HELENA ANDREWS-DYER

Helena Andrews-Dyer is an award-winning culture reporter for The Washington Post, covering the intersection of popular culture, race, politics, and art in the nation’s capital. Her third book, The Mamas: What I Learned About Kids, Class and Race From Moms Not Like Me, was published in 2022. Helena’s second book, Reclaiming Her Time: The Power of Maxine Waters, co-written with R. Eric Thomas, was published in 2020. Her first book, the memoir-in-essays Bitch is the New Black, was published in 2010. Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes optioned Bitch is the New Black as a feature film for Fox Searchlight Pictures. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and her two daughters.

JEFFREY NUSSBAUM

Jeff Nussbaum is the author of Undelivered: The Never-Heard Speeches that Would Have Rewritten History. From 2021 to 2022, he served as a Special Assistant and Senior Speechwriter to President Joe Biden. The first speech Jeff wrote was to defend himself against suspension from high school. It was unsuccessful. Since that time, he has found greater success helping clients pen and promote bestselling books, prepare commencement speeches and viral TED talks, and deliver winning comedy routines at venues ranging from the Alfalfa Club to the Al Smith Dinner. In addition to his speechwriting experience, Jeff was the co-author and collaborator with James Carville on the 2003 bestseller Had Enough? He also collaborated with Senator Bob Graham on his 2004 book Intelligence Matters. Jeff lives outside of Washington, D.C. with his two daughters.

STEVEN ROWLEY

Steven Rowley is the New York Times bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus, a Washington Post Notable Book of 2016; The Editor, named by NPR as one of the Best Books of 2019; The Guncle, a Goodreads Choice Awards finalist for 2021 Novel of the Year and winner of The 22nd Thurber Prize for American Humor; and The Celebrants, a TODAY Show Read With Jenna Book Club pick. His fiction has been published in 20 languages. All of his books are in development for feature film or television adaptation. Originally from Portland, Maine, he is a graduate of Emerson College and currently resides in Palm Springs with his husband—the writer Byron Lane—and two rescue dogs.

CHERYL STRAYED

Cheryl Strayed is the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, which has sold more than four million copies worldwide and was made into an Oscar-nominated major motion picture starring Reese Witherspoon. Her book Tiny Beautiful Things was adapted as a play that has been staged in theaters across the country and as a Hulu television series airing in 2023. Cheryl is also the author of Brave Enough, which brings together more than 100 of her inspiring quotes, and the debut novel Torch. She has hosted two hit podcasts, Sugar Calling and Dear Sugars. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

REBECCA YARROS

Rebecca Yarros is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over 15 novels, with multiple starred Publishers Weekly reviews and a Kirkus Best Book of the Year. She loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over 20years. She’s the mother of six children, and is currently surviving the teenage years with three of her four hockey-playing sons. When she’s not writing, you can find her at the hockey rink or sneaking in some guitar time while guzzling coffee. She and her family live in Colorado with their stubborn English bulldog, two feisty chinchillas, and a Maine Coon cat named Artemis, who rules them all.