P.A. Bees ("Traveler") is a fifty-six year old American writer of prose and poetry. She has had three articles published in construction industry magazines. She lives in Ohio and writes wherever she is.

Doug Draime ("Outside Cafe On Sunset Boulevard" and "Bad Movie"): Doug's latest books are: Eyestone (Kendra Steiner Editions, 2007) and Spiders And Madmen (Scintillating Publications, 2006). Publishing since the late 1960's, Doug was part of the notorious Los Angeles poetry scene of the latter 20th century. His poetry, short stories and plays continue to appear in publications worldwide. He lives in the foothills of Oregon.

Julia Ralston Forneris ("Poppies" and "Roadkill") is a writer and editor. She lives, works, and occasionally plays in the River City, also known as Richmond, Virginia. Her work has appeared in Millennium, Filmfax and Outre.

Michaela A. Gabriel ("after the fever") is a Wiener. That is, she lives in Wien, Osterreich (which we stubbornly call Vienna, Austria), where she assists adults in acquiring computer and English skills. Michi has been published in English, German, Italian, and Polish, both online and in print. When she is not writing, Michi is reading, listening to music, watching movies, communicating with friends, blogging, playing tennis, travelling or finding excuses for not doing housework – usually several of these at the same time.

Kathie Giorgio ("I Slept with Freud") holds a BA in Creative Writing from the U. of Wisconsin – Madison, and a MFA in Fiction Writing from Vermont College. She is the director of AllWriters’ Workplace and Workshop, LLC, and also the new editor/owner/publisher of Quality Women’s Fiction magazine. Kathie teaches online for Writers’ Digest.

Ed Higgins (Getting Used to Life") has appeared in various print and online journals, including ours. He lives on a small farm in Yamhill, OR with a menagerie of animals that includes a rescued potbelly pig named Odious. He teaches writing and literature at George Fox University, south of Portland, OR.

Justin Hyde ("at the 24 hour laundry" and "my friend's sister") lives in Iowa, where he works as a parole officer.

Zoë Malachi ("Nothing But the Taillights") writer and teacher, has an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University. Her short fiction has also appeared in Tattoo Highway, and a memoir piece will be published in the forthcoming book, Tainted Mirror: An Anthology.

Laura McCullough ("Searching for Ong’s Hat") won her second NJ State Arts Council Fellowship earlier this year, this time in poetry; the first was for prose. She has an MFA in fiction from Goddard College and recently completed her first novel, Finding Ong's Hat (of which her work in this issue is an excerpt), and is at work on a second. Her work has appeared recently or is forthcoming in Slope, Nimrod, Gulf Coast, Hotel Amerika, Poetry East, The Portland Review, and others. Her second collection of poems, What Men Want is due out from XOXOX Press in Jan. 08.

Terry McKee; (Outline of a Divorce", "To My Darling Fledglings") resides in south Florida with her husband, three dogs and a horse, while waiting for her children to return. Her most recent publishing credits include The Green Silk Journal, Lidbits and Shine, and she has another story in the October Long Story Short.

Margot Miller ("Holding On For Dear Life") earned a mid-life Ph.D. in French. She served most recently as adjunct professor of French at the School for Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C. and now writes fiction, poetry, does a bit of translation, and teaches French women writers (in translation). Miller's creative work (fiction, non-fiction, poetry) has appeared in ChickFlicks, Write Side Up, Static Movement, Long Story Short, Subtle Tea, BluePrint Review, Salomé, Moondance, Mosaic Mind, Fringe, The Angler, Steel City Review, Toasted Cheese, and others.

Mark Miller ("You Are What You Eat") makes his living as a shepherd in West Texas. He was kicked out of the creative writing program at a major Texas university, and decided to give up on the conventions of society. He lives in a tiny house inherited from his grandparents outside of Lubbock, with his girlfriend, Sally, and their border collie, Ralphie. They pirate their Internet from the neighbors, who don't seem to miss the bandwidth.

Dike Okoro ("Olori") writes poetry and short stories. His poems have appeared in PAW Magazine, SNReview, Sentinel Online, Bewildering Stories and Strange Road. He is a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. His book, Dance of the Heart is forthcoming (MSU Press, 2007).

Helen Peterson ("Swan Prince" and "Kaput") is the managing editor of Chopper Poetry Journal out of New London, CT, and has previously published in Fell Swoop, Right Hand Pointing, Elimae, Haruah, Pedestal Magazine, Images Inscript, and Poetrybay. Her work will also be featured in an anthology put out by Poet Plant Press this Fall. She is co-editing a special issue of Fell Swoop featuring the poets of New London.

Jayne Pupek ("Absolutely Modern: A Portrait of a Girl" and "Last Night) is a novelist and poet from Richmond, VA. Her novel <i>Tomato Girl</i> is forthcoming from Algonquin Books (2008). Also forthcoming in 2008 from Mayapple Press, is her first book of poems, Forms of Intercession, Primitive (a chapbook) is available through Pudding House Press.

Tamara Kaye Sellman ("The Weight") has been published widely and internationally (US, Canada, Mexico, UK, Malaysia), with her most recent acceptances in Color Wheel, Cantaraville 2, and Long Story Short.

Lynne Shapiro ("Who Left Whom? And Why it Matters") juggles working at a K-8 charter school, teaching at a Community College, and writing. She lives in Hoboken, New Jersey with a husband, teenaged son and other assorted living creatures. Among other poems and essays, "Cradle and All," (an essay) will appear in Mourning Sickness – Stories and Poems About Miscarriage, Stillbirth and Infant Loss in January 2008.

Angie Smibert ("Red Dog") has also recently been seen in Pedestal, Flash Me, Bent Pin Quarterly, and THQ.

James Stark ("War’s Stories") has recently appeared in Pulse, SNReview, and wordriot. "A Veteran's Day" was in prosetoad, until its recent and unfortunate demise.

Diana Woods ("Burrito Man") was born in Los Angeles and never left. A UCLA postgraduate, she's been employed as a social worker in mental hospitals and clinics for over thirty years. Her work has been published in Riverbabble, Doorknobs and Body Paint, Salome, Mytholog... and our pages.