STEVE ALMOND is the author of My Life in Heavy Metal (Atlantic/Grove, 2002), The New York Times bestseller, Candyfreak (Algonquin Books, 2005), and God Bless America (Lookout Press, 2011). His short fiction and essays can be found in The New York Times Magazine, GQ, The Wall Street Journal, Tin House, Playboy, Zoetrope, and Ploughshares. “Donkey Greedy, Donkey Gets Punched” was selected for the Best American Short Stories 2010 and has been optioned for film by Spilt Milk Entertainment. He regularly teaches at Grub Street in Boston and the Tin House Writer’s Conference. In 2011 he was the keynote speaker at Conversations & Connections, Washington D.C., held at The Johns Hopkins University D.C. campus.
AMBER TAMBLYN was born and raised in Venice, California and is a 3rd generation Californian. She has been a writer and actress since the age of 9. She has been nominated for an Emmy, Golden Globe and Independent Spirit Award for her work in television and film. In 2007 she won the Locarno Film Festival award for Best Actress for her work in the film “Stephanie Daley”, in which she starred opposite actress Tilda Swinton. She most recently appeared in FOX’s television show “HOUSE” and in Danny Boyle’s critically acclaimed film, “127 Hours” opposite James Franco. She will next appear in Horton Foote’s “Main Street” opposite Colin Firth. Amber is most recognized for her work as Joan on the CBS television program “Joan of Arcadia.” Her poetry collection, Bang Ditto, is available now.
DERRICK C. BROWN is one of America’s most beloved and well travelled performing page poets. He is a former paratrooper for the 82nd airborne and is the president of one of what Forbes and Filter Magazine call “…one of the best independent presses in the country”, Write Bloody Publishing. He is the author of four books of poetry. The New York Times calls his work, “…a rekindling of faith in the weird, hilarious, shocking, beautiful power of words.”
RAE BRYANT is the author of The Indefinite State of Imaginary Morals (Patasola Press). Her work appears in or is soon forthcoming in The Paris Review online, McSweeney’s, StoryQuarterly, BLIP Magazine, Gargoyle Magazine, and Redivider, among other journals.
THE SUN PARADE, at its core, is built on the musical partnership between frontmen, Chris Jennings & Jefferson Lewis. The two often play as a full band with Jacob Rosazza on bass and Colin Jalbert on drums, but sometimes grace stages as an acoustic duo. Chris Jennings has been described as “what Elliott Smith would have sounded like with the right medication.” The Sun Parade has released a full length LP “Yossis” which has received a considerable amount of amazing reviews and radio play with the single “Need You By My Side.” The Sun Parade plan to be touring constantly throughout the fall of 2012 and beyond.