Lesley Mahoney O'Connell’s debut book, Ripple Effects (Golden Antelope Press, June 2026), is a collection of 11 stories. Her fiction has appeared in Post Road, Psychopomp, and Solstice Literary Magazine, and has received honorable mention recognition from Glimmer Train and Carve Magazine. Her essays and stories have been featured in Contrary Magazine, Edible Boston, and various publications. She works in health care development communications, marketing, and digital strategy, and graduated with a B.A. from Boston College, where she studied creative writing with Elizabeth Graver. She lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her husband and son.

*photo by Kaitlyn Litchfield

Syd Straw was born singing and has been at it her whole long life, working fearlessly and happily with many of her heroines and heros — such as Emmy Lou Harris, Rickie Lee Jones, The Golden Palominos, Michael stipe, Marc Ribot, Roseanne Cash and Carlene Carter. Also an actress, Syd played the math teacher, Miss Fingerwood, on Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete and Pete, and the glamorous "hippie chick," Laurel, on the original Tales of the City. Like everyone else (ha ha), she is working on at least three books, writing her first musical by flashlight in her tent, and is probably sorry she walked off with your lighter in her pocket —aaaah, men.

*photo by Regan Kelly

Elizabeth Graver’s fifth novel, Kantika, was awarded the Massachusetts Book Award, Edward Lewis Wallace Award, Julia Ward Howe Award, and a National Jewish Book Award. Her novel The End of the Point was long-listed for the 2013 National Book Award. Her other novels are Awake, The Honey Thief, and Unravelling. Her story collection, Have You Seen Me?, won the 1991 Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Her work has appeared in Best American Short Stories, Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards, and Best American Essays. She teaches at Boston College, where tonight’s other Earfull author, Lesley Mahoney O’Connell, was her student.

*photo by Adrianne Mathiowetz

Todd Thibaud is a Vermont born, Boston-based singer-songwriter whose songs are a slice of real life: the pains and pleasures, love lost and life reborn.His music mixes elements of Americana, Folk, Country and Roots Rock, making it seem at once familiar and brand new. Todd recorded his new album ‘Alchemy’ this past January at Q Division Studios in Cambridge. It will be released on Blue Rose Records in Germany in May of 2026, followed by a US release in early summer. He heads to Germany for a month-long tour this spring witih his band which features Thomas Juliano (guitar), Sean Staples (mandolin/guitar), Chris Anzalone (drums), and Ed Valauskas (bass).

*photo by Janice Tsai