Dr. Nidhi Thakur, is an Indian-American bilingual writer writing in English and Hindustani (a blend of Hindi and Urdu). She writes fiction/poetry-shayari and commentary. Her work has appeared in literary outlets including the Jaipur Lit Fest (through Jaipur Shorts), Asian American Writers Workshop-Newark and theQuint.com. She is also a proud alumna of Jersey City based Literary-theatrical outfit 'In Full Color', and the Jersey City Writers Group. She has a Post-Doc in Economics (University of Chicago), and currently teaches Economics-Adjunct at Montclair State University. She lives in Shorthills, NJ, with her husband and daughters, and is an active community organiser around themes of climate, culture and chaos. 

When She Married Dr. Patekar And Other Stories (Hawakal Publishers, Nov 2023) the author’s debut book is a collection of short stories concerning the immigrant experience during the post-9/11, pre-Whatsapp time when the sense of alienation is strong. Many of the stories are set in Jersey City.

The book is available on amazon globally, and can also be loaned via the BCCLS free public library catalogue. Signed copies will be available for sale at the reading, and the author will be happy to inscribe pre-bought books too.  www.nidhithakur.com

Exileine Jean Michel Samedi, is an avid lover of music who enjoys gardening and spending time with her family, including her grandchildren. Born in Jérémie, a city in the Grand’Anse Department in Haiti, author Exileine Jean Michel Samedi attended college in Port-au-Prince, majoring in social work. After her arrival in the United States, she entered New Jersey University, where she completed her studies in sociology. The author has been a resident of New Jersey for over thirty years, which has led to a deep love and gratitude for the Garden State. 

Jersey My Love is a heartfelt story that centers around a young man named Hyppolite, who moves to Jersey City after a terrible loss forces him to start over. Surrounded by familiar faces and new friends, Hyppolite must choose between remaining in the past or embracing his chance at a new life. Available at bookstores, Apple iBooks Store, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble.