I must mention my co-author, Kristi Shalla. Writing a book aimed at English-speaking readers was an intimidating task for someone like me, whose native language is not English. Kristi, who has a deep affection for Korea, particularly the city of Seoul, was the one who first suggested we write this book together. Accepting her proposal has been one of the best decisions of my life.

Thomas Penn Johnson was born on August 22nd, 1943, in Greensboro, North Carolina, where in 1961 he graduated from James B. Dudley High School and in 1968 he received an MA in English from UNC-G. In 1966 he received a BA in Classical Studies from then-Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He also pursued graduate studies in English literature and history at Syracuse and Wake Forest Universities. From 1974 to 1981 he resided in Valparaiso, Indiana. In 1992 he published a collection of poems entitled If Rainbows Promise Not in Vain. In 2009 he retired from then-Edison State College in Fort Myers, Florida after serving for twenty-six years as an instructor of English and humanities. In retirement, he has published a few poems and a dozen short stories in various literary journals.

I have enjoyed appearing on all the late-night TV shows and dazzling the hosts and audiences with my brilliance and my witty extemporaneous repartee, and savor waiting expectantly for the early morning telephone call congratulating me on the Nobel Prize for literature.

I'm a novelist, translator, and translation scholar, not necessarily in that order. I have taught, lived, and written in the US, Finland, Russia, Spain, Hong Kong, and Mainland China, where I currently spend seven to eight months out of every year. Insecticide is my third published novel; the second was also an Atmosphere Press book, a "pseudotranslation" of J. I. Vatanen's "memoir," The Last Days of Maiju Lassila (2022). My first novel was written in English but first published in Finnish: Pentinpeijaiset, which plays on Finnegans Wake ("Pentti's Wake").

Lenore serves as the Associate Creative Nonfiction (CNF) Editor for the Mud Season Review. Her environmental novel Pulp into Paper was published on Earth Day by Atmosphere Press. Around the same time, she gave birth to her newest poetry collection, Video Game Pointers, from WordTech Communications. Lenore earned an MFA degree in fiction from San Francisco State University and lives in Oakland, California.

In the topside world, I teach academic writing at a community college in Honolulu, Hawaii. In the river that flows beneath, I am a writer, collage artist, and photographer.

Lucineh is the proud author of Lost Souls, published earlier this year. She is of British and French nationality and of Armenian descent. Lucineh has been an educator for nearly fifteen years and holds a bachelor's and master's degree. Lucineh is passionate about music, literature and languages and fiercely believes in the power of writing. When putting pen to paper, Lucineh loves to fully embody her characters’ thoughts and feelings, giving them the authenticity that each one deserves. Through her writing and creativity, Lucineh hopes to inspire both readers and aspiring writers!

Ricardo Moran’s writing has been published or is forthcoming in Beatific Magazine, Cider Press Review, Midwest Quarterly, Perceptions Magazine, East Jasmine Review, The Seattle Star, and Willa Cather Review. Ricardo is a member of the Nebraska Writers Guild;serves on the board of San Diego Writers Ink;and works as a content writer. He currently lives in Albania, enjoys traveling, and learning how to say “good morning” in as many languages as possible.

Kathryn Jeanne can usually be found somewhere by the beach. Whether she's walking her dog, reading a book, or working on her next novel, she loves to be by the water. That is why she resides in sunny Santa Monica, California. Writing a novel was not in her original plans, but having read countless summer romance books she decided it was time to create her own. The more she wrote, the more she fell in love with the process and A Summer in Nixie came to life. Kathryn Jeanne doesn't plan on stopping with just one book. She is already in the process of her second with more ideas on the way.

Kim Berkley is a fantasy author, narrative designer, and freelance writer with a talent for productive procrastination and a fondness for cats.