ALVIN PANG (b. 1972) holds First Class Honours in Literature from the University of York in England and an Honorary Fellowship in Writing from the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program (2002).  His first volume TESTING THE SILENCE (Ethos Books, 1997) was listed as one of the Top Ten Books of 1997 by The Straits Times and was short listed for the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) Book Award in 1998/9.  CITY OF RAIN (Ethos Books, 2003), his second volume of poetry, was the only Singaporean book to be named to the Straits Times Top Ten List for 2003.

Andy Quan was born in 1969 in Vancouver, B.C, a third-generation Chinese-Canadian and fifth generation Chinese-American with roots in the villages of Canton. He is the author of three books. His first collections of poetry, Slant, and short fiction, Calendar Boy, were released in North America in 2001. Calendar Boy was published in Australia by Penguin in 2002 and was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award. He was also the co-editor of Swallowing Clouds: an Anthology of Chinese-Canadian Poetry. In April 2005, Six Positions, a collection of gay erotica and sex writing will be published by Green Candy Press.

Anushka Anastasia Solomon, is a former Denver Post columnist, and Evergreen, Colorado poet. In 1995, she won the 3rd prize in the IV National New Straits Times - Shell Short Story Competition. A graduate, of Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts, she transferred from the University of Missouri-Columbia’s School of Journalism, to study creative writing under the late Jamaican poet laureate, and professor of writing, Andrew Salkey. Anushka taught English in Malaysia, to America and Australia bound students. She has been in voluntary exile from Malaysia since her conversion to Christianity in 1998. Her published works and blog can be viewed at http://www.AtTheWindow.us/

AZHARI was born on the outskirts of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on 5 October 1981.  Until recently, he was studying in the Department of Indonesian Language and Literature, Faculty of Education, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh.  He is active in Komunitas Tikar Pandan [The Pandanus Mat Community], a group that focuses on cultural activities in Aceh, and the chief editor of the cultural journal Titik Tolak [Point of Departure]. In 2004, Azhari published his first collection of short stories: Perempuan Pala [Nutmeg Woman].