“I live in LA with my husband, Daniel, a rat terrier named Pickle, and a chiweenie named Georgette. My horse, Panda, has a nice big stall in the hills a few freeway exits away. I've had stories in Tin House, The Masters Review Anthology, Stonecoast Review, and other journals. My first collection, I Have Her Memories Now, was a finalist in multiple contests before winning the Howling Bird Press Fiction Prize in 2022."

"I got my MFA from NMSU in 2010. My mentor, Robert Boswell, taught me so much, but the most important thing I ever heard him say was that you have to turn your worst work into your best. Getting a book of stories over the finish line took a long time and involved an absurd amount of rejection, but during the MFA program I'd established a habit of writing every day and a willingness to write dozens of drafts if I needed to. I developed a real love for the effort of writing, even if the outcome wasn't always what I'd hoped for. And I became a better reader, and a better friend. NMSU was an amazing community, and I've been able to carry it with me ever since.”

Carrie Grinstead grew up in central Wisconsin and lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Daniel, and their dogs. Her horse lives nearby. Her short stories have appeared in   Tin House,  The Masters Review Anthology,   Joyland, and elsewhere. Her book I Have Her Memories Now was published in 2022