Gary Phillips (b. 1955) is a critically acclaimed author of mysteries and graphic novels. Born in South Central Los Angeles, Phillips grew up reading comics and classic pulp fiction, and took inspiration from heroes like Doc Savage when he created his first series character, Ivan Monk, in the early 1990s. A private detective adept at navigating the racial tensions of modern Los Angeles, Monk has appeared in four novels and one short story collection, Monkology (2011).
Phillips introduced his second series character, Martha Chainey, in High Hand (2000), and followed that rollicking tale of a showgirl’s mafia troubles with two more books. Phillips has also found success with graphic novels, penning illustrated stories inspired by classic noir and pulps. When not writing, he spends his time with his family, his dog, and an occasional cigar. Phillips continues to live and work in Los Angeles.
Jervey Tervalon is the author of All the Trouble You Need, Understand This (winner of the 1994 New Voices Award from the Quality Paperback Book Club), and the acclaimed Los Angeles Times bestseller Dead Above Ground. In 2001, he received the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles National Literacy Award for Excellence in Multicultural Literature. He is also an award-winning poet, screenwriter, and dramatist. Currently, he’s the writer-in-residence at Pitzer College and is a California Arts Council Fellow. Jervey was born in New Orleans, raised in Los Angeles, and now lives in Altadena, California, with his wife and two daughters.
Joseph Mattson is the author of the story collection Eat Hell and the novel Empty the Sun (A Barnacle Book), which was a finalist for the 2010 SCIBA Fiction Award. He lives in Los Angeles.
Jerry Stahl is the author of six books, including the memoir Permanent Midnight (made into a movie with Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson) and the novels I, Fatty and Pain Killers. Formerly the culture columnist for Details, Stahl's fiction and journalism have appeared in Esquire, the New York Times, and the Believer, among other places. He has worked extensively in film and television and, most recently, wrote Hemingway & Gellhorn, starring Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman, for HBO.
Jonathan Santlofer is the author of five best-selling novels, including The Death Artist, Color Blind, and Anatomy of Fear. He is the recipient of a Nero Wolfe Award, two National Endowment for the Arts grants, and has been a visiting artist at the American Academy in Rome and the Vermont Studio Center. He serves on the board of Yaddo, the oldest arts community in the United States. A native New Yorker, Santlofer lives and works in Manhattan, New York.