Erick Mertz writes fiction, screenplays, and poetry while living with his wife, dog, and cats in Portland, Oregon. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in English and Comparative Literature in 1998. He writes full-time while also working with persons with disabilities and mental health challenges.

Recent short stories have appeared in The Los Angeles Review of Los Angeles and Mad Scientist Journal. His short story "The Measurable Blood" has been adapted into an audio book. His new novella The Pelican is due in the summer of 2014. Follow along @emertzwriting and his site: www.erickmertzwriting.com.