Julie Schanke Lyford lives in the Twin Cities with husband Rafe, their daughters Katy and Madi, their dog Wallace, their bearded dragon Evan, and a rosy boa named Milo. An LGBTQ activist in the Twin Cities, Julie lobbied for same-sex marriage before it became legal and, trained by Minnesota United, traveled the state giving speeches to help pass the vote.

Schanke, Robert: - Robert A. Schanke, a retired college theatre professor, has published several books featuring LGBTQ theatre artists in America. His books have twice been finalists for the Lambda Literary Award, and his biography of playwright Mercedes De Acosta won ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year Award. Robert and his husband Jack have been together for over thirty-five years and live in Des Moines.