Carmen Maria Machado was born July 3, 1986 in Allentown Pennsylvania. She is the author of the short story collection Her Body and Other Parties, memoir In the Dream House, and comic The Low, Low Woods. She is well known for crossing genre borders and creating a new genre called "Liminal fantasy." Winner of the National Book critics Circle Award John Leonard Prize, Machado has a long list of residencies, honors, and academic essays to her name.