Meet the Crew
Chelsea Gayden
Chelsea (she/her/they/them) has her BA in Creative Writing from California State University, Long Beach. When her fingers aren’t on the keyboard, she enjoys reading, binge watching her favorite shows, and absorbing sunlight.
Beatrice Winifred Iker
Beatrice Winifred Iker (eye-kurr) (they/them) is an Appalachian storyteller, trail hiker, & tarot reader.
Beatrice’s debut novel is an Appalachian folk horror titled I’LL MAKE A SPECTACLE OUT OF YOU, which will be published in the fall of 2025 from Run For It/Orbit. Their debut picture book CHARLEY’S HONKY TONK MISSION, uplifts Charley Pride, America’s first Black country music superstar, and comes out in early 2026.
Beatrice is a Rhysling Award finalist and was in The Australian Shadows Award-winning anthology Death in the Mouth. You can find their work in issues of Anathema Magazine, The Deadlands, Fantasy Magazine, FIYAH Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, Nightmare Magazine, & others.
Beatrice is represented by Chelsea Hensley at Mad Woman Literary Agency.
Jill Tew
From a young age, Jill (she/her) was destined for speculative fiction nerddom. Now she writes the stories she loved as a kid, with characters she wanted to see more of— Black heroines asking big questions, saving the world, and occasionally falling in love along the way.
Jill lives in Atlanta with her husband, daughters, and a needy Dalmatian named Gus. She is represented by Jen Azantian of Azantian Literary Agency.
Monique Collins
Monique is the founder of Afronauts Podcast.
KL Burd (In Memoriam)
We love and miss you, KL.