(The Netherlands, 1959) has been writing about the expectations men and women have of each other and of life since her debut novel Bloem (Flower). Her novel Atoomgeheimen (Nuclear Secrets is about intimacy and the loss of ideals. She has been called the chronicler of contemporary womanhood; she explores her themes further in her novels De vertrouweling (The Confidant) and Zachte riten (Soft Rites). Pruis works at De Groene Amsterdammer weekly as a literary editor and columnist, writing essays on topics as diverse as humour, shyness and greed. She received the Jan Hanlo Prize for her collection of essays Kus me, straf me, and the J. Greshoff Prize for essayism with Genoeg nu over mij. For her columns, collected in Oplossingen (Solutions), she received the J. Heldring Prize. In Boos Meisje. Over vrouwen en frictie (Angry Girl. About Women and Friction), she writes about the split in which girls and women find themselves, including portraits of writers she admires such as Renate Rubinstein and Vivian Gornick. Her recently published confrontational novel Huiswerk (Homework) is about white privilege and the tension between employer and employee.

(Amsterdam, 1972) was already known as a poet-performer before a syllable letter of hers had been published. In 1997 she became well-known nationally through her performances at big literary festivals. Her debut Genoeg gedicht over de liefde vandaag (Done enough love poetry for today) followed only two years later and was nominated instantly for the NPS-Cultuurprijs. Her second collection of poems, Koffers Zeelucht (Trunks full of sea air; 2003) was awarded twice. By the end of 2008 Loper van Licht (Light walker) appeared. Peeters aspires to give poetry a bigger role in society. Early 2009 she participated in the election of Dutch Poet Laureate. Her new collection of poems Wasdom (Growth) was published in 2011. In 2016 her first novel was published, 'Malva'. It tells the story of the daughter of poet and Nobel Prize winner Pablo Neruda.

(Zeist, NL, 1973) was a comedian and worked in advertising before writing his 2003 debut De Duiker (The Diver), which recreates a striking portrait of an era through the distinctive speech of three students. The romantic tragedy Aphinar followed in 2007, in which Knol alternates between angry interior monologues and a sensual and tarnished love story. His major novel Alles kan kapot (Everything Kaputt) was published in 2011, about the fates of three generations of a family. The book owes a literary debt to Céline, Woolf, and David Foster Wallace (among others), but above all it shows off an authentic and innovative voice. Anything is possible in Knol's work. The dead can rise from their ashes and demand to regain their position in a book. Knol also likes to play with language and style. The Dutch Literary Fund chose Alles kan kapot as one of the best Dutch books of 2011. Besides novels, Knol writes short stories, essays, blogs, and criticism, and is an editor with the literary magazine Tirade. He's currently at work on a new novel.

(Boston, 1976) calls his stage his pulpit, his pen his temple, the paper his sanctuary and poems his confession. Omékongo Dibinga grew up in a warm intellectual family that came to the US after having fled Congo. Although he himself had a happy youth, in the US he recently witnessed cruelties against family members and members of the African community. This prompted him to speak out on behalf of ‘all those voiceless people.’ With his poems and performances the poet and rapper wants to promote dialogue, bring together the various population groups and make people think. His performances have taken him to every corner of the world. He also performed in various radio and tv programmes, e.g. CNN and the BBC. Meanwhile he has recorded six CDs with hiphop and poems of his own. His first album, A Young Black Man’s Anthem, in 2003 won the Cambridge Poetry Award. His first collection of poetry, From the Limbs of my Poetree he published independently in 2004. It was followed by another anthology of poetry by students and a guide for young job seekers. In 2009 he launched the GROW Towards Your Greatness project, a CD and book to motivate young people to get the most out of life. He writes and performs in English, French and Swahili and recites some fragments in Wolof. His great examples are Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, Amiri Baraka and Abiodun Oyewole.

(Hoorn, 1968) is a journalist who started his career at local radio station Amsterdam FM; after that he became editor of De Digitale Stad, hosted AT5's newshow and talkshows. Then he returned to making radio: first at BNR Nieuwsradio and afterwards at VPRO's programme De Avonden which he presented every Monday and Friday. Since 2015 Van Kan is radio news show host at national public broadcaster NOS; he also can be heard as voice over during TV news shows. Spring 2016, he hosted literary TV programme Boeken. Next to this, Van Kan is active as editor of literary magazines. Until 2007 he was part of the editorial board of De Tweede Ronde. Afterwards he moved to literary magazine Tirade. Together with Wim Brands he is co-editor of Nederland. Een objectief zelfportret in 51 voorwerpen (The Netherlands. An objective autoportrait in 51 objects), a collection of texts about typically Dutch objects by the same number of writers.