Gwenda is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels including the Lois Lane and Cirque American trilogies, and the first official Stranger Things novel, Suspicious Minds. Gwenda worked in Kentucky state government in a variety of roles including assistant communications director of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. She co-founded the #Creators4Comics charitable auction which raised nearly $400,000 for the Book Industry Charitable Foundation. She and her co-founders received Comic-Con's 2020 Humanitarian Award. www.gwendabond.com or @gwenda on Twitter.

Jeff is a documentary filmmaker whose work has appeared on the National Geographic Channel and many other platforms. He also earned a degree in finance and accounting. A lifelong writer, he has recently become more focused on writing and submitting short fiction. As Treasurer, Jeff will be help our growing nonprofit establish finance and accounting practices that will support our mission and goals. He first joined the Lexington Writer's Room Board in order to engage more fully with the Lexington writing community, and serve other writers.  www.jeffhoagland.com

Pam is a native Hoosier who moved from Indianapolis to Lexington with her husband Chris in 2016. She’s the author of several short stories and is currently working on her first young adult novel. Pam has more than thirty years of accounting experience in banking and non-profit industries. She served on the board of directors for the Burris Foundation and Camptown, a youth wilderness ministry.

Lisa earned an MFA from Goddard College and writes both fiction and nonfiction. She love crafting stories about science, writing, food, nature, travel, and the humorous aspects of every-day experiences. She has published a mystery series and over a dozen business books. Her short works have been published in the Tulip Tree Review, inTravel Magazine, Defenestration, the Mid-Level Management Literary Magazine, and others. Lisa has more than thirty years of experience in leadership and organization development and human resources management. www.lisahaneberg.com and @lisahaneberg on Twitter

Z is a resident of Lexington and a University of Kentucky Graduate with degrees in English and Psychology. They worked for years as a bookseller at a local bookstore. They are currently the Adult Programming and Outreach Director at the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning. In addition, they are the associate director of the Wildacres Writing Retreat & Workshop and a board member of the LGBTQ+ nonprofit pop-up bookshop Read with Pride. They delight in cultivating supportive environments for writers.

Alison is a lifelong reader and writer and sometime editor and educator. A native of western Pennsylvania, she lived in France for thirteen years prior to landing in Lexington in 2006. She has participated in Lexington’s literary community since 2009 via her work as a bookseller at the Morris book shop and Brier Books. Alison is a cofounder of the LWR and recently completed her first novel, a queer epistolary romance set in the Pacific Northwest. She is deep in the revision process and can’t wait to share this story with the world. Visit her online at medium.com/@alithinks.

Sam Milligan (he/they/she) is a queer southern writer, educator, racial reconciliation co-facilitator, and nonprofit communications professional. 

Sam was born in coastal Georgia and raised in Southern Illinois, and their extended family is rooted in Appalachian Kentucky. He earned his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Mississippi. 

In addition to writing his own fiction, Sam also teaches creative writing at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning in Lexington, Kentucky.

Jason is the editor/publisher of the award-winning Apex Magazine and Apex Book Company (dark fiction). He is a Stoker Award and three-time Hugo Award nominee as editor. Jason's short fiction has appeared in over a dozen genre zines and anthologies. Jason has been an Author Academy mentor for The Carnegie Center of Literacy and Learning and has taught and led many workshops on the craft of writing. He has 17 years of experience as a copy and developmental editor. https://jason-sizemore.com/ and @apexmag on Twitter

Fiona is a Brit who has found herself in Lexington after prolonged adventures in Japan and the Midwest. She has written more than a dozen nonfiction books, including three Kentucky histories, a number of middle grade readers, and has co-written a couple of quirky movie cookbooks. She has also written for the BBC, Culture, Atlas Obscura, and others on topics ranging from Morris Dancing to tracking Bigfoot, primate conservation to cheese.  Fiona enjoys wrestling with new recipes and her ferocious Boston terrier. www.fionayoungbrown.com or @fionayoungbrown on twitter