Contributing Writer Philip Chin is a graphic designer in New York City. His primary hobby is his never-ending search for a Swedish girlfriend. Any takers out there?

Contributing Writer Linda Z. Faber is the author of Building Self Esteem Through the Museum of I, (Free Spirit Publishing, 1995). She is a Gifted Education teacher, a Kripalu Yoga Instructor and a freelance writer in Coconut Grove, Florida.

Staff Writer Carolyn Gramling was recently honored with the Perpetual Student Award at her high school reunion. She is in grad school at MIT in Cambridge, MA, in partial fulfillment of her dream never to have to wake up before 10:00 AM.

Editor / Designer Brigette M. Kinney is a freelance script analyst for Hollywood film production companies. Her writing has been published in The Kudzu Review, Scholastic Journalism and The Diamondback.

Staff Writer P.V. LeForge is the author of The Secret Life of Moles and The Principle of Interchange, and has had other fiction and poetry published in numerous literary magazines. Pete also owns and operates The Paperback Rack, a bookstore specializing in fine literature.

Contributing Writer Jesse Ratner is knee-deep in the Customer Service Correspondence Department at the Los Angeles Times. As a freelance copywriter, he has received numerous accolades for penning such slogan gems as "Never Before Has a Man Done So Much With So Little" (Private Parts). But right this minute, he's probably answering a letter from Mrs. Hoffstadt who writes "Damn it, you people sent me the wrong TV section again!! Damn it all to hell*&%##.!" You gotta pay the bills.

Art Director Erin K. Zack is an attorney and freelance artist. She has lived in Miami and Washington, D.C., and is now a resident of Blowing Rock, NC.

Staff Writer Jason Zack is a doctoral student in Counseling Psychology at the University of Maryland. When he isn't doing things psychological, he enjoys developing computer databases & websites, playing guitar and boomeranging. Jason is strictly Macintosh.

Staff Writer S. Craig Zahler is a single guy living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Craig is a screenwriter and part-time cook for an upscale catering outfit. In his spare time he writes for Metal Maniacs and publishes an independent heavy metal fan magazine, Steel Dissector. Craig is looking for a thick-skinned woman with whom he can share the finer things in life.

THE WIRE accepts reader submissions. Submissions must pertain to city life and be no more than 750 words in length. Please submit text-only documents to: editor_thewire@hotmail.com. Include your full name, street address and day and evening phone numbers. Submissions become the property of THE WIRE.