Charles Payseur is an avid reader, writer, and reviewer of speculative fiction. His works have appeared in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, Lightspeed Magazine, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies, among others, and many are included in his debut collection, The Burning Day and Other Strange Stories (Lethe Press 2021). He is the series editor of We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction (Neon Hemlock Press) and a multiple-time Hugo and Ignyte Award finalist for his work at Quick Sip Reviews. When not drunkenly discussing Goosebumps, X-Men comic books, and his cats on his Patreon (/quicksipreviews) and Twitter (@ClowderofTwo), he can probably be found raising a beer with his husband, Matt, in their home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Beth Goder is an archivist and author. Over 40 of her short stories have appeared in venues such as Escape Pod, The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Analog, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Flash Fiction Online, and Horton’s The Year’s Best Science Fiction & Fantasy. You can find her online at http://www.bethgoder.com.

Emma Munro is a queer cis woman who lives in the Blue Mountains of Australia with her wife and cat. Her stories have appeared in Hashtag Queer LGBTQ+ Creative Anthology Vol. 1, Hello Horror, Pure Slush, Cosmos and other places.

Jonathan Helland lives in Vermont where he works in higher education. When he’s not reading and writing science fiction, fantasy, and horror, he can most likely be found enjoying the outdoors and practicing historical swordplay.

This story was inspired by his time living abroad during the pandemic, separated from his loved ones, and is dedicated to Kylie.

Shih-Li Kow is a former chemical engineer and mall manager. Her short story collection Ripples and Other Stories (2008), was shortlisted for the 2009 Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. Her second book The Sum of Our Follies (2014), was translated into Italian and French. The French edition (tr. Frederic Grellier) won the 2018 Prix du Premier Roman Etranger. Her writing has been published most recently in Mekong Review, The Arkansas International, Short Fiction Journal, and ongoing.space. She lives in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in a house owned by three cats. Find her at Twitter:@shihlikow.