.
Patti Kerr has been writing for more than 25 years. In her memoir, I Love You, Who Are You?” Loving and Caring for a Parent with Alzheimer’s, Kerr shares her personal experience as well as the collective wisdom, insight, experiences and stories of the caregivers and professionals she interviewed.
Peter Krok is the editor of the Schuylkill Valley Journal and serves as the humanities/poetry director of the Manayunk Art Center where he has coordinated a literary series since 1990. Because of his identification with row house and red brick Philadelphia, he is often referred to as “the red brick poet.” His poems have appeared in the Yearbook of American Poetry, America, Mid-America Poetry Review, Midwest Quarterly, Poet Lore, Potomac Review, Blue Unicorn and numerous other print and online journals. In 2005, his poem “10 PM At a Philadelphia Recreation Center” was included in Common Wealth: Contemporary Poets on Pennsylvania (published by Penn State University). His book, Looking For An Eye, was published by Foothills Press in 2008.
Aimee LaBrie received her MFA in fiction Penn State in 2003. Her collection of short stories, Wonderful Girl, won the Katherine Anne Porter Prize in Short Fiction in 2007. Other stories of hers have been published in Minnesota Review, Pleiades, Quarter After Eight and numerous other literary journals. She teaches the Philadelphia Stories fiction workshop and is a director of marketing and communications at the University of Pennsylvania. You can read her blog at www.butcallmebetsy.blogspot.com.
Marie Lamba is an Assistant Agent at the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. As an agent, Marie is currently looking for young adult and middle grade fiction, along with general and women’s fiction and some memoir. Books that are moving and/or hilarious are especially welcome. She is NOT interested in picture books, science fiction or high fantasy (though she is open to paranormal elements), category romance (though romantic elements are welcomed), non-fiction, or in books that feature graphic violence. To contact Marie, send query letters to marie.jdlit@gmail.com. Marie is also the author of the young adult novels What I Meant… (Random House),
Over My Head, and the recently completed YA novel Drawn. Her work
appears in the short story anthology Liar Liar (Mendacity Press), the
anthology Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering
(Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing), and her articles appear in more than 100
publications.
Don Lafferty is a writer, lecturer and social media marketing consultant who works with bestselling authors and publishers to craft successful online marketing strategies. Lafferty has published articles about sales, marketing and social media for national magazines, trade publications and newspapers. He’s the social media director of It’s Todd’s Show and Wild River Review. Visit him at his blog, http://donaldlafferty.com.
Marie Lamba is the author of the popular new young adult novel, Over My Head, the followup to her humorous YA What I Meant… (Random House), which Publisher’s Weekly dubbed “an impressive debut.” She is the author of more than 100 articles, including features in Garden Design and Writer’s Digest, has an essay in the anthology Call Me Okaasan: Adventures in Multicultural Mothering (Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing), and her short story appears in the just-published fiction anthology Liar, Liar! (Mendacity Press). She’s a proud member of the Liars Club.
Debra Leigh Scott is a writer, playwright, dramaturg, arts administrator and educator. Her collection, Other Likely Stories, was published by Sowilo Press. Her novel, PIETY STREET, is forthcoming with New Door Books. She’s Founding Director of Hidden River Arts, which celebrates and supports creative and performing artists, and is now Founding Editor-in-Chief of Hidden River Publishing, a brand new independent small press here in Philadelphia. Debra is working on a book/documentary project called ‘Junct: The Trashing of Higher Ed. in America and blogs as The Homeless Adjunct.
Nathan Long, an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Stockton College in NJ, is on the editorial board of Philadelphia Stories. More than one hundred of his stories and essays have been published in anthologies and literary journals, including Tin House, Glimmer Train, Story Quarterly, The Sun, and Indiana Review. His work has appeared on NPR and has won him a Truman Capote Fellowship, a Mellon Foundation Fellowship, and a Pushcart nomination.
Andrea Lynch Vinci recently self-published a young adult novel, Adam’s Prep, and has spent the last two years promoting the book, and teaching writing at Camden County College, Burlington County College, La Salle University and Paul VI High School. Andrea has also worked with the Writers Matter Program (a partner of the Freedom Writers Organization), Philadelphia Stories and PS Junior. She enjoys nothing more than opportunities to connect with young readers and writers.
Julia MacDonnell’s short stories have appeared in many literary journals, including American Literary Review, Happy, and Mangrove and her creative nonfiction in Many Mountains Moving. Her articles and essays have appeared in numerous publications such as the Boston Globe, the Philadelphia Inquirer and Columbia Journalism Review. MacDonnell’s novel, Mimi Malloy by Herself and story collection, River of Grace, are currently under submission. She teaches graduate workshops in fiction and creative nonfiction as a tenured professor at Rowan University and is the essay editor of Philadelphia Stories.
Writing as D. H. Dublin, Jon McGoran is the author of the forensic crime thrillers Body Trace, Blood Poison, and Freezer Burn, from Penguin Books. As Jon McGoran, his fiction has appeared in several anthologies, including Liar, Liar, by the Liars Club, and the upcoming “Zombies Versus Robots” anthology from IDW. A member of MWA, ITW, and the Liars Club. he is also communications director at Weavers Way Co-op and editor of The Shuttle newspaper.
Fran Metzman was nominated for the Dzanc Books Award for an online short story published in Wilderness House Literary Review. In addition, she has published many short stories and she appears on many writer panels. Her most recently published short story, REDEMPTION, was in WildernessHouseLiteraryReview. She has a Masters degree from University of Pennsylvania and is currently teaching memoir/creative writing class at Temple University’s Adult Education School. She is the fiction editor for Schuylkill Valley Journal and The Wild River Review. Her Wild River blog is “The Age of Reasonable Doubt,” which deals with mature dating (sometimes tongue in cheek), women’s issues and how to have better relationship for all ages.
Christopher Munden of Don Ron Books is editor and publisher of the Philly Fiction series, collections of short stories set in Philadelphia and written by local writers. He is also an non-fiction editor for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and Where Magazine Philadelphia and a theater writer for several regional publications.
Suzanne Palmieri holds a MA in Sociology and works in Academia. Under the name Suzanne Palmieri and Suzanne Hayes, she writes women’s fiction with supernatural wonder and her essays have been published online in Life Learning Magazine and Full of Crow’s On the Wing edition. Suzanne recently sold four books in one week to St. Martin’s Press and Mira Books. Look for her debut in 2013. In the meantime you can follow her via her blog, Diary of a Lost Witch. Suzanne is represented by Anne Bohner of Pen & Ink Literary.
Susan Perloff is an award-winning freelance writer, editor and writing coach. For more than 20 years, she has taught adults to write. In group and private settings, she has trained doctors, lawyers and division chiefs; new hires, technical specialists and CEOs. She writes for corporate and institutional clients in print and electronic media, with expertise in writing web content. Her byline has appeared more than 140 times in the Philadelphia Inquirer and in more than 100 other periodicals.
Marjorie Preston is a literary agent for Sheree Bykofsky Associates.
With over 20-some years as a journalist/editor/writer, Marjorie has
written for local and regional newspapers and magazines and national
publications including Ladies Home Journal, Fitness and New Woman. Two
of her LHJ articles were later featured on Oprah. In 2002, her first
book was published by Simon & Schuster.
Lynn Rosen is Director, Graduate Publishing Programs, at Rosemont College. She has taught writing, publishing, and literature courses at a number of venues, including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and Temple University. Lynn is a veteran book publishing professional who has had a twenty-five year career as an editor, literary agent, book packager, and author. She is the author of two recent books: Elements of the Table: A Simple Guide for Hosts and Guests (Clarkson Potter, 2007) and The Baby Owner’s Games and Activities Book (Quirk Books, 2006).
Marc Schuster is the editor of Small Press Reviews and the aquisitions editor for PS Books. He is the author of The Singular Exploits of Wonder Mom and Party Girl (The Permanent Press 2011) and the forthcoming novel The Grievers (The Permanent Press 2012).
Kelly Simmons is the author of the critically acclaimed Simon & Schuster novels, Standing Still and The Bird House. She is currently at work on her third, The Painted Bones. Kelly is a former journalist and advertising creative director who lives in the Philadelphia area with her family, and divides her time between writing, teaching, public speaking, and vacuuming up dog hair.
Robin Slick is a music-obsessed novelist who lives physically in downtown Philadelphia and vicariously through her rock star kids.
Curtis Smith’s most recent books are Bad Monkey (stories, Press 53), Truth or Something Like It (novel, Casperian Books), and Witness (essays, Sunnyoutside Press). His stories and essays have appeared in more than seventy literary journals and have been cited by The Best American Short Stories, The Best American Mystery Writing, and The Best American Spiritual Writing.
Catherine Stine is a middle-grade and YA author. Books include A Girl’s Best Friend, in the new multimedia series Innerstar University from American Girl and Refugees, a "Best Book for Teens" that appears on the United Nations official study guide. It earned a featured review and "Story Behind the Story" interview in Booklist. She also writes fiction for Scholastic and teaches creative writing and literature at the School of Visual Arts. Learn more at catherinestine.blogspot.com and catherinestine.com
Dennis Tafoya lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and is the author of two critically acclaimed novels, Dope Thief and The Wolves of Fairmount Park, as well as numerous short stories appearing in collections such as Philadelphia Noir from Akashic Books. He has been nominated for two Spinetingler awards and his novels have been optioned for film.
Kathleen Volk Miller is co-editor of Painted Bride Quarterly, co-director of the Drexel Publishing Group, and an Associate Teaching Professor at Drexel University. She is a weekly blogger (Thursdays) for Philadelphia Magazine’s Philly Post. Volk Miller writes fiction and essays, with work in publications such as Opium, thesmartset.org, the New York Times Motherlode and with upcoming work in Drunken Boat. She is currently working on My Gratitude, a collection of essays.