Meet the writers
Asta Birkler
My name is Asta, I am 22 years old, and I study Scandinavian Languages and Literature at Aarhus University. I love when stories crawl under my skin, provoke me, and spark recognition. I love sentences that deliver truths like a wet dishcloth in the face. And I love discussing literature and immersing myself in even the tiniest linguistic details.
Loc-An Thi Nguyen
Loc-An is 25 and was born and raised in Aarhus to Vietnamese parents. She has loved literature for as long as she can remember, which in 2019 motivated her to study English in Aarhus University. She tends to gravitate towards magical realism and books that explore complicated family dynamics and belonging.
Cody Sander
I have always had a great passion for literature and love immersing myself in theatrical works. To me, literature is not just entertainment but a way to understand the world and human nature. I look forward to developing my skills and sharing this interest with others throughout the program.
Literature is hard not to find inspiring. It ignites your imagination, expands your vocabulary, and strengthens your patience and understanding of the world, the people around you, and the many perspectives that exist. Sharing a good story with others is probably also the root of my great love for theatre.
Johanne Bisgaard
I come from North Jutland and have a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Aarhus University. To me, literature is a place to meet, feel and understand. I am especially fond of its ability to pinpoint and grasp the complexities of the world. In this way, my relationship with literature is characterized by both creativity and the more direct and analytic approach from academia.
Tallulah Howarth
Tallulah Howarth is a multidisciplinary creative based in Leeds, currently a member of the Writing Squad and studying an MA in Writing Poetry at Newcastle University. They have had publications in antae journal and Now Then Magazine, among others. In March 2024, she was The Poetry Business’s Digital Poet-in-Residence.
She has collaborated with jazz bands such as Ferg’s Imaginary Big Band, Vipertime and Skwid Ink. Last year, she was shortlisted for the esteemed Roundhouse Poetry Slam and performed in the regional heats in Leeds. Their work is observational and intimate. It can be found @tallulahhowarthcreative (Instagram) or at www.tallulahhowarth.com
Elizabeth Gibson
Elizabeth Gibson is a poet, scriptwriter, performer, and zine-maker based in Manchester who has been the recipient of a Northern Writers’ Award, as well as a Developing Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England. Elizabeth has worked with organisations including Manchester Literature Festival, Manchester City of Literature, Manchester Poetry Library, the University of Manchester, The Portico Library, Manchester Pride, The Writing Squad, Rebecca Swift Foundation, and Yorkshire Dance, on projects that have included original writing, art, and performance commissions; multidisciplinary collaborations; and workshop facilitation.
Elizabeth’s poems have appeared in Atrium, Banshee, Berlin Lit, Butcher’s Dog, Dust Poetry, fourteen poems, Lighthouse, Magma, The North, Popshot, Queerlings, and Under the Radar, as well as the LGBTQ+ anthologies Joy//Us from Arachne Press and He, She, They, Us from Pan Macmillan. Elizabeth’s debut collection is A love the weight of an animal (Confingo, July 2025). Key themes include moving through the city, nature and animals, body image, language, and community.
