Chris Crutcher

’s years as teacher, then director, of a K-12 alternative school in Oakland, California through the 1970s, and his subsequent 20-odd years as a therapist specializing in child abuse and neglect, inform his 13 novels and 2 collections of short stories.

“I have forever been intrigued by the extremes of the human condition,” he says, “the remarkable juxtaposition of the ghastly and the glorious. As Eric ‘Moby’ Calhoun tells us at the conclusion of "", ‘Ain’t it a trip where heroes come from.’” He has also written what he calls an ill-advised autobiography titled "," which was designated by Publisher’s Weekly as “the YA book most adults would have read if they knew it existed.”

Chris has received a number of coveted awards, from his high school designation as “Most Likely to Plagiarize” to the ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s . His favorites are his two Intellectual Freedom awards: one from the National Council for Teachers of English and the other from the National Coalition Against Censorship. Five of Chris' books appeared on the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ list of the 100 Best Books for Teens of the Twentieth Century (1999 to 2000). A recent NPR list of the Best 100 YA and Children’s books included none of those titles. Chris no longer listens to NPR.

Alex Gino

loves glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of being alive. They would take a quiet coffee date with a friend over a loud and crowded party any day. They are currently driving around the country in a small RV while writing, visiting readers, and happily watching the landscape change. Their debut novel, "," is middle grade contemporary fiction, and has won both and awards.

Pete Hautman

is the author of more than 20 novels for adults and teens, including the "", "", and three New York Times Notable Books: "," "," and "". His young adult novels range from science fiction ("") and mystery ("") to contemporary drama ("") and romantic comedy ("").

With novelist, poet, and occasional co-author Mary Logue, Pete divides his time between Golden Valley, Minnesota, and Stockholm, Wisconsin. His latest books are the YA novel "," the story of a boy growing up in an isolated doomsday cult in Montana, and the middle-grade novel "," a sci-fi comedy about, among other things, censorship in the age of ebooks.

Ellen Oh

Originally from NYC, is Co-founder, President and CEO of , an adjunct college instructor, and a former entertainment lawyer with an insatiable curiosity for ancient Asian history. She also loves martial arts films, K-pop, K-dramas, cooking shows, and is a rabid fan of "The Last Airbender" and "The Legend of Korra" series. She is the author of the YA fantasy trilogy "," and the upcoming MG novel, "The Spirit Hunters," to be published in fall 2017. Ellen lives in Bethesda, Maryland with her husband and three daughters. She has yet to satisfy her quest for a decent bagel.

Gayle Pitman

By day, teaches psychology and coordinates the Women/Gender Studies program at Sacramento City College. She developed and currently teaches a course on the psychology of sexual orientation and gender identity, which is the only class of its kind to be offered within the California Community College system. She views education as a platform for social justice, and brings a strong value of equity and intersectionality to all aspects of the educational system. By night, Gayle writes children's books and engages in other forms of subversive creativity. Her debut picture book, "," won the , was a Rainbow List Top Ten pick, and won the IRA's 2014 . A frequent speaker at colleges, universities, K-12 schools, and professional conferences on topics related to gender and sexual orientation, she has been featured in publications ranging from School Library Journal to The Advocate.

Jewell Parker Rhodes

is the author of the Louisiana Girls children's book trilogy, which includes "," "," and "," as well as six adult novels, two writing guides, and a memoir. Her children's books have received the , the , and the Jane Addam’s Children’s Book Award, among others. "," her new middle grade novel, was published in July 2016. Jewell grew up in Pittsburgh and earned a Bachelor of Arts in drama criticism, a Master of Arts in English, and a Doctor of Arts in English (creative writing) from Carnegie Mellon University. Jewell is the artistic director and Piper Endowed Chair at the .

N.H Senzai

is the author of award winning "," chosen by the and an pick, along with Edgar Award nominee " and "." She spent her childhood in San Francisco, Jubail, Saudi Arabia and attended high school in London where she was voted “most likely to read a literary revolution” due to her ability to get away with reading comic books in class. Her upcoming novel is "Escape From Aleppo," about a girl fleeing Syria at the advent of the Arab Spring (Summer 2017).