Peg Alford Pursell will emcee. The authors' full bios are on the WTAW organization's website (see link below).

Susan Kolodny’s latest book is Preserve, just out from Finishing Line Press.

Kirk Landers’ latest is the novel Alone on the Shield.

Richard Levine's most recent book is the short story collection, The Man Who Gave Away His Organs: Tales of Love and Obsession at Midlife.

Calder Lorenz is the author of One Way Down (Or Another), his debut novel from Civil Coping Mechanisms (February, 2017).

Lily Iona MacKenzie’s latest is the novel Curva Peligrosa (Regal House Publishing, September 2017).

Tamer S. Mostafa’s work has appeared in over twenty various journals and magazines such as Confrontation, Monday Night Lit, and Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, among others.

Christine No is an Oakland based poet, essayist and producer. You can find her work in: The Rumpus, Columbia Journal, Story Online, and more.

Anastacia-Renee is a queer writer of color, performance artist, creative writing workshop facilitator, and activist. Her lastest books are Forget It (Black Radish Books) and (v.).

Why There Are Words is part of WTAW Press, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Peg Alford Pursell, an award-winning author, is the founder and director of the national reading series and of the press.