Caitlin Myer writes novels and short stories, and is currently shopping her first novel, Hoodoo. She is the founder of Portuguese Artists Colony, a writers’ collective/monthly reading series. Ms. Myer is not Portuguese.

Olga Zilberbourg was born in Russia and lives in San Francisco. She edits, writes fiction, translates poetry, and blogs in two languages. Her work has appeared in Narrative Magazine, J Journal, and Thema.

As a youth, Alia Volz tamed thoroughbred stallions using only her thighs. Her fiction, fact, and translations appear in ZYZZYVA, Nerve.com, Instant City, and elsewhere. She is the host of Literary Death Match.

Ian Tuttle was born in San Francisco. He likes bicycles and writing. His short stories have been called moody, haunting, and the real thing. A novel is forthcoming. His website is wordsofeverytype.com.

Paul Spinrad is a freelancer and enthusiast who works as projects editor for Make Magazine, and lives in San Francisco with his wife and their two tots. He uses his parents’ money to pay for childcare.

Jeremy Hatch is film editor of TheRumpus.net, and a writer of diverse interests. He blogs daily at JeremyHatch.com.

Elissa Bassist edits TheRumpus.net column “Funny Women.” Her essay “A Baker’s Dozen of My Feelings about Infinite Jest” appears in Best of the Web 2010. Peruse elissabassist.com for literary, feminist, and personal criticism.

Peg Alford Pursell’s short stories have been widely published and were shortlisted for the Flannery O’Connor Award. She loves and teaches flash fiction.

Shana McLean Moore, a print columnist and speaker who specializes in community building, writes her “Confessions from the Carpool” essays and shares her come-together message with live audiences to entertain, validate and inspire.

Robert McLaughlin received his MFA in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. His fiction has appeared in Facets, Velvet Mafia, and The Cimarron Review. He is currently at work on his first novel.