Sherrie Flick is author of the award-winning flash fiction chapbook I Call This Flirting (Flume Press, 2004). Anthologies include, Sudden Fiction (Norton, 2007), Flash Fiction Forward (Norton, 2006), Sudden Stories: The Mammoth Book of Minuscule Fiction (MAMMOTH Press, 2003), and You Have Time for This (Ooligan Press, 2007). She has received artist residencies from the Ucross Foundation and Atlantic Center for the Arts, as well as a Tennessee Williams Fellowship from Sewanee Writers’ Conference. In 2005, she was honored as one of Pittsburgh’s “40 under 40.” In 2007, she received an individual artist fellowship from Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.

Nancy Krygowski's book of poems, Velocity, won the 2006 Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize from the University of Pittsburgh Press.  She's received grants from the PA Council on the Arts and from the Pittsburgh Foundation, plus residencies at the Jentel Foundation and The Kimmel Nelson Harding Center for the Arts.  She works as an adult literacy instructor. (krygo.homeip.net)

Rick Schweikert is a playwright, women’s health advocate, and real estate business owner. At Gist Street he is in charge of “operations” for the series, which includes but is not limited to beer acquisition.

James Simon is our host, a sculptor and owner of James Simon Sculpture Studios where the Gist Street Readings are held. Visit one of his larger-than-life public sculptures, Liberty Avenue Musicians, in downtown Pittsburgh on, you guessed it, Liberty Avenue. (simonsculpture.com)

John Fleenor is a painter and potter and also fore-person of James Simon’s public art projects. John is location coordinator for the Gist Street series, keeping the location together, installing emergency seating, and getting the writers what they need, when they need it. When on Gist Street, check out his mural painting of Antoine in Renaissance garb on the wall of the building right near the studio. (johnfleenor.com)

Tom Kizer is the Gist Street Reading series's token engineer.  He makes sure the readings get recorded each month and, just as importantly, makes sure we all have wine to drink.

Antoine makes the homemade bread, ice cream, and quite often hunks of meat.

George Thomas Mendel has provided photography for this website. (photo-now.com)

Craig Thompson has provided photography for this website. (pittsburgh-photographer.com)

Jon Ritz, aka Tall Jon, is sound guy emeritus. His stories and essays have appeared in American Literary Review, Cimarron Review, and the Chicago Tribune. When in Pittsburgh he was singer/guitarist for a variety of bands, including Everyday Parade.  He now lives in Michigan with his wife Patti Spinner, and we miss them very much.

Linn Meyers is a visual artist who wears her Gist Street t-shirt as much as hygienically possible.  Visit her at linnmeyers.com/

Autumn House Press - www.autumnhouse.org - 412-381-4261
Friends of Gist Street (and you are one) get a 20% discount on all phone or email orders.

Mammoth books is an independent publisher of literary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry based in Western Pennsylvania. They will co-host the 2003 Cookout Extravaganza to celebrate the release of Sudden Stories: A MAMMOTH Anthology of Minuscule Fiction, edited by Dinty W. Moore. (mammothbooks.com)

Stephanie Brulia is a massage therapist specializing in Swedish and Neuromuscular Therapy. She works in Regent Square and is also available for house calls. She is the unofficial massage therapist of the stressed-out Gist Street administration and comes highly recommended. Call 412.242.0959 to schedule an appointment.

Verse Press publishes poetry and creative prose, including the winners of the annual Verse Prize and the National Poetry Series. We specialize in work by younger American poets, but also publish work by more established American poets who rock our world. (versepress.org)

Cynthia Closkey is the web godess. She designs websites for companies, organizations, and individuals at Big Big Design. She also co-founded Fat Plum, which provides juicy solutions for today’s writers, and Pittsburgh Bloggers, the leading directory of blogs in the Pittsburgh area.