Marlaina Cockcroft (she/her) is an author, journalist, and editor who lives in New Jersey. She frequently draws on Jewish folklore in her fantasy stories. Her fiction can be found in magazines such as Factor Four, Daily Science Fiction, Mythic, and Dark Matter, as well as in anthologies like “Strange Fire: Jewish Voices from the Pandemic,” “Stories We Tell After Midnight, Volume Three,” “Dark Cheer: Cryptids Emerging, Volume Silver,” and “Summer of Sci-fi & Fantasy: Volume Two.” In man vs. monster stories, she’s been known to side with the monster. She can be found online at marlainacockcroft.com.