Mercedes Lucero is a writer whose prose and poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in Printers Row Journal, decomP Magazine, Whitefish Review, Kalyani Magazine, Mouse Tales Press, Burner Magazine and many other journals. She has also been awarded "Best Piece of Prose" in Canvas, a literary journal, and her short story, "Memories I Cannot Recall," was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. She recently launched Spectrum Extract, an art and literary magazine dedicated to those with autism and developmental disabilities. She is currently working on her first collection of short stories and studying at Northwestern University where she will receive her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing.