Contributing authors (from left): Lisa Beth Janis, Carla Ng, Laura
Allen-Simpson, Elizabeth C. Rossman, Drew Downing, Sarah Morrill
Condry, Elizabeth Samet, Paul McComas (also editor), Emile Ferris
and Betsy Doherty. Photo by Jason Leo Grocholski.
Laura Allen-Simpson has written (as Laura Allen) two nonfiction books for children:
Clever Letters: Fun Ways to Wiggle Your Words (Pleasant Company, 1997) and The Quiz Book: Clues to You & Your Friends, Too! (Pleasant Company, 1999). She grew up in a house like that of
her protagonist, Paula, in Wilmette, Illinois, but now lives in
“a treehouse-like condo” in Evanston. From there she walks to
her job as an editor at McDougal Littell Publishing Company and
delights in life with her husband, Sid. All contents ©1998, 2002-06 Paul McComas
Sarah Morrill Condry was raised in North Carolina and now resides in Wilmette, Illinois.
A former elementary school teacher, she is currently at home as
a wife and as mother to her two greatest accomplishments, Grant
and Lindsay. Sarah thanks her Dad for the storytelling and her
Mom “for the push.”
Betsy Doherty grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and is frequently asked why she
left. She studied biology at Northwestern University and now lives
in Chicago’s Lincoln Square. With remarkable models in her parents,
she has been writing for a couple of decades and hopes to keep
learning how it’s done.
Drew Downing was raised in Michigan and attended Michigan State University.
He now resides in Chicago, where he is studying to be a teacher.
“Self-discipline permitting,” Drew says, he hopes to “one day
be a serious writer.”
Emile Ferris is a writer and visual artist who grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico,
and in Chicago; she now resides in Evanston. Her second story
in this book is excerpted from a novella-in-progress, Charon’s Planet. Emile is pleased and honored to be a part of this anthology.
Lisa Beth Janis grew up in Marin County, California. She has a master’s degree
in philosophy from Oxford and is earning her PhD in psychology
at Northwestern University. A self-described “starter, not a finisher”
of many projects, Lisa notes, “My contribution to this anthology,
being finished, marks a hopeful turning point in this trend.”
She lives in Chicago.
Paul McComas grew up in Milwaukee and lives in Evanston. He is the author
of the short story collection Twenty Questions (Fithian Press, 1998), now in its third printing, and two novels:
Unplugged (John Daniel & Co., 2002) and the “nearly-completed” Planet of the Dates, from which his second piece in this book has been adapted. Paul
teaches fiction writing both in Northwestern University’s Minicourse
Program and in his own Advanced Fiction Workshop, whose students
are the other contributors to this collection.
Carla Ng was born in São Paulo and raised in Brooklyn. She is currently
pursuing a PhD in Chemical/Environmental Engineering at Northwestern
University. In her spare time, Carla enjoys long walks on the
beach and sunsets. She lives in Chicago with her two cats, Maggie
and Watson, who are similarly inclined.
Elizabeth C. Rossman was raised on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. She lives in
Chicago, where she is pursuing a Master of Arts in Literary Writing
at DePaul University. Her second story in this collection is excerpted
from an as-yet-untitled novel-in-progress.
Elizabeth Samet was born in Pittsburgh but has made limited-engagement appearances
in Providence, London, Rome and Venice. She spent the last 10
years working as a creative director for a multinational ad agency
in Manhattan, where many of her single-girl-in-the-city stories
take place. These are quickly but not quietly being replaced by
tales of the married Mom in the suburbs, as she is expecting her
second son this winter. (NOTE: Alexander was born on Dec. 11, 2003 -- the same day we
all got our books from the publisher! - Ed.)
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