J. Thorn is a totally rad dude. You might have read one of the 30+ books he’s written and sold worldwide. Spielbergian in his art, J. writes extensively in the horror and sci-fi genres and has the cred to prove it as an official member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Horror Writers Association, and the Great Lakes Association of Horror Writers.

J. co-founded the Writers, Ink podcast and has interviewed some of today's most successful Gen X authors, including Matthew McConaughey, Hugh Howey, Andy Weir, Jodi Picoult, Nicholas Sparks, Chuck Palahniuk (technically a boomer, but he did write Fight Club so he’s clearly one of us), and many more.

While J. has plenty of Gen X cred from early jobs, notably a stint as a fry cook at a Bonanza Steakhouse, he is a full-time writer, part-time professor at John Carroll University, founder of The Author Life Community, podcaster, FM radio DJ, musician, and owner of the Three Story Method Editing Agency. Thanks to his enviable mane, J. can still rock a flannel like nobody’s business.

Trudi Roth is a bona fide Valley Girl—totally a TruStory; she lives in the San Fernando Valley just blocks from where Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Valley Girl were filmed. In her grown-up life, Trudi is a weekly contributor to the newsletter Further and has written nearly 250 articles on middlescence and the art of evolving and thriving in your 50s and beyond. She’s also a ghostwriter (she’d tell you who she writes for, but she’d have to kill you), content marketer, reformed mommy blogger, reformed YouTuber, and (semi-)reformed air guitarist.

She teaches Vedic Meditation, which is lucky because, as it turns out, Gen Xers like to meditate. (Yo, almost 40% of us do the chillaxing deed weekly! Must’ve been all those trippy Saturday morning cartoons, the copious dime bags of weed we went through, or both.)

While Trudi has plenty of Gen X cred from early jobs, notably as a sleepaway camp counselor (a job she considers her dharma ;), she is a full-time writer and owner of It’s the TruStory content marketing agency, co-creator of The Shakti Sisters meditation, and a partner in Movement Ventures, home of the Leading Expert community, which she co-leads. Thanks to having the maturity level of a 15-year-old boy, Trudi rocks an effortless youthful glow.