Illustration by Arwen Donahue

Joyce Carol Oates, author of over 100 books, most recently Wild Nights (2008) and My Sister, My Love: The Intimate Story of Skyler Rampike (2008)

Natasha Trethewey, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in poetry for Native Guard (2007), and author of Bellocq's Ophelia (2002) and Domestic Work (2000).

Malín Alegría, author of two young adult novels, Estrella's Quinceñera (Simon & Schuster, 2006) and Sofi Mendoza's Guide to Getting Lost in Mexico (Simon & Schuster, 2007).

Laura Benedict, author of Isabella Moon (2007), her first novel

Debra Marquart, author of The Horizontal World (2006), two poetry collections, and a short story collection, The Hunger Bone: Rock and Roll Stories

Kim Osorio, author of Straight from the Source: An Exposé from the Former Editorin Chief of the Hip-Hop Bible (forthcoming).

Jennifer Sahn, editor of Orion Maagzine: Nature/ Culture/ Place

Ginger Strand, author of Inventing Niagara: Beauty, Power, and Lies (2008) and the novel Flight (2005)

Samantha Thornhill, poet, spoken-word performer, and author of the young adult novel Seventeen Seasons (forthcoming)

Lisa Williams, winner of the Barnard Women Poets Prize for Woman Reading to the Sea (2008), and author of The Hammered Dulcimer (1998)