Writer Team

Ellen Kushner’s first novel, Swordspoint, introduced readers to Riverside, the setting she returned to in The Privilege of the Sword (Locus Award); The Fall of the Kings (written with Delia Sherman) and a collection of related short stories. Kushner narrated the audiobooks of all three of her own novels for Neil Gaiman Presents/Audible.com, winning a 2012 Audie Award for Swordspoint. She is also the author of the World Fantasy Award-winning Thomas the Rhymer, and co-edited Welcome to Bordertown with Holly Black. She has taught at Hollins, Clarion, Odyssey and Alpha workshops. A former public radio host (Sound & Spirit), she is unafraid of public speaking. She lives in New York City with her wife Delia Sherman, no cats, and a whole lot of airplane and theater ticket stubs she just can’t bring herself to throw away. EllenKushner.com. @EllenKushner.

Tessa Gratton has wanted to be a paleontologist or a wizard since she was seven. After traveling the world with her military family, she acquired a BA (and the important parts of an MA) in Gender Studies, then settled down in Kansas to tell stories about monsters, magic, and kissing. She’s the author of The Blood Journals Series and Gods of New Asgard Series, co-author of YA writing books The Curiosities and The Anatomy of Curiosity, as well as dozens of short stories available in anthologies and on merryfates.com. In addition to Tremontaine, her current projects include The Queens of Innis Lear coming in 2018 from Tor. Visit her at tessagratton.com. @tessagratton.

Mary Anne Mohanraj received her Ph.D. from the University of Utah, specializing in post-colonial literature and creative writing. She is the author of several books, including her dissertation novel, Bodies in Motion, an exploration of sexuality, marriage, and Sri Lankan/American immigrant concerns. Her academic research includes an exploration of black masculinity in the work of horror writer Tananarive Due. Mohanraj has recently received an Illinois Arts Council fellowship, a Neff fellowship in English, a Steffenson-Canon fellowship in the Humanities, and the Scowcroft Prize for Fiction. She lives in Chicago. maryannemohanraj.com. @mamohanraj

Joel Derfner is the author of Gay Haiku, Swish: My Quest to Become the Gayest Person Ever and What Ended Up Happening Instead, and Lawfully Wedded Husband: How My Gay Marriage Will Save the American Family. (Are you sensing a theme?) Musicals to which he has composed the score have played in New York, London, and various cities in between, going counterclockwise. He lives, alas, in Brooklyn, along with his husband and their small, fluffy dog. joelderfner.com. @JoelDerfner.

Alaya Dawn Johnson is the author of six novels for adults and young adults. Her novel The Summer Prince was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Her most recent, Love Is the Drug, won the Andre Norton Award. Her short stories have appeared in many magazines and anthologies, including Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015, Zombies vs. Unicorns and Welcome to Bordertown. In addition to the Norton, she has won the Nebula and Cybils Awards and been nominated for the Indies Choice Award and Locus Award. She lives in Mexico City where she is getting her master’s in mesoamerican studies. alayadawnjohnson.com. @alayadj.

Racheline Maltese is a performer and storyteller focused on themes of loss and desire. With Erin McRae she co-writes romances about fame, public life, and other forms of witchcraft. From tentacle monsters that rule the New York City subways to lesbian werewolf bodyguards in 19th century Rome, her short fiction is about the practical problems caused by fantastical events. Racheline also writes plays, poetry, non-fiction. You can find her on the Internet at Avian30 and LettersFromTitan. @racheline_m.

Paul Witcover is the Nebula and World Fantasy nominated author of, most recently, The Emperor of All Things and its sequel, The Watchman of Eternity. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, and takes his chocolate hot and spicy, hold the cream. @PaulWitcover