Thiede, Emily: - EMILY THIEDE spent her childhood daydreaming and reading in trees. A former public school teacher, she teaches creative writing and serves on the board of Writer House, a local writing nonprofit, is a cohost for the Basic Pitches podcast, and has mentored aspiring writers through the Pitch Wars mentorship program. Emily enjoys fostering rescue kittens and getting lost in the woods of central Virginia, where she lives with her family. She is the author of This Vicious Grace and This Cursed Light. Find her on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.