Cal Bates, simply called Cal by his friends, lives in a small Suffolk market town in England. At night he likes to drink rum and write the odd story. A man of simple tastes he hopes to write further stories in the future - with a forlorn ambition to be paid oneday. He writes in many genres, his favourite being light fantasy, science fiction and horror.

What Cal likes in a story: In horror : I do not like gore for gores sake -it doesn't matter how much intestines you put in. Without other ingredients it ain't selling to me. I don't like storylines like Vampire bites victim and feeds - That is like writing a story about you have eggs and bacon for breakfast. Even if it was Canadian bacon, it is just plain boring.

The same can be said for slice of life stories - don't tell me about a day shopping at Wal-Mart - not unless it's run by an alien with very unique sales promotion. But seriously, a slice of life story that doesn't either spark wonderment or stop and make me think about something I had previously thought mundane isn't worth the time of sending in.

Fantasy and science fiction, well you are on a winner here. But even I won't like a story where a princess kisses a frog and it turn into a prince or for that matter a princess (and no it doesn't matter what type of frog it is).

Basically make me cry, make me laugh, but don't make me yawn.

In the past, I've lived in Maine, Utah, and California. Right now, I'm settled in the Buffalo, New York area with my husband and children. They do their best to keep me busy, but when I have a few minutes, I write poetry and read voraciously, both fiction and non-fiction.

What Jennifer likes in a story: I enjoy well-written stories in all genres, but I really long for tales that have vivid imagery, believable characters, and something that surprises me.

I was born and raised in St. Paul, MN. After raising my own two sons, my retired husband and I moved to the wilderness of northeastern Minnesota. We live in a log home set on 120 acres of mixed forest, fields and stream. For the last few years we have spent the winters in Arizona. I love to read and write, and have had my poetry and several short stories published in various online and print publications.

What Jeannie likes in a story: Quite often the ending can make or break a story for me. Although the beginning of a story is important and the writer needs to hook the reader and pull them in, the importance of the ending is often overlooked. An abrupt or vague ending leaves me unsatisfied, even if the beginning of the story was really good.

I live in Nottinghamshire, UK with my family and work as a researcher for an information services company. I started writing stories and poetry in 2002 after half a lifetime of dreaming about being a writer. I write for both children and adults in a variety of genres.

What Jan likes in a story: I like a story that lifts me out of my own world and takes me somewhere new and interesting. There isn't a lot of room for description in flash fiction, but a few well-chosen details can really bring a story to life. I want to be able to see the story unfold in front of me, to feel like I'm really there, laughing and crying along with the characters. Presentation is important too, spelling mistakes and poor grammar can trip a reader up and jolt them back to reality, so polish your words until they gleam.

I live in Georgia with my husband and three children. My works of fiction and poetry have received numerous regional and national awards, and my publication credits include several literary journals and mainstream venues—complete listing at http://www.writers.net/writers/40817

What Janet likes in a story: I enjoy reading well-crafted flash fiction that assembles a compelling story in which every word is essential--no matter the genre.

I'm a career military dependent, currently living in San Diego, California, at the whim of the Navy. I write speculative poetry and prose, often rooted in faery tale narratives and imagery.

What J. C. likes in a story: Interesting characters, emotional resonance, vivid imagery, and writing that's solid on a technical level. I like an ending that logically follows from the story's action, so even "twist" endings have to be grounded in what came before.

I live in the Charleston, SC area with my wife and four children. We are recent transplants from the Buffalo, NY area, where I was born and bred (the only place to get a decent chicken wing or beef on weck). I am a business owner, teacher, and writer, with a few short stories and several articles published. I've been reading voraciously and writing sporadically since elementary school, and will continue to do so until my eyeballs fall out.

What Don likes in a story: I am a dyed-in-the-wool speculative fiction fan, and love a good space romp, sinister manifestation, or magical kingdom. I enjoy having my mind led down the garden path, only to have it yanked elsewhere, unexpectedly. My preferences do not lie solely in the realm of the unexpected, however, as I've found that a great story is great even if it's about cute bunnies and butterflies (blech!). Catch my interest in the first few lines, make me care about what's happening, and then take me someplace; do this and you've won a fan. Make me laugh, cry, quake, or howl in rage and I'll pitch a tent in your backyard, waiting for more, until the restraining order is issued.

I’m an award-winning editor of a weekly newspaper in Orlando, Fla., where I live with my two children. Wikipedia says I’m one of only a few people who’ve scored big on both “Jeopardy!” and “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” and I’m working on a book about my life in quiz shows. I also do freelance writing and editing, and you can see my Web site at www.lynpaynejournalist.blogspot.com.

What Lyn likes in a story: I love fantasy and speculative fiction of all kinds, but genre isn’t a big deal. I want an original point of view, technical proficiency and emotional depth. I want to be enchanted by exquisite craftsmanship and verbal richness. I look for a story’s silent promise (whatever it may be) at the beginning, and want to see it fulfilled by the end.

I was raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, but I now live in San Jose, California where bars close at night. By day I run a small online craft store that I hope to expand into a bigger business. When I'm not crafting, I'm writing or reading or frequenting coffee shops and drinking too much coffee. In general, I like to laugh a lot no matter what I'm doing even when I'm filing my recent rejection letters. My cat stares at me funny, but at least my husband Adam appreciates my sense of humor. Someday we'll have children and hopefully they'll be as weird as we are.

I was born in Atlanta, Georgia, went to college in Duluth Minnesota where I received a bachelor's in Studio Art and a minor in Art History. I just got married and live in Omaha. I love to paint and travel. When I read, I need something that keeps me interested the whole way through or I'll put it down without guilt. I like fantasy stories or anything that makes me laugh.

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