The Authors of Baneberry Volume I

Sean Eads is a writer and librarian living in Denver, Colorado. He is originally from Kentucky. His first novel, The Survivors, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. His third novel, Lord Byron's Prophecy, was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the Colorado Book Award. His latest novel, Lost Story, is historical fiction about the life of Ernest Hemingway. He has a forthcoming graphic novel called The Pulse of Promise, which is part of the Thief video game franchise. You can find him online at www.seaneadswriter.com.

Cecil Fenn is a writer, designer, and former funeral professional. Originally from New York, he apprenticed in embalming before moving across the Atlantic and retraining in theatre technology. He lives in the UK and works with lights instead of the dead, but his work still centers grief and the body. Cecil's debut novel, The Restorative Artist - a queer contemporary gothic - was published in 2026. His short fiction has appeared in Scrawl Place, Gavagai, and The Dread Machine, among others, and was shortlisted for the WEM Aurora Prize. 

Thom Fitzgerald is a filmmaker, artist, and bon vivant living in beautiful Nova Scotia. A three-time Sundance alum, he’s been awarded the top prize at the Toronto International Film Festival and has received awards from dozens of other film festivals. He has been honoured by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and the U.S. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. His prose is published in The Dalhousie Review, and he is a Managing Editor at Baneberry Lit. Stalk him on Facebook and Instagram.

Micah Giddens grew up in Elk Grove, California, where he combatted suburban malaise by making dumb YouTube videos with his friends. He now lives in Chicago with his wife and two cats (Grendel and Ludwig). When he’s not writing, he’s commiserating with his writing group, Draft Quest, or taking mediocre photos of the city. He’s a 2026 graduate of the Clarion Writers’ Workshop, and his fiction has been published by Strange Horizons, Flame Tree, and others.

Cosmo Graff is currently a student of architecture in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Baneberry is his first publication.

Maggie Hall is a writer from the Tennessee hills. Her peers would likely describe her as "lost in her own world," but Maggie likes to think that's where all the best stories are. She appreciates a good pen. When she's not writing, she's busy spoiling her cats, Bob Elvis and Dolly, as though they are her biological children (it’s best not to challenge her on that). More of Maggie's work can be found in The Chamber Magazine. Don't touch her pens.

Joseph Hirsch has sold horror to numerous outlets, including The Vanishing Point, Lovecraftiana, and Not One of Us. His nonhorror fiction has appeared everywhere from 3 AM Magazine to Film International. His horror novel, Church of the Last Lamb, is available from Underground Voices Books. He holds an MA in German studies from the University of Cincinnati and cites Georg Trakl and Thomas Ligotti as major influences. Additionally, he has dreams of one day finding a box filled with money.

Caroline Hung (she/they) is a Filipino-Taiwanese writer of speculative fiction and poetry. Pansexual, neurodivergent, and future rockstar. She was born and raised in Manila, Philippines. Her short fiction and poems have been published in venues such as Strange Horizons, Nightmare, and khōréō magazine. Her xianxia horror story in Nightmare was nominated for a 2024 Shirley Jackson Award. Her airport horror story in Strange Horizons is a 2025 Brave New Weird awardee. Find them at carolinehungauthor.com.

Samuel Kozah is a pharmacist and writer from Nigeria. He writes late, after pharmacy shifts, when the day needs somewhere to go. His fiction tracks the body's actions, often drawing on the cultures, textures, and elements of northern Nigeria. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Brittle Paper, African Writer, Horrific Scribes, Kalahari Review,New Myths, Night Shades Magazine, and elsewhere. More of his work can be found at samuelkozah.substack.com.

Sarah Liddle (she/her) writes horror, thrillers, and mysteries. She has stories published in anthologies such as Body Shots, Murder Park After Dark, and more. She studied applied math and creative writing at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Born and raised in Colorado, she enjoys stereotypical activities such as drinking IPAs after a long backpacking trip and swimming in alpine lakes. More at sarahliddlewriter.com.

Jen Mierisch’s dream job is to write Twilight Zone episodes, but until then, she's a website administrator by day and a writer of odd stories by night. Jen’s short fiction can be found in The Arcanist, The NoSleep Podcast, Scare Street, and numerous print anthologies. Jen can be found haunting her local library near Chicago, USA. She lives with her husband, pets, and teenage kids, and she is currently working on a psychological suspense/horror novel set on a remote island. To read more, visit www.jenmierisch.com.

M. Palmer writes from an unassuming place in Ohio. His most recent fiction has appeared in God’s Cruel Joke, Rock and a Hard Place, Blood Tree Literature, Thieving Magpie, and The Summerset Review. He can be found at M.Palmer (Facebook) and MPalmer33 (X).

Sam W. Pisciotta is a writer and visual artist. Find his short fiction in Cosmic Horror Monthly, Lightspeed, Asimov’s, Nightmare, PodCastle, and other publications. He is a graduate of the Odyssey writing program (2023) and a member of Clarion’s 2026 Novel Writing Workshop. He has an M.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Colorado. Powered by morning coffee and late-night tea, Sam splits his time between Colorado and New York. Connect at www.silo34.comand @silo34 on Instagram, and @swpisciotta on Bluesky Social.

Eric Reitan lives in Oklahoma, where he teaches philosophy, plays with his dogs, tries to keep up with his family, and writes. His short stories have appeared in such venues as The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Writers’ Digest, Gamut, and The Best of Gamut, and they have received numerous awards, most notably the Crème-de-la-Crème Award of the Oklahoma Writers Federation and first place in the Writers’ Digest literary/mainstream short story competition. In addition to four nonfiction books, he is the author of the indie-press novel So Eden Sank to Grief (Quoir Books 2024).

Tara Saylin lives and writes in a 103-year-old former furrier in Southern California, complete with an old fur vault that is definitely haunted. She loves literary fiction and dark stories that linger and is always on the hunt for the next story to champion. She completed her master’s degree in creative writing and literature at Harvard University and is a Managing Editor at Baneberry Lit.

Ron Schroer lives and writes in Canberra, Australia. He writes weird tales loosely based on the weird reality of his surroundings. He has been longlisted, shortlisted, commended, and awarded in a number of short story competitions. His work has appeared in Aurealis, Midnight Echo, BFS Horizons, The Nameless Songs of Zadok Allen (anthology), Illustrated Worlds Magazine, Strange Legacy 2025: Creature Feature (anthology), and Sinister Systems (anthology). His story “Walpurgis” won the 2025 Aurealis Award for Best Horror Novella. Visit him at www.strangefolly.com.

Steven Shakespeare is a writer of speculative and literary fiction, living in Liverpool, UK, where he works as a professor of philosophy. He has published widely in philosophy, poetry, and spirituality. Steven completed an MFA in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2024, gaining a distinction and winning the prize for best novel manuscript in his year. Since then, he has been working on short stories and his first novel, The Nettle Jar. His most recent fiction publication is the story “Like Stars They Fell” in the Inkd Publishing anthology Rebels.

T. Swackhammer is a curio cabinet of unusual stories. With a singular narrative voice, Swackhammer’s internationally published work has been described as “surreal,” “uncanny,” and “strangely beautiful.” She explores themes of queer identity, disability, trauma, and alienation throughout her work. Her stories can be found in Grain Magazine, Plenitude Magazine, Storm Cellar Lit, and others.

Ann Thorrson is a disabled SSF/Horror writer who lives in England. You can find her feeding pigeons or on Instagram at @AnnWritesBooks.

Nicole M. Wolverton is a Pushcart-nominated writer of (mostly) speculative fiction for adults and young adults. She is the author of The Trajectory of Dreams (2013), A Misfortune of Lake Monsters (2024), and the upcoming Meat Sweats(March 2027) and Mother Mort’s Carnival Phantasmagoria (October 2027). Her short fiction and creative nonfiction have appeared in 50+ magazines and anthologies. Nicole holds a master’s in horror and storytelling and half a master’s in gastrohorror (so far). She lives in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area in a creepy old house. Find her online at nicolewolverton.com.

Lady Zombie is a subculture artist, experience curator, and writer of horror, sci-fi, and fantasy, leaning into her roots as a proud Puerto Rican, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, and a modern eclectic witch. She's the lyricist and vocalist behind Deviant Trust's Erotic Damnation, spent four years as a columnist for Examiner's New York Goth Culture beat, and has written for Corset Magazine and Serial Killer Magazine. She is the founder of the Dangerous Babes Apocalypse Association and Mothers of Darkness. Lady Zombie lives in New York City with her husband, child, and two black cats. Visit linktr.ee/ladyzombie.

Baneberry Lit can be found on Instagram and at baneberrylit.com.