The Authors Quill writers of the Future winners Tray Streeter second hour guest Joe Sidari _

Tray Streeter grew up in Syracuse, Utah. Like many children, he spent much of his childhood drawing, though he was especially interested in still lifes. That fascination with technique deepened in his teenage years after he received a set of oil paints for Christmas, leading him to study the works of John Singer Sargent and Caravaggio. Portraiture became his passion, one that continues to influence his work today. It was not until adulthood, when he began working digitally, that he turned his attention to sci-fi and fantasy art. The genre offered him the freedom to create artworks that exist beyond reality. Influenced by artists like Frank Frazetta and Alex Ross, he aims to combine both the drama and technique of classical painting with the sleek, contemporary possibilities of digital art. Currently, Tray is attending Weber State University, pursuing a BFA in Art with a 2D emphasis. After graduation, he hopes to continue his studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Ultimately, he aspires to illustrate for Dungeons & Dragons, work on cover illustration for comics, and develop his own original concepts. Joseph Sidari lives in the Boston suburbs with his wife and a delightfully spoiled labradoodle named Chloe, who takes him for walks twice a day. As a practicing physician, he works hard caring for his patients while trying to kill off his protagonists. He is a current member of the Grub Street Writers Group of Boston and a former member of the Spacecraft Writers’ Group. He's been a lifelong fan of reading speculative fiction, but only started writing it after flipping his bicycle during triathlon training. Typing at his computer felt like a less risky hobby, so that summer, with his wrist on the mend, he wrote a novel. Then another. On his third attempt, he found an agent who suggested that writing short stories could help build his reputation while the book was being shopped around. The manuscript never sold, but he realized short stories were fun, too. Since then, he has earned multiple honorable mentions in the Writers of the Future contest and two Silvers, while publishing several short stories—though not enough to “pro out." United Public Radio & UFO Paranormal Radio www.uprntalkradio.com