Authors
Valerie Kemp
Valerie Kemp writes speculative and contemporary fiction for all ages. Her work has appeared in Apex Magazine, Cast of Wonders, Voyage YA and the anthologies Just Above Water and Defy the Dark. She is a 2022 graduate of Viable Paradise. Valerie is also a recovering academic whose research focused on the importance of media representation, something she cares deeply about. Find Valerie @valeriekwrites on Bluesky, IG, and Twitter, and at valeriekemp.com.
Valo Wing
Valo Wing (they/them) is a professional funeral singer who writes about unapologetically unhinged lesbians with velvet blazer obsessions. They are a Pitch Wars 2021 alum and Futurescapes Writers’ Workshop 2022 graduate. Their short fiction is published in Dread Stone Press and forthcoming from Brigids Gate Press. You can find them on Twitter @valo_wing.
Vanessa Fogg
Vanessa Fogg dreams of selkies, dragons, and gritty cyberpunk futures from her home in western Michigan. She spent years as a research scientist in molecular cell biology and now works as a freelance medical writer. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Lightspeed, Podcastle, GigaNotoSaurus, The Future Fire, and Neil Clarke’s The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 4. Her short fantasy novelette, The Lilies of Dawn, is available from Annorlunda Books. A complete bibliography and more can be found at her website www.vanessafogg.com. Vanessa is fueled by green tea.
Vanessa Jae
Vanessa Jae writes horrifically beautiful anarchies, reads stories for Apex Magazine and translates for Progressive International. She also collects black hoodies and bruises in mosh pits on Tuesday nights. To read tweets by interesting people follow her at @thevanessajae.
Vivian Chou
Vivian Chou is a second-generation Chinese-American writer. Her work has been published or forthcoming in Uncharted, The Forge Literary Magazine, and Apex. She prefers to fuel her writing with naps, exercise, and dystopian dread, but usually manages with black coffee and chocolate. Read more at vivianchouwriter.com.
Warren Benedetto
Warren Benedetto writes short fiction about horrible people doing horrible things. He is a full member of the SFWA and has published stories in publications such as Dark Matter Magazine, The Dread Machine, and Haven Spec; on podcasts such as The NoSleep Podcast, Tales to Terrify, and The Creepy Podcast; and in anthologies from Apex Magazine, Scare Street, Eerie River Publishing, and more. He is also the developer of StayFocusd, the world's most popular anti-procrastination app for writers. He built it while procrastinating. For more information, visit www.warrenbenedetto.com and follow @warrenbenedetto on Twitter.
Wen Yu Yang
Wen Yu Yang (she/her) is a writer born and raised in Taiwan. She is based on unceded Eora lands, otherwise known as Sydney, Australia. Her words are published or forthcoming in Fantasy Magazine, Solarpunk Magazine, Ghost City Review, and more. When she is not training for volleyball, reading, or falling into another rabbit hole, she daydreams about lost gods, shapeshifting beings, and other worlds. You can connect with her on Instagram @_wyyang or Twitter @wyyang_. Details at wenyuwrites.wordpress.com.
West Ambrose
West Ambrose is a scrivener and performing artist. Check out his ever queer works at westofcanon.com. If you want anything published in The HLK quarterly or The Crow’s Nest, just ring for the masthead, and let them know.
• R L • powell
• R L • powell is a neurodivergent writer who's lived through a lot—and also as queer as they come. When not scribbling mad words in a crooked house, he occasionally teaches rhetoric and critical theory to undergraduates. They didn't publish for a spell, but current work appears or is forthcoming in The Rumen, Impossible Archetype, Eunoia Review and elsewhere. He's not much for engaging in social media, but does have a website that they try to keep on top of: rl-powell.com.