Edith Chavez was born and raised in the heart of Mexico City.  She is an M.A. candidate at McMaster University and loves to learn about other cultures and ways of life.  One of her favourite quotes comes from Ramon De Campoamor: “Nothing is true and nothing is false. All depends on the colour of lens through which we look.”

Lisa Hunt is a McMaster graduate and aspiring writer.  Having lived with anxiety most of her life, she has become an expert at Plan B’s.

Prof. Maja Jovanovic is a medical sociologist, researcher, writer and public speaker. Her first book “Hey Ladies, Stop Apologizing…and other career mistakes women make” was just published a few days ago and is available on Amazon or Chapters online. Prof. Maja teaches sociology at McMaster University and is the founder of ALL IN Enterprises, a company that teaches women how to improve their communication skills and increase their confidence.

Kelly Nash lives in Dundas and has published one short story. She embraces both delicious laziness and irrepressible fervor. Kelly’s Plan B has her head now exploding with ideas for writing and speaking. She is grateful for every day she is ALIVE!

Michael John Derbecker is a writer and occasional performer living in Hamilton, Ontario. He’s appeared at ‘Storytelling at Caplansky’s Deli’, ‘Dare! Storytelling’ and ‘Raconteurs’ events in Toronto and is always interested in short and long-form storytelling opportunities.

Rebecca has been writing for 30 years and helping others to write for a decade. Some of her more memorable works include the 400-page report on Stage Chickens, a successful grant application/plea bargain for a theatre company who received and squandered a grant without doing the project, and a blog post about being orphaned that was taken in stride by her family. In spite of a background in theatre, this is Rebecca’s first time doing stan

Alyson Lamanes is a freelance writer, thinker, and doer born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. Much to the chagrin of her friends, she often starts sentences with “So I was listening to a podcast..” She enjoys sending leters in the mail, and is a faithful bullet-journaler.

‘Excuses’ is on Sunday, April 10th, at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, as the finale to gritLit, Hamilton’s readers and writers festival. Doors open at 7pm and donations are welcome. 

Carla was born in and raised by her Awesome Mom and Loving Yet Aggressive Older Brother in Hamilton. She studied in Toronto, and lived in Victoria and Montreal before coming home to nest.

Carla works at the Social Planning and Research Council where she does community planning and evaluation about immigration, LGBTQ+ communities, neighbourhoods, and children.

Playing the banjo and singing with other humans, especially her partner, Anna, makes her feel more alive. Carla misses her Cool But Complicated Dad, who died last year. She appreciates being woken up daily by her kid, Charlie, wisely advising her to “Wake up!”

‘Excuses’ is on Sunday, April 10th, at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, as the finale to gritLit, Hamilton’s readers and writers festival. Doors open at 7pm and donations are welcome. 

Jen Reeves is a writer who turned to the dark art of marketing. Someone has to pay the bills around here. When not selling her soul to the man, Jen enjoys reading, herding her four year old, and wishing her bio was more interesting.

‘Excuses’ is on Sunday, April 10th, at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, as the finale to gritLit, Hamilton’s readers and writers festival. Doors open at 7pm and donations are welcome. 

Born and raised in BC, Steve was successfully converted to the religion of Hamilton in 2007 when he arrived for University where he studied Theatre Performance and Visual Art.

After graduation, he decided to stay mostly due to his community, Eucharist Church. That decision to stay became solidified when Steve got married and bought a home in Hamilton’s downtown core.

‘Excuses’ is on Sunday, April 10th, at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, as the finale to gritLit, Hamilton’s readers and writers festival. Doors open at 7pm and donations are welcome.