Сьюзен Стрейт: Orange County Noir

Gary Phillipswrites stories of chicanery and misadventure in various formats, including novels and short stories. He has contributed stories to several volumes in the Akashic Noir Series, including Los Angeles Noir, Dublin Noir, and Phoenix Noir. He recently published Freedom’s Figh t, a novel set in World War II.

Rob Robergeis the author of the story collection Working Backwards from the Worst Moment in My Life and the novels More Than They Could Chew, and Drive . His stories have been featured in ZYZZYVA, Chelsea, Other Voices, Alaska Quarterly Review , and the Literary Review . His work has also been anthologized in Another City, It’s All Good , and SANTI: Lives of the Modern Saints . Roberge plays guitar and sings with the L.A.-area bands the Violet Rays, the Danbury Shakes, and the Urinals.

Martin J. Smithis currently editor-in-chief of Orange Coast Magazine and formerly senior editor of the Los Angeles Times Magazine. He is also the author of three crime novels, Time Release, Shadow Image , and the Edgar Award — nominated Straw Men , and is coauthor of two nonfiction pop culture histories, Poplorica and Oops .

Susan Straightis a native of Riverside, California, just over the Orange County border. She has published six novels, including Highwire Moon , which was a finalist for the National Book Award, and A Million Nightingales , which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Her new novel, One Candle , will be published in 2010. Her short story “The Golden Gopher,” from Los Angeles Noir , won an Edgar Award in 2008.

Nathan Walpowis the author of the Joe Portugal mystery series. His short story “Push Comes to Shove” was reprinted in the Best American Mystery Stories series. He is a past president of the Southern California chapter of Mystery Writers of America.

Robert Ward’s2006 novel Four Kinds of Rain was nominated for a Hammett Prize. He is a former writer-producer on TV shows New York Undercover, Hill Street Blues, and Miami Vice . His latest novel, Total Immunity , was published in 2009 by Harcourt.