Conceived in some sort of uber-cool loft space in Brooklyn, NY, BROOKS BUTLER HAYS was destined for artistic greatness. But his hipster credibility was squashed when his parents drove him across the bridge to be birthed at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan. He would be a yuppie instead. As a youth Brooks moved South--Virginia, then Georgia--wearing his first three-piece seersucker suit at age three and roasting his first pig by first grade. Despitesocietal pressures, he never once popped his collar. He returned to Colonial Williamsburg for secondary education, majoring in History. In his spare time he drank single-barrel whiskey, re-enacted the Battle of Great Bridge, taught Native American orphans to read and fell in love with lawn sports. When his dream of a horseshoes national championship was shattered by a beer bottle shard lodged deep in his left heel, Brooks decided to become a writer.

Since graduating without honor or distinction of any sort, Brooks has freelanced his way in and out of unemployment, with short stints as a real estate reporter, arts commentator, and political blogger. He fancies himself a utility player in the game of prose. Brooks continues to search for that one big book deal, the one that might allow him to return to his lost dream of professional lawn sporting. Like most narcissists, he believes he deserves that break. ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR JEREMY STEIN is an art director/designer/illustrator with skills in storyboarding and animation. Jeremy graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 2010 with a BFA in graphic design and advertising. While in school, Jeremy won a CLIO award in the category of #145;Innovative Media#146;. Over the past five years, he#146;s racked up experience at agencies and studios such as R/GA, BarkerDZP, G2, Cossette Communications, Funny Garbage and Revolver Magazine.

Jeremy also plays bass and sings for the band The Shake, whose songs have appeared in both film and television. Originally from Long Island, Jeremy currently lives with his wife on Manhattan#146;s Upper East Side. He lives on¬line at: http://jeremysteindesign.com/.