Karawynn entered the sf scene at twenty-two as the youngest writer ever to win the Writers of the Future Grand Prize. Subsequently she published short fiction and poetry in numerous anthologies and magazines, including Full Spectrum 4, Asimov's SF, and Silver Birch, Blood Moon, before turning her focus to a slightly more lucrative career as a graphic designer. In 2004 she combined both her unending passion for speculative fiction and her years of design experience to form Per Aspera with her partner Jak Koke. Like everyone here, Karawynn’s role is multifunctional; she handles everything to do with book design and production, is responsible for author contracts and copyediting, collaborates on marketing and publicity, and (much to her chagrin) seems to be stuck handling distribution and accounting. There are whispered rumors that she’s intermittently working on a novel of her own, but with all she’s got on her plate we’re not holding our breath.

Jak has seven sf and fantasy novels under his belt, including the Locus number one bestsellers Stranger Souls and Beyond the Pale. As a freelance book doctor he has also edited and/or ghostwritten over twenty-five more. Jak oversees matters editorial at Per Aspera, from reading slush through the full process of guiding each individual book to its fullest potential. He also takes the reins on much of our marketing and publicity and tracks sales with what is perhaps an unhealthy compulsivity. His tireless optimism and penchant for thinking outside of the box have resulted in the unofficial titles of “Morale Officer” and “Idea Rat”.

Erin joined Per Aspera as an intern in January of 2005 when Jak and Karawynn realized that if they didn’t acquire some devoted minions generous volunteers soon, they were going to go stark raving bonkers. An aspiring fantasy author of some talent with a degree in anthropology, Erin works elsewhere as a Mad Scientist, giving fun science demonstrations at elementary schools. She has emerged as our primary manuscript reader — the one who decides whether a book gets passed on to Jak and Karawynn for consideration — so you should treat her very nicely.

James has just joined us here at Per Aspera; his bio will be along shortly.

Tora also joined us in January 2005 via the “Save Jak and Karawynn’s Sanity Internship Program.” Coincidentally (no, we swear) she also is an aspiring fantasy writer with a degree in anthropology. With her partner Tora runs a fencing academy and swordfighting performance troupe, so we’re careful to stay on her good side. Here at Per Aspera, she does research and marketing and, well, pretty much anything, so long as we ask nicely. (Minions are so cool.) Tora left us in October 2005 to pursue other interests, including her own writing. We wish her well!

Freelance publicist and writer Andy Heidel has been instrumental in the success of our flagship hardcover Singularity by Bill DeSmedt. He guided review copy mailings, orchestrated media follow-ups, and handled Bill’s nationwide author tour.