Journeys Beyond the Fantastical Horizon

Lezli Robyn is an Australian-born author. She has been writing science fiction and fantasy for several years and has sold shorter-length fiction to over a dozen countries, including highly sought after professional markets like Asimov’s and Analog.Her work has been recognized with several awards and nominations, including the Aurealis Award finalist for Best SF Story, a finalist for the Spanish Premio Ignotus Award for Best Foreign Short Story, and a finalist for the prestigious Astounding Award for Best New Writer. She has also won the Catalan Premi Ictineu Award for Best Translated Story twice . She was also a finalist for the Hugo Campbell Award. Her work is characterized by extremely detailed and nuanced characters and her uncanny ability to make the reader become a part of the narrative by associating with the creatures inhabiting her worlds.Lezli grew up near the ocean and has always loved being in the water. She is also legally blind.Andrea Stewart is the daughter of immigrants, and was raised in a number of places across the United States. Her debut epic fantasy, The Bone Shard Daughter, and its sequel, The Bone Shard Emperor, is out with Orbit. In addition to writing, she can be found herding cats, looking at birds, and falling down research rabbit holes.Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki is an African speculative fiction writer and editor from Nigeria who studied Law in the University of Lagos and the Nigerian Law School, Lagos campus. He won the 2019 Nommo award for best short story by an African, the 2020 Horror Writers Association Diversity Grant, a 2020 Otherwise award, a 2021 British Fantasy award, and a 2022 Nebula Award for “O2 Arena.” He has been a finalist for the Nebula, Locus, BSFA, Sturgeon, This Is Horror, Nommo awards and Hugo Awards. His works have appeared in, or are forthcoming in, Omenana Magazine, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, Strange Horizons, Tordotcom, NBC, Galaxy’s Edge, Asimov's and more.George R.R. Martin, also known as GRRM, is an American novelist, screenwriter, television producer and short story writer. He is the co-creator and series editor of the Wildcard series, and author of the fantasy novel series A Song of Ice and Fire, which was adapted into the Emmy Award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones. His new series, House of Dragons, set in the same universe, is airing now on HBO.Howard Waldrop is an American writer who works primarily in short fiction, notably known for the pieces “The Ugly Chicken” and “Night of the Cooters” (which is currently being adapted into a movie by his sometime collaborator, George R.R. Martin). He’s won the World Fantasy and  Nebula Awards, and received the World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement in 2021.